Rocking the boat without falling out

Rocking  the  Boat  without  Falling  Out  Crea5ng  Change  in  Organiza5ons  

Lois  Kelly  |  Rebels  at  Work   American  Express  NGen  Webinar  July  29,  2014    

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Can  you  create  change  without  rocking  the  boat?  

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The  gap  between  vision  and  current  reality  is  a  source  of  energy.  If  there  were  no  gap,  there  would  be  no  need  for  any  ac5on  to  move  towards  the  vision.  We  call  this  gap  crea5ve  tension.    Peter  Senge  The  Fi'h  Discipline  

Solu5ons  and  innova5on  come  from  crea5ve  tension  

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But  we’re  socialized  to  be  obedient  to  authority.    

Group  think,  “likeability,”  not  rocking  the  boat  is  rewarded.  

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Most  run  from  disagreement  and  crea5ve  tension...  

…and  cling  to  reasons  not  to  change  

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Source:  MP  Bumsted  Biocultural  Science  &  Management  

Poll  What  are  your  organiza5on’s  most  common  reasons    

not  to  change?    

q The  board/execs  will  never  agree  to  it  q Not  enough  resources/too  expensive  q We’ve  tried  that  before  q  It’s  too  risky  q Are  any  other  organiza5ons  like  us  doing  it?  q Other:  _____________________________________  

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“The  lack  of  ac5on  was  a  result  of  broad  bureaucra5c  problems  and  the  failure  of  individual  employees  in  several  departments  to  address  a  safety  problem….”    GM  CEO  Mary  Barra  

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“Nearly  half  of  execu5ve  teams  fail  to  receive  nega5ve  news  that  is  material  to  performance  in  a  5mely  manner  because  employees  are  afraid….”        

The  Corporate  Execu5ve  Board  “Open  Door  Policy,  Closed-­‐Lip  Reality”  

82%  of  employees  have  experienced  some  kind  of  penalty  for  speaking  the  truth.  

Source:  “Speaking  Truth  to  Power”  study  Dana  Theus,  ReclaimingLeadership.com  

Causes:    Execs’  fear:  nega5ve  feedback.      Unstated  beliefs.    •  Employees  are  self-­‐

interested,  untrustworthy  •  Top  management  knows  

best  •  Consensus  =  organiza5onal  

health  

Source:    “Sounds  of  Silence,”  NYU  Stern  School  of  Management  

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And  some5mes  love  blinds  us.  

Bad  Rebels   Good  Rebels  

Complain   Create  

Break  rules   Change  rules  

Me-­‐focused   Mission-­‐focused  

Problems   Possibili5es  

Alienate   Ahract  

Energy-­‐sapping   Energy-­‐genera5ng  

Asser5ons   Ques5ons  

Pessimist   Op5mist  

Point  fingers   Pinpoint  causes  

Worry  that…   Wonder  if…  

Obsessed   Reluctant  

Source:  Rebels  At  Work  

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Foghound ebook Rebels at Work: Motivated to Make A Difference for more thoughts on activating change click here

Greatest value rebels provide

Call out problems others afraid toChallenge ineffective sacred cow practicesWilling to be the first to try new approachesSee new ways to solve problemsBring outside ideas into the organizationHave ideas to improve products/servicesDetect emerging issues earlyHave a good pulse on what customers want

93%

88%

86%

79%

73%

42%

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What  are  the  risks  of  NOT  speaking  up?  If  not  you,  who?  

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Rebel  101:  Preparing  for  the  unknowable  

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Understand  the  organiza5onal  landscape  

•  What  is  most  valued?  •  How  are  decisions  made?  •  What  are  the  business  cycles?  •  Who  influences  what  and  whom?  •  What’s  gemng  talked  about?  

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Engage  supporters  and  collaborators  Earn  credibility  and  trust  Find  trusted  advisors  

Think  about  sequencing    

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Make  friends  with  BBB’s  

 Bureaucra5c  Black  Belts  

(BBB’s)    

People    who  have  mastered  the  organiza5on’s  rules  and  culture  and  know  how  to  navigate  the  in’s  and  

out’s  to  get  things  done  and  minimize  risk  –  OR  preserve  the  status  quo  and  stop  change.    

Manage  your  outbox.                                    Who  are  3  BBB’s  you  should  have  lunch  with?  

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That’s  interes5ng.  Tell  me  more.  

Key  in  on  what’s  at  stake.   Show  how  the  idea  relates  to  what  people  want.  

Paint  a  picture  of  what  could  be.   Make  the  status  quo  unappealing.  

Show  the  idea  can  work.   People  support  ideas  they  think  can  work.  

Be  posi5ve  and  pithy.   Keep  it  short!  

Frame  your  ideas,  communicate  value  vs.  “how”  

What  do  people  in  your  organiza5on  really  want?  Is  it  stated  or  unstated?  

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There  can  be  no  change  without  conflict.  

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Interpersonal  Conflict  

Structural    Conflict   Conflict  of  

Values  

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The  Rebel  Arc    

Knowing  when  to  quit  –  or  retreat  for  a  while  

Keep  going?  

•  Rate  importance.  •  Just  ask.  •  Is  the  energy  waning?  •  Is  it  performance  objec5ve  

worthy?    •  How  much  are  your  colleagues  

willing  to  help?    •  Are  you  becoming  not  yourself?    

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Poll  What  might  most  help  you  more  effec5vely  create  change?  

 q Using  conflict  more  produc5vely  q Beher  communica5ng  ideas  q Building  rela5onships  with  BBB’s  q Knowing  how  to  maneuver  inside  organiza5on  q Overcoming  my  own  fears    q Becoming  more  known  as  credible,  trustworthy  q   Finding  more  supporters  q Other:  _____________________________________  

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Resources,  stories,  newslecer,  book  release:        www.RebelsAtWork.com        Views  and  news:    @RebelsAtWork,  Facebook:  Rebels  at  Work  page  

Lois  Kelly:  [email protected]    

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