Are Your Relationships on Purpose?

Welcome to our latest Guest Blogger.  David Klaasen is an inspirational coach, facilitator and trainer, specialising in profitability, high performance and people and solutions.   We met on-line fairly recently after “bumping” into each other in our respective social media communities!  We quickly realised we shared some common ideas.  David very kindly agreed to give me a review of my latest E BOOK – The 6 Secrets of Great Emotional Intelligence – For Inspirational Leaders and Managers. His help was invaluable.  Below he examines relationships in the workplace and whether they are purposeful or not.  A great post.  Thank You David!

Every relationship has a purpose but all too often it is unspoken, undefined and ambiguous.  When things are going well we naturally assume that our purpose is aligned and there is a good mutual understanding.  However this allows many interpretations and both parties may have completely differing views and expectations of the relationship. 

When a shift of personal priorities or external pressure begins to affect the relationship things can become fraught, especially if there is a lack of clarity about the fundamental purpose.

While it is fascinating to look into how this affects personal and intimate relationships, this blog focuses on relationships in a work context.  However I will invite you to reflect on all the relationships in your life as you read on!

Over the many years that I have been coaching and advising clients, I have met a number of Directors who feel totally ‘betrayed’ when a senior manager decides to resign; did they have an unrealistic expectation that the manager was as ‘wedded’ to the long term success of business as they were? (As in ‘until death us do part’!)

I’ve also met Managers who believe that the purpose of their employer is to further their career and financial aspirations, and who then complain when they have to put in a few extra hours to fulfil the responsibilities that they do not enjoy, or do some learning out of normal hours.

Just fix our staff!

Back in the mid 1990’s when I was Training and Development Manager at the Waldorf hotel in London the managers thought the purpose of my relationship with them was to ‘fix’ their staff.  If someone was underperforming they would send them on one of my courses and then expect them to suddenly be 100% competent without considering the need to change their own management style or behaviour (which was often part of the problem).

It took a few years to change the culture and the managers’ understanding of the real purpose of their own relationship with staff.  But just after I left the Hotel to go walkabout in India and Nepal for 3 months, the Waldorf was re-recognised as an Investor in People.  It was nice to know that the managers did it all by themselves.  They had become clear about the purpose of their relationship with their staff; to Lead, Manage and Develop them.

What is the purpose of the important relationships in your work (and in your personal life)?  Are you able to define it?  Would your definition match how the others in the relationship define it?  I invite you to explore this and if you want some tips on how to do it see below.

Check out what’s really important

Asking about or discussing the purpose of a relationship can seem like ‘indulgent navel-gazing’ and might get you some strange looks, so it is not a great way to start a conversation.

It is much easier to explore what is important to someone in a given context.  Most people can easily respond to a remark like; “I was just wondering  . . . what’s most important for you at work . . .”

Their answer is a way for them to describe their ‘criteria’ or ‘values’ in that context.  Our values are like ‘Hot buttons’.  If they get mentioned we cannot help but have an emotional response.  Just ask anyone with teenagers – they have a natural talent for pressing parent’s hot buttons in a variety of contexts!

Some other questions that uncover their values in a particular context are:

• What has to be there?
• What can’t you do without?
• What’s important to you?
• What would you like to be there?
• What really matters?

Being able to identify what someone values at work (or in any other context) can provide you with a very powerful way to motivate them by relating what you are discussing (or what you want to achieve) to their hot buttons.  These are particularly useful questions to ask during recruitment.

People usually get very engaged and motivated when you start to discuss what is most important to them.  It makes them feel listened to.  It is then easier to explore how you can help them achieve more of what they want and avoid what they don’t want.  This in turn begins to touch on the purpose of your relationship and you can begin to discuss or agree a mutually beneficial purpose.

Relating on purpose

Once the real purpose of a relationship is clear it becomes possible to challenge, explore and help one another grow.  In a working context it can mean the difference between having a fractious or difficult relationship and one that may not necessarily be easy, but respectful and genuinely helpful.

On a personal level if there is an upset in a relationship it is just a signal that there is a misalignment of values.  By clarifying expectations and what is important to you (and them) it can take a lot of heat out of the situation and enable deeper understanding, empathy and the removal of unhelpful judgments.

If knowing what really motivates you and the people you work with is important to you, and you would like to find out more about how to identify their key drivers, Just Click Here.

If you have any particular questions about this blog post or any other communication issues why not drop me a line by Clicking Here.

Remember  . . . stay curious!

