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 When change is thrust upon an organization, (and we are all seeing a lot of that right now) teams are forced to figure out A) how to change and B) how to manage and implement change. And it sure isn't easy.
Why is change so hard?
Believe it or not, it takes a combination of temperaments (representing a compliment of thinking and working styles) to successfully navigate organizational change.
Uniform Corporation found this out the hard way. A shifting market and new customer expectations combined to create an urgent need to change their service delivery. But they found themselves stuck in the mud and muck of a serious morale problem brought about by numerous failed brainstorming sessions and no viable road-map for change.
They knew they needed to change but their people could not agree on how to do it.
Aaargh!!!
In search of new ideas, and new energy, the company embarked on an expensive hiring process. They focused on attracting younger people to inject some vibrancy into the company. But once the new hires settled in, they also struggled to offer new ideas and they lost their enthusiasm.
Even with new people added to the mix, brainstorming wasn't going anywhere, incentives failed, and morale remained low.
Double aaargh!!!
Why didn't the new people help to spark change? Because Uniform Company hired more of what they already had, only younger!
When I ran each of the twenty team members, including the nine new hires, through individual temperament assessments, I found that 90% of the group were Guardians, including all of the new staff...and that's the temperament least comfortable with change and often least comfortable with brainstorming!
Uniform Company was consistently hiring people who demonstrated the qualities they valued most: people who were good with administration, logistics, and adhering to systems, in other words, Guardians. They were passing over Artisans and Rationals who might naturally bend or break the rules and Idealists who often act as catalysts for change.
So what happened? How did they get past aaargh!!!
As an immediate solution we brought the team together for an unconventional Reverse-Brainstorming session. When any group is stuck for ideas, this method can bring success. I facilitated a session that encouraged the team to tell me why ideas wouldn't work and more importantly, what we could do to make things worse! So, Reverse-Brainstorming helped them access their creative thinking from the back door. This approach helped everyone lighten up and open up and the ideas finally started to flow.
Long term, Uniform Company knows they need to look at recruiting and promoting people with different temperaments.
When your organization is attempting to start and manage change, the Artisan, who is often viewed by other temperaments as a trouble maker, might now be your best trouble shooter. The Idealist's and Rational's big picture thinking becomes vital for generating new ideas and long range plans.
Have you considered team-building around temperaments lately? Would you like to try a facilitated reverse-brainstorming session or improve your staff meetings and presentations so they work for all the temperaments? Call me to find out how I can help. 250-418-5982
Disclaimer: Names have been changed to protect the innocent...but the situation is real.
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