3 minutes of listening to a podcast, watching any news cast on TV, catching information from any number of social media outlets could fill your head with such a vast array of promoted facts that, over time, one could believe them as truth. It does not matter which side of the fence, aisle, or agenda you or your staff are on. It seems that everyone has contributed to the chaos. A lie, or alternative facts, repeatedly repeated in a person’s mind can eventually not only sound truthful but, in their world, become true. This phenomenon exists in both the political and social environments, as well as within your organization. Narrowing in on crafted alternative facts as truth and living in the reality of actual facts cannot be brushed aside.
Why might this have started, and why might it continue to proliferate? One perspective, and this could be construed as alternative facts, is the absence of well-defined boundaries and accountability to those boundaries. This is not a new situation that has suddenly presented itself. What is more recent is that the level of flex leadership has allowed and expanded, causing blurring of the boundaries.
There is an old saying from many years ago that referenced this out-of-control staff and leadership chaos. The saying went something like – “The monkeys are running the zoo.” The metaphor describes a situation in which chaos or disorder prevails due to a lack of effective leadership or control. It suggests that without clear standards (boundaries) and accountability (enforcement), mediocrity (lower standards) becomes normalized, leading to frustration among high performers and a dysfunctional environment.
This might sound pretty harsh, but most of the time, the real truth is harsh. Real facts are not always pleasant. Not everyone goes home a winner. Not everyone is the boss. In fact, most of us are contributors to a much larger opportunity. We don’t define the rules of engagement; we simply execute within them to deliver on the objectives.
What might you do in your organization to get your team aligned with your Core Purpose, Core Values, principles, and objectives?
It starts with leadership. When leadership sets the tone for the culture, those contributing either engage with or distance themselves from the environment. This is why leaders have been a bit more flexible in their accountability efforts. When the talent market is so tight, leaders can unfortunately view their contributors as just hands on deck. They reduce accountability, and the standards weaken over time. Top performers leave because they are unwilling to cover for others. It is not that the standards were set too high or unachievable. They are established with the expectation of having a direct and influential impact on the organization’s goals. When standards or boundaries are flexed, the outcomes of those boundaries also flex, and outcomes may fall short of expectations.
This week, revisit your “CORE” – Purpose, Values, Principles, etc., and be forthright about how much they have drifted from the original expectations. What will need to happen to realign current operational capabilities to the expectation of best-in-class contribution moving forward?
Looking for a Promise Guide to lean on to bring your organization to its next higher level of contribution? Give JKL Associates a call at MI (313) 527-7945 or FL (407) 984-78346.
Journey On!
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Celebrating 30 years of Delivering on “Promises”