About David Klaasen:  Ten years of intense experience in the furnace of Michelin starred kitchens has given David a very practical and pragmatic approach to HR issues.  After 24 years of working strategically with demanding clients his focus is on profitability and high performance at all levels of the business while ensuring there are robust foundations in place to motivate and help people succeed.  His website is www.InspiredWorking.com

Know How + Great HR = Inspiration

Inspiration is the best way to engage people.

Or  does it make you squirm?

You may be an HR Professional leader or manager relying on HR to help move your business forward.  When discussing strategy with people of different roles at many levels, I have often been met with a perplexed look when I have mentioned that the role of the HR professional is to help the business to be inspirational.   Many people feel much more comfortable with descriptors like, credible, respected, focussed, performance-led…. well I could go on and on.

So what does inspiration mean and why do many people not relate to it?  The free dictionary gives the following definition of inspiration.

1. Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.  Or the condition of being so stimulated.
2. An agency, such as a person or work of art that moves the intellect or emotions or prompts action or invention.
3. Something, such as a sudden creative act or idea that is inspired.
4. The quality of inspiring or exalting: a painting full of inspiration.
5. Divine guidance or influence exerted directly on the mind and soul of humankind.
6. The act of drawing in, especially the inhalation of air into the lungs.”

For me; inspiration is about tapping into the true self of a person and helping them to engage, emotionally, intellectually and physically with a situation or cause which resonates with their values.  No mean feat huh?

For you as an enlightened leader, manager or HR professional, you may be well ahead of me.  However, If you aren’t sure how, you might be asking “Is that the role of HR? “

Some people will prefer other expressions, such as “gain commitment” “going the extra mile” employee engagement”. “Performance management” to name but a few.   There is nothing wrong with these ways of expressing how you get the best from your people.  The questions are; Are you inspiring your people to be the best? and: Is the task of inspiring your people something HR should be involved in?

Well I believe yes it is.  If HR is going to be at the top table, and bring real value, it needs to understand the equation of Knowhow + Great HR = Inspiration and it goes like this: -

1. Great HR professionals know how people tick.  – They understand why people like words like inspiration and why other people prefer words like respected.  They understand how to motivate people and why some people will never be motivated unless you pivot them in a certain way.
2. They understand the dynamics of their organisation; how people relate to each other, and the dominant dynamic which is in place.  If their organisation is a caring sharing one, for example, they know what the big no-no’s are which might shatter the brand it has consciously or unconsciously developed.
3. They are great at all levels of the HR offer.  They understand how to develop people strategy, as well as pay people on time.  The policies they develop reflect the desired outcomes and culture as well as mirror the values of the company.
4. They make sure that the products they develop and the frameworks they set out include the right information and are in a format which is understood by everyone.  Most importantly, they know how to get them to people in the right way so they absorb them.
5. They understand the business inside out.  They know how their CEO and the Board ticks and they are committed to helping the business become a success, because they share the vision and values of the organisation.
6. They care about people, know that people are the organisations greatest resource, and so they take care to inspire them.

What do you think?  Are you an inspirational leader, manager or HR professional?  Are you managed by someone truly inspirational?  I would love to hear from you with your story.

The Steps to Organisational Change

Welcome to this weeks Guest Blogger. Paul Myers is the HR Manager for a local transport company. He has initiated significant change in his organisation and has managed to keep his staff on board. He is a people centric manager who has considered how to increase and harness employee engagement at every opportunity. Below he charts just one of the organisational changes he has led to transform the organisation.

The Steps to Organisational Change

I moved into my current post as HR Manager 4 years ago. The company had at that time transferred from a deep cultured public sector organisation to the private sector.

Invoking TUPE had meant the process had already involved a painstaking consultation period with trade unions.  

The organisation is complex. After the transfer, one of my objectives was the harmonisation of 28 shift patterns across 3 distinct teams, with varied terms and conditions linked to them.
The issues and reasons for harmonisation included.

1. Varying and different shift patterns being operated between three operational areas.
2. Not all shift patterns supported 24/7 working
3. New equipment meant a reduction of workforce and also a requirement for new skills.
4. Possible further reduction in workforce due to a new project.
5. Company commitment to minimising compulsory redundancies

Starting Consultation
The objective of the consultation was to mutually agree the harmonisation of the shift patterns, to agree one pattern for all. The consultation process was a time for all parties to gather and discuss the need for change as well as place suggestions for consideration, counter proposals and refinement. The objective was to mutually agree the way forward. The range of the consultation reflected the number of employees affected and the extent of change need to be implemented.

The outline of the consultation process was to:

1. Undertake consultation period with affected employees and their representatives.
2. Outline the need for change and timescales.
3. Set a period of time for suggestions of ideas, proposals and counter proposals
4. Reviewing and giving consideration to the proposals
5. Answering and addressing concerns and questions.
6. Agreeing the way forward.
7. Getting ready for change such as training and agreeing terms
8. Implementing change
9. Monitoring and reviewing the change.

