Three main obstacles for organizational development

Based on a recent global research these are the three main obstacles that hinder development and can jeopardize the sustainability of organizations and individuals

LACK OF:

• Time
• Long-term planning
• Positive leadership

TIME

Having time to study, to think, to visualize is one of the most important aspects of business life and, mostly for People that are doing conceptual work and even more crucial for those in managerial positions.

One of the required skills of a senior manager is to view the big picture of the organization and not to get stuck into operational daily matters.

Unfortunately, due to the dysfunctionality of the modern world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay focus on your top priorities and in fact on your core mission.

On the other side, as this gap is growing, the need to step back, and deal with the essence of your duties is becoming crucial.

In an overwhelming world according to Bill Gates “Sitting and thinking may be a much higher priority than anything else”; similarly, Warren Buffett said that your weekly calendar must have empty days.

In the new era of management, and in a fast-moving environment, adaptation has become a highly debatable issue which even leads to “change or die”.

If day in, day out we are doing the same things, if we stay in our comfort zone nothing will grow.

I have heard a few entrepreneurs and managers say that we’ve reached a very good position; now we just need to maintain it. That’s quite weird; maintaining your status quo is a setback, simply because competition is still out there. Complacency is not an option as long as the danger of falling behind is present; of course, survival is not mandatory!

LONG-TERM PLANNING

Long-term planning is essential for both individuals and organizations. Not having a long-term plan is like driving without a destination. It’s like going on an unknown trip without a roadmap. Why does it have to be in the long term? Simply because significant changes require time, perseverance and strengths. Big achievements cannot be met overnight. Consistency is a key success factor; since consistency is a function of leadership, except in the cases that your consistent effort is unsuccessful. Here is where critical thinking is essential. Keep in mind Albert Einstein’s insanity theory. Don’t stay on the wrong path for long. In the equation of success inevitably there are many failures. Nowadays in the uncertain business environment, some of the key success factors are flexibility and speed; so “fail early, fail often, and pull the plug early” professor Robert Sutton-STANFORD UNIVERSITY. Similarly, Henry Mintzberg argued that a “strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions” trails and errors; adjustment and re-adjustment are required.

Even more, studies have highlighted the importance of the written aspect. 80% of senior managers have answered that they are not satisfied with their unwritten strategy execution while in the opposite spectrum 80% of senior managers have answered that they are satisfied with their written strategy execution, so this signifies the importance of having a written strategy and more importantly, that is well communicated throughout the organization. It doesn’t make sense if there is an excellently written strategy that it is only known by the top executives. Strategy is implementation and implementation is carried out 80-90% by the first line employees.

Unfortunately, most of the times that I ask both small and large organizations employees “what is your organization’s strategy?” and they usually describe what they are doing in terms of operations.

POSITIVE LEADERSHIP

Leadership is the top concern of the business world while the second and closely linked is employee engagement. Unfortunately, there is a global luck of positive leadership and this is supported by a recent Gallup research.   The results are quite disappointing. Only 13% of the employees are engaged with 64% not engaged and, in fact, they are in a passive mode, while 24% are actively disengaged.

The most disappointing fact is that this shortage is not only a business issue. We are certainly speaking about a global issue, on a national and political base. Obviously, the underlying reason that citizens have so negative feelings for the national leaders – political leaders is the fact that they have violence with the worst way the term and the notion of authentic – positive leadership.

Unfortunately, this situation is supporting the tendency that people are becoming more selfish and certainly less emotionally intelligent.

We should all consider how we can contribute, a collective tiny contribution can create a better world. Simply imagine if all of us were caring a little bit more about the people that are next to us….

Put your brick on the wall; say yes to empathy, to love and optimism, say yes for a better quality of life, and keep in mind that every single person on this earth has an expiry date, no matter, how rich you are, if you are white or black, despite your religion, your sex and any other related factor… there is an end!