Doug Lipp's Blog, page 2

3 Reasons Why Organizations Fail

Anything supported by three pillars is inherently weak; lose one and everything comes crashing down.

Organizational culture is no different. Whether you own a small company, run a non-profit, or lead a team of hundreds, your organizational well-being rests upon these three pillars:

Hiring RightTraining RightTreating Right

Unfortunately, most organizations fail at one, or more, of these three cultural pillars.

Hiring Right: Hiring and promoting the wrong people is like purposely planting weeds in your garden. Yet, far too many organizations fail to support this pillar. I constantly see two flawed approaches that guarantee failure:

Ineffective interview strategies. “Tell me about yourself.” “How have you handled this problem in the past?” “Why do you want this job?’” Yuck. Boring. Ineffective.Promoting technically qualified people who are not prepared to lead.

Haphazardly filling open positions plagues many. What’s one solution? Implement behavior-based interview strategies that reveal an applicant’s true self. Hint. Include role-plays in your interviews.

Training Right: Employee development is never-ending and needn’t be costly nor time-consuming. Consider these quotes from Disney University visionaries, and then eliminate the baseless excuses you might have for not training your team:

“Budgets might be tight, creativity is free.” Van France, Disney University founder

“Training is not an ‘employee car wash.’” (one-and-done always fails) Tom Eastman, Retired Director, Disney Unversity   

Treating Right: Cultures of respect and honesty attract the right employees and customers. Even the strongest, well trained new-hires will fail when thrown into a dysfunctional team. 

Arguably, the post-Pandemic norm of attracting and holding on to qualified employees further heightens the urgency of maintaining each of these pillars.

Which do you need to reinforce?

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Happy New Year! Now, Get Out of Your Complacency Rut

Let’s be honest, perhaps you:

 

Are too close to your product to know how to improve it. Don’t know your customers as well as you could. Take your employees or colleagues for granted.Have grown complacent. 

 

Ouch! Which one of these are you honest enough to recognize, and own?

 

We all suffer from varying degrees of becoming slightly complacent. Instead of denying or worrying about it, the key to crawling out of one’s rut is honesty. Let’s begin.

 

What is your response to the following questions?

Have you recently called your customer service hot line? How long did you have to wait? Was the rep knowledgeable and friendly?Have you recently read the owner’s manual for any of your products? Was it easy to understand … for the average user?When did you last visit your employee break area (if you even have one …). Was it clean and inviting, or was it … a dump?Or, if these ideas don’t work for you, pick something else to experience with a fresh set of eyes.

 

I’ve used the following exercise, with great success, with thousands of clients.

 

What Forces are Driving Change in Your Profession? 

 

The basic idea is to look at how you have handled change in your business in the past, how you’re handling it now, and how you might handle it in the future.  This can help identify patterns of either flexibility and creativity, or highlight creative blocks and resistance.  Even if you find yourself kind of “stuck” right now with no compelling answers for how to deal with current market or business issues, a look into your past successes or failures can be a tremendous source of inspiration.  

 

So, whether you’re facing challenges from competitors, technology, globalization, raw materials shortages or the ever-present human resources issues, take a few minutes to assess the following: A) How you’ve handled issues in the past, B) How you’re currently handling them and, C) Take a shot at choosing a future strategy.

 

For example: A) What did customers and employees expect from you 2-3 years ago, B) What do they demand today and, C) What will they be asking for 2-3 years from now?  Another set of questions could be: A) Who were our competitors 2-3 years ago, (and what were they doing), B) Who are they now (and what are they doing), and C) What threats will they pose 2-3 years from now?  The timeline of 2-3 years might work for you, or it might not.  The key is to make it accurately reflect your business reality.

 

Based on your past and present behavior, can you predict how successful you’ll be in the future?

 

Perhaps, but the nugget of truth that can result from this exercise is found in answering the very last question about adapting and change.  Are you truly a learning organization, with the ability to adapt and change, or just getting by and, essentially, riding the wave of past successes and resting on your laurels? If you’re just getting by, the odds are great you’ll find yourself stuck in a very deep rut … and we all know how uncomfortable that is.

 

Forces of Change in your business:

 

2-3 Years Ago               Today                                           2-3 Years From Now

____________________         ____________________           ___________________

 

In closing, do you recognize your complacency ruts and, how deep are they? Most important, what is your strategy for crawling out of them?