Change Issues
Often with consultation and change programmes, it is difficult to get all parties and employees to agree to the changes in the working practices and terms of employment. If the changes had not been mutually agreed, an impasse may have resulted between the employees, their representatives and the company. If an impasse had resulted, then the organisation may have had to take the decision to invoke and enforce change. Whilst it is was hoped that an impasse was not reached, as long as the organisation had endeavoured to consult before enforcing change, this is likely to be valid with any employment tribunal.

The organisation launched the proposal for change for Economical, Technical, Operational (ETO) reasons. In these circumstances, when it can be proven that consideration has been given to all alternatives, or there has been refusal and objection to mutually agree the way forward, then the change is enforced by giving the contractual notice under the old terms of employment, advising and offering new terms of employment from a set date.

If reaching an impasse and enforcing change, the company may be at risk of breach of contract claims. This is as a result of the change and terminating the terms of employment, which exist. To defend such claims the organisation needed to prove the ETO reasons for change; that it had tried to implement due change on reasonable grounds; and that should the change not occur the business would suffer a severe detriment.

The organisation knew that at that time there was an increased risk of industrial action. This was to be avoided as well as was the leaking of any changes to the local press and media.

Achieving the Goal

Transparency with the Trade Union

I met with the union explained the plan we wished to peruse and set out our reasons. Also suggesting measures we could implement to effect the changes

Full staff Engagement

We stated our commitment to full staff engagement: Involving them fully in the decisions about their jobs to make it work

Accepted the need for disagreement

We used disagreement as a stepping stone to initiate full discussions to reach mutual agreement

The process for change

We started with staff meetings, which was a logistical nightmare due to 24/7 shifts patterns and getting the staff to participate in the meetings.

We worked in partnership with the union. We held meetings which were quite heated at times, although we were committed to coming to agreement.

Initially we reduced the 28 shift patterns down to 15, covering 24/7/365. A great deal of work then took place, evaluating salaries, allowances and leave entitlements. This information together with the advantages and disadvantages of each shift pattern were verified with the unions.

We then conducted further meetings to discuss the various shift patterns to reduce the 15 to smaller number, to where we could then go into more detailed negotiations.

In the next stage we considered 3 different working patterns. We carried out further meetings to discuss the issues. The staff were asked to vote. One team was reluctant to agree and at that stage refused to reach agreement.

We initiated further discussions which revealed that the team identified a problem which meant that any of the patterns could result in a perceived detriment to their work/life balance. We suggested some slightly different terms and conditions which had a small cost but in the overall scheme was worth the investment.

Initially they refused to agree this renewed offer. We recognised however that we had been fair, transparent and given fair alternatives, so we advised them we had no option but to invoke an impasse and force change although we had been clear we had tried to avoid this throughout the process. We also suggested that we would remove the additional terms and conditions offered. At the eleventh hour the team agreed the newly offered terms and conditions.

Conclusion

We have now been working the shift patterns for 2 years, and they have been a great success. This is largely because we have continued with an open door policy with the staff and unions. As a result of the process we have successfully changed the culture in line with the current needs of the organisation.

The transparency of the process and the good employee relations built in that time helped in a subsequent change when the workforce was reduced by 52%, We had followed the same principles and feel we added the human factor into our HR practice, when dealing with those selected. During this time, we have also reduced sick absence from pre-transfer from 16% to a remarkable 0.8%.

I firmly believe to be effective in organisational change you must be open transparent and honest with employees and the trade unions to gain maximum effect.

Paul began his career in the Infantry in the Army, He served 20 years in various locations and was discharged in 1992 at the rank of Warrant Officer
He commenced employment with his present employer in 1992. With no previous civilian experience, he started on the shop floor. He learned about the company and operations, and using his previous skills gained in the military and took the company through ISO 18001, 14001 and EMAS, gained all accreditations finally producing a integrated management system.

Prior to TUPE transfer on PFI he took the role on as HR Manager, responsible for delivering on the organisational change which involved reducing numbers and the reorganisation of the structure of the operational sections.
In 2 years staff numbers were reduced by 55% and all operational staff where on a one shift system. This was only achieved by being transparent with the unions and achieving maximum engagement with all staff.

He remains active in the ex military community he is trained as a welfare advice officer for SSAFA and The Royal British Legion

To achieve in HR he believes in putting the Human touch back into Human Resources, primarily effecting maximum engagement, transparency and fairness with all employees. He has dyslexia and this has never been a barrier to his success in life