Introduction The Need For Management Skills And Insight In Human Behaviour. Jurica Kovac

Transcription

1 Introduction The Need For Management Skills And Insight In Human Behaviour Jurica Kovac

2 WATER LEAKAGE CONTROL numerous skills credit: McCormack, 2005 Water losses can be controlled only with comprehensive activities in various parts of water distribution system including necessary improvements in efficient system management, organization and education within the water utility company

3 Problems Passive control of losses Lack of understanding regarding the complexity of water losses (and use of non-revenue water in % of total input volume as the main or sole performance indicator) Slow and insufficient technological development Lack of a strategy (action programs) to reduce (control) water losses On national/country level On company level People; level of education, capabilities and motivation

4 Existing challenges: Employees and management reduction in number of employees due to the financial downturn aging workforce (with problems in duplication of skill to new younger employees) unbalanced competence and responsibilities low motivation bad habits insufficient education and training in new technologies and methodologies Insufficient organization or control management influenced by politics and lobbying

5 Solutions Implementation of Change Management program Creation of a strategy / program of continuous operation in the field of water loss management Acquiring knowledge and skills in management Continuous training in the areas of methodology and technology Implementation of strategies / programs with the necessary change of existing habits Benchmarking application (efficiency and results control)

6 Management skills required Project management Time management Document management Resouces management Quality control Risk management and Water Loss Management...

7 People - how to change/improve them? Solution: CHANGE MANAGEMENT example: ADKAR model Will it work? Only 1 in 3 Change programs has results! Why we fail? People don t want to change! We don t understand human behaviour!

8 The psychology of change management 4 basic conditions are necessary before employees will change their behavior a) a compelling story, because employees must see the point of the change and agree with it; b) role modeling, because they must also see the CEO and colleagues they admire behaving in the new way; c) reinforcing mechanisms, because systems, processes, and incentives must be in line with the new behavior; and d) capability building, because employees must have the skills required to make the desired changes. But this is not enough!?

9 9 insights into how human nature gets in the way of successfully applying the four conditions required for behavioral change* 1. What motivates you doesn t motivate most of your employees 2. You re better off letting them write their own story 3. It takes a story with both + and to create real energy 4. Leaders believe mistakenly that they already are the change 5. Influence leaders aren t a panacea for making change happen 6. Money is the most expensive way to motivate people 7. The process and the outcome have got to be fair 8. Employees are what they think, feel, and believe in 9. Good intentions aren t enough *

10 1. What motivates you doesn t motivate most of your employees When managers and employees are asked what motivates them the most in their work they are equally split among five forms of impact: impact on society (for instance, building the community and stewarding resources), impact on the customer (for example, providing superior service), impact on the company and its shareholders, impact on the working team (for example, creating a caring environment), and impact on me personally (my development, paycheck, and bonus). Change leaders need to be able to tell a change story that covers all five things that motivate employees

11 2. You re better off letting them write their own story Well-intentioned leaders invest significant time in communicating their change story, but much of the energy invested in communicating it would be better spent listening, not telling. When we choose for ourselves, we are far more committed to the outcome (almost by a factor of five to one). Conventional approaches to change management underestimate this impact. The rational thinker sees it as a waste of time to let others discover for themselves what he or she already knows why not just tell them and be done with it? Energy needed to drive change comes through a sense of ownership of the answer(s) from all participants.

12 3. It takes a story with both + and to create real energy The deficit based approach which identifies the problem, analyzes what s wrong and how to fix it, plans, and then takes action is usual practice. Research has shown, that a story focused on what s wrong invokes blame and creates fatigue and resistance, doing little to engage people s passion and experience. The constructionist based approach to change, where the change process is based on discovery (discovering the best of what is), dreaming (imagining what might be), designing (talking about what should be), and destiny (creating what will be) is another aletrnative. The problem with this approach is that an overemphasis on the positive can lead to watered-down aspirations and impact Advise for managers: not to swing the pendulum too far in one direction or another

13 4. Leaders believe mistakenly that they already are the change Most senior executives understand and generally buy into Gandhi s famous aphorism, Be the change you want to see in the world. They commit themselves to personally role modeling, and then, in practice, nothing changes. The reason for this is that most executives don t count themselves among the ones who need to change The fact is that human beings consistently think they are better than they are Insight into what to change can be created by concrete 360-degree feedback techniques, either via surveys, conversations, or both. Managers, please consider these questions: What should I do differently? What makes me great? and What holds me back?

