“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African proverb

#change #workplaces #innovation
The workplace can be cruel.
It can also be awesome.
Are you the type that is eager to go to work? Perhaps you are the type that isn’t eager for the commute, or some other extraneous issues, but are happy to be at work once you arrive.
Perhaps you are there for the paycheck only. Paychecks are very nice, but you spend lots of your life earning it, so it would be best to find something good, other than a paycheck, at your workplace.
Your attitude toward work may be a reflection of the management where you work. Is the culture one of collaboration, competition or coercion?
Bob Nelson, author of “1501 Ways to Reward Employees” has followed up that work with “Companies Don’t Succeed, People Do.”
The book is a primer on how to create a work atmosphere at which people feel valued, have power, autonomy and are allowed – actually encouraged — to innovate.
Does this describe where you work? Some employers are old school. They believe a successful organization in one in which employees compete with each other, fear failure and feel almost enslaved by what is probably a measly paycheck.
The newer organizations, the ones Nelson praises, have cultures that think outside that old-school box. They offer employees creative time to find better ways to do things. In turn, the employees work well with each other, find teams in which members have complementary skills and have departments that work together, not compete for credit or blame.
Management in these new organizations are constantly looking for ways to reward collaborative behavior, instead of finding ways to punish.
In organizations like the ones described in Nelson’s book, there are very few levels of employees. Those who work there seldom need permission to do something beneficial. Those who work there have a common goal, understand that goal and do what THEY feel they need to do to best carry out the goal.
In these organizations, change is easier to accomplish because the employees have a clear understanding of the need for change, and do what they must to make it happen.
In old-school organizations, change is difficult because there are too many layers of employees. Some of those employees get hurt as a result of the change, making it even more difficult.
If you work in an old-school organization, and need a way to get out — probably before you are asked to go – visit www.bign.com/pbilodeau. You’ll see a fresh organization in which people are rewarded for helping others succeed.
Some organizations and some managers are resistant to change. They fear empowering employees because it will hurt THEM – not the employees. For those organizations, when change has to come, there is anguish, anxiousness and real fear of loss. Good people often pay a steep price for that change.
If you believe change is coming where you work, and you fear it will not be for the better for you, take charge. Find that Plan B before you have to. There are many good ones out there, for those who want more control in their lives.
If you work in one of those flat, dynamic organizations, be thankful. However, change could still come up to bite you, so have your Plan B ready to go.
Peter