Like a Well-Oiled Machine

“No need to worry, sir. I’ve got this team running like a well-oiled machine.”

One of my favorite supervisors many years ago used this metaphor frequently to describe his team’s efforts. 

As a cog in that “machine,” I appreciated the fact that every task was laid out for me and the rest of the team, and that everyone knew that the person in front and behind him or her was going to produce quality work for the next person to build on. In short, everything and everyone worked perfectly together.

As a metaphor, Gareth Morgan notes that operating like a well-oiled machine works well to describe many organizations; however, it’s not the only one that is viable. Organizations can also be described as organisms, brains, cultures, political systems, and several others concurrently at any given time.

The benefit of these metaphors is that they provide broadly accepted images of operational functioning leadership which explain why it acts in a certain way, or chooses not to act.

Well-oiled machines operate precisely, but are slow to change as circumstances require. Organisms are living, breathing things, and as open systems they adapt more readily to change, while all organizations experience politics in one form or another on a daily basis.

In terms of decision-making, without acknowledging and understanding these different perspectives, any decisions made are done so without sufficient relevant data, which means the results won’t be what you expect. 

Instead, you will likely to find yourself responding to circumstances quite different from what you expected. Like JFK after the Bay of Pigs fiasco, you could be saying “How could we be so stupid?”

JFK’s problem was that his well-oiled machine was mired in the psychic prison of groupthink, where any information or opinion contrary to the one held by those in power was disregarded. Those who disagreed with, or provided alternatives, to the agreed-upon action (or inaction) had obviously not consumed their daily dose of the Bandwagon Kool-Aid.

So, what’s the answer? Serve Kool-Aid at all meetings and in the cafeteria? No, of course not.

The answer is simple – train yourself and your staff to look at issues from multiple perspectives, not just the bottom line. Look at your organization and determine what metaphors apply at this particular moment in time.

Is your organization running like a well-oiled machine?

Do you see the organization as an organism that requires partnerships both within and without your environment to survive?

Do you listen to off-the-wall alternatives, or are you mired in groupthink?

While each of these metaphors helps us take a look at our own organization from various perspectives, it also broadens our view of the world around us, and opens the possibility for continued innovation and success.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.

What Do You Mean, "Happy Festivus?"

“Happy Festivus!” Those were my words to a group of Millennials last night as I was leaving to go home.

Their response – “what’s Festivus?”

“Really?” I asked, and then followed with, “In the words of George Takei, ‘Oh myyyyy.’” 

Their response – you guessed it – who is George Takai?

At that moment I felt really old. Then I realized that it was an excellent example of the differences between the Baby Boomer generation – of which I am a part, and the Millennials – which they represent. The Seinfeld television episode where Frank Costanza explains how the holiday came to be first aired in 1997, when the Millennials were just babies. Of course they won’t understand!

Similarly, in talking with a nephew recently the subject of Lucille Ball was raised. He listened for a few minutes to the adults around him talking, and then bravely asked, “Who is Lucile Ball?”

Again – really? Sigh…this generation really missed a LOT!

Over the last few years, academic and business researchers have been writing more and more often about the challenges of working with and managing employees from four separate generations: the Greatest Generation (born before 1946), Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964), Generation X (1965 – 1980), and Gen Y or Millennials (1981 – 2000).

The challenges facing management today include not only in developing a good working relationship with individuals from separate eras, but also recognizing that there are also significant differences in how they communicate, view their time with your company in both length and purpose, compensation, motivation, collaboration and training, just to name a few.

Each generation grew up with different experiences and values, while witnessing different world events as children rather than adults, and entered a world completely different from their parents from a technology perspective. 

The challenge, then, is to learn to not only understand the differences, but to manage in a way that meets the needs of each generation. Without meeting them where they are, and in a manner in which they can understand and respond appropriately, chaos will eventually ensue, and you will be looking for another new employee – again.

