Whether you work in a sector where all or the majority of the work is done by a paid workforce or in a sector where the majority of the work is delivered by volunteers, this is a vital question if you are ultimately to be successful.
A couple of weeks ago I was driving along the A27 in Sussex and had tuned the car radio to listen to Danny Pike on BBC Sussex, for no other reason than to hear the man who would be MC at an event we were organising that evening.
Danny Pike (with Katharine Merry)
As I drove I listened to a debate on how volunteers could fill a possible gap in care provision for the elderly, a gap likely to come about following Government cuts and the ensuing pressure on the purse strings in both PCTs and local authorities.
As is always the case in this kind of debate, there were many different views given, some informed others less so, but two threads that did emerge strongly were; why should volunteers fill the breach and, if they did, why would they continue to do so?
The answer is relevant whether you pay your workforce or you rely on their goodwill – because they are genuinely committed to the cause.
The issue is highlighted when we are discussing volunteer workforces because, without commitment there is little other reason for the volunteer to continue to provide the service/carry out the task. That said the lessons learnt when ‘designing in’ commitment from a volunteer workforce are just as relevant when applied to a paid workforce. True, they might not simply walk away because they rely on the wage being paid to them but their productivity may be lower and they are highly unlikely to go the extra mile (or even inch) when it comes to quality of work.
While we would not recommend that you hand the running of your company over to the staff, effectively consulting with your staff can help you learn lessons and implement (sometimes very small) changes which will measurably improve efficiency and effectiveness.
In short, by consulting we show we value our workforce and engender an atmosphere of commitment to a shared cause over one of compliant acceptance of direction.
“But of course we consult” I hear you cry. And I don’t doubt you. The problem is that the consultation process chosen is often the easiest, the one involving little effort, little time and (here’s that word again) little commitment. If you aren’t committed to listening, don’t expect your workforce to become committed to your cause (because it won’t be theirs).
Ask yourself four questions:
- In what ways do we consult?
- Do we consult with everyone we should?
- Do we make being consulted as easy as possible?
- Are our consultations as inclusive and accessible as we claim (or like to think)?
Often, at this point, we hear someone speak up indignantly (especially with organisations who rely on volunteers), “but of course we consult!”
However, when examined more closely the scenario is usually one of the mountain having to go to Mohammed, by which I mean the consultation is only as accurate and only as inclusive as those who could get to a one-off ‘briefing’. I know of one third sector organisation which conducted a ‘national consultation’ with volunteers by invitation only, on a weekday afternoon in central London and without offering expenses!
Are your consultations really inclusive and accessible?
Which leads me to the kind of excuses which are often offered up once an organisation realises that its previous consultation attempts have fallen short of the ideal:
- We don’t have time, we talk to everyone we can.
- We don’t have the resources, we do as well as we can.
- We avoid some people because we know they will disagree or complain.
- Of course we ask a few people but we know best.
This attitude (or attitudes), this lack of consultation excludes the opportunity to develop commitment and will inevitably lead to a compliant workforce. What does this mean?
Compliance excludes the sense of excitement and commitment developed in those who feel they have been included, whose opinion matters, where proper consultation creates a sense of shared vision and, with it, commitment. On top of that, saying “let’s do this together” or “your opinion matters to me” builds resilience during times of change and a commitment to partnership working.
By consulting fully and properly you create a sense of shared ‘ownership’, a shared and committed view of a future in which the vision isn’t ‘yours’ or ‘mine’ but ‘ours’, a vision we are all committed to seeing through.
Some of the differences between a committed and a compliant employee:
| COMMITTED EMPLOYEE |
COMPLIANT EMPLOYEE |
| “I do these things because I believe in them” |
“I do these things because I’m paid to do them” |
| “I will do my utmost to make things work” |
“If it doesn’t work it’s someone else’s problem” |
| “I want to be involved” |
I’m only involved because you pay me” |
| “It’s our shared vision” |
“It’s the bosses vision, not mine” |
| “I want to stay with the Company” |
“I stay because I have to but as soon as I can, I’m off” |
| “I’m happy” |
“I’m not” |
And between a committed volunteer and a compliant volunteer (using a sporting NGB as the example):
| COMMITTED VOLUNTEER |
COMPLIANT VOLUNTEER |
| “I do these things because I love the sport” |
“I don’t have to do these things if I don’t believe in them” |
| “I’ll commit my own time to help make it work” |
“Sorry, I don’t have time, fix it yourself” |
| “I want to be involved” |
“I’m never asked anything. I’m not involved” |
| “I share the NGB’s vision, in fact I contributed!” |
“The NGB has a vision?” |
| “I want to work with the NGB and enjoy doing so” |
“I don’t want to work with the NGB so I won’t” |
| “I’m happy” |
“I’m off! See you!” |
And so, back to Danny Pike’s show on BBC Sussex and the debate about volunteers being used to plug gaps vacated by paid services. The fact is that over the last few years many sports have unknowingly been acting as testing grounds for what happens when volunteer workforces are assumed and taken for granted.