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Truth-Tellers, Part 3: Are You Truthful … With Yourself?

Welcome to Part 3 of Truth-Tellers.

 

In the last segment, I wrapped up by telling you that by this third Truth-Teller session I’d reveal why most organizations fail, even when they have plenty of Truth-Tellers. 

 

Reason #1: In far too many cases, the decision makers, in failing organizations, do not act on the brutal honesty they receive from their Truth-Tellers.

 

Reason #2: And … this one is the toughest to reconcile, as it challenges every single one of us; we’re not truthful with ourselves!

 

Force-Field Analysis and Truthfulness  

 

For me, leaving The Walt Disney Company was an incredibly difficult decision. I loved my colleagues, my mentors, and the brand. I struggled with my decision for many months.

 

Complicating my struggle to leave, or to stay, was due to one key factor; I wasn’t being truthful with myself. 

 

And here’s where the Force Field Analysis helped me look into the metaphorical mirror of truth, and make the decision that changed my life … for the better.

 

First of all, Force Field Analysis is often used in social science to provide a framework to clarify the factors (truths) that affect our decision-making. 

 

You can find models on the internet, but simply put, this tool helps you determine—in a visual fashion—the forces supporting, or the forces detraction from, a good decision.

 

In my case, I simply created a page with a vertical line running down the middle, separating the page into two columns:

Left Column: Forces Supporting Leaving Disney Right Column: Forces Supporting Staying with Disney

 

To help you visualize, take a moment and create your own Force Field instrument, on a legal pad, right now.

 

I spent several days slowly filling in each of these columns. The key was for me to be honest with myself; I’d complete a Force Field Analysis, and then set it aside for an hour or two. Then another, and another, and another. 

 

After several days of this activity, I gathered all versions of the Force Field Analysis for one final push. The glaring revelation was shocking … and a great relief; the first versions of my analysis were filled with words that revealed I wasn’t really being honest with myself. The final version, from the very last day, revealed the REAL and TRUTHFUL forces at play:

Left Column: Forces Supporting Leaving Disney Creative Freedom, andCareer Freedom.(and many more reasons that I valued tremendously …).

Right Column: Forces Supporting Staying with Disney My ego. 

 

Without getting into the many details and iterations of my Force Field Analysis, the entire process revealed to me a number of TRUTHS. I merely had to recognize these truths, and act upon them.

 

The forces supporting my leaving Disney far outnumbered the forces for staying with Disney. As you can see, the main reason for staying with the company was my ego; I loved having Mickey Mouse on my business card! However, the forces for leaving reflected a much healthier frame of mind. 

 

The decision to leave The Walt Disney Company, although not an easy one, was much less painful once I was truthful … with myself.

 

So, this wraps up the three-part Truthfulness Series. Of the many messages I shared over the past few weeks, I will close with one final question: 

 

Are you truthful … with yourself?

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Truth-Tellers, Part 2: Are You a Cowardly Leader?

Welcome to Part 2 of Truth-Tellers.

 

In Part 1, I shared how my mentor, and Disney University founder Van France, was the definition of a “Robinhood of Honesty,” and he slung truth arrows in every direction … even at himself. During his Disney career, Van helped every Disney employee, (including Walt Disney) improve via his tough-love truth telling approach. 

 

And this is the problem; very few leaders encourage their subordinates, and colleagues, to provide them brutally honest feedback. Too many leaders surround themselves with head-nodding robots who agree with everything they say or do.

 

These leaders are cowards.

 

As a consultant to organizations of all sizes—from family-owned businesses to multinational corporations—I’m often the one providing brutally honest feedback to the top executives. Why must I be the slinger of truth arrows? Because the executives and middle managers in these organizations are afraid to be honest with The Boss … whomever that may be.

 

The reality in many organizations is:

 

Speak up, and your days are numbered.

 

Who’s to blame for this culture of fear? The person at the top of the organization. Organizational culture always starts at the top, and this is one of the reasons Van France was so successful; Walt Disney welcomed Van’s arrows of honesty.

 

Even though Walt could be a challenging taskmaster, he asked for—and acted upon—honest feedback from everyone in the Disney organization … from C-level executives at the Disney Studios, to hourly employees at Disneyland.

 

During this post-Covid era of tumultuous change, I encourage every leader and organization to assess the health of their organizational culture. We’ve all struggled … including my former employer, The Walt Disney Company.

