It is well known that organizations need to be healthy in three key areas: Resources (skills and tools); Systems (processes and procedures); and Culture (values, behaviors and practices). It is logical that those who tend to their culture through nurturing practices benefit from having engaged employees. A healthy culture provides a platform in which individuals’ creativity and energy can flow freely. It enables the development of cultivated relationships from which synergy can arise. A synergy that in turn brings forth innovations that infuse all the key areas mentioned above.
If synergy is so logical and beneficial, why do so few achieve it? It takes work. I am coming to believe that it is that simple. Simple is not to be confused with “easy”, for we humans are complex creatures. However, the work goes much easier and produces more fruit if passion is maintained!
John Kotter suggests that a typical employee receives approx 2,300,000 words or numbers communicated to him or her in a 3 month period. He estimates that typical communication of a change vision in that same 3 month period is; one – 30 min speech, one – one hour long mtg, one – 600 word article and one – 2,000 word memo which totals about 13.400 words. Consequently roughly one half of one percent of all the words or facts that an employee receives over 3 months will be focused on the change vision. Clearly routine information can easily overwhelm change messages.
What messages are people receiving from you?
Let me encourage you in your journey. I have been working with a “client” for nearly 4 years now. I hesitate to say client given the intimacy of our relationships. We have truly chosen to embrace this collaborative journey as partners. In a recent staff meeting, the senior leader of the organization commented on a recent organizational event by saying, :”The synergy that I witnessed in this was amazing, we truly pulled together as a team…”
Let me confess that comments like this could fuel my passion for a long time.
If you are a change leader…where are you fueling up?
