One of my clients
wanted their leaders to get to know their employees more personally,
since they knew that emerging research found in books like my Values
Shift, show that today’s employees want leaders to connect with them
and know about their lives outside of work. Instead of leaving it to
chance, that organization started a “first lunch” where every
employee has a first lunch with their new manager and during that
lunch work is not on the agenda. Rather the goal is to get to know
that employee as a person.
When Don Knauss, the
CEO of Clorox took over a sales region at Frito-Lay years ago, his
region had the worst numbers in the company. Don had a vision of
going from worst to first and certainly that vision was a key to
success. But he told me that it was the routines they implemented
such as route drivers having their own profit metrics and having
weekly meetings about those metrics that really created change. They
got to first and Don says the disciplines were the key.
Honestly, I could go
on for pages telling you about how discipline drives change. A real
estate investment firm that had poor engagement scores on
recognition began the discipline of starting every meeting with
appreciation only to find their scores jump 50% points in six
months. Hospitals that institute the simple discipline of short
daily rounds by leaders aimed at connecting with employees and
solving problems routinely see a significant jump in patient
satisfaction. Jack Lowe the former CEO of TD Industries had weekly
breakfasts every week for fifteen years with a random group of
employees to stay connected to the front line helping to create a
company where leaders and associates feel deeply aligned. Jack told
me that there were he did not feel like doing it but that having
that “discipline” produced real results. One the personal side, a
colleague of mine told me about some research into weight loss that
showed people who practice three simple disciplines every day-weigh
themselves, do some form of exercise they enjoy, and keep track of
what they ate, are much more likely to lose weight even without
going on a specific diet.
My research in the
last year on the brain helps explain why disciplines and routines
may be so powerful in driving change. Our brains are hard wired for
routine. Every time we do something from a brain perspective we are
more likely to do it again. So by having specific disciplines and
routines we create patterns that drive change.
I would even go so far
as to say that this concept of disciplines and routines is the most
underestimated driver of change within organizations. It can even
help us change personally. One of the leaders I have been coaching
is working on trying not to dominate conversations. I suggested a
simple discipline, that every time they were going to speak up in a
meeting they should ask themselves “is what I am about to say going
to add real value?” By using that simple routine they reported to me
about a 50% reduction in the air time they are taking up in meetings
and suddenly their people are speaking up more and taking
initiative.
We have helped many
companies create disciplines and routines to drive change (as well
as individuals in executive coaching) and I have come to the
conclusion that discipline is the key driver of real change. So what
are the disciplines you are using to drive change?
Be well, do good work.
John
