Posts RSSThe predictability of change
By John Elliott | March 28th, 2011
Preparations for my presentation to a group of managers last week had me revisiting a well-used reference book that never seems to be far from reach in today’s dynamic business environment.
The group I was addressing is in the formative stages of leading its employees through a variety of workplace improvements. At the outset, I had an opportunity to offer a briefing about the fundamentals of change, and what they could expect in the months ahead.
In preparation, I reviewed my copy of Managing Transitions, a practical guide to “making the most of change,” by William Bridges (his earlier book, Transitions, covered similar ground). The author started his investigations into the then-emerging field of change management more than 30 years ago, at about the same time I decided to pursue a career in public relations (there is still no proof the two events are related). Bridges’ perspective of change and how it affects us made a lot of sense to me. Since then, I’ve followed his principles and guidance over the course of a number of business assignments, where changes were introduced.
Pointing to the essential challenge in managing change, Bridges notes, “It isn’t the changes that do you in, it’s the transitions. Beginnings depend on endings. The problem is, people don’t like endings.” His research identified three phases that all of us go through when faced with changes to our routines. It starts with the ending of the original practice (or whatever is the focus of the change), progresses through a neutral zone where the old has been abandoned but the new has yet to be taken up, and advances to the beginning phase where the new practice is adopted and then adapted to our specific circumstances. Some change management specialists refer to the tri-zone area as the “delta state.”
Bridges maintains that everyone experiencing change goes through the three transitional phases. The time we each spend in the delta state reflects our individual emotional reaction, our ability to change and the circumstances we face moving forward.
For the individual, moving through all three phases is a grief-like emotional ride. As the mind works through the mechanics of the change, the heart succumbs to a range of emotions, swinging from denial and anger all the way over to acceptance. While the emotional reaction is assured, the time people spend in each transition zone can be influenced. We each require varying amounts of encouragement and training, before committing ourselves fully to change. Successfully managing change in business involves a number of considerations, including:
- Synchronization of plan delivery - Managers of change can be expected to move through the delta state faster and well in advance of their employees, yet must accommodate and address the lag in emotional response in their project plans
- Communications shifts - Helping employees understand and appreciate the need for change up front, and then providing appropriate, supportive information to move them from rejection to acceptance are important stepping stones to plan success
- Let those affected help drive - Getting employees involved in shaping and implementing the change at the earliest possible point in the process allows them to explore, realize and adopt the change more readily
As the late Charles Kettering, inventor, observed, ‘The world hates change. Yet, it is the only thing that has brought progress.’ In acknowledging the inevitability of change, managers need to be properly prepared and equipped to help themselves and their employees to adapt effectively.
How has change been handled in your part of the business world?
Accepting advice from a kid
By John Elliott | September 29th, 2010
Wherever a friend and I go, silliness is likely to follow.
Case in point: our most recent phone call involved the use of a farm tractor sound loop and a call bell (remind me some time to tell you the story about the civil servant who used a call bell as a facilitation tool during a public consultation forum I attended).
You could put this atypical behavior down to a left brain-right brain thing. Apparently, it’s beneficial to seek a counterbalance to the stress of our left brain-driven lives of too much to do, not enough time and constant change, by pursuing imaginative and free-spirited, right brain-thinking activities; a Yin for a Yang, as Kelly Gullo noted - although I’m not really sure this applies in our case. Our wives aren’t either. In our company, they seem to teeter precariously between outbursts of uncontrolled laughter (my interpretation) and expressions of intense worry (their interpretation).
I recently came across another, well-reasoned explanation for our childish behavior (not my words). Coincidentally, it comes from a, well, child.
If you’ve ever come across Adora Svitak before, you’ll appreciate that the kid is nothing like what she appears to be. In her treatise (for how else could one describe a lecture from a 13 year old) “What adults can learn from kids,’ Svitak contends that kids possess qualities that adults would do well to retain, but typically don’t. As she lists off: kids believe in possibilities; they dream about perfection; they listen because they truly care, and; they aren’t hampered by reasons for not doing things.
Svitak warns us adults about the consequences of forcing our kids to eventually drop their child-like tendencies: they grow up to be exactly like us. Alternatively, she advises adults to create opportunities for children to retain their youthful perspectives, “so kids can grow up and blow you away.”
Is there wisdom in her words? Is it possible for a “blow-you-away” state of adulthood to encompass the use of farm tractor sound loops and call bells?
What you do think? Are we adult enough to accept advice from a kid, or are we just playing around?
