I have to run a workshop for finance and IT. From our annual staff views survey the feedback has been that these functions feel isoated and disrespected. Because many of the grades are at the lower end of the organisation, the job holders also feel unable to challenge or push back.
I would like to address this in a team build workshop day. The population will range from administrators to Board Directors. I am probably going to have a Covey type motivational speaker do something. Can anyone suggest anything else?
michael o'keeffe
11 Responses
re self esteem and challenging management
I dont have any direct answers to your question but would commend the course on instinct. I think employees need careful advice and help about how to deal with senior management assertively and this is not at all easy for employees, especially when working with bully bosses.
I am too far away from you to take advantage of your workshop, but would love some handouts via e mail in the future if you could oblige
Give yourself more choices
Hi Michael
There is quite a bit in the few short lines that you have written. To help I will challenge with some questions that will enable you to think more creatively and find an outcome that will fits.
Here goes:
You say you “have to run a workshop for finance and IT”, is this soemthing that you are not happy about doing? If you are not happy about doing this you need to do some further work with oyurself before moving on. Listen to what you are saying to yourself, is this a useful resource to be in?
“the Functions feel isolated and disrespected” How do they know that? What needs to chanage to make them FEEL different? How will they know?
“because many of the grades are at the lower end of the organisation, the job holders also feel unable to challenge or push back” What specifically can they not challenge or push back? What would it be like if they could challenge and push back? Why does being at the lower end of the grade have to do with challenging? What specifically would have to chanage?
“the population will range from Administrators to Board Directors” What is your outcome? What would happen if you did not do a “team build”?
“I am probably going to have a Covey type motivational speaker do something” What will happen if you did not have one? What will happen if you do?
Depedning on time scale I would suggest you take time out to think things through and check with yourself how you FEEL and what it will feel like when you have achived your outcome.
Hope that helps.
e-mail if you want more: [email protected]
Enjoy
Steve
Workshop
Dear Michael
You are obviously concerned about the problems highlighted by the employee survey and it sounds like you are worried that you will not be able to resolve these issues in one day.
We specialise in helping people realise their full potential, which includes raising their self-esteem and assertiveness skills. I would be delighted to run a session for you at your team building event.
Please do call me, even if you only want some advice.
Kind regards
Maggie
team build event
Oops!
My telephone number is 020 8871 5063.
Maggie
Deal at a cognitive as well as affective level
Much of the comment so far has been addressing the affective stuff – people’s feelings and what it is about themselves that stops them challenging. Any competent NLPer will be able to help with this stuff (ring me on 01274 666369 if you need guidance)
I suggest that it may help some people to look at this from a cognitive level – “what is the worst thing that could hapopen if I did challenge?” “How realistic is that threat – has anyone ever been sacked for challenging the boss?” “Do I really want to work in a place that doesn’t allow legitimate challenge?”
Sounds like a bigger problem than employee self-esteem.
Hi Michael,
I hope I am not reading to muchinto this but it sounds as if you are looking to “solve the problem” in your team building day. I guess what comes to mind for me is that there are a lot of issues to separate out and that what might be helpful for one might not address others. So, for example, the way you define the situation will have a lot to do with its outcome. Is it really about self-esteem and are people really asking for help at that level?
In your place I might feel that I was in a very lonely place at the moment trying to put a band-aid on a BIG cultural problem in the organisation.
I would be happy to talk about it a bit. E-mail me on [email protected] if you would just like to talk about how big this is and what it means for you. Together we might get a better problem definition and you could move from there.
Virginia
SELF ESTEEM
I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS ARE INTERESTING AND WOULD GO ALONG WITH THOSE THAT SUGGEST THAT THE WAY YOU HAVE FORMULATED THE “PROBLEM” LEADS TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF OPTIONS. SO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT STAFF EXPERIENCE LOW SELF ESTEEM COULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START. THERE COULD BE A NUMBER OF REASONS AND SOLUTIONS. I HAVE FOUND THAT CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE FIND A VOICE AND A CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF THEIR ISSUE. OFTEN GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS WANTING CHANGE WANT REPRESENTATION WITH THE GROUP THEY SEE AS HAVING POWER AND INFLUENCE. THEY ARE LESS CLEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY WHEN THEY ARE THERE, SO TIME HELPING THEM CLARIFY WHAT THEIR ISSUE IS AND WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER IS VERY VALUABLE. SENIOR MANAGERS COULD ASSIST OR THIS COULD BE A PREPARATORY MEETING. I ALSO LIKE SCHIENS POINT ABOUT EFFECTING CHANGE AND WHAT HE CALLS “FACEWORK” I.E. PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO A CHALLENGE IF THEY LOSE FACE IN DOING SO -THE CHALLENGE THEN IS HOW DO YOU ENABLE CHANGE WITHOUT GETTING THEM TO LOSE FACE. THATS A WHOLE NEW PROBLEM BUT COULD LEAD TO A MORE PRODUCTIVE WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT THIS SITUATION GOOD LUCK
Options for dealing with the issue
Michael,
We might be able to offer you something that could help here, but would need to talk in more detail with you first to determine whether it is appropriate. We offer programmes which we design especially to tackle the sort of issue you describe.
Please feel free to contact me on [email protected].
Sue Barley
recognise, value & harness difference and unlock potential
every individual is unique. despite this many of our natural qualities and behaviours are locked-up in the box of organisational culture and other peoples thinking.
valuable difference exists at every level and even as we speak, ‘lower end’ staff may have the answer to solving problem 36 which has been baffling the big boys and girls.
I have developed a range of 360 degree profiling tools and processes which illustrate the value of difference and enable the ability to recognise that every individual has more to offer than they are given the opportunity to contribute. difference is the most valuable resource any organsation, society or culture has and if we are to tap into innovation, creativity and enterprise, which are the lifeblood of our future, we must create an environment in which every individual is equipped, willing and able wants to and is allowed to contribute to the community pot.
tools and other information available
look forward to hearing from you.
motivational speaking
hi again
motivational speaker with broad experience of
unlocking the power of difference, can provide valuable insights which enable individuals at every level to find common ground and work together to evolve a more enabling and participative culture, infrastructure and leadership style.
Challenging
Michael,
If you have a diverse team building for finance and IT could create the opportunity for each person to realise their strengths and values as individuals. They may then have more understanding of their personal to organisational ‘match’. If trust is also targeted and explored there may be the chance for more initiatives to be taken after the event.
Facilitation may need to be neutral and certainly objective.
Site; http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~bnk provides an insight into this humanistic type of approach, which is based on a deep and practical experience of issues as this in medium to large organisations.