A Framework for Optimistic Organizations

Transcription

1 morale, resilience and health, lower attrition, and fewer accidents and costly errors. Profitability is even more directly affected, since optimistic salespeople outsell their colleagues by more than 35 per cent. Realistic optimism is also flexible in that it adapts expectations to new situations and is not the same as forcing everyone to put on a happy face or hide problems. Genuinely optimistic leaders demonstrate a consistently upbeat mood but face issues head-on. They focus on the positives about their people and encourage others to explore new opportunities without punishment when well-thoughtcoverstory Workforce Strategy: A Framework for Optimistic Organizations Fostering an optimistic environment can lead to positive outcomes. This article shows how an organization can become optimistic and resilient by maximizing five principles. by Bob Murray and Alicia Fortinberry In today s increasingly fluid and demanding business environment, the most important factors for organizations and individuals are not ability and motivation but an optimistic outlook. Leaders and employees who realistically expect to succeed probably will. For people with the same ability and motivation who do not see the positive possibilities, probably will not. Research shows that organizations with realistically optimistic leaders, and whose policies encourage optimism, have greater flexibility and openness to change, better employee perseverance, out ideas don t work out as hoped. The leader s optimism filters through the organization and translates into a crucial and lasting market advantage. The strongest factor that differentiates successful organizations such as McDonald s, Cisco Systems and Southwest Airlines from competitors is the optimism of its leaders and people. However, many leaders are pessimistic. According to a 2007 survey of Fortune 500 CFOs, only 16 per cent were optimistic about their firm s future. Pessimism can signal depression and anxiety, mood disorders that are reaching epidemic proportions within organizations 16 october 2009

2 coverstory and costing billions worldwide. In most organizations, 15 to 30 per cent of employees are seriously depressed, and the rate of depression is doubling every 20 years every generation. Work stress, the major cause of depression, will increase by over 70 per cent during the next decade. Learning optimism Humans are naturally optimistic. However, if we constantly experience setbacks or criticism by our parents, peers, colleagues or bosses, we learn not to hope, not to trust ourselves or the future. We become pessimists, or even depressed. But just as pessimism can be learned, optimism can be relearned. In fact it s contagious. Being around upbeat, cheerful people lifts our mood. That s why people are drawn to positive leaders and tend to buy more from optimistic salespeople. But it s not enough to have an optimistic leader; organizations need to create an optimistic culture and an environment in which flexible optimism is applied and learned. A framework for optimistic organizations Over the last 20 years we have had a lot of experience in creating optimism, both as authors of Creating Optimism and Raising an Optimistic Child and through fostering positive, energized high-performing teams across a number of industries. We have developed a framework for instilling this vital outlook that is based on research and on how the brain actually works. According to the Fortinberry Murray framework, an organization can become optimistic and resilient by maximizing the following five PACTS principles: (1) Purpose (2) Autonomy (3) Collegiality (4) Trust (5) Strengths october

3 coverstory Employees feel uplifted when their organization is seen to be doing the right thing, even if it requires personal sacrifice. Purpose To be truly optimistic about the future an organization, just like an individual, has to be driven by purpose, a sense that it is there for something greater than profit or even the value of its products or services. Having a sense of social purpose unleashes energy in an individual not just for the cause or goal itself, but for all aspects of life. A belief that one s actions positively contribute to the social good can even ward off depression and increase longevity through raising the immune system and preventing illness. A sense of purpose will also galvanize an individual to perform at his or her highest level. In order to thrive even in very tough times, organizations need to think not just about profits but the social good. For example, McDonald s credits much of its world-wide success and the energy and drive of its employees to its commitment to a social purpose, demonstrated by the organization s commitment to employees well-being and the Ronald McDonald foundation for disadvantaged and sick children. Employees feel uplifted when their organization is seen to be doing the right thing, even if it requires personal sacrifice. In the midst of the global financial crisis, many organizations found that morale lifted when employees were asked to take a pay cut or work overtime so that others could keep their jobs. One firm, Stockland, a major Australian property company, countered the grieving caused by unavoidable downsizing by increasing the emphasis on employee volunteering. Quite quickly we began to see an increase in both cautious optimism and overall engagement, says Executive Head of Human Resources Rilla Moore. Autonomy Autonomy is the sense of having realistic control over one s life. This experience of empowerment creates optimism in the same way that a sense of helplessness creates pessimism. Autonomous individuals and teams are more likely to take initiative, generate innovative solutions and feel committed to contributing positively to the organization. Empowering leaders and managers actively involve and engage people in decisions that affect their lives and the future of the organization. They use flat dialogue, in which people who may have different roles and authority work together toward common goals. Empowering managers more fully delegate rather than just give instructions, assigning significant and challenging work that gives employees a sense of appropriate control and involvement as well as enhancing their confidence and skills. Whenever possible, managers give their people autonomy by explaining the significance and context of a project or task and then allowing people some choice in how it is carried out. Collegiality Humans are genetically made to cooperate with members of their band or tribe. We are more optimistic, happy and effective when we cooperate, and more depressed and pessimistic when we compete against our colleagues. Yet while most organizations generate a lot of rhetoric about collegiality and teamwork, real collaboration is often undermined by internal competition, which is in turn fueled by organization policies and remuneration systems. In a mistaken belief that they are motivating people to try harder, many managers and leaders actually are fostering internal competition. Like threats and heightened job insecurity, encouraging competitiveness may have a galvanizing effect in the short-term but backfires in the long-term because fear actually inhibits behavioral change. One highly talented executive who recently left his job says, I woke up one day and realized that my greatest competitor was sitting in the office next to mine! His ruthless behavior was making the whole team feel down. It would have been OK if he had been the only one, but I looked around and saw that there were many like him and that they were encouraged and lauded by management. 18 october 2009