Words of wisdom unpacked
By John Elliott | August 18th, 2010
I am not a packrat.
Recognizing that my storage space is finite, I (really try to) keep only those things that strike a chord in my life, or that will be of use to me down the road.
Case in point: I came across some valuable words of wisdom offered by the owner of a regional brewery - still very successful, that I packed away …er, stored safely in my “Personal - Words of Wisdom” file some (10) years ago. Here are the top 10 things he wished he’d known before going into business for himself:
- You’ll need a lot more development capital than you think and there are benefits to bringing in partners
- Owning your own business involves hours and hours and hours of work
- Banks
- Don’t hire friends and family
- Surround yourself with the best people possible
- Don’t try to do everything yourself; delegate
- It’s okay to say ‘No’
- Strike a balance between work and family time
- Appreciate the support of your family and friends
- Keep a positive and professional attitude
So, what do you think about them - worth the storage space? If you liked this, I can’t wait to show you my copy of George Washington’s “Rules of Civility” …as soon as I remember where I filed it.
It’s not just the fax
By John Elliott | July 26th, 2010
I’m sorry that I haven’t been blogging lately. But, I’ve been busy doing lots of stuff…
…like thinking about getting rid of my fax machine. I haven’t decided yet, but it’s on my list.
You see, I can’t remember the last time I sent a fax message – which is odd, considering I can still recall quite vividly the look on my secretary’s face, when I asked her to fax 120 pages of edits to an impatient report writer some 20 years ago. I already know that my likely decision will disappoint my ‘corporate’ travel agency, a local chiropractor’s office and that collections agency (which must be good, because their unsolicited fax solicitations already bug me). They’re sure to miss the exclusive access to my office that even e-mail spammers and telemarketers don’t have.
Once the central communications technology of my office, the fax machine now sits idle. It’s too slow for today’s pace of business. Why would I waste valuable time manually converting fax copy, when I can receive a ready-to-go and technologically integrated version by e-mail? And, hey, e-faxers, have you checked the price of scanners lately?
Face the facts, fax. You’re just not capable of competing in the big leagues any more. Some days, even e-mail is too slow.
Apparently, others agree that message speed is an important factor in today’s business world. According to a survey by technology researcher Gartner Inc., the accessibility and ease of use of e-mail makes it today’s office tool of use – and abuse. Almost half of us check for e-mail six or more times per day. The more nervous of us who check for messages more frequently have already forsaken e-mail for instant messaging, particularly Twitter, which they claim is more immediate and responsive to their needs.
However, all of our checking, reading, messaging, checking, reading, messaging, is already making some bosses nervous. Maybe they’ve seen Gartner’s research, which points out that only about one-third of the e-mails we receive are of any value to us. Regardless of the source of their concern, they’re wondering if your use of e-mail is helping or hindering your productivity.
Studies by the American Management Association have determined that employees are spending about 1.75 hours a day with their eyes glued to e-mail (no wonder I haven’t had time to blog!). In a recent webinar, Jacob Morgan, social media specialist with Chess Media Group, noted that some companies were even hesitant to add new tools, including wikis, Twitter and Facebook, to their communications resources, because they were concerned their employees were already spending way too much time on their e-mail.
So, it got me thinking about the amount of time I actually spend on e-communications. As a practical countermeasure, I installed an electronic e-mail notifier on all my accounts, allowing me to automatically check them at preset (read: fewer) times of the day. I’m already feeling more productive.
But, apparently, my wheel has already been invented. Tim Ferriss, the guy who claims he works only four hours per week, has a more regimented system, which he has blogged about. Judging from the feedback, people have been waiting to be tossed just such a lifeline, in order to save themselves from their own bottomless pit of e-messages.
So, as you can see, I’ve got much bigger fish to fry before I determine the fate of my fax machine. Besides, have you seen the great deals Corporate is send out on vacation flights lately??
What’s your experience?
Measuring the length of board meetings
By John Elliott | May 10th, 2010
It’s a near impossibility to provide PR counsel in the private or public sector these days, without becoming involved in some way with management boards.
I started my career in staff functions, which served largely at the pleasure of management boards and advisory committees. Transitioning through the corporate world and then into my private consultancy, I’ve continued to counsel management boards, as they sought solutions to a myriad of niggling issues, embraced the strategic planning process and endeavored to improve their performance. Serving as a director on several occasions has helped to sharpen my perspective of how management boards should spend their time in the best interests of those they serve.
