Getting GUNG HO to Improve Your Organizational Culture Prepared by: James J. Messina, Ph.D.

So How are You Doing in Enhancing Your Leadership Skills? How is it going? Are you having problems with getting “buy in” from your fellow workers, supervisors, & managers? Are you having a problem in sustaining the excitement and energy you initially were able to garner from your forces when you started your “training” programming? Do you need a “booster shot” to get you back on the “Can Do” Track?

Do you need help?

Maybe Some Animals Can Help! How about? Spirit of the Squirrel Way of the Beaver Gift of the Goose To help you and your team get GUNG HO

SPIRIT OF THE SQUIRREL

Squirrels Work Hard Gathering Food - WHY? If they do not gather enough food to store up for the winter they will go hungry! They need the food to survive! They do not do the work because they “want to,” they do the work because they “have to!”

So the Squirrel’s Work is the Motivator! The squirrels work of gathering food is not just important! It is not just for survival! It is worthwhile!

What Makes Work Worthwhile? The work has to be understood as being Important! The work has to lead to a well understood & shared goal! Well understood Values have to guide all plans, decisions & actions! Put these three together & you have work that is understood as worthwhile work!

What Makes Work Important? Workers must feel that the work they do is needed by people! Workers must feel that their work makes the world a better place! Workers must understand how their work contributes to the well-being of mankind! Workers must believe that their work could change the course of the world for people! If they do all that-then their work is important!

Impact of Goals on Worthwhile Work Goals must be well understood & shared Workers must be proud of the goals & how they reach the goals to make their work worthwhile Workers must commit to the goals if they are shared goals Worker must “buy in” to the goals & commit to making the goals a reality!

Two Types of Goals Count for Worthwhile Work Results Goals: statements of where the workers want to be Value Goals: statements that set out the impact workers want to have on the lives of their fellow team members, their customers, their suppliers & their community!

Values Sustain the Effort of Worthwhile Work Valuing the lives of one another needs to guide the work of coworkers daily Values come from leaders who insist that everyone follow the straight line to get the job done! Values are the real boss since they guide work behaviors-like valuing the dignity of work Leaders must insist on conformity with the values of the organization-workers must respect the values of the organization Values are now! Values are lived! Values are rocks you count on!

Hold or Roll Rocks hold firm while water’s might Sends pebbles rolling left and right. Call pebble rock? Set firm their goal? First flash flood, still pebbles roll. Not name, nor goal divide the two. It’s how they act. It’s what they do. Size dictates to stone, but you’re in control Are you rock or pebble? Will you hold or roll? -By Manly Grant – Rhymes for the Land

Spirit of the Squirrel: Worthwhile Work Knowing we make the world a better place Everyone works toward the shared goal Values guide all plans, decisions & actions

Important Lesson The Spirit of the Squirrel Fulfills God’s plan For the Forest! People must be able to see that their work contributes to the well being of humankind!

The Way of the Beaver

Way of the Beaver: In control of achieving the goal Each beaver has a large measure of control over its own destiny Each beaver on its own decides how the work is going to be done Each beaver operates like an independent contractor

Role of Management Way of the Beaver: Management needs to get out of the way of the workers so that the workers can do the work their way rather than to follow the way of some narrow-minded, mean spirited, self-esteem chipping away by micromanaging bosses Workers must be allowed to exercise their own best judgment

Role of the Workers Workers must be allowed to do what they do because they decide to do, rather than because they have been ordered to Workers need to be allowed to have a real say in how the work gets done Workers must accept the challenge to have a say in how the work gets done

Steps For Managers When Empowering Workers 1-5 Lets them know the work is worthwhile Gives direction as to what needs to be accomplished Makes sure the team shares this goal and vision Helps sets the values and principles guiding the work to be done Makes the resources available to accomplish the work

Steps For Managers When Empowering Workers 6-9 Holds back from over managing Makes sure that inside and outside the organization there is support for this empowering effort Watches for obstacles which could derail this effort to ward off trouble Is ready to change direction if needed

The Golden Rule for Management People who are truly in control, work for organizations that value them as persons. Their thoughts, feelings, needs, and dreams are respected, listened to, and acted upon. (Blanchard & Bowles,1998, p. 85)

Challenge for the Workers First provide them adequate training so that they are capable of doing the work ahead Then management needs to stretch them by giving them work that demands their best & allows them to learn & move ahead in uncharted territory

Way of the Beaver: In Control of Achieving the Goal A playing field with clearly marked territory Thoughts, feelings, needs & dreams are respected, listened to & acted upon Workers are able to do the work but are challenged at the same time!

Important Lesson The Way of the Beaver Fulfills God’s Plan For the Beaver The entire organization has to support a worker if the worker is to take control of his own work

Gift of the Goose

Gift of the Goose: Cheering Others On Workers providing encouragement & enthusiastically cheering one another is the “Gift of the Goose” It is the act of letting each other know how great they are! It is not just management who needs to do the cheering, fellow workers need to cheer each other on as well

Impact of the Gift of the Goose Gift of the goose - cheering one another on, brings enthusiasm to the Spirit of the Squirrel and the Way of the Beaver It is how the mission comes alive

Powerful Elements of a Healthy Mission People who set out to accomplish something that they believe is important & worthwhile (Spirit of the Squirrel-The Right Work) People need to make a contribution to the way that work is done (Way of the Beaver-The Right Way) Driving force behind people pursing the mission is a reason for doing the work-a need to be fulfilled (Gift of the Goose-The Right Reward) You reward people by fulfilling those needs Gung Ho people do the right work, the right way for the right reward!

Enthusiasm = mission times cash & congratulations A Formula that Works Einstein's Formula: E = mc² People are rewarded in two ways: cash and congratulations C squared really means 2 c’s … SO… Enthusiasm = mission times cash & congratulations Congratulations: are affirmations of who people are, that what they do matters & that they are making a valuable contribution toward achieving the shared mission-namely right work done the right way

Congratulations that work Must first be TRUE congratulations T imely R esponsive U nconditional E nthusiastic

Congratulations that work Congratulations that work must be: Spontaneous rather than Programmed Individual rather than Blanket Specific rather than General Unique rather than Traditional

Gift of the Goose: Cheering Others On Active or passive, congratulations must be TRUE People doing the right work, the right way for the right reward! E = mc² - Enthusiasm equals mission times cash & congratulations

Lesson to Learn The Gift of the Goose Is God’s Gift We Give Each Other Cheering is a gift that we give to one another because it is the right thing to do when the right work is being done in the right way

So Can these Animals Help? Spirit of the Squirrel-Do the Right Work Way of the Beaver-Do Work the Right Way Gift of the Goose-Do Work for the Right Reward If so then you will have a team that is GUNG HO

Reference Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles (1998). Gung Ho! Turn on the People in Any Organization. New York: William Morrow and Company