As I start to write this, I’m literally scratching my head in wonder. For almost all of us, the events over the last few weeks have created a seismic shift in our worlds. It is probably the biggest change any of us will experience in the way we work and live. And it’s coming at us in a totally unprecedented pace.
I’ve worked with many organisations to help them manage different aspects of change. Almost always these organisational changes have come about as part of the organisations strategy to grow, diversify or streamline. It’s been part of a considered approach with time to plan and implement.
The biggest difference with the onslaught of Coronavirus is that it has come to us without warning and is beyond our control. It’s a change that is being imposed on all of us in a whirlwind of confusion and emotion.
Who would’ve imagined that within a few weeks we would be embarking on a worldwide experiment in working from home. In the past an organisation would consider a flexible working policy as part of their people strategy and consider the cultural, structural and procedural implications before implementing a carefully laid out approach. Yet here we are with it happening everywhere within a matter of weeks; testing our thinking, decision making and mindsets.
Given this, I thought I would consider the Corona crisis is having on organisations, linking it to four components of Organisation Design in the Kandula People Performance Model.
I’ve created the Kandula People Performance Model to show the different components that need to be in place for people within a business to be productive, engaged and flexible to adapt to change. Think of this as the ecosystem where all parts need to work well for every organisation to thrive, or maybe even survive.
In this blog I’m focussing on Directional Alignment.
This encompasses the different elements needed to ensure employees are aligned to the strategy, goals and purpose. It’s about having a clear strategy and goals for the organisation, having a purpose that employees can identify with, being clear on your values, monitoring and measuring performance and providing leadership that is right for the environment.
At this moment, I believe the elements that organisations need to have right are sustaining their purpose and leading in a different, stronger and more flexible way than before.
Purpose
I’ve recently come across a company that creates office spaces in a number of cities for different ways of working ( No it’s not We Work ). Their purpose is to creating thriving cities. This drives everything that they do and the way they integrate in the cities and communities where they have offices.
No doubt this is an organisation that is being challenged at the moment and, like many others, be considering its future. With such a clear purpose this will hopefully drive the decisions they make and the actions that people take. It is the thing that will unite employees in stormy waters.
Leadership
A few days ago I posted about an article from McKinsey about leadership in a crisis. This is the time when normal won’t do, it’s the time when leaders need to be flexible, decisive and empathetic.
Over the next few days I’ll share my thoughts on the other components of the Kandula People Performance Model. These are:
- Solid Foundations – Do policies, processes and systems support employees to deliver?
- Meaningful Connections – How does the organisation support people to connect and thrive?
- Valued Work – Are employees set up to do the work in the best way, with suitable reward and career pathways?
All components are being challenged, shifting and in some cases exposed if they’re not functioning. Now could be the time to do a quick review to see what will serve your organisation at this time.
For organisations that are grappling with how to adapt and would like to have a chat I’m here to help.