There are several books, published studies and other materials available to help you make the best decision for your specific situation. One of the better articles I have found was written by Jan Ferri-Reed in the April 2012 issue of the Journal for Quality and Participation.  In this piece, Jan focuses on ways to work proactively and effectively with Millennials by helping the reader understand why they think so differently, and place higher or lower values on things other generations deem non-negotiable or unacceptable.

There are other bodies of work describing the differences, and how to effectively manage them, but I would love to hear your thoughts. How do you work best with the different generations? What works, what doesn’t, and if you know – why?

As you are considering your response, please also take a moment to celebrate the differences, and celebrate Festivus – a Festivus for the rest of us!

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.

I Called Customer Service Today and ...

 Ok, I’ll admit it. I bought one of those things they sell on TV and online that promises to make a visible difference in 30 days.

The videos from famous people who supposedly have knowledge about the product and who have agreed to allow the company to post a testimonial clinched it for me. Surely, THAT guy wouldn't allow his name to be associated with a scam. 

Yeah, sure; that’s why it’s called a scam.

So, I called the customer service line today to cancel my subscription and any future orders, figuring I could have this over and done with in just a couple of minutes. Now I am sorry to say that I've been wrong twice about this company. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well…you know.

When the customer service representative answered the phone, she did so with a nice, pleasant tone of voice, and she initially tried to help figure out why I wasn't satisfied with their “awesome product” (yes, her exact words). 

Was I using the product incorrectly, do I require additional instructions, could I please read the instructions back to her so I could confirm a second time that I’m not an idiot?

Once she realized that I really wanted to discontinue any association with her company, her welcoming tone and pleasantness went the way of the Dodo Bird in a matter of seconds.

After I finished the longer than expected, and quite irritating conversation with the company’s second-tier customer service department manager, I thought about how we as business leaders and managers handle rejection of our own products, services, and attempts to build and nurture prospect relationships.

Better yet, how does our front-line staff deal with these types of situations every day?

Common sense and an impressive amount of research indicate that a happy customer is a repeat customer. Moreover, a happy repeat customer is a loyal customer who is willing to act as an evangelist for you by sharing their happiness with your product or services with others. 

The question is: how do you keep your customers happy?

There are many different ideas and models for focusing on the Voice of the Consumer, Customer Relations Management, and so on.

Our goal at Dawn Gannon Consulting is to simply provide a quality product designed specifically for each client, offered at the lowest-possible price, and followed up with a genuine dedication to quality customer service designed to ensure each one recognizes the value we place on their satisfaction.

I'm sure that sounds very similar to yours. However, customer satisfaction isn't just about making the situation right when what is delivered is not what the customer expected.

It is also about building a strong, positive relationship with the customer by communicating occasionally through various channels, and providing them with ample opportunities to provide feedback. Active listening and communication is how you identify opportunities to innovate, and meet the future needs of your customers before they even know they have them.

However, this blog is about great customer service, and while I could provide several ideas about how to build a great customer relationship, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Please take a moment to share what has worked for you, what hasn’t, and why.

Thanks for sharing!

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.

The 102-Year Dream Comes True

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the term persistent is defined as: “lasting or enduring tenaciously.”

Or, in the words of Helen Keller, “We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough.”

Over the weekend, my high school alma mater, Forrest County Agricultural High School in Brooklyn, MS, won its first 4A high school football championship.

Founded in 1911 and located just a few miles south of Hattiesubrg, MS, FCAHS has been to the state finals many times, but never made it out of the early rounds. Finally, 102 years after opening its doors, the 2013 team made the familiar trip to Jackson, MS once again, and was finally crowned as the state champion on Saturday, December 7, 2013. Now that’s persistent!

From a management perspective, I have witnessed upper and middle management teams persistently follow a course of action without regard to new information or overnight changes in the marketplace. 

For instance, don't keep going up the middle if the offensive line is having difficulty creating openings. We've all seen teams who continually do the same thing, with the same unsatisfactory results. 

