The ability to change culminates in the way of the organization and the ability to make decisions and implement them
Organizations are constantly faced with bigger and smaller changes. Operating methods are improved, new products are included in the portfolio, operations are expanded to new market areas, the company's internal structure is reformed, new employees and managers bring changes to the culture... The list of drivers of change is endless, and change is a permanent state of being.
A key factor in whether an organization succeeds in navigating various changes is its ability to change. Adaptability, in all its simplicity, refers to an organization's ability to adapt and succeed in constant change, i.e. the readiness and ability to manage changes, be they internal or external, planned or unexpected.
The ability to change can be roughly divided into two:
Reactive ability to change
Better known as putting out fires. Changes do happen, but they are not foreseen, nor are we prepared for them, instead, when they happen, we try to adapt as best we can. The reactive ability to change also has different levels: a good reactive ability means that the organizational culture enables a quick reaction, which enables the organization to survive and possibly succeed. Poor reactive ability, on the other hand, means that when a surprising change comes, the primitive action patterns of either fight, flee or play dead take over in people. If the organization does not have any ability to change, it becomes paralyzed in the face of new situations.
Proactive ability to change
The ability to plan and influence the future. In the organization, the ability to observe changes and the signals that predict them is consciously increased, and the ability of individuals to make decisions and implement the required changes is increased.
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Many clear features can be identified in a change-capable organization that enable successful implementation of change:
The different characteristics culminate in the change into two in practice: does the organization have the ability to make the decisions required by the change, and does it have the ability to implement them?
- Flexibility – the organization has the ability to adapt quickly and efficiently to changing conditions.
- Learning ability - the organization has the ability to learn from new situations, mistakes and successes.
- Communication - the organization has a culture where communication is open, and changes are planned and implemented openly and inclusively.
- Leadership – the organization has front-line staff who support and guide the changes, provide clear goals and resources, and help individuals adapt to the changes.
- The ability to handle conflicts - difficult issues are also discussed in the organization, and we think about solutions to problems together, rather than sweeping them under the rug.
Decision-making ability enables adaptation to a changing world
You may have come across one of the following thoughts during your life:
"After you have done enough research and collected the available information, make a decision. Do not delay any longer.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Better is an uncertain decision than no decision at all." – Edmund Burke (or “It is better to make a wrong decision than no decision at all” – Tony Soprano in the TV series The Sopranos)
"Often the decision we don't make is the one that ends up having the biggest impact." – André Malraux.
In these and numerous other quotes related to decision-making, the central idea is that decisions must be made, even though information is limited, and even though not all outcomes can be predicted in advance. Decisions drive operations forward, and not making them often has a crippling effect. As long as there is no decision, there is no clear direction where to go or an idea of what to do.
Decisions are choices about what to do and what not to do. A decision about something is always a decision about giving up something else. That's why decision-making is difficult and really what separates people from each other. Decision-making ability is the ability to evaluate alternatives, make choices, and take responsibility for the decisions made. In a changing world, this ability is one of the most essential elements of success.
What are your organization's decision-making capabilities? Who can make decisions, and about what kind of things? What kind of influence do employees have on their own everyday life? What about supervisors for the activities of their own team?
Decision-making ability consists of, for example, the following areas:
Ability to gather and evaluate information
Ability to identify, assess and manage risks
Problem-solving skill
Ability to prioritize
Ability to adapt
Ability to evaluate cause and effect relationships
Ability to identify desired outcomes
Ability to justify choices
We help to achieve the following results:
- The ability to make quick but considered decisions increases efficiency and productivity.
- The ability to analyze information and prioritize options helps solve complex problems.
- The ability to make strategic decisions supports the success of the organization.
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Culture defines the direction and limits of executive ability
Organizational culture is a difficult entity to define, because it is not a tangible, tangible thing - and yet it is an extremely real force that guides and defines people's actions and thinking in many ways. It significantly affects how individuals and communities are able to implement their decisions, goals and visions.
One of the most interesting descriptions of what an organization's culture is is given by the following idea: "Recruit a new person to your company, and don't familiarize him at all. The culture of your organization is what he will do in a couple of months." Of course, this practice should not be put into practice as such, but it guides us to understand the influence of culture - it guides our actions in a way that we are not even fully able to verbalize ourselves. An interesting question is, of course, would familiarization change the outcome somehow? Can it be argued that familiarization would be such a powerful influence that it would overcome culture? It is more likely, however, that the things learned during orientation - for example, that a safety helmet is always worn - will stick, if the culture acts differently - otherwise a helmet is worn, but the coffee break is such a short distance from the workplace on the side of the factory that it is not possible to put on a helmet for that section, but instead on. According to your own experience, which does the new employee follow, the rule or the practice, when he is part of the group?
Executive ability refers to the ability to put the decisions into practice, see things through to the end, implement plans and achieve goals. Culture plays a critical role as a builder or limiter of executive ability. It sets guidelines and limits for what is considered acceptable and possible. Cultural norms, values, beliefs and practices affect how people perceive the world and how they act in different situations. Does your organization have enthusiasm and a desire to develop and experiment, safety-oriented and ensuring activities, or perhaps a discussion culture that either improves decisions or prevents decision-making altogether?
The influence of culture extends to management and the operation of organizations. Organizational culture, i.e. the way an organization thinks, acts and communicates, can be decisive in terms of executive ability. If an organization's culture encourages openness, innovation and collaboration, it can create fertile ground for effective operations. On the other hand, if the culture is rigid, resists change or encourages only a certain way of doing things, it may limit the organization's ability to adapt to new challenges and opportunities.
We help our customers identify the cultural features that either move the organization forward or act as a brake on it.
Strengths and weaknesses can be identified from the characteristics of the culture, and by identifying the current state, we help our customers to think about the root causes of the current culture, and what can be done to develop it.
Examples of situations where we can help:
- You want everyone to feel comfortable coming to work on Monday, but for some reason this is not the case at the moment. You want to identify the root causes behind the unpleasant feelings.
- There is a negative spirit in your workplace that affects your ability to produce results. You want to understand the connection between mood and executive ability and positively influence it.
- Issues are not discussed sufficiently, ideas are rejected, decisions are not made, or responsibility is not wanted. You want your culture to develop in a more open and conversational direction.
If you are interested in developing executive ability in your organization, contact us!
To support the development of decision-making and executive ability
We help our customers with different types of change projects. In addition, we help them build a culture capable of change, and we support their supervisors and employees to strengthen their own ways of thinking and acting in situations of change.
In practice, this means, for example, such challenges:
- The general attitude towards change rather than change is reserved and uncertain
- Your organization lacks initiative and responsibility
- Perceived threats – real or imagined – paralyze operations
- It's hard to get over things - they are discussed over coffee tables long after the events
If you find it challenging to implement changes, and you want to do something about your organization's ability to change, feel free to contact us!
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