Over the years, I’ve come to readily recognize the telltale signs that a board is coming up short on productivity and effectiveness. If you’ve spent some time around a board table, too, you might recognize some of the following indicators:
- Lengthy conversations about yesterday’s activities. Such discussions are best reserved for forward-looking matters, where the board’s insights and counsel have a better chance of positively influencing the organization’s actions
- A well-reasoned and constructive appraisal of the board’s performance that sits untouched until the same time next year. A conscientious board will offer its shareholders good value by continuously improving, acting in a timely manner to identify and address weaknesses and opportunities
- A jam-packed full agenda that prevents directors from giving any issue a full airing. It only proves the strategic planning mantra, “if everything is important, then nothing’s important”
- Topics that frequently reappear on the board’s agenda. With only the occasional exception, matters should be addressed only once, with a suitable resolution reached the first time
Each member around the table shares the responsibility of ensuring that the board’s mandate is fulfilled responsibly, with the interests of their shareholders and other stakeholders always in the forefront. That means using meeting time wisely and efficiently. What are your thoughts and experiences?
Why I don’t, but am glad I do (and other solid PR advice)
By John Elliott | February 18th, 2010
It was a colleague’s bitter experience that brought the issue to my attention, during the early stages of forming my own consulting firm.
“If you’re smart, you won’t accept not-for-profits as clients,” he warned. “They don’t know what they need, or what would satisfy them. When you finish the job, they won’t appreciate what you’ve done and will complain incessantly about your fee.”
At the time, I didn’t know how to respond. And, no, I don’t recall hearing his heart shrink two sizes.
Sadly, my first experience as a charity’s communications advisor proved him right for the most part. From that point on, I’ve politely referred service enquiries by not-for-profit organizations to others.
Well, that’s not the entire picture.
The fact is I don’t work for not-for-profits, but gladly volunteer my time and services to their causes. As weak as that delineation might be, I find that it satisfies all involved. The organizations get the necessary PR counsel and support at a price that consistently fits their budgets, while I’m able to maintain a fair balance between the demands of my business and my community service activities.
Best of all, the arrangement allows me to thoroughly enjoy the time I spend helping not-for-profit organizations. Whether it’s a brief phone consultation about a nagging issue, or a large-scale project that involves communications planning and delivery elements, each activity gives me a better appreciation for how not-for-profits care about and contribute to the betterment of others. As one local leader recently told me, “You call tell the true nature of a community through the range and depth of the contributions its volunteers make.”
Regardless of how you get to the table, what has been your experience in the service of not-for-profit organizations?
Standing up for the dailies
By John Elliott | December 7th, 2009
The question seemed to just pop out, almost as an afterthought. Next thing I knew, almost all in attendance were out of their chairs in a show of the affirmation.
I had the answer to my question about whether community leaders continued to see their local daily newspaper as a source of information.
During the past couple of months, I’ve been hearing from an increasing number of company representatives that they were gearing back their media relations activities. They were less inclined to issue news releases about new developments, or changes and weren’t taking their media spokesperson roles so seriously.
The company leaders seemed to have discounted completely the daily newspaper’s ability to influence community attitudes about their business.
Let’s face it, with fewer news room staff and less editorial space to fill in each edition, the fifth estate isn’t what it used to be. Even my teenaged son, who relies mainly on MTV for news, has commented about the anorexic state of our daily newspaper.
So, it’s understandable that business people would want to consider the implications.
However, based on my recent experiences, removing media relations from your list of ongoing business management interests would be a misstep. You’ll still want to keep local editors proactively informed about your initiatives. You should remain prepared to work with them proactively, to ensure your side of the news story is presented in the community’s interest.
After all, editorial staff still has to fill the pages available to them. And despite a reduced audience, the daily newspaper stories still carry some clout.
Which brings me back to my roomful of community leaders. They represented a fair cross-section of our community, large and small enterprises for both public and private sectors. There they were, standing all around me acknowledging that they’d seen a feature piece in a recent edition of the local daily newspaper.
From their response, I could see that they not only had access to the daily, but were diligent in reading it.
So, don’t misunderstand the current plight of daily newspapers and their ability to influence the thinking of people in your community. It’s in your interest to maintain an active media relations program.
At least in our community, leaders seem to have taken a stand that the daily is still regarded as a continuing source of information.
Reading, writing and upskilling
By John Elliott | October 2nd, 2009
For years, those responsible for our formal education system have been telling us they can’t do it alone.
“Sure, schools have a vital role in raising literacy standards in our country,” our educators say in unison. “But, we can’t do it alone. Parents need to contribute, too.”