 

Which do you, and your culture, encourage:

 

Head-nodding robots who are afraid to speak up? Or,“Robinhoods of Honesty” who sling arrows of truth your way? 

 

Are you a cowardly leader?

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Truth-Tellers, Part 1: Who is Your Robin Hood of Honesty?

Today’s blog is short on words, long on potential outcomes. These questions parallel my recent, 3-part, Vlog, Truth Tellers:

 

Let’s start with two questions:

Who in your personal life provides you brutally honest feedback?Who in your professional life provides you brutally honest feedback?

 

Moving on:

What did you learn from these “Robin Hoods of Honesty” … these people who had the courage to sling arrows of truth your way?How did you benefit from—and act upon—the honesty you received?

 

Lastly, even though the truth can be painful, an absence of truth guarantees failure. So:

How do you plan on encouraging your existing “Robin Hoods of Honesty” to continue providing you more tough love feedback?What steps are you taking to develop a more diverse population of those “Robin Hoods of Honesty” who can provide you valuable perspective? For example:Different age groups,Different cultural groups,Different linguistic groups,Differing levels of experience,Even feedback from … your most vocal adversary?

 

My mentor, and Disney University founder Van France, was the definition of a “Robin Hood of Honesty,” and he slung truth arrows in every direction … even at himself. During his Disney career, Van helped every Disney employee, (including Walt Disney) improve via his tough-love truth telling approach. 

 

In closing: 

Cowardly leaders surround themselves with robotic “yes people.”Confident, emotionally intelligent leaders surround themselves with “Robin Hoods of Honesty.”

 

Which are you?   

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Truth-Tellers, Part 1: Who is Your Robinhood of Honesty?

Today’s blog is short on words, long on potential outcomes. These questions parallel my recent, 3-part, Vlog, Truth Tellers:

 

Let’s start with two questions:

Who in your personal life provides you brutally honest feedback?Who in your professional life provides you brutally honest feedback?

 

Moving on:

What did you learn from these “Robinhoods of Honesty” … these people who had the courage to sling arrows of truth your way?How did you benefit from—and act upon—the honesty you received?

 

Lastly, even though the truth can be painful, an absence of truth guarantees failure. So:

How do you plan on encouraging your existing “Robinhoods of Honesty” to continue providing you more tough love feedback?What steps are you taking to develop a more diverse population of those “Robinhoods of Honesty” who can provide you valuable perspective? For example:Different age groups,Different cultural groups,Different linguistic groups,Differing levels of experience,Even feedback from … your most vocal adversary?

 

My mentor, and Disney University founder Van France, was the definition of a “Robinhood of Honesty,” and he slung truth arrows in every direction … even at himself. During his Disney career, Van helped every Disney employee, (including Walt Disney) improve via his tough-love truth telling approach. 

 

In closing: 

Cowardly leaders surround themselves with robotic “yes people.”Confident, emotionally intelligent leaders surround themselves with “Robinhoods of Honesty.”

 

Which are you?   

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Excited Employees and Customers: What Do They Experience in Your Organization?

The following quote from Walt Disney sits right above my desk. It is a constant reminder to always think of how to improve … from the perspective of clients and employees, NOT mine:

“Whatever you do, do it well. Do it so well that when people see you do it, they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” – Walt Disney

Walt’s quote is equally important for every organization’s front-of-house operations, and back-of-house operations.

And, it’s a perfect complement for this week’s 90-Second Cuture Coach Vlog: From Your Customers’ Perspective.

I constantly remind clients that our organizational strength and sustainability come from two worlds:

Our employees, and how we treat them and,Our customers, and how we treat them.

Based on Walt’s quote, what do your employees and customers experience that excites them? When is the last time you asked—directly, not via a survey—what they love about your organization?

As I mention in my 90-Second Culture Coach vlog, perhaps it’s:

The one-in-a-million hospital that provides easy to follow signage for patients and their visitors.The rare supervisor who actually says, “thank you for attending” at the end of meetings.The CEO who personally welcomes newly hired employees during orientation. “Personally” can also incorporate Zoom, or other electronic means, but it is not pre-recorded. Yes, this is a reach for many multinational corporations, but it undoubtedly brings to life part of Walt Disney’s quote: “do it so well they will want to show others.”

