Ever save something you’ve read that you liked, and later go back to read it again, when events in real life prompted recalling it? That happened to me with a good re-read of Harvard Business Review’s June 2009 issue on Rebuilding Trust -the article in particular was, What’s Needed Next: A Culture of Candor by James O’Toole and Warren Bennis. And of course, it led me to “connect the dots” (to related ideas and practices) in other supporting sources. Here’s why…
At the time of year when business plans are shared with all contributors to execute and achieve goals, and throughout the year as progress is assessed, everyone’s perspective and buy-in matters. In her book “The New How” Nilofer Merchant talks about how leaders can change from being “The Chief of Answers” to being the catalyst for productive collaboration (see related webcast From Chief of Answers to Leader of Co-creators and e-Briefing). Since Merchant, O’Toole and Bennis remind us that not one of us knows everything, the importance of information free flow from bottom up, and across the organization’s “silos” is as important as information delivered from the top throughout the company. O’Toole and Bennis suggest that to achieve a culture of candor and transparency, “leaders need to be role models; they must share information, look for counterarguments, admit their own errors, and behave as others want them to behave….given that assurance, followers become more willing to stick their necks out…and put themselves on the line to help their leaders achieve goals.” The insight I took from this was encouraging about human nature that most people are more inclined to stand shoulder to shoulder “to go into battle” before they will blindly follow a brave leader.
O’Toole and Bennis recommend that leaders, “encourage people to speak the truth to power…[because] exemplary leaders encourage and even reward openness and dissent… [and]because better information helps them make better decisions.” Professor Mike Beer from Harvard Business School in his webcast Transform your Organization for Performance and Commitment - What Leaders Need to Know (which HCI Professional Members can download on demand) explained his supporting research on “enabling truth to speak to power” and results experienced in organizations that “engage employees to learn about barriers to commitment and performance,” which Beer adds builds a highcommitment, high performance organization; see Michael Beer’s book High Commitment High Performance: How to Build A Resilient Organization for Sustained Advantage.
My thought is when organizations don’t intentionally develop free flow of information as a behavioral habit with a supporting process, they risk a “free fall” in their performance. The price of silence is too great to not listen at every opportunity, and for organizations that don’t practice listening it can ultimately be deadly (from lack of engagement to loss of talent and business opportunity). If you’d like to know more about encouraging free flow of information, check out the field book exercises in Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization on “expanding the inquiry” vs. “advocating a point of view.”
At some point decisions do have to be made to carry out business strategy, and people do need to commit to their teams’ direction; when this is done using an informed process, the buy-in, metrics and probable results can be more predictable. Take away message: Listen up, down and sideways and examine goals and related metrics carefully to engage commitment and help ensure desired performance. With a free flow of valuable pespective and information necessary for execution, organizations can tap the "hydro-power" if you will of their talent, otherwise they might experience a free fall, like going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
By the way, here are two related live webcasts coming up that you may want to check out, on Feb 9 Return on Value by Engaging Talent: What Leaders Can Do and on Feb 17 Follow the Money to Achieve Performance . And this re-cast is back this week by popular demand- Strengths-based Leadership: Leaders Who Can Do the Heavy Lifting (also can be downloaded on demand by HCI Professional Members at any time) with Barry Conchie, Senior Leadership Consultant from Gallup.
As always, would love to read your comments, take aways, and insights on our blogs, webcasts and posted articles…
Photo courtesy of williams_jt
Well thought out information and lots of great support materials. Great read Joy!