14 5. Influence leaders aren t a panacea for making change happen Change management places importance on identifying and mobilizing those in the organization who either by role or personality (or both) have disproportionate influence over how others think and behave Role of influence leaders has gradually shifted from being perceived as a helpful element of a broader set of interventions, to a panacea for making change happen. Experience suggest that success depends less on how persuasive a few selected leaders are and more on how receptive the society is to the idea Change leaders attention should be balanced across four conditions for change, to ensure they reinforce each other in ways that maximize the probability of the change spark taking off like wildfire across the organization

15 6. Money is the most expensive way to motivate people Companies that try to link the objectives of change programs to the compensation of staff find that it rarely enhances their motivation for change to the extent desired Many studies have found that for human beings satisfaction equals perception minus expectation (an equation often accompanied by the commentary, reality has nothing to do with it ) The beauty of this equation for change managers is that small, unexpected rewards can have disproportionate effects on employees satisfaction with a change program Small unexpected rewards have a disproportionately positive impact on change motivation that lasts for months, if not years.

16 7. The process and the outcome have got to be fair Employees will go against their own self-interest if the situation violates other notions they have about fairness and justice In making any changes managers should pay what might strike them as an unreasonable amount of attention to employees sense of the fairness of the change process and its intended outcome Particular care should be taken where changes affect how employees interact with one another The downward spiral could be avoided by carefully tending to employees perceptions of fairness in the communications and training surrounding the changes

17 8. Employees are what they think, feel, and believe in As managers attempt to drive performance by changing the way employees behave, they all too often neglect the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that, in turn, drive behavior Employees behaviour is often driven by a combination of introverted personalities, poor interpersonal skills, and a feeling of inferiority Changing behaviour of employees must include elements related to personality types, emotional intelligence, and vocational identity

18 9. Good intentions aren t enough Good skill-building programs usually take into account that people learn better by doing than by listening, followed by commitments made by participants regarding what they will practice in the workplace. But very few keep their commitments. It is because nothing formal has been done to lower the barriers to practicing new skills. The time and energy required to do something additional, or even to do something in a new way, simply don t exist in the busy day-to-day schedules of most employees Create fieldwork assignments that link directly to the day jobs of participants, requiring them to put into practice new mind-sets and skills in ways that are hardwired into their responsibilities. These assignments should have quantifiable, outcome-based measures that indicate levels of competence gained and certification that recognizes and rewards the skills attained.

19 Psychological Iceberg Left side of iceberg = employee inputs (and employer needs). Right side of iceberg = rewards given by employer (and employee needs). Above the water level: factors mostly visible and agreed by both sides. Work Pay = visible written employment contract. Black arrows = mostly visible and clear market influences on the work and pay. Red arrows = iceberg rises with success and maturity, experience, etc., (bringing invisible perceived factors into the visible agreed contract). Below the water level: factors mostly perceived differently by both sides, or hidden, and not agreed. Left side of iceberg = examples of employee inputs, which equate to employer expectations - informal, perceived and unwritten. Right side of iceberg = rewards examples and employee's expectations. Blue arrows = influences on employee and employer affecting perceptions, mostly invisible or misunderstood by the other side.

20 Influencing and guiding Understanding human behavior drivers Understanding company Understanding culture Identifying gaps and barriers Defining clear positive goals Influencing modifications Guiding change Monitoring development

21 Learning and applying Talk to me I forget (typical example conferences and seminars). Present me I remember (typical example practical presentations). Let me do it I understand (coaching and mentoring).

22 Knowledge transfer in 3 phases I am doing it. I am explaining it. This first step serves in presenting a new issue by a coