Who Would Have Thunk It?

I received a mystery novel for Christmas this year. The book, called Nowhere To Be Found, is written by Sandra Brown, an author I wasn’t familiar with. Nowhere To Be Found concerns a mass shooting and the search for the perpetrator. I was at the last fifty pages or so when I was startled. One of the major characters, while visiting his parents, had a “come to Jesus” moment. By that I mean he had a consulting company in which he provided management with information about the employees as well as other important business factors. Well that sounds familiar, I said, smiling to myself. 

The book’s character  was telling his father, who was recovering from an early diagnosis of cancer, that he wanted to start a new consultancy. This time, he wanted to identify employees who needed coaching in their current role. If job improvement was not feasible, he had a better idea: provide them with opportunities to find a role they were better suited for in the company. His father’s reaction was “positivity not negativity”. My ears perked up: my work throughout these 30+ years has been based on the same premise. 

I first began my career thinking that if individual workers altered their behavior, they would have greater success in their roles and at the company. Things changed when I met Dr. Elliott Jaques, who introduced me to the importance of Requisite Organization. Requisite Organization  teaches us that the right role structure in companies affects workers’ behavior. There is much more to it than that, which I am happy to introduce you to with an Executive Briefing. I consider myself privileged to have called Dr. Jacques my teacher. Back then? I was devastated! I wanted to help companies and their employees. Imagine my learning that I was going about it all the wrong way! 

I’m forever grateful that I did not let my feelings get in the way of learning about Requisite Organization. After learning about this system, I gained a clearer perspective. I quit fussing over employee behavior and output. Instead, I asked myself: How is this company built? Who is in charge? Who answers to whom if a mistake occurs? Employees are expected to work hard and do their best. Managers are then accountable for their employees’ outputs. Requisite Organization represented a subtle but hugely important shift in my management perspective.

Another major Requisite Organization lesson? Supervisors are not managers. They do not have the authority to hire, remove from office, etc. What they can do is make recommendations to their manager about employee effectiveness, wages, and salary increases. 

Fast-forwarding to around 2016, I participated in a coaching program facilitated by Fabianne Fredrickson at Boldheart. One of her recommendations was to write a short book as a leave-behind when visiting potential clients. This experience helped me to get clear on what I offer to clients: helping individuals, teams, and the entire company to be their best.Now I analyze companies' infrastructure. 

Equally important to effectively working in today’s workplace? Encouraging individuals and teams to engage in self-care 

It's hard to believe that a book I was reading during my downtime would lead me right back to work. It’s a good thing I enjoy my job so much! I welcome your thoughts, as always.