8/9/2019 From Storming to Performing

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FROMSTORMINGTOPERFORMING:

SteeringOrganisationsTowards

ExcellenceinRoughWaters

AneetaMadhok

Indiancompaniestodayareontheedgeofthecliff.Theongoingglobalfinancialcrisis

seemstohaveimpactedIndiathoughnotashardasothercountries.Thenatureofthe

impactvariesacrosssectorsandtheonesthataresurvivingarethosewhichareinnon

exportoriented

domestic

economy

and

traditional

sectors

like

pharmaceuticals,

agri

businesses,andothersuchareas.Also,itisinterestingtonotethattherearemany

businessconglomerateswhichhaveadiversifiedportfolioandthesearetheonesthat

havemanagedtospreadtheriskverywell.

Thefalloutofthischurningiswhatcanbelabeledasformingandstormingstagesof

globalization,toborrowatermfromtheTuckmanmodelofteamdevelopment.People

inorganizationsfindithardertogetalongwitheachothersincecollaborationis

superficialandpronetocrackingup.Bosssubordinaterelationshipsshowlackof

inspirationasauthorityisseenmoreascontroloriented.Employeefrustrationand

dissatisfaction

is

high

as

organizations

call

for

more

output

than

ever

before.

Systemic

disciplinebreaksdownaspoliticalandhiddenagendassubvertorganizationalmission

andpurpose.Individualpeoplebecomecentersofpowerinaninformalpeckingorder

thatemergesinthewakeofacrumbledhierarchy.Astheorganizationdoes

quantitativelybetterinturnover,profits,marketcapitalization,marketshare,it

paradoxicallydoespooreronallqualitativeindicators.Roughwatersprovideforrough

sailingandonlytheroughsurvive.Ifchangecanbepredictedbymodelsofsociologists

andsocialpsychologists,thenthingsarelikelytobetworsebeforetheygetbetter.

Inthechaoticroughandtumbleofthetimestoday,thestrategiesthatwillsteerthe

organizationtohigherlevelsofperformanceandbuildconsistencyandcontinuitywill

haveto

be

different

from

the

past.

They

will

need

to

revisit

the

business

purpose

and

notlosesightofitalongtheway.Asmallcloselyknitteamatthetopwillneedtokeep

organizationalsustainabilityinmind.Spacemustbecreatedforthemaverick

performerswhoredefineperformancelevels.Externalenvironmentandstakeholder

satisfactionwillhavetobemorerealandlessofanimagebuildingexercise.Measures

andmetricsneedtobepassionatelyenforcedtotheextentpossible.Operational

excellencethusbuiltneedstobetranscendedandstrategicexcellenceneedstobebuilt.

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AneetaMadhok,2010

Aspirationalandcharismaticleadershipneedstoreplacedullandfossilizedcontrol

orientedmanagement.Rolemodelsofexcellentpracticeneedtobepulledoutintothe

limelightasexamplestofollow.Organizationsneedtobedeeplycommittedtofostering

membershipandbelongingnesstorekindleaspiritthatisdyingandgivingintothe

forcesofcynicism.Aninclusiveclimateneedstobenurturedtobringindiversityof

ideas.

THEINNERCIRCLEEmployeeturnoverisnotlimitedtotherankandfilebutnowpervadessenior

managementalso.ItisoftenseenthatCEOsandothersintopmanagementare

becomingincreasinglypronetothehabitofjobhopping.Whenaseniormanagerwho

hasbeenaroundformanyyearsleaves,itdestabilizestheorganizationnotonlyinthe

operationsthatshemanagedbutalsointheinstitutionalandculturalvaluesthatshe

symbolized.ThisismoreseriousifthemanagerhappenstobetheCEOoroccupiesa

significantkeyroleinthecompany.Manyorganizationalmentorsrealizethevalueof

building

a

core

and

cohesive

team

at

the

top

for

the

long

term.

Investment

in

maintainingtheserelationshipsgoesbeyondthematerialandtrueinstitutionbuilders

seekhumanrelatednessthatgoesdeeper.Thecoreteamactsasaninnercirclewhich

providesastabilizingandanchoringforcethatkeepsthecompanyshiponcourseduring

roughweather.

REWARDINGEXCELLENCEEveryorganizationhasitsshareofpeoplewhoaredrivenpurelybytheirsenseof

achievement.Theystandapartfromtherestofthecrowd,headandshouldersabove

therest.Theyarerestlesssoulsinsearchofthenextadrenalinrushthatcomeswith

scalinganewerandhigherpeak.Theyredefineperformanceparametersandtakethe

organizationtothenextlevel.Thedownsideisthatthesepeoplewhoarethoughtand

practiceleadersaretheenvyoftherestofthepackwhodonotlikethem.