4 coverstory Indeed, a CEO of a large multinational professional service firm recently says that he believes his firm s processes were actively counteracting much of their costly and energetic efforts to strengthen cooperation among individuals and teams. I don t know a better way but I d sure like to find one, he says. Organizations aiming to build sustainable optimism need to be prepared to thoroughly examine their procedures and cultural norms, eliminate or minimize those which promote internal competition, and accentuate those which promote cooperation. Fostering an environment in which people can openly and honestly communicate their needs and clarify roles and responsibilities is also a key step toward building a culture of collaboration. Trust Trust between management and staff as well as between colleagues is essential to creating a cooperative environment. Yet recent surveys show that about 70 per cent of employees don t trust their supervisors and over 60 per cent of managers don t trust the promises made to them by their staff. Over the last year, trust in senior management has decreased by 76 per cent. Building or rebuilding trust requires clear and frequent communication from management to staff and genuine concern and willingness to meet or at least discuss and negotiate the needs of individuals. Trustworthy leaders demonstrate congruent values and behaviors (walk the talk) and look for ways to build a sense of commonality and shared purpose. Strengths People are more optimistic and engaged when they feel their strengths are appreciated and less so when their mistakes are emphasized. David Grazian, the Director of Corporate Taxation at Granite Construction, a large US construction company, says, When people don t get enough recognition, they will think, What am I doing this for? Nobody cares. Contrary to what most people think, new research shows that we don t learn from our mistakes, but from our successes. Emphasizing past failures only leads us to repeat them. One HR Director of a prominent Australian professional services firm says, No wonder we often speak about the same areas for development year after year in peoples performance reviews! By releasing the happiness brain chemical called dopamine, receiving or even giving praise enables the brain to work smarter, more flexibly and more collegially, and more eager to learn new behavior. However, a culture of praise, which characterizes optimistic organizations, isn t attained by just giving a well done for obvious achievement, but through a firm-wide habit of looking for the positive, acknowledging effort and innovation, and encouraging new ideas even when they aren t yet perfected. In a praise-centered organization, people show that they value each other not just for obvious wins and what they do (Congratulations on winning that new client), but for how they do it I think your new way of making client presentations is much stronger and even for who they are I really enjoy working with you. Conclusion A realistic and optimistic outlook leads to positive outcomes. Particularly in uncertain and challenging times, the competitive advantages of an optimistic, energized leadership and employees are clear. Thanks to the recent brain research, the keys to an optimistic organization are now available. How will you unlock this potential in your organization? Bob Murray Fortinberry Murray Consulting Alicia Fortinberry Fortinberry Murray Consulting october

5 封面專題 人力資源策略 : 建立樂觀型組織框架 樂觀進取的環境能帶來正面效果 本文指出組織如何運用五大原則變得更有活力和積極樂觀 雅麗詩及萬理博 20 october 2009