Yes, you and your team undoubtedly have great ideas about how to improve client and employee retention. But, when did you last ask them to share what matters to them?

What’s their perspective?

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Market Dominance Via Simplicity & Popcorn Empowerment

Picture the following scenario in front of “its’ a small world” at Disneyland:

 

“Timothy, a custodial cast member, is scurrying about sweeping up trash when he hears the child crying. Making his way through the guests converging on source of this commotion, Timothy sees the problem. A small boy, melting down in tears, is focused on the ground, stomping his feet in anger. The empty popcorn box and scattered kernels tell the story. Making matters worse is the boy’s father, scolding the boy for his carelessness. This is not “The Happiest Place on Earth” for the boy, his father, nor for the scores of guests watching the scene unfold.   

 

“Within moments, Timothy appears next to the boy, kneels down and says, “I’m sorry about your popcorn.” Instantaneously, two things happen: dad stops yelling and the child, almost startled by the question, nods his head and stops wailing. Continuing, Timothy says, “Mickey Mouse told me he saw you drop your popcorn and knows you’re really sad right now.” Pausing for a moment to let this message sink in, Timothy continues, “And Mickey Mouse wants to know if you would like this big, fresh box of popcorn.

 

“Miraculously, a box of popcorn appears from behind Timothy’s back.”

 

“Profound” doesn’t come close to describing the impact of this interaction on the child, his father, and the many guests who’ve gathered. Timothy is equally buoyed by the interaction. 

 

Unfortunately, some organizations seem determined to undermine employee trust, morale, creativity, and effectiveness—up and down the hierarchical chain of command—with restrictive and complex policies. Far too many organizations spend more time worrying about “the cost of the popcorn,” than creating easy to follow policies and procedures. 

 

Handing out free stuff is, indeed, “simple,” but certainly not the answer to every problem. The organization that constantly rectifies problems by doling out free goods and services (“comping”) is likely plagued by more fundamental issues. Yet, companies with the best products and tightest service standards must prepare for eventual customer complaints and requests. Too few are well prepared. “I’ll have to ask my supervisor,” reflects the sad state of organizational health for legions of employees and their disgruntled customers:

 

Potential problems are not discussed. Resolution strategies are not considered.Employees aren’t trusted. 

 

Simplicity + Skills Practice = Moments of Magic

 

Those managing the Disney University, and their counterparts in Operations, at theme parks and resorts around the world relentlessly consider potential problems and their resolution. And, most importantly, how to empower Cast Members via simple, actionable policies: “What do we do when operations don’t go ‘according to the script’ and, ‘how do we make life simpler and easier for our Cast Members’?” Managers and cast members constantly assess, and even role-play, guest problems and resolution strategies. 

 

The cost to Disney of a box of popcorn is mere pennies, yet the message conveyed to guests and cast members is worth the weight of the popcorn, in gold: 

 

Actions speak louder than words.  “We really do care about your happiness.”Trust. Empowered cast members can solve the most commonly occurring problems. 

  

Popcorn empowerment embodies an organizational culture crafted carefully and methodically. Timothy’s problem-solving strategy is but one example of creating a culture dedicated to service excellence via simplicity and continuous employee development.

 

From Bucket of Soup to Bouillon Cube

 

In closing, assess the simplicity … or complexity, of just one of your policies via this brilliant analogy from my mentor and Disney University founder, Van France:

 

“If your policies aren’t being followed, it’s because you’re probably overwhelming your employees with too many rules, regulations, and mixed messages. Why force your (employees) to eat a metaphorical bucket of soup (your Standard Operating Procedures) all at once? They won’t remember a thing! Instead, provide digestible nuggets of information, (a bouillon cube!) that employees remember and act upon!”    

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Creating a Culture of Significance … One Step at a Time

“Culture evolves in one of two ways: by design … or by benign neglect.” – Doug Lipp 

Far too many organizations struggle to create—much less sustain—their culture.

Indications of a dysfunctional culture are usually crystal clear … if only one’s eyes and ears are open. 

Although a thorough organizational culture assessment can be quite complex, my advice to clients is to start the journey with baby steps, (and below are two steps I highly recommend); 

Don’t start by wordsmithing a new set of values. Do start by identifying behaviors exhibited by employees, (from C-suite, to front line) that either support your stated values, or undermine your values. After all, behaviors are the most accurate barometer of organizational health;  Which behaviors positively reflect your stated values? How are they supported?  Which behaviors are disruptive, or contrary to your stated values? How and why are these behaviors allowed?  

