Herd Mentality
- Author Nan Russell
- Published August 1, 2011
- Word count 613
Booths featuring products and services related to employee engagement, mobile learning, global performance, and results measurement were overflowing with conference attendees as I walked the trade show at a national conference where I was speaking. Just a few years ago the magnets were initiatives like total quality management, six sigma, diversity, work-life-balance, and customer driven.
Every few years there are band wagons of "solutions" for the ills troubling companies, with contingents of experts ready to sell the latest "fix" to eager herd-minded buyers. Reinforced by trade and business magazines featuring successful company examples of this "new" thinking, they're gobbled up like chocolate chip cookies in a kindergarten. It's interesting that started-but-failed initiatives aren't highlighted, or the long-term impact of unintended consequences scrutinized for what these flavor-of-the year programs elicit.
If generational differences are the headlines now filling business magazines, then you'd better start addressing them, right? If work-balance is unbalanced and hijacking your employees' morale, it's time to hire a consultant, right? Maybe. But what if "balance" is as illusive a concept as happiness, needing to be defined and managed by the individual not some company entity? Or it's a buzz-word for deeper issues undermining effectiveness in the workplace? What then?
The solution to these and other organizational issues is not herd thinking. Don't get me wrong. I'm not one to dismiss ideas or thought leaders who shift our collective perspective. Nor am I quick to ignore technological changes that make innovative communication more productive and efficient for businesses and individuals. And I'm certainly not suggesting that well-founded and sustained initiatives are not important for businesses or industries or bottom-line results. They are.
But the tag-along herd approach of throwing the latest program or consultant or technology at a problem, or cloning the practices of "best companies" for your department or organization can do more damage than good if these same initiatives are the wrong fit, or sit dormant after launch collecting dust on a shelf in management offices, only to be replaced with the latest, hottest, next thing that ignites a "gotta have it - gotta do it - this is the answer" mentality.
Herd-following fails when the behavior accountability for what is introduced is not linked to bottom line results, or integrated into workplace practices with rampant, sustained, patient focus.
The answers to complex problems that plague your business are usually not band wagon solutions. More often than not, people problems result when what leaders say and what they do are not in alignment.
If you introduce a new program as an important company initiative, but relegate it to HR or training or customer support to champion, instead of making it an accountable strategic objective, don't be surprised when it's as successful as those motivational posters hanging on bulletin boards.
If budget tightening happens when sales plummet, but you award yourself a bonus before freezing the salary of your staff, don't be surprised when discretionary efforts and innovative ideas get frozen, too. When you treat employees as one-size-fits-all interchangeable parts, don't be surprised when they treat customers that way. And when scathing emails from top leaders feel like parental tirades, don't be surprised if they're answered with sandbox antics.
You see, you can buy the latest social-networking interface for collaborative staff work, or the best learning programs for staff growth and development, or even the most innovative gadgets for staying connected, and you can even provide a stellar menu-driven employee benefit plan, but if you're missing the foundational pieces of credibility, trust, and respect with your staff, you're missing the ingredients needed for any sustainable and successful initiative. Want a winning organization? Start there.
(c) 2011 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.
Author of two books: Hitting Your Stride and Nibble Your Way to Success. National speaker and radio host of "Work Matters with Nan Russell." More about Nan and her work www.nanrussell.com
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- TikTok and Instagram: Ways you will grow and learn.
- Alter Ego: The Ultimate AI Assistant for Your Smartwatch
- Achieve Your Goals Faster and Easier with SEPTEMICS
- Why You Should Consider Taking an IQ Test
- What You Need to Know When Preparing for a Job Interview
- Learn to ride an e-Foil (electric hydrofoil) in New York; access, inclusion, and benefits.
- Attitude is Key
- Ahamed Danial Al Fayed Presents "Vitore Bahir": A Soul-Stirring Bangla Song Album
- How to Harness the Law of Attraction with Cosmic Ordering
- Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
- Susan Vail
- IS IT TOO LATE TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
- How to achieve objectives
- 4 Ways an Attractive Smile Can Help Your Career
- How To Manifest Wealth & Happiness: The Secret Lies In Your Mind
- How to Find a YouTube Niche Channel Without Showing Your Face
- How to Build Your YouTube Channel from the Ground Up
- Cryptocurrency: The Ultimate Guide To Cryptocurrency And How To Make Money with it!
- Where can I get an HGV medical?
- Improving personal performance at work
- How a Great Smile Can Help Your Career
- The "Secret" Hiding in Plain Sight
- Charisma, Love And Health
- A little insight on change
- What is the Difference between C8 and C18 column in HPLC?
- Effective Ways to Successfully Market Yourself
- The Benefits of having a great relationship with your Recruitment Consultant
- 5 Simple Ways To Prepare For Going Back To Work
- 14 Keys to Writing a Winning Resume For Church Jobs and Ministry Openings
- HOW SURFING SAVED MY LIFE