Challenges in Organizational Re-engineering The first few steps

As I walked into the institution to assume a position of leadership, I found several eyes looking at me with a sense of doubt, suspicion and mistrust.

“Appears very young and inexperienced” was a comment I could immediately hear as I walked through the corridors.

“A new scapegoat?” another passing remark. A gentleman smiled at a lady walking nearby after his comment. The comment conveyed a big meaning.

I could see another lady planting a smile on her lips to convey her sense of pre-emptive sympathy to me. I walked bravely.

I could feel a negative environment all around as I gathered my wits and courage to put a pleasing face and walked into the chamber of the person who has been managing the school.

“I know it is not going to be easy for you to manage the institution. But do ensure they are well disciplined. They comply with our instructions. They should know that they are paid for their work and will lose the job if they don’t deliver.”

That was a piece of advice I got from my boss. I could immediate relate to all that happened outside.

I got back to my room for a formal introduction to the staff. One after the other, they came, wished and walked away. But I could sense that there was no cordiality in the exchanges because a sense of insecurity and mistrust haunted their face.  Similar situation happens in many organizations.

How do we re-engineer an institution which has delivered poor results? How do bring together a set of people who mutually mistrust each other, leave alone their mistrust of the system and the management?

Design thinking was not a part of deliberations of those days so that an expert could be called upon to study the situation and offer corrective steps. Heads of schools were not exposed adequately to the management practices and strategies of effective management. One has to learn the skills on the job. I had to work with focus and purpose. Changing people, I knew, was more difficult than changing procedures.

In bringing about a change in the organizational culture and re-building the organization, one has to follow some of the following strategies.

1.       Accept the people as they are

Before bringing about any change in an organizational culture or its set-up, it is important to accept the people as they are – along with their strengths, weaknesses, misconceptions, idiosyncrasies – and enhance their comfort level for interaction with the leadership. Oftentimes people do come and say: “This is what I am” and a good leader acknowledges ‘what they are’ without judging whether it is a true assertion or a proposition of challenge.  Oftentimes, new leaders are tested for their abilities to understand the people, to appreciate others for all that is worth in them and to examine their fairness in judgment. In doing so, one may find that there is quite a bit of chaos in the system with people articulating themselves in groups for putting up a front to isolated issues and with neither a purpose nor a direction. The leader requires a lot of patience to dismantle such groups by defeating them on their own belief systems.

 2.      Keep the doors open

As most members of the organization might have felt that they are not listened to, they withdraw into their shells and build teams among those who have similar emotional inadequacies. They believe “Nothing will happen if we give any suggestions” – “Ouph! They pretend to listen, and they will do what they want.” This is consequent to the trust deficit with the leadership of the organization. The members of the team think that they are just employees paid to do a job; and hence they do not belong to the organization. The huge gap between the institutional leadership and its people is indeed a matter of grave concern and if allowed to continue will destroy the organization slowly and steadily. A good leader tries to diffuse this situation by keeping the doors open. The people are able to see someone is willing to receive them or engage with them. Though it might take some time before people start walking in, the signals are sent to the people that some change is happening. Initiating a positive dialogue with one or two people just say ‘hello’ to the leader is a good indication that there is an opportunity for bringing about a change.

3.      Focus on inter-personal relationship

“There is no algorithm for a successful relationship- between people or companies” says Simon Sinek in his book “Leaders eat last”. Every member of the team is waiting to tell a story of either successes or how they feel demotivated. Their mind is like a pressure-cooker waiting to steam out to reduce the levels of pressure and heat. Send a message that “somebody is waiting and willing to hear you.” The moment they start talking, story-telling, negotiating and advocating -the platform is set for increasing the synergy. A handshake, a smile and just a wave of hand tells people that you are approachable. Once the people start recognizing that you are willing to receive, they open up and facilitating improved cordiality. Moving beyond the professional front, a few inquiries about their personal well being and families tells them that you are concerned. They start telling “He is our man.” That would probably the appropriate time to give a message that they can together build up an organization which they can proud of. They could be helped to see their potentialities much beyond what they see. This ability to see oneself beyond will surely improve their positive energy levels triggering performance, efficiency and effectiveness. “Confidence is contagious” claims John C. Maxwell, the author of the book “Be a People Person”.

4.      Break the Rules

A good leader should be able to uphold the rules, but also understands that rules are made for people. Hence, the leader is willing to navigate through the procedures sometimes bypassing or breaking the rules in order to convey a message that people are important. Such violations could be sometimes for doing a thing or sometimes for not doing a thing. This conveys the message that he is willing to take responsibilities for bringing about change. The leader is conscious of the needs, aspirations and the feelings of the people and hence respond adequately when called for. Even in a situation where the systems are well laid out and technologically controlled, a leader is willing to go beyond and take steps to find alternate solutions to deal with a problem. People start reaching out to the leader to share their concerns with a better trust.  He emphasizes the need for mutual trust between people and the organization. “

5.      Recognize people

People are waiting to be recognized and appreciated. Even a single word of appreciation, an eye movement indicating recognition, a smile as an acknowledgement are good enough to pump ‘dopamine’ that drives people to work better, work effectively and with passion. They do not wait for a big award or celebration on a platform, but little acts of positive reach which says “yes, you are doing a great job” is good enough to keep them moving towards greater heights. They would be willing to scale higher peaks of achievement.

Well, some of these initiatives did pay me in building a culture of togetherness, unconditional love and synergy in the organization and the results were quite evident even within a year. When I left the organization, I left a team of nearly 132 people, but I was hearing only one voice – in that there was music, no noise!