Below is a basic outline of questions I pose to clients at the outset of an organizational culture needs assessment.  Remember, starting with baby steps—and focusing on behaviors—is the key. 

Organizational Culture Assessment – Interview QuestionsHow would you describe the culture of your organization?

Positive: A) Innovative? B) Supportive? C) Trusting?

 (How is each demonstrated via behavioral examples?)

Needs Help: A) Stuck in a Rut? B) Everyone is on their own? C) Lacking trust?

(How is each demonstrated via behavioral examples?)

How does the current culture of the organization demonstrate excellence in:Employee Recruitment, Interviewing? If not, why?Employee Onboarding (new-hire training). If not, why?Ongoing Employee Development (for all levels). If not, why?How does the current culture of the organization demonstrate valuing employee engagement?Employees’ opinions are sought out, acted upon. How? At what frequency? What are the most urgent issues to address for improving:Staff engagement, morale, loyalty?Customer/Client/Patient experience and loyalty? In the next year, what actions will you take to reach excellence in customer experience and staff engagement?Once reached, how will you sustain the momentum of excellence?Who is in charge of your organizational culture? Who else needs to be involved?

Remember, taking baby steps and focusing on behaviors are vital. In closing, below is a powerful quote that beautifully condenses the definition of organizational culture:

“Culture is what people do, every day, without being constantly told”

What are your people doing every day?

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Four Crisis-Tempering Leadership Qualities: Moving Forward, Post-Covid

 

COVID-19 turned our world upside-down, forcing us all to assess our personal and professional priorities. Working with clients to assess post-Covid coping strategies, (Virtual workplace? Hybrid? Everyone to the office … every day?) helped me as much as them.

 

Yes, the medical component of the Covid crisis might be in the rearview mirror, yet leadership crises have multiplied exponentially. We’re in for a very long journey.  

 

I found great comfort in re-reading a great book about leadership during crisis. The book: Endurance, Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing chronicles Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated trans-arctic expedition of 1914. 

 

While reading about this expedition, I considered the incredible leadership qualities of not only Shackleton, but also of the many leaders with whom I have worked. Below are four leadership qualities vital for dealing with seemingly insurmountable crises. 

 

Each of the following is built upon the cornerstones of Truth and Honesty:

  

1. Be Present and Available … Communicate!

 

The worst leaders disappear during crises. The reason? Fear. For most, they fear not having answers to solve whatever problem the team faces. Their fear of not appearing to be in control drives their decision to hunker down … to vanish. 

 

The best leaders get into the field (virtually, these days) to gather information, share ideas, and let people know they are present by: Contacting customers, patients, clients to let them know they’re available. They communicate creatively, fully taking advantage of telephones, Zoom meetings or FaceTime sessions.  

 

Reaching out to employees, staff, colleagues. The constant exchange of ideas, strategies, next steps, (and concerns!) is both comforting and can lead to solutions. 

 

2. Fuel Creativity with Optimism and Honesty

 

Sugar-coating a tragedy is not the answer. Yet, the best leaders look for opportunities despite the barriers. Regular meetings with stakeholders (clients, employees, etc.) to assess only the challenges can be depressing. Leaders who can share even the smallest successes (perhaps derived from what they learned from getting into the field) build optimism, and optimism fuels creativity.

 

3. Embrace What They Can Control

 

Instead of falling into the helpless victim-state and complaining about everything that has changed, great leaders maintain a laser-focus on factors they can control. Prime examples of this are the first two topics listed above (Communicate and Fuel Creativity).  

 

4. Create Stability from Chaos

 

Great leaders know the value of structure and predictability even when chaos reigns. From a personal resilience strategy of looking forward to their daily walk, cup of tea, or meditation session, they plan their day. Vitally important is to weave in some fun or recreation activities. And they encourage their employees to do the same. Bottom line: They take control and lead by example. 

 

Final words

 

In closing, consider the following quote from my mentor and Disney University founder, Van France:

 

“There are hundreds of little and big practices which we continue when they are obsolete or don’t fit. Perhaps morale could be immediately elevated if we just put up a banner on Main Street proclaiming that … ‘We May Be Doing It This Way … But We Can Change!”

 

What do you plan on changing?

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