OrganizationalgroupdynamicsinvariablyplayaknockoutgameandtheAcategory

performersfindthemselvesontheperipheryofthemainstream.Theircompetenceis

valuedbythecompetitionwhoseducesthemwithopenarms.Theexcellentonesare

thefirsttoleaveinthechangingfluxofwhatiscalledorganizationalpolitics.Withthem

gotheorganizationsopportunitiesformovinguptheperformancecurve.Effortsto

retainsuchhighenergypeoplewouldmeanopeningupthewindowsofopportunityand

givingthemafreehand,protectingthemfromorganizationalgameplayersand,

supportingthemintimesofneed.Theyneedanoccasionalwarmpersonalnoteof

appreciationof

who

they

are

and

not

what

they

achieve.

They

glow

when

they

are

deeplyvaluedintheirbeingandthistakesthemtoconquerhigherpeaks.Special

strokesareneededforthesespecialfolks.

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AneetaMadhok,2010

HOWREALISYOURIMAGE?Whatdoestheorganizationthinkofitself? Howdoemployeesexperiencethe

organizationculture?Whatisthenatureoftheencounterofthecustomer?Howfar

removedisallthisfromtheimageweproject?

Companiesgo

to

B

school

campus

putting

on

the

road

show

that

speaks

of

how

great

a

placetoworkitis,mistakenlyassumingthatafatsalaryandasmartworkofficeisall

thereistoemployeesatisfaction.Likewisecustomersarewooedwithattractive

packagingandgreatadvertising.Investorrelationsseemtobemoreaboutshareprices

andmarketcapitalizationratherthanrealperformance.Itstimetostoptheturmoil

thatcomesinthestormingstageandputinplacedeliverymechanismsthatcreatea

matchbetweentheclaimsandtheexperienceforallstakeholders.Thisisnotamean

tasktoachievebuttheprocessissimple.Improvetheorganizationalrealityandstop

makingfalseclaims.Nothinglikealiberaldoseofauthenticity.

CHASINGTHE

NUMBERS

Measuresandmetricsneedtobepassionatelyenforcedtotheextentpossible.Ifyou

dontknowhowdeepthewaterisorhowmuchitis,howwillyoumanageit.The

numbershelpalign,track,prove,inform,andeducateallinalanguagethatisuniversally

understoodandcomparableovertheyearsandacrossdivisions,companies,sectors,

etc.So,KeyPerformanceIndicatorswillgiveustrueandaccurateindicationofextentof

achievementofpeople,Incentiveplanswilllinktheseperformancemeasurementsto

monetaryrewardsinwaysthatrationalizethemostirrationaldecisions.Specific,

Measurable,Achievable,Realistic,Timeboundgoalsmakeforsmartfunctioningthat

willbringmethodtomadnessandmovecorporationstowardsmoreseamless

functioning.

BEYONDMANAGEMENTTocopewiththeincreasingpaceofwork,allsortsoftoolsandtechniquesarebeing

practiced.Organizationsarerushingtoputinplacethenewprocessandprocedurethat

willenableperformance.ERP,BalancedScorecard,SAP,PeopleSoft,andsoon,enables

theorganizationtoputinplacethenewermorecomplexprocedurethatwillensure

correctmanagementofdataandinformationthatwillmaketheorganizationmoveup

thecurve.Globalsupplychainingpromisestoridyouofalltheirritantsandheadaches

causedbyimpropermanagementproceduresandmoveyoutohigherlevels.Butthe

realityisdifferent.Thelinkbetweenorganizationalperformanceandbetterprocedures

isyet

to

be

established.

The

procedures

provide

operational

excellence

which

is

the

startingpointforbuildingagoodorganization.Theinvestmentofeffortinbuilding

operationalexcellenceismandatoryintodaystimestoavoidmismanagement.But

thereisaneedtogobeyondmanagementexcellence.ItwasnotonlyWarrenBennis

whospokeoftheLeadershipAdvantage,butstartingfromLordKrishnastreatiseonthe

Mahabharatabattlefield,ChanakyasArthashastra,whichspokeofstrategicexcellence

beyondjustgoodmanagement,whichmakesallthedifference.

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AneetaMadhok,2010

Thebiggerpicture,thelargervision,thegrandgameplan,thebattlestrategy,iswhat

providesthewinningadvantagetoorganizations.Theabilityoftheorganizationtocarve

outastrategybasedoninformation,competitiveintelligence,playingforthelongterm,

allcounttoincreasingchancesofsuccessbeyondmanagement.Thecompetitiveedge

comesfrom

transcending

management

processes

and

the

human

value

add

that

leadershipbrings.Thatiswhentheorganizationdoesbetteronquantitativemeasures

aswellasqualitativemeasures.