6 封面專題 在當前瞬息萬變及要求甚高的營商環境中, 對組織及個人來說, 最重要的因素並非能力和動機, 而是樂觀的取向 若領袖和僱員合理地抱有取得成功的想法, 就大有可能取得成功 ; 相反, 即使擁有相同能力和衝勁的領袖和僱員如未能看到正面的可行性, 就不太可能會成功 研究指出, 如果組織領袖實事求是, 樂觀進取, 並且制訂一套鼓勵樂觀工作態度的政策, 組織面對變革時便會更靈活變通, 態度開放 ; 員工的韌性 士氣 彈性 健康會較佳 ; 磨擦 意外和引致重大損失的錯誤也會較少 組織利潤的影響更為直接, 因為積極進取的銷售員往往比其他同事的銷售額高出超過 35% 現實的樂觀主義同時能靈活地調整期望, 以配合新形勢, 而非強迫每個人強顏歡笑或掩飾問題 一名真正樂觀的領袖展現一種積極向上的態度, 務實地處理問題, 並持之以恒 他們將注意力集中在別人的優點上, 且鼓勵其他人發掘新機會 即使經深思熟慮的構思未能取得預期效果, 僱員也不會受到懲處 領袖的樂觀態度會滲入整個組織中, 化作一種關鍵而持久的市場優勢 麥當勞 思科系統和西南航空等成功機構與其他競爭者不同, 最大原因是他們的領袖和僱員抱樂觀態度 然而, 很多領袖都較為悲觀 根據 2007 年一項財富 500 強財務總監調查, 只有 16% 的受訪者對公司的未來前景感到樂觀 悲觀可能是抑鬱 焦慮, 以至在組織中迅速蔓延的情緒病的表徵, 而這些問題在世界各地造成了數以億計的損失 在大部分組織中, 有 15% 至 30% 的員工嚴重抑鬱, 而患上抑鬱症的比率在每二十年間 ( 即每一代 ) 更上升一倍 工作壓力是抑鬱的源頭, 在未來十年會上升超過 70% 學習樂觀人類生性樂觀, 但如果我們常常遭受挫折或被父母 同儕 同事或上司批評, 我們會學習不再抱有期望, 不再相信自己或未來 我們會變得悲觀, 甚至抑鬱沮喪 但正如悲觀是可以學習, 樂觀也可以重新學習 事實上, 樂觀態度會感染他人 身邊有樂觀快樂的人, 心情會豁然開朗 這正是我們會被積極樂觀的領袖吸引, 且傾向替積極進取的銷售員購買更多產品的原因 但僅僅是領袖表現積極樂觀並不足夠, 組織還需要孕育一種樂觀的文化 締造一個樂觀積極 適應變化的環境, 讓員工實踐和學習持樂觀態度 樂觀型組織的架構過去二十年, 我們撰寫了 樂觀自己來 及 培養樂觀的小孩 等書籍, 又在各行各業中培育了積極而富活力的高效團隊, 因此在培育樂觀態度方面累積了豐富經驗 我們根據大腦實際思考過程的研究, 建立了一套能慢慢灌輸這種重要觀念的框架 在 Fortinberry Murray 的框架下, 組織可以充分運用下列五大原則 (PACTS) 而變得樂觀積極, 適應力強 : (1) 目的 (Purpose) (2) 自主 (Autonomy) (3) 共治 (Collegiality) (4) 信任 (Trust) (5) 優點 (Strengths) 目的組織要對未來真正持樂觀態度, 如同個人般須由某種目的推動, 這種目的也顯然超出利潤以至產品或服務的價值 以社會效益為目的能釋放出個人能量 並非只為某種目的或目的本身而行事, 而是為了生活的各個方面 相信個人力量能夠對整個社會作出正面貢獻甚至可防止抑鬱, 以及可透過提升免疫系統和預防疾病而使人活得更長久 訂立目的亦能激勵人們發揮最佳水準 要在艱難時期也能茁壯成長, 組織在考慮利潤之餘, 亦應考慮社會良心 例如, 麥當勞把他們在世界各地取得的廣泛成功, 以及員工的活力和動力歸功於社會目的上, 這點透過組織對員工身心健康的關注, 及為弱勢社群和貧病兒童成立麥當勞慈善基金會, 可見一斑 當組織看來做正確的事, 即使需要有人作出犧牲, 員工也會甘之如飴, 士氣高昂 在全球金融危機中, 很多組織發現要求員工減薪或加班, 使其他人的工作得到保障, 員工士氣不跌反升 例如, 一家主要的澳洲地產公司 Stockland 強調員工義務工作的重要性, 以沖淡裁員帶來的一片愁雲慘霧 人力資源部行政主管 Rilla Moore 指出 : 我們很快察覺到, 員工謹慎樂觀的態度和整體參與度皆有所提升 自主自主指真正掌控自己的人生 這種充權經驗能帶來樂觀態度, 猶如無力感使人悲觀一樣 擁有自主權的個人和團隊通常更有可能採取主動, 提出創新方案, 並承諾對組織作出貢獻 掌權的領袖和管理人員積極參與和鼓勵別人參與影響他們生活及組織未來發展的決策中 他們採取 平等 的對話方式, 即擁有不同身份和權力的人, 齊心協力, 實現共同目標 掌權的管理人員把更多工作委託給下屬辦理, 而非僅僅給予工作指示 他們會把一些富挑戰性的重要工作交給下屬負責, 讓員工有合適的控制權和參與外, 也能提高他們的自信和技巧 可以的話, 管理人員會賦予下屬自主權, 向他們解釋某項計劃或工作的重要性和內容後, 讓他們選擇執行方式 共治人類天生要與其族群或部落的成員合作 與別人合作的時候, 我們會變得更加樂觀 快樂而富有效率, 但與同伴競爭的時候, 則會變得較悲觀沮喪 正當大多數組織把相互合作和團隊工作說得天花亂墜之際, 組織政策和薪酬制度掀起的內部競爭卻往往削弱了真正合作的程度 許多管理人員和領袖實際上鼓勵內部競爭, 誤以為內部競爭可以激勵員工拼命工作 正如威脅失去工作和提高工作不安全感一樣, 鼓勵競爭在短期內可能具激勵作用, 但長遠來說只會弄巧成拙, 因為恐懼會使人怯於改變行為 october