Apparently, that’s not going so well, since 42 percent of Canadian adults possess literacy skills that were given a C grade. United States adults didn’t fare as well. The study was conducted in 2003, but is still instructive, since it concluded that results at the time hadn’t changed much over the previous 10 years.
It’s going to take another one of Hillary’s villages suggests a federal government initiative, which is encouraging companies to make it their business to educate their employees.
Called Essential Skills, the substantial program by Human Resources and Social Development Canada helps employers and employees focus on up to nine aspects of knowledge that they need for work, learning and life.
The training components of the program are occupation specific, described in Essential Skills job profiles. In addition to defining literacy job requirements, the initiative includes testing tools (often available through a local educational institution), along with a wide variety of skills development resources.
Program promoters say Essential Skills offers employers a golden opportunity to better define the requirements of the jobs they offer and to find the right people with the necessary skills - or to apply their finite training dollars where they’ll do the most good. On the other side of the pay check, employees would have more, well-defined opportunities to ”upskill,” that is, gain additional essential literacy skills to qualify for higher level - and paying - jobs.
Companies that have already taken part in the program confirm that they gain direct benefits, such as increased productivity and fewer on-the-job accidents. They’ve also seen improvements in employee morale, including a greater willingness to embrace change.
Could a large-scale commitment by employers to essential skills training in the workplace speed improvements in literacy levels across North America? Time will tell. However, this seems like an initiative that the village’s communications professionals could be encouraging and supporting. What do you think?
Recession fallout to avoid
By John Elliott | July 31st, 2009
I don’t have to tell some of you about the nature of the fallout being experienced from the current recession. For many, it’s all too real. And the downturn continues to prompt a string of never-before-experienced circumstances, eliciting responses that are equally unique.
I try to face these unsettled times with a smile. Be assured that it’s my symbol of optimism and not a sign that I don’t really understand what’s going on around me. Besides, they tell me it takes the fewest number of muscles and doesn’t generate the medical expenses of other alternatives.
Regardless, the latest fallout from the sluggish economy has my expression shifting to one of puzzlement. If not the recession, what other explanation could one possibly have for targeting my blog with spam?
I appreciate that the recession has made people anxious. Combined with too much time on your hands, it might even put some crazy and desperate ideas into your head. I can’t even imagine the torturous shadows that would need to appear in someone’s mind to drive them to spam my blog.
But, while I have empathy for your situation, your spam will not sully the surface of my blog site.
In this matter, I thank my blog network for helping to make my chore easier, by keeping the number of her comments down to a manageable, uh, few. With your ongoing support, I will continue to save time by using the ’Delete All’ function, instead of considering each one individually.
I recognize that we should all try to help each other out of these difficult times. Count on me to do my part. But, please, please don’t ask me to read or post your spam on the assumption it’s for the greater good. Isn’t this the type of fallout that we should all be able to get out from under during a recession?
The reality of the CEO blogger
By John Elliott | June 23rd, 2009
Does anyone else see the irony in the debate within the PR profession, about whether or not CEOs should be writing their own blogs?
Surrounding one podium are the communications specialists who hold the firm conviction that a blog is no place for the CEO. They point out that blogs are uncontrolled territory, with a real potential for the chief executive to come into virtual contact with people – some who aren’t very respectful of corporate officers.
We’re assured that, although blogging has its place in today’s social media active marketplace, the process should be left in the capable hands of communications professionals. Besides, could you really count on a CEO to come up with something worthy of a company president on a regular basis?
Wagging their fingers from the other podium are the PR reps who don’t hesitate to describe as unethical the act of someone else blogging under the banner of the CEO. The risk of damaging the credibility of the company and chief executive is just too great, they claim.
If CEOs don’t have a natural aptitude for blogging, they can be coached. PR people claim to have had considerable success in the evolutionary process by encouraging company bosses to start small.
Those who have lived to retell the tale of how they encouraged their CEOs to blog maintain that the experience has been rewarding for all involved. Blog visitors appreciate the openness of a company that lets them have direct access to the CEO. CEOs seem to be thrilled to interact with stakeholders who prefer their truth without sugar. The PR people end up with another communications tool that helps to raise and address relevant business issues.
I was going to end by linking you to a sample list of effective CEO blogs. But, as I browsed the first few sites, I began to doubt the authenticity of the author on record. How ironic, I think, as the PR people behind both podiums erupt in cheers of victory for their side.
Let me know if you’ve come across a genuine CEO blogger who has impressed you, or which podium you stand behind.