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How do you Shift Behavior as you Shift Focus? Five Guidelines

By: Sandy McMahon

A company is in the process of shifting focus of client interactions from a project-based to a relationship-based emphasis - in essence from a short to a long-term perspective. This is a challenge because it means that people at all levels must change the tone with which they approach and serve clients. How do you shift behavior to adapt to a new strategic focus?

Advice from Adam Kleinberg, CEO, Traction:

Assume the best intentions. Everyone wants to do a good job. The challenge for management is making sure your people know what constitutes a good job.

* Be clear on what you want to achieve, and why it is important. Be clear on the new role and objective. This is most difficult when the shift is counter to a well-established company culture.

You have to have the right people. Avoid smart people with no role, or a role for which they are ill-suited.

* The organization IS the people. There must be an absolute commitment to putting the right talent on any job, and assigning the right people to the right team.

* Players must fit in terms of both skill set and cultural fit. The company is who, not what!

Focus efforts and objectives on the long-term vs. the short-term. Paint the end state - the vision. Add tangible steps that will guide people to the right path.

* Don't micromanage. Set direction and the starting moves, but let staff blaze the path. Provide feedback and recognition. We are all Pavlov's dogs and like cookies!

* Negative feedback is always difficult. However when necessafy it is best delivered directly and quickly.

* Look for opportunities to recognize success. Recognize team contributions both 1-on-1 and in all-hands meetings.

Increase operational efficiency in the key departments affected. We hired an experienced manager with a strong track record. Initially this created discomfort; however discomfort was quickly resolved as the new individual created positive impact. We cited the wins in all-hands meetings to support the shift.

Make people feel that their opinions are heard, and their solutions considered. Involvement of employees is essential when changing focus, because they have to figure out how to change what they are doing so that they adapt to the new direction.

* Be clear on objectives and rationale. Assure that your perspective as leader is grounded in a credible reality that you can communicate to the team.

* Conduct workshops which focus on the practical steps that will produce the desired result. Listen to feedback from team members, and include what you hear in the agenda for future discussions. Involve the team in developing the solution. Delegate and recognize!

Article Source: http://articles.tiptopweb.info

Sandy McMahon is publisher of Ceo2Ceos (Ceo2Ceos.com), a non-commercial site for executives to share best practices. He is also President of Executive Forums of Silicon Valley. With over 20 years of executive experience, Sandy has a BA from Brown, an EdM from Harvard, and an MBA from Duke.

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How do you Shift Behavior as you Shift Focus? Five Guidelines