INSPIRATIONALLEADERSHIPToday,asIndialiesonthebrinkofaneconomicrevolutionthatisgoingtoescalate

exponentiallyintotheglobalworld,thereisacrisisofleadershipthatwilldrivethe

changeneeded.Eavesdroppingoncanteengossipinneighboringofficesrevealsalackof

faithinmanagementandleadership.Managementprocessesthatareonlyabout

planning,controlling,directing,createbossesthatarecontrolfreaksandsuppress

individual

impulses,

creating

crises

of

talent

retention

that

are

the

nightmare

of

the

HR

Manager.Theneedofthehourisforthesaviorwhowillredeemthemassesandrestore

faithinthesystem.Weneedtocreatealeaderwhocreatesfollowers.

Legendsarewritteninboardroomsacrosstheworldaboutcharismaticleadersbuilding

corporateempires,turningaroundailingcompanies,managingmiraculouschange.

Thesearetheleadersthatareomnipotentmysticalheroeswhoarevaluedriven.

WhetheritwasJackWelch,orJRDTata,DonaldTrumporDhirubhaiAmbani,Kenneth

LayorHarshadMehta,JohnFKennedyorJawaharlalNehru,AdolfHitlerorOsamaBin

Laden,allusedtheirpersonatomovefollowersintoaction. Withoutthecharisma,

leadershipisdull,fossilizedandneedstoresorttoevasiveandmanipulativegamesto

survive.This

further

alienates

the

populace

and

distances

the

leaders

from

the

reality

of

themasses. Leadershipthatisinsecureinitscompetencebuildsfencesandcoteries

arounditselftocreatecomfortzonesofoperation.Thisexaggeratesthesocialdistance

withtherealconstituentswholandupfightingwitheachother.Theabilityofsuch

leaderstomanageinternaldissentandtodealwithcivilprotestfromthecitizensisvery

limitedastheyareincreasinglynotintouchwiththerealissues.Officepoliticsbecomes

thepredominantoccupationofemployeesandorganizationalpurposegets

compromisedinthebargain.

Theneedisforcharismatocreatefaithandinspirationinthefollowersandalignallto

thechallenges

of

the

situation.

Someone

to

look

up

to

ahero

or

asavior.

History

and

mythologyisrepletewithexamplesofwhensomerealizedsoulshavearrivedtoredeem

thesituation.Perhapsthetimehascomeforsuchleadershiptoretrievethe

organizationsfromthebrinkofchaosandanarchy.

CREATINGHEROES

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AneetaMadhok,2010

Rolemodelsofexcellentpracticeneedtobepulledoutintothelimelightasexamplesto

follow. Thereisnoperfectpersonbuteachonehassomeexamplesoftalents,

competencies,skillsandbestpractices.Laudingtheseexamplesreinforcesthemessage

ofthemanagementtotheemployees. Peopleknowwhatkindoftalentsarevaluedin

theorganization.Bringingoutthebestinafewpeople,bringsoutthebestinall.

Givingrecognitionandspaceforgrowthoftherightkind.Inhibitingthewrongbehaviors

andreinforcingtherightones.Heroesaresometimesborn,butwhenwedontfindany

heroesaround,itisbettertocreatesome.Livingheroesthatlivesimplelives,butdo

somethingthatmakesthemspecial.

FOSTERINGBELONGINGNESSOrganizationsneedtobedeeplycommittedtofosteringmembershipandbelongingness

torekindleaspiritthatisdyingandgivingintotheforcesofcynicism.Theincreasing

figuresofhighemployeeattritionissymptomaticofalargermalaiseofalienation.

Employees

find

it

difficult

to

commit

themselves

to

organizations

today,

not

because

humannaturehaschanged,butbecauseorganizationshavechanged.Despiteallcalls

forHRtoretaintalentandholdontokeypeople,itisstilldifficulttofindanchorsof

relationshipsthatlastandcreateasocialpulltobelong.Wearebreedinganincreasingly

competitivetribeofpeoplewithoutknowingthattheunintendedconsequencesisalso

increasingselfishness,andanImentalitythatcreatesopenbattlegroundsinsteadof

soilthatnurturesseedsofrelationships.Itbecomeseachmanforhimself battlinghisor

herownwayinlifewithoutanythoughttocreatingconstructiveandsupporting

relationships. Thereisaneedtofosterteamwork,nurturingrelationships,andreasons

tobelongandreturntoworkonMonday.Commitmenttotask,system,institutionand

thepeoplethatpopulatetheorganization,isasparkthatneedstobeprotectedfrom

thewinds

of

turbulence.

