A Key Source to Business Success – Part II
Involving Employees in the Decision Making Process
By EMERGE International
You have just been asked to improve the ROI of your business and shift the culture; but you have not been given the authority to make those decisions. All decisions must pass through the Board and they only meet once a month. How does that feel? Sound ludicrous? Absolutely. Is this reality? Maybe not for top leaders; but, it is certainly a scenario many employees can relate to.
Authority to carry out the many responsibilities is critical. As leaders we are being asked to do more with less. To do things more quickly, to improve ROI, to be able to shift on a dime, to be responsive to the market, to make better use of new technologies, to implement outrageous goals and achieve breakthrough results. The stakes and expectations keep getting higher and higher and many of us are still attempting to function in this new world using old models. We don’t have to look far to see that many leaders are still actively participating in and embracing the 19th century model characterized by rigidity, hierarchy and control.
All organizations, no matter the size or type of business, are being challenged to work better in the new world of the 21st century’s technology-driven economy, which is fluid and based on creativity and inclusive relationships. In this new world it is absolutely imperative for us as leaders to change our thinking and our approach. New mechanisms and structures are needed if businesses and society are to flourish.
Therefore, it is about paying attention to technological webs of information while also paying attention to the human system and the human centered webs that form in our organizations. A great metaphor for us to consider as we talk about webs is the infamous web of a spider, which is reflective of the World Wide Web. Imagine that a web with pencil-thin strands can stop a Boeing 747 dead in its tracks. Strands thinner than our hair are more than five times stronger than steel wire of similar diameter, and can stretch by over 30 per cent without snapping.
In order to create strong human webs all employees must be integrated and be part of the fine intricacies that give the web its strength. The way to do that is to involve employees in the decision making process as stated in Part I of this series. More importantly, we must provide employees with the requisite authority so they can actively participate in creating the web.
If you are currently providing the right level of authority to your employees, you are creating a strong and invisible web and you are in the ranks with other high performing leaders who effectively empower their employees to take control of their work environment. In doing so, employees feel a sense of control over themselves and the task[s] they are trying to accomplish. They feel a great sense of pride in contributing to the creation of a stronger web – a stronger organization. Employees also feel more confident and comfortable in making decisions; they trust the decision-making process and are more apt to support the decisions that are made.
We are not suggesting that you swing the pendulum from no authority to unlimited authority. Again, it is about decision making being a shared responsibility. In other words, everyone plays a role in achieving results and it is important for everyone to know who is ultimately accountable. As discussed in Part I, the RACI is a very powerful tool for providing clarity to determine who is Responsible, who is Accountable, who is to be Consulted with and who must be Informed. Often times the lack of clarity not only around what must be accomplished but how and by who is often not very clear. When you can take the guesswork out of your expectations employees can be more focused and will stay on task.
Authority alone will not guarantee that good decisions will be made in support of strategic goals. We can garner additional insight by asking ourselves how we think our employees will respond to the following statements. Will they agree or disagree?
- I understand my department’s goals. In order to make effective decisions employees must have a deep understanding of what must be achieved at the department level.
- I get frequent feedback from the person I report to on how I am doing. Ongoing feedback is critical. It is crucial for employees to understand how they are tracking so they may make the necessary changes in their approach and/or behavior.
- The person I report to listens to me. When employees do not feel they are being listened to they will feel their opinion doesn’t count and they will stop being engaged. They will lose their drive and commitment to achieving department goals. Information about the business is shared at all levels. One of the most important tools we can provide to employees is clear, honest and precise information. Then and only then can we expect employees to make good decisions.
Other effective steps to consider are:
- Develop a formal process for decision-making. As mentioned previously, the RACI will be very helpful in this step. [Remember to involve key stakeholders when developing this process].
- Offer training to all employees [management included] to ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to authority levels and the process for making decisions. The real challenge will be in getting leadership to let go. ‘Let go’ and ‘let flow’. When employees are given clear direction and the right tools, there is absolute flow – the resistance is gone.
- Hold leaders accountable for delegating and spreading authority levels out to the entire web. Have this be an expectation that is part of their individual performance evaluation.q Most importantly, [as stated in Part I] decide if this is a value you can embrace as a leadership team. If you cannot let go and let flow, if you cannot trust, if you cannot move into the new world then don’t do it. Employees will see through your words and your actions and the level of trust and respect for leadership will erode. If this is the decision you make, share your position with the employees so they too can make a decision on whether or not they choose to continue to work in this type of culture.
For more information on how to accelerate Organizational Change and transformation please visit us online at www.emergeinternational.comor contact us via email at info@emergeinternational.com
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Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Phone (480) 595-9874
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