Consulting and Capability Development
Framework for Instilling 'Skilled Flexibility'
The Flex-C3 Framework
Three key focus areas
Flex-3C is a proprietary framework that is grounded in hands-on experience gained as a consultant helping organizations transition from relative rigidity to ‘skilled flexibility’. The framework has three modules that emphasize the need for clarity, collaboration, and capability, that help strengthen the core muscles of the organization and deliver flexibility, skills, coordination, endurance, and performance. The first two modules – Create Clarity and Practice Collaboration – are instrumental in enhancing employee motivation and commitment. The third – Enhance Capability – equips members with enhanced skills needed to skillfully tackle unfamiliar challenges.
The combination of employee commitment and skills delivers on skilled flexibility as a capability, equipping the organization with the ability to effectively navigate and respond to challenges in the face of change and uncertainty. The descriptions below provide highlights of actions within each module.
Create Clarity
Where leaders in the organization communicate a clear sense of direction – vision, mission, and collaborative values – on an ongoing basis so employees can see how the work they do each day contributes to the bigger picture. If the existing vision, mission, or values of the organization need to be refreshed, support is provided to achieve that.
Clarity of direction provides employees with meaning and fulfillment in their work, which enhances commitment.
Practice Collaboration
Where leaders in the organization are active role models of collaborative behaviors, e.g., reaching out to employees, engaging in brief conversations, asking questions, listening, responding, affirming, etc., on an ongoing basis. Periodic town hall meetings and large and small group sessions to share information and sense feedback also promote collaboration.
When employees witness executives as active role models bringing collaborative values to life, their sense of belonging in the organization is enhanced and they feel connected with their managers and leaders, which contributes to improved commitment.
Enhance Capability
The focus here is on enhancing skills and abilities for solving complex challenges that arise in the face of uncertainty and change. Skills training is customized based on the situation and the needs of each organization. Employees engage in hands-on experience preferably on a real-life situation, and go through the steps involved with solving unfamiliar challenges. They openly share perspectives and assumptions, work through the tension as perspectives collide, and make optimized decisions working together in a systematic way.
With success, their confidence level and skills in solving complex challenges together is greatly enhanced and they are better prepared to take on the next unfamiliar or unanticipated challenge.
Application of the Flex-C3 Framework
The Flex-C3 Framework is helpful with assessing and identifying which one or more of the three modules – Clarity, Collaboration, Capability – need attention. The assessment is conducted with interviews and brief surveys. I analyze the data for outcomes and provide a preliminary proposal for a joint review.
The framework is backed up with tools, consultation, hands-on skills development, and support services. Please contact me for more information on the framework and how it is applied.
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