Gregory is the CEO for a small manufacturing firm that’s struggling to retain market share. The company has a long and proud history of financial success, so the poor business results are troubling.
To right the ship, the leadership team introduced multiple changes in how the business is run and staffed. While these changes were necessary for staying in business, they caused turbulence in employee morale and prompted employees to lose confidence in the ability of the firm’s management team.
The decline in employee confidence troubled Gregory and his team. He wondered if they might not have changed too much, too fast.
Prior to joining the small manufacturing firm, Gregory had worked at several large organizations where employees were viewed mostly as a means to an end. He had quit those jobs because that view didn’t fit with his leadership DNA. And now, the last thing he wanted to do was create an environment where employees didn’t feel valued.
Gregory convened a meeting with his management team where they crafted leadership norms to help focus their thinking and behaviors going forward. These norms became their lighthouse for communicating, presenting a cohesive approach to managing the business, and for assuring employees that they mattered.
Leadership team norms
Here’s the six team norms Greg and his group created to keep themselves focused and aligned.
1. You don’t have to like the change that’s happening but make sure you understand them. If you don’t understand something, ask. Don’t speculate.
2. No one on the senior team will trash talk the changes. We know we’re the role models for constructive behavior. If we don’t stick together, then we have no hope for increasing employee morale and confidence.
3. We’ll allow employees time to voice their concerns, but we won’t let venting take over. We’ll make sure all voices are heard. Being heard demonstrates we’re listening, but it doesn’t guarantee that what’s unpopular will change.
4. We promise to be patient with ourselves and with our people. We recognize they’re anxious and upset and may not hear everything we’re saying. We will seek people out to repeat and reinforce messages.
5. We will not speculate. If we don’t know the answer to a question, we will point employees to one of the established feedback sources and encourage them to go there for answers. We will follow-up with these employees to assure they have been helped and understand the information received.
6. We won’t be hard on ourselves. These changes are tough on us, too. When our confidence lags, we’ll talk it through with our boss and/or each other. Remember norm #4!
In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people. ~Wilma Mankiller
What other suggestions do you have for Gregory and his team?
What team norms have you used successfully, particularly in times of great change?
Image source before quote: morgueFile.com
Great points! I would also suggest that Gregory use a self-assessment tool in his team to gauge each individual’s change preference. This can help employees talk about the change and also demystifies the change process. There is nothing like change to ignite strong emotions – it takes a thoughtful, self-aware leader to move a team through major transitions! Thanks for the great suggestions.
Lindsey — getting grounded on where the team sits with change is a great suggestion. Knowing people’s preference is invaluable when leading through change. Thanks much for sharing!