Boost Organizational Responsiveness
Focus on Clarity, Collaboration, and Capability
Chris Fernandez, Ph.D.
Organizational Development and Change Consultant
Pro-bono services offered to not-for-profit service organizations.
Rigidity impedes responsiveness in the face of change
Organizations that perform effectively under stable business conditions often find it challenging to adapt to the need for change in the face of emerging customer and market demands. This happens when the organization lacks the flexibility and skill sets needed to work through the challenges brought about by change. The inability to be responsive negatively impacts on customer deliverables and puts the organization at a competitive disadvantage.
The question is what must organizations do to be able to respond effectively to the challenges brought about by uncertainty and change?
To boost responsiveness, instill skilled flexibility
The best way to prepare the organization to be responsive is to instill flexibility and equip employees with enhanced skills for dealing with unfamiliar situation in the face of change and uncertainty. These actions provide employees with the environment, ability, and tools to skillfully navigate complex and unfamiliar challenges and achieve results.
What enables skilled flexibility
Lessons from prior experience identify three factors that contribute the most to instilling skilled flexibility and responsiveness. They are:
- Create Clarity of vision, mission, strategy, and values – Clarity of direction helps employees see how the work they do contributes to the bigger picture and provides them with meaning and fulfillment in their work, which in turn enhances commitment.
- Practice Collaboration across levels – When employees witness executives and managers as active role models of collaboration, their sense of belonging in the organization is enhanced and they feel connected with their managers and leaders.
- Develop Capabilities within individuals and teams to skillfully deal with uncertainty and change – When members can skillfully overcome the emerging challenges and deliver results, their confidence levels in dealing with uncertainty and change is greatly enhanced and they are better prepared to tackle the unexpected as they arise.
Without Clarity, Collaboration, and Capabilities, an organization is less likely to be able to respond to uncertainty and change skillfully and successfully.
How I can be helpful
Much of my career I have had the opportunity to help departments, business units, and organizations step up to the challenges brought about by uncertainty and change. I practice a blended approach drawing on years of education and experience in the fields of Organizational Development, Change Management, and Learning & Development. The three fields together contribute richly to frameworks, methods, tools, and processes, that help instill flexibility and responsiveness in organizations.
The first step is to meet with prospective client(s)/leader(s) and understand need. An initial assessment helps identify where the organization stands on Clarity, Collaboration, and Capabilities (related to addressing uncertainty and change). A proposal is developed based on the initial assessment with options on how to address the situation. The client then decides on desire to proceed.
The decision to equip the organization to embody responsiveness is a strategic one. Those that are truly responsive to uncertainty and change will have a distinct competitive advantage over those that do not, all other factors being equal.
Endorsements
What do people who I have worked with say?
Magnetrol International Inc.
I look forward to hearing from you
I am open to any question related to organizing for a collaborative, positive, and productive workplace.
Click on the ‘Contact Me‘ button below to send me a message.
Cell: 1 630 710 7214
email: chris@mindfulODpractice.com
THANK YOU