7 封面專題 一名有才幹的行政人員最近辭去工作稱 : 有一天, 我一覺醒來, 突然醒覺到最大的競爭者就坐在我隔鄰的辦公室中! 他冷酷無情的表現導致整個團隊非常消沉 如果只有他是這樣子, 我或許還可以接受, 但四周圍像他一樣的人實在太多, 他們還受到管理層的鼓勵和稱讚 事實上, 某大型跨國專業服務公司的行政總裁最近向我們表示, 他認為公司的運作模式與他們昂貴及投放大量資源以促進個人及團隊合作的方法背道而馳 他指出 : 我不知道有什麼更好的辦法, 但我肯定想把它找出來 組織期望能建立一個持續的樂觀積極環境, 便需要仔細審視其工作程序和文化規範, 消除或減少那些掀起內部競爭的程序或規範, 並強調那些促進彼此合作的取向 孕育一個員工既能暢所欲言 表達訴求的地方, 又能釐清個人角色和責任的環境, 也是邁向建立一個合作文化的關鍵步驟 信任上級與下屬間, 以及同事間的信任是建立合作型環境的必要條件 但近期的調查顯示, 約七成的僱員不信任其主管, 逾六成的主管不信任員工向其所作出的承諾 過去一年, 對管理高層的信任下跌了 76% 建立或重建信任有賴於管理層對員工提供清晰而頻密的指引, 同時能真正關注和願意滿足或至少與員工商討個人需要 值 當組織看來做正確的事, 即使需要有人作出犧牲, 員工也會甘之如飴, 士氣高昂 得信賴的領袖在價值和行為上表現一致 ( 言行一致 ), 同時尋求建立共同點和共同目的的途徑 優點別人認同自己的優點, 人們會表現得較樂觀投入, 但別人強調自己的錯失則會有相反表現 美國大型建築公司 G r a n i t e Construction 的企業稅務總監 David Grazian 表示 : 員工得不到充分認同, 他們會問自己 : 我這樣做為了什麼? 根本沒有人會關心 與大多數人所想的不同, 最新研究顯示, 我們並非從錯誤中學習, 而是從成功中學習 強調過往失敗的經驗只會令我們重蹈覆轍 某家著名澳洲專業服務公司的人力資源總監指出 : 怪不得我們經常要年復一年地在員工表現評核中提出相同的 改善範圍! 透過釋放多巴胺這種令人 快樂 的腦內分秘, 受別人讚賞或讚賞別人均有助心智清明, 頭腦靈活, 與人合作, 並樂於學習新行為 然而, 樂觀型組織具有讚賞文化, 並非只靠對有卓越成就的人說一聲 做得好 就可以達到, 而是在全公司都貫徹一種尋找正面行為的習慣, 認同別人的努力和創 意, 鼓勵提出新構思, 即使這些構思仍未至臻完美 在一個以讚賞文化為本的組織中, 員工互相重視並非僅僅別人取得勝利及所做的事 ( 恭喜您贏得新客戶 ), 而是別人如何做到 ( 我覺得您向客戶推介的方式收到更好的效果 ), 甚至是誰人受讚許 ( 我真的很享受與您合作 ) 結語務實而樂觀的想法能帶來正面效果, 特別在這個不明朗和具挑戰性的時期, 樂觀而富有活力的領導和僱員展現的競爭優勢就愈見明顯 有賴於近期的腦部研究結果, 我們有了一把打開樂觀型組織大門之匙 你又會如何在組織內發掘這種潛能? 雅麗詩 萬福管理顧問 萬理博 萬福管理顧問 22 october 2009