Sport relies heavily on the work of committed, unpaid volunteers to make things happen. And yet, without proper consultation many of these volunteers have become compliant. It is then only a short step for compliant volunteers to become ‘complaint’ volunteers and then, as feelings of isolation and of being taken for granted set in they become non-cooperative volunteers and, in extreme cases, ex-volunteers and the delivery of sport is considerably weakened. (In sport it is more likely they continue to work with their club but refuse to work with the NGB).
Isn’t that a high price to pay for cutting a few corners when consulting?
Looking again at the excuses often given for cutting those corners offers up some questions for future consultations:
- Does the mountain have to come to Mohammed?
- You don’t have time? How much less time will you have without a committed workforce?
- You don’t have resources? How much thinner will they be spread if you lose some or all of your volunteers?
- You avoid some because you know they will disagree or complain? Why do you think that is?
- Of course, you only ask a few people because you know best. Do you?
The lessons above can be applied to paid and unpaid workers alike however, in the voluntary sector where there is not even a wage to hold the compliant and in an economy which looks likely to become more reliant on the voluntary sector isn’t it time the (so-called) professionals started doing things properly?
If this blog has been of interest you might also be interested in ‘Partnership Working – Defining what it is.’
© Jim Cowan, Cowan Global Limited, 2010
info@cowanglobal.net
Twitter @cowanglobal
STRATEGY – ARE YOU PLAYING ALONG OR PLAYING TO WIN?
25 02 2011“Told you so.” It’s never a nice thing to have to say to someone but every now and then, for their own benefit, some people need reminding of things you had previously told them which they chose to ignore. So when we came across some research which supports our stance that most organisations do not understand how to properly develop successful strategies we couldn’t resist a little “told you so” of our own. Will you listen? That’s up to you.
Which road is your strategy taking you down?
Here at Cowan Global we come into contact with all sorts of organisations and their strategies, from sporting bodies to large corporations and from one man bands to the third sector.
The fact that most of these organisations come to us when they find their strategy simply isn’t working probably gives us a fairly negative view of the quality of planning across all industries but our gut instinct has always been that here in the UK and in Europe we are pretty poor when it comes to strategy.
Part of the problem has seemed to be that, for many, they know they should have a strategy and so create one that is a strategy for the sake of being a strategy, probably a fill in of a template borrowed from some other company that hadn’t realised strategy is personal and therefore template sharing is not a good thing.
The reason behind having a good strategy is to be better, to win, to improve market share, to identify new markets, to grow. It is not an exercise in (yawn) ticking the right (yawn) boxes, putting the right phrase (yawn) in the right column and (yawn) hey presto, we have a strategy (not).
There has been research, but little of the robust variety, suggesting that anywhere between 40% and 90% of corporate CEOs don’t understand strategy. There has also been research (but not sound research) suggesting that Board level understanding of what strategy is, is (politely) low.
Now the McKinsey Quarterly have tested the theories, our gut feel, the varying levels of prior research with their own survey and are reporting that creating a winning strategy is a struggle for most companies. So, the good news is, you’re not alone but that’s hardly the attitude to apply to growing your business!
In a survey covering 2135 companies across Europe, North America, India and China they have found, “only 53% of executives characterize their companies’ strategies as emphasizing the creation of relative advantage over competitors; the rest say their strategies are better described as matching industry best practices and delivering operational imperatives—in other words, just playing along.”
Forty Seven percent are playing along; they have a strategy because, well, erm, they should! We are surprised that as many as 47% admit to this and suggest the true figure may even be higher.
For those reading this in Europe, it gets worse. From a list of ten test statements describing their strategies, European companies scored lowest on 9 out of the ten. Only 25% agreed that ‘our strategy consists on decisions based on vigorous debate about alternatives.’ Take a second to digest that figure. Seventy Five percent of European corporate strategies do not vigorously consider alternatives.
It gets worse. Only 13% of Europeans passed the test of ‘our strategy relies on novel data and insights not available to competitors.’ Please, take another moment. Read that again. Eighty seven percent are planning to go into competition based only on intelligence they share with their competitors. What of the insights that will allow them to differentiate themselves from their competitors? What of consultation and research independent of that available to rivals? What of planning for success instead of mediocrity!
The report makes fascinating reading for us, especially in that it supports much we have been saying about how little the development of quality strategy is understood. It should also make fascinating reading for ALL organisations who are striving for success because it is an alarm bell, a warning but also an opportunity. You can do much better than you are.
Now, how do you break it all down into English, into bite size, understandable, achievable chunks which can be understood from Boardroom through management to delivery? That’s where we come in, why not get in touch? It’s your future; we’d like to help you ensure it’s a successful one.
To read the full report; ‘Putting Strategies to the Test: McKinsey Global Survey Results’ click here.
© Jim Cowan, Cowan Global Limited, February 2011
info@cowanglobal.net
Twitter @cowanglobal
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