Of course, this type of freewheeling corporate culture must come
from the top down. Many companies get so absorbed in developing
strategies that they get stalled by numerous roadblocks before any
implementation has even been started, he notes.
Listening earns its place at the top of this list because while most
of us agree that listening is important, according to Peters, we don’t
behave accordingly. “We probably think we’re pretty good at it, but
with all due respect, in five out of six cases, we are likely delusional,”
he says.
“A detailed strategy is stuff and nonsense,” says Peters. “You
head off in that general direction, and as you go, the environment
shifts shape again and again. The key is to be flexible and open to
opportunities that may crop up along the way.”
When a doctor, for example, interrupts you while you are telling
your story and whips out the prescription pad, he or she may not have
extracted enough useful data to make a truly informed decision. The
doctor in this case has marginalized the patient and not created an
environment for true engagement and co-ownership of the problem.
Another critical roadblock to action is often the lack of cross-
functional collaboration, Peters says. “I fervently believe that in
most any organization of more than a dozen people, the number
one issue that causes delays, implementation failures in general,
employee angst, and customer ire is failure of cross-functional
communication and integration,” says Peter. Internal barriers can
be more of an impediment to effective execution than competitors’
actions, whereas teams that can support one another can improve
operational performance through coordinated execution.
Listening, says Peters, is the ultimate mark of respect—the core
of effective cross-functional communication, the key to making the
sale, and the bedrock that underpins a commitment to excellence. A
good listener “exists totally for the given conversation,” giving the
other person time to reach clarity without interruption, he says. A
good listener never finishes the other person’s sentence.
Other paths toward strong leadership include running effective
meetings, nurturing allies throughout the organization, dispensing
enthusiasm, and even fine-tuning your body language. Becoming
a student of excellence is not easy, but a great deal of the process
relies on common sense to move your organization forward in a
positive way. When asked to hypothesize about the long term, Peters
says in his typical blunt way, “I don’t know what will happen 25 years
from now, but I know you have a good shot of surviving if you keep
getting better and continue to work your backside off.”
Most companies don’t need expensive training sessions or
management overhauls to make strides toward a more engaged
and productive workforce, Peters has found. There are ways to
reset the corporate culture using simple tools that have been in
our personal arsenals all along, he says. Most of the solution boils
down to people—how you hire them, treat them, and reward them.
On his list are some simple recommendations like really listening to
employees without interruption, hiring nice people, and managing by
wandering around so you really have the opportunity to get to know
your employees.
tompeters.com
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