I’ve also been fortunate enough to be a part of management teams that remained persistent, but were open to change in order to achieve a stated goal; even if it resulted in following a path that was completely different than what was originally designed. In each of these cases, the team achieved or exceeded their goal.

Like a football coach, management teams not only need to keep an eye on the game plan, but winning also requires sufficient attention being paid to the changing conditions on the field in terms of weather, players, and momentum regardless of the time it takes to reach the goal. In business, the climate in which an organization operates can work either for or against you.  Obviously, FOR you is best.

Likewise, the importance of knowing your customers, your competition, and your team’s strengths and weaknesses is as vitally important as making bold decisions to change the market momentum in favor of your company.

As a business leader it is essential to think long-term, while acting to meet a short-term goal, such as the next 1st down, which eventually results in a touchdown. Be brave, call an audible and look for other options; more than likely one or two others are wide open.

The most important factor, however, is being persistent. Keep your eye and efforts on the goal, no matter how long it takes, and don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way, or you could lose focus by wallowing in what might be perceived as failure.

 As 2013 draws to a close, and your plans for 2014 begin to fall in place, keep the persistence of the 2013 FCAHS Aggies Football team in mind. Even with more than a century of setbacks, they continually reviewed their plan, assessed their environment, talent and competitors, and eventually attained their goal.

By the way, if you are interested, the Oak Grove High School football team, coached by NFL great Brett Favre and also located a couple of miles outside Hattiesburg, MS, won their 6A state championship on Saturday as well. Check it out here. 

Without the persistence of an entire team coming together to work as one, neither team would have won. 

Congratulations, Aggies, for a great season! I’m so proud to be “Once an Aggie, Always an Aggie!!”

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.

The Devil is in the Details

We all have our roles in life to play. Like everyone else, I have a few: wife, aunt, daughter, friend, colleague, volunteer leader, customer, business owner, Devil’s Advocate.

Devil’s Advocate? That’s not a role, you say.

Yes, it is, and in business, it is crucial that you have at least one Devil’s Advocate on your decision-making team who challenges the status quo on a regular basis. Without the Advocate, it is too easy to slide into groupthink, which sooner or later will produce results you did not expect, and certainly did not want.

The term groupthink was coined by Irving Janis in 1972 to describe the phenomenon where members of a group (e.g., a management team), makes decisions based solely on consensus, while purposely excluding any ideas, opinions, data or facts presented by anyone who does not agree with the group’s point of view. Teams mired in groupthink rationalize their decisions to fit the circumstances as they see them simply because they believe without question that their way of thinking is infallible.

The space shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986 and the sub-prime mortgage meltdown in 2008 are examples of groupthink. In both cases, decision-makers failed to ask probing questions, or consider answers which jeopardized their plans by exposing vulnerabilities, and as we've all witnessed, much to their everlasting regret. 

In groupthink there is no negotiation. It’s just blind adherence to the group’s goals and strategies; dissenters are not welcome or heard.

So what does all of this have to do with the Devil’s Advocate, you ask?

One characteristic of groupthink is the conscious disregard for dissenting views. To combat this propensity a good leader will not only encourage the questions posed by the Advocate, but also  willingly explore the possibilities raised as each question is posed or answered with an open mind. See the possibilities!

When you choose your Advocate(s), be sure that they are strong enough to absorb the push back generated as a result of those questions by the rest of the team. There are no rules that say the Advocate has to be the same person at each meeting for the same decision. Consider assigning different team members to play the role at different times. Imagine the conversation when someone has to strongly and adequately defend an opinion contrary to their own!

There are other ways to combat groupthink, such as ensuring decisions are made based on more than just group consensus, further clarifying the goal, discussing the problem to be solved in depth before solutions are explored, and assigning groups to research several solutions and report back to the group.

As my friend, Sue is so fond of saying, “the Devil is in the details,” and I truly enjoy digging into the details. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy the role of Devil’s Advocate so much.

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.