When it comes to maximising shareholder value, the collective knowledge (competence) and endeavour (commitment) of employees can only be fully released if the organisation’s style is conducive.

In pursuit of business success a key question that should be asked is:-

You have no choice. Your organisation has a culture. For culture you could read, organisational climate, shared values, atmosphere, or simply the way we do things around here.

The key question is, does your culture support or further your company’s objectives, or does it stop your people doing a good job? Is it a "can-do", or a "won’t work here", "yes, but" culture?

How often do you hear your people say that they would like to do this or that differently, or change this or that, but "they won’t let me". Is your culture that stifling? Or, is blaming "they" an excuse for indecision, or simply a cop out. Who are "they" anyway - ask for a name!

Check it out - ask a representative cross section of employees some questions to throw light on some style issues e.g. internally, is the company seen as:-

    Bureaucratic or empowered,

    Secretive or open,

    Entrepreneurial or risk averse.

Ask yourself - do the answers make the delivery of your strategy more or less likely? You may need to undertake a comprehensive attitude survey once senior management have started to live the necessary behaviours.

To quote the old adage "if you are going to sweep the stairs, you have got to start at the top".

Cultures can be a powerful force for positive change or they can restrict the company’s chance of success. Research yours. The key issue is …does it help, or hinder?

To take a spot check on your culture, examine 3 aspects of your operation:-

Can you never get hold of your managers/colleagues? Are diaries filled with an endless succession of meetings? Worse, do they overrun? Moreover, do they make a difference? Who actually does the doing , or does the organisation, literally talk itself to a standstill?

How quickly does it take for your company to get new products to market?

Busy, busy, or Productive busy

Meetings can be used to provide a false sense of activity, and misplaced, self justification. Being busy is not the same as adding value. Add up the total cost of the salaries of those around the meeting table, a frightening figure.

Meetings can actually act as a drag on the company’s performance. Staff cannot get guidance or decisions, customers do not get queries answered. Emails accumulate, and post does not get processed. Result - stress and inefficiencies. Provide some simple training or issue guidelines on chairing meetings.

Meetings should:-

		Have a relevant short agenda, and be time managed.
		Allow time in the day for managers to make money, direct staff etc.
		Result in bullet point action notes, with names and dates for each.
		Be self assessing.

Solutions?

Designate meeting free days, ban meetings between say 10.00 am and 4.00 pm fining anyone who attends, (donations to charity), delegate more and hold people accountable. The "lets form a working party" tendency can be an excuse for putting off decisions, is a hedge against "getting it wrong" and if uncontrolled is guaranteed to strangle the organisation.

Look at how the working week is filled. It may provide clues as to how performance can be improved, and satisfaction increased.

Paid to Think ….. As Well

The "leave your brains at the factory gate/office door" days should be long gone. Employees are better educated, more financially aware, and possibly financially linked through profit sharing schemes/SAYE schemes.

Agitate

Does your company have a communications policy? Has anyone looked at best practice? Is it a performance measurement of your managers? With the easy use of Intranets on in-company office systems, information should be readily available to all. Acknowledge that everyone has a personal stake in the business. Ensure that there are two-way communication flows.

The people who do the job day in, day out, are best placed to improve matters. Give them a chance to do so. They actually interact with customers every day.

Getting started requires two things to happen:-

Firstly, what happens currently? Auditing what practices and policies are applied is an essential starting point.

Secondly, form a working group comprised of a cross-section of managers to oversee the objective assessment of what people have to do to make the business more successful.

For each of the company’s strategic objectives ask:-

		What strengths in our approach to people help achievement?
		What weaknesses hinder achievement?

What action is necessary to build on the strengths and correct the weaknesses?

Then What? The ultimate objective is to build a company comprised of people, at all levels, who possess the commitment, the competence and the capacity for change to succeed in business into the 21st century.

What is crucial is that someone is taxed with managing the way the organisation operates. The "bottom line" is that it is your people who deliver "bottom line" and the commitment, competence and enterprise of management and staff is paramount.

Research has shown a direct correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Now, if you conducted a survey would your organisation be a ‘preferred employer’?

"Successful organisations will be those that are able to quickly turn strategy into action; to manage process intelligently and efficiently to maximise employee contribution and commitment, and to create conditions for seamless change (David Ulrich)"