People

need

to

feel

secure

now,

more

than

ever,

in

their

jobs

andtheirdailyexistence.Inanerawhensmallinvestorsbankbalancesandshare

portfolioshavebeenwipedoutitistheorganizationthatneedstostepintoassureeach

personofcontinuedsustainabilityandstability.

Manisbornwithastrongneedtobelongtogroups.Itsaherdinstinctthatcamein

earlyinDarwinstheoryofevolution.Thereisakinshipthatkeepspeoplegoingwhen

thewaterisrough. Keepingthesocialbondsaliveisparadoxicallymoreimportantin

toughtimesthanwhenthesailingissmooth.

DIVERSITYOF

THOUGHT

AND

ACTION

Theworkplaceisameltingpot,notacookiecutter.Itslikeanecosystemwherelife

thrivesinallitsdiversecolours,religions,regionalisationsandsoon.Therearesomany

waysoflookingatsituationsandarichnessofactionthatliedembeddedindiversity.

Today,whenthereisaneedforadaptive,globallevelofresponsewithinorganizationsit

isthisbigdiverseresourcewhichwillretrieveorganizationsfromthebrinkofextinction.

Democracy,transparencynolongertranslatesintomajorityrepresentations, but

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AneetaMadhok,2010

inclusivityistheorderoftheday.Peopleneedtobegiventheirpersonalspacefor

achievementtoflourishandoverdoseofcommandandcontrolmanagementprocesses

needtobemanagedtoreleaseindividualsfromoppressiveandsuffocatingworkplaces.

Therewillbemoreandmoreneedforpeopletobeincludedinactionsanddecisions

thataffectthemandcontributetocreativesolutionstoproblemsituations. Suchan

inclusiveclimate

needs

to

be

nurtured

to

bring

in

diversity

of

talent

in

times

of

need.

PerhapsthetimehascomewhenmanyCEOstodayrealizethefactthattheirsuccess

liesinproperpeoplemanagementpoliciesthatalignperformancetobusinessdirection.

ThewordsHRasastrategicbusinesspartnerarenowareality.Companiesare

creatingtalentpoolsandpipelinesthatwillassuresupplyasforecastedbythefutureof

business,ThewarfortalentandtheinternalbattlestoretainkeypeoplehavetheHR

managersrunninghardjusttostayinplace.Returnonhumancapitalinvestmentwill

onlyincreaseastheHRmanagersgettheiracttogether.

Itisnowtimefororganizationsandforprofessionalstoperform,morethaneverbefore.

thechurninghasseparatedthewheatfromthechaffandonlythebestandmost

competentwillsurvive.

AneetaMadhok,PhD,CMC,GPHR

DirectorOpenSpacesConsulting

June19th

2010.

AUTHORSPROFILE:

AneetaMadhok,MBA(XLRI),PhD,CMC,GPHR.Isaglobalmanagementprofessional.SheistheDirectorofOpenSpacesConsulting(Private)LimitedandtheChairpersonfortheInternationalCouncilof

ManagementConsultingInstitutes.Dr.MadhokgraduatedwithadegreeinPsychologyHonoursfrom

DelhiUniversityandcompletedherMBAinHumanResourcesandOrganisationDevelopmentfromXLRI,

Jamshedpur.AfterhavingextensivelyworkedforeightyearsinallareasofPersonnelManagementand

HRD,sheundertookdoctoralstudiesandcompletedherPh.D.inthefieldofManagerialLeadershipand

WorkMotivationin1991.Dr.Madhoklooksforopportunitiestotranslatemanagementpracticeinto

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AneetaMadhok,2010

theoryandviceversa.Sheiskeenlyinterestedinthewaysthatindividualsintegratethemselveswith

organizationsandgroupdynamicsinteams.Herresearchandconsultingworkhasledhertoprovide

insightsandmanagementprocesssolutionstoseveralleadingorganizations.Shehastohercreditover70

publicationsincludingrefereedarticles,consultingprojects,newspaperarticlesandbookreviews

publishednationallyandinternationally.SheisalsothePastPresidentoftheInstituteofManagement

ConsultantsofIndia,fellowofSumedhasAcademyforHumanContext,aCertifiedManagement

Consultantand

has

been

the

recipient

of

scholarship

awarded

by

the

Foreign

Commonwealth

Office

of

theUnitedKingdom,andtheBestManagementTeacherawardoftheBombayManagementAssociation.