T.A. Wilson & Associates

Getting To Organizational Clarity – Do You Know How?

Recently the president spoke on Wall Street today about reforms. He spoke, they listened. He talked about need for reforms and that there would be no going back to what caused the problem the country is trying to dig itself out of. Consider the following:

“It was a collective failure of responsibility in Washington, on Wall Street and across America that led to the near-collapse of our financial system one year ago,” the president said. Several audience members vigorously nodded in agreement, warming to the notion that blame was being shared on the unofficial anniversary of the financial meltdown.”

The president got what I call the Wall Street nod something that is common practice in corporate and business settings.

It’s when a company leader, is talking with his staff outlining some new initiative he is excited about and wants to happen. As he is speaking everyone in attendance is nodding in agreement.

At the end of the meeting staff members walk out talking among themselves saying, “I’m not doing that, or how does he think I can get my staff to agree to that?” Yet they all nodded giving the impression they were in agreement. The company nod.

As a leader, how do you ensure that members of your team – after indicating agreement by nodding– will actually follow through? How do you prevent them from giving you the company nod?

Consultant and author Patrick Lencioni points out leaders should make sure that they have what he calls organizational clarity. This happens when it aligns has alignment around concepts, values, definitions, goals and strategies. When these are in alignment organizational clarity is achieved. It’s then followed by a continuous level of communication, which Lencioni, calls “over communicating organizational clarity.”

How the president will obtain this, remains to be seen. But, the question here is as leaders in your company how good are you in at getting organizational clarity and communicating with your staff and employees. Or are you settling for your company’s version of the company nod?

© Timothy A. Wilson All Rights Reserved.

I recently read in the Wall Street Journal about a three way race about to take place at Intel for the position of CEO. It seems that Sean Maloney, David Perlmutter and Andy Bryant are in a three legged race for the top spot.

The safe bet is Mr. Maloney, as the article put it, “The job is “Sean Maloney’s to lose,”” said Doug Freedman, an analyst at Broadpoint AmTech. There is no time table for when Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini will retire. Unlike Joe Tucci who plans to retire in 2012. There is strong speculation with the recent announcement of Pat Gelsinger leaving Intel and going to EMC he is seen as a potential successor to Tucci.

So there is a three way race for the top spot at Intel, and clearly some upheaval brewing at EMC. While the elephants dance in the corner offices, people throughout both of these organizations are going to be the recipients of the potential fall out from these organizational changes.

For some it may work out, for others it may not. Regardless there is an additional level of stress being place on the employees of both these companies because the senior management has a desire to rearrange the deck chairs on the ships Intel and EMC.

It’s like tossing a stone into the still waters of a pond, the ripples keep on going for a very long time each one just a little bit bigger than then last. Is it no wonder why people further down the organization think senior management is just plain nuts?

© Timothy A. Wilson All Rights Reserved.