Manage My Employees

Short Article #38 and 39 (parts one and two)

I like this observation by business authors Fahey and Randall:

“A major limitation of most strategic planning is that the thinking and recognition of opportunity take place within the confines of a mental box – the limits of the historical mindset. Often, signals of change or threat are simply not recognized by the upper leaders involved in the planning. Middle managers often contribute to the problem by focusing on the activities that best fit the mindset. Front-line managers may be subtly discouraged from challenging the status quo. In other words, the mindset exerts a limiting role on the analysis and implementation of the plan.” Liam Fahey, Robert Randall

 

What thoughts do you have based upon the observation above? Please leave your comments below if you’d like to chime in.

Here are some views I have on the topic of the limiting historical mindset, based on my experience:

• In the pursuit of constancy, consistency and congruency most organizations are unable to get past status quo.
• Management is often instructed by leadership to "adhere to the course we’ve laid out” and “don’t rock the boat.” Employees are often told by management to “just do what we tell you,” and “don’t ask too many questions.”
• Organizations too often say on the one hand that they want change, yet still vehemently resist it.
• As individuals, we may truly want what’s better for ourselves, our careers or our families, and yet we stay stuck in our all too comfortable mental ruts and habits—consequently little change occurs on any front.

I find that good questions often have pertinence when it comes to carefully considering our own possible historical mindsets.

Here are 10 Questions I Often Ask Leaders and Managers to Answer:

-Why do we yearn for change but yearn to resist it?

-Why do we look at the same data, the same markets, the same balance sheets and income statements month after month, and come to the very same historical conclusions?

-Why do we keep selling the same way, with the same sales message?

-Why do we keep marketing in the same unimpressive or ineffectual ways?

-Why do we keep planning and implementing in the same historical ways?

-Why do we keep serving our customers the same way we have for years? Is it still the ‘best’ way to serve them today?

-Why do we keep hiring the same way with the same results?

-Why do we keep communicating the same way we’ve always communicated with employees?

-Why do we keep training (or not training) employees the same way even though we sense it isn’t working?

-What are our sacred cows and why are they so sacred?

If I were to narrow down the answers I’ve heard to the above questions over the years, one root cause consistently surfaces, safety.

There’s safety in the historical mindset and such diffidence in the pursuit of the very best direction or action, can be the biggest reason why organizations fail to break free.

• Safety is staying within the boundaries of what we already know or do because it brings predictability.

We may embrace the notion that ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’ is right from time to time, but the company ship eventually rights itself to the historical latitude and longitude—gridlock!

So, how can we break out of a mental box limitation that holds our organization back in the shadows instead of out in the limelight? How can we take up a perspective that will serve to advance our competitive advantage and long-term profitability goals?

• By gaining a different, albeit an enlightened perspective.

Good books can start the perspective building process. So can calling in an unbiased, credible viewpoint (I know a really good consultant if you need one!) to assess your situation and make recommendations without the historical mindset getting in the way.

Let me prime the mental pump with three books I’d recommend as good starters:

Chaotics by Philip Kotler, John Caslione

The Age Curve by Kenneth Gronbach

The Future of Management by Gary Hamel

…there are MANY more worthwhile books that will stimulate your intellectual edification and challenge your mental mindset. Go buy one (or two) and read them, then discuss it with others to expand your perspective further.

Subscribe to my free newsletter Book Chalk (see a sample) –it gives great ideas from great books that will help rev up your mental processes and challenge the status quo!