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Harnessing Discontent
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Harnessing the Natural Energy of Organizational Discontent
by Douglas R. Rosensteel, CMC
You want your organization to change. You know they need to. Your customers have been telling you so. All the trade journals have been telling you, too. So you carefully plan the change, explain it to the organization in a clear, crisp, logical fashion, and begin the implementation. Things run smoothly for a while, then you watch in frustration as your flawless plan collides like the Titanic with the organizational iceberg of “It’s Your Idea, Not Mine.”
An important principle of Change Management states that the first step in creating organizational change is to create discontent with the current situation. Fortunately, this happens without effort. It is a self-generating process in all organizations. As we sit on our barstools sipping JB and coke, I complain about the situation at work. You listen contentedly, nodding. Then you cut loose with your own barrage of complaints.
“If only they would listen to us…”
This type of dialogue is commonplace in the break room, in the office, or after work in the local pub. I complain to you and you complain back in a never-ending cycle of ideas and opinions, solving all the problems of Corporate America. We constantly create what is christened by systems thinkers a “reinforcing process,” one where your actions feed off my actions and vice versa. As complaints increase, morale decreases, leading to further complaints.
“If only things would change.”
Change is the buzzword these days, but it seems to be a paradox. On one hand, people whine because things never change, and on the other hand, they protest because things are changing. A truly amazing observation is that this phenomenon describes both the worker and management. Both groups feed this unceasing volley of complaints equally. Both groups have the same complaints. Both groups point the finger of blame toward the other. Morale drops faster than NASDAQ.
A useful process for creating organizational change follows these steps:
Step One is continually accomplished on the job, in the break room, and during after hours bar meetings. These encounters actually generate huge amounts of energy aimed at change. Why, then, do so few organizations take it to the next step? Why are so few companies able to harness the energy generated by that process? Good question, since the same process that causes morale to take a nosedive can be turned into a generator of ideas for improvement and energy for change by a few simple modifications to the systemic structure.
Create Discontent
Since organizational discontent is a self-generating process in all organizations, why do so few managers take advantage of it? Only a small number actually sit down with the company’s employees and say, “I know the way we run this company is in need of improvement and nobody is happy. What should we be doing differently?”
Why is this approach not used more often? Well, for one thing it’s suicidal. For another thing, by posing the question, “What should we be doing differently?” you are setting yourself up for failure if you are not prepared to take the advice offered. And you may also be setting yourself up for failure if you do take the advice offered. However, this is no excuse for not taking action.
Create a Shared Understanding
A common roadblock in organizational improvement is the lack of a shared understanding of current reality. Each person sees the situation from his or her own perspective, so solutions can only be created from a limited understanding of the full story. Individual perceptions are key to creating a shared understanding. This part of the process requires a strong commitment to the truth. It is one thing to discuss the “truth” in an atmosphere of political correctness. It is another matter completely to get at the same truth that people discuss in private. By discussing the effect of the current situation on everyone’s job, employees come to realize that they are all part of the same system, and it makes no sense to blame each other for their problems. Once a group understanding of current reality is built, a shared vision of the change can be created.
Create a Shared Vision of the desired situation
Just as a shared understanding of current reality is critical to bringing out the “truth” to any situation, a shared vision of the future is critical to creating it. Again, all perspectives must be included. Without a common vision, organizations will just continue to fragment, each piece going off in the direction thought to be the optimum.
Analyze the difference
Gap Analysis is a powerful tool when used to create a map between where you are and where you want to be. However, the quality of the shared understanding of current reality and the quality of the shared vision will determine the quality of the map. As the Cheshire Cat said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Likewise, if you aren’t truthful about your starting point, it won’t much matter what road you take.
Formulate a plan to move toward the Vision
Okay, now you know where you are. Not just you, not just your management team, but your whole organization. And you know where you are headed. Likewise, your whole organization. How do you get there? The “how” should be a step-by-step plan, created during the Gap Analysis, endorsed by the organization, and implemented with a high level of focus. This method of organizational improvement leverages the power of different perspectives in creating change. Commitment to the change is strong, because everyone is involved in creating it.
Do it
This is, very ironically, where many organizations who have come so far simply stop. A customer just called with a crisis. Sales are down. The main production line is having quality problems. Actually “doing it,” implementing the changes you have all agreed to, must be given as high a priority and level of focus as the customer who calls with a crisis (after all, the crisis was caused by current reality), the sales level (after all, sales is a product of current reality), or the quality problems in the main production line (after all… okay, you get the point.)
Conclusion
The need for change is a matter of perspective. If I think you need to change, it will probably take quite a bit of convincing, and my ability to explain the logic behind the change will have little impact on your desire to change. People change on the emotional level, not the logical level. However, if you think you need to change, watch out! The change will be rapid and powerful. The most powerful method of organizational change leverages the power of different perspectives. Commitment to the change is strong, because everyone is involved in creating it. Organizational discontent is a wonderful starting point for creating change from within.
If you are worried about the downside of creating organizational discontent, don’t be. It is happening anyway. Take advantage of it.
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