Troubled Companies II
Yesterday, I mentioned needed analysis. In an advanced process, adjusting performance metrics to encourage innovation within clear enough guidelines is critical work.
However, in a troubled company no clear strategic plan with accompanying aligned performance goals exist in most cases. If they were done, the forces at work would ensure that they were not useful.
I once came to a company, and a man was one of the key players. They were planning to make him the first Chinese GM for this Western Company.
I spent 2 hours in light conversation with this man. He shocked me in that he never in two and a half hours spoke anything with his own conviction. He often spoke strongly, but he had no crack in his armor. He crafted everything he said to further his ambition.
With a heavy heart, I recommended that they let this guy go. His ambition meant that he could not speak the truth from his heart in any way or at any time. He was the main cause of their muddling. A Westerner managing him from the same office in Shanghai was one problem, but managing him from Bloomington was completely beyond their reach. He was way too complicated and completely unaligned. Further study, showed that he was secretly teaching the Chinese workers to hate the Westerners. He had told workers they would do things their way once the Westerners were pushed out.
What Does Lack of Thriving Usually Mean?
If you are not thriving, then you have things like this going on though hopefully not so severe. Some people will be hard to coach into any position even with high coaching ability.
This is the core analysis that most troubled companies need. They need to know where the resistance is and how to get basic alignment. Most companies think they have some semblance of alignment, when actually, important players are pulling against the goals of the company for their own aggrandizement. They are very careful and manipulative and involve home office players unwittingly as well.
See Also Troubled Companies I