How often have you heard people say that organizational change "has to start at the top?" We understand the sentiment and logic behind that view but frankly we'd rather have all your employees and executives saying: "Change starts with me!"

This is what management guru Ian Percy had to say as he led our first Directors' Circle program for senior Municipal leaders. Here's some more "Percy-isms" for you to consider.

Free the Chickens

If "thinking outside the box" is so wonderful why do we have boxes in the first place?

When you think about it most of us were raised in boxes. As kids at home we had to "abided by my rules" as long as we were "under my roof;" schooling was largely a matter of sitting up straight in our boxes; religion made us do the same thing only in better clothes; and our work environments are likely the boxiest places of all.

 

When I saw the picture of the chickens in this egg farm I immediately thought of the boxes in a typical organizational chart; everyone sitting dutifully in their place fulfilling their measurable egg-laying obligations.

Knowing that these chickens are almost born and raised in these cages breaks your heart.

So is there a lesson to be learned here?

Compare that picture to this one of a 'free-range' egg farm. It has much better fueng shui! And by all reports you get a far better and more profitable product from this kind of organization. Customers are willing to pay a premium for these eggs.

The lesson here is about setting employees free. To think, communicate and perform to their maximum potential.

Much of the stress you feel in the work environment can be traced to far too many controls and too much complexity. Unfortunately when people feel that stress they actually add more controls and complexity and consequently throw fuel on the fire!

You can easily see this in government programs. When the system doesn't accomplish what was intended, they add on oversight committees and other redundant bureaucracy. The frequent outcome is that they successfully put the program out of its misery.

Of course we need some bureaucracy and some policies. A nursing director once said: "Policies are just scar tissue over an error!" Your Infinite Possibilities Initiative process will take a look at whether or not you've gone too heavy on such controls.

Consider this...

All bureaucracy and policies are fear driven. Why does a company need three and four signatures for a purchase of a hundred dollars? It's because they're afraid someone will make an unnecessary purchase and bankrupt the company. Why do they have supervisors supervising supervisors? Because they're afraid something won't get done. Why do they establish an elaborate dress-code policy? Because they're afraid someone will show up wearing jeans - which of course they can if it's Friday.

Most organizations are driven by fear! If everyone in your organization developed full trust in each other you'd need very little of these bureaucratic controls. The result would be spiritual and intellectual freedom. "Free" people think better, they're more imaginative, have more energy and will accomplish so much more for the organization.

Some corporate leaders just plain don't believe that. Their starting assumption is that people are lazy, self-centered and will 'put it' to their employer every chance they get. That is very sad and they're not likely to become clients of ours.

But if you believe that people want the chance to perform to their maximum potential, that they love to dream big and that they'll give heart and soul to a purpose they believe in - then it's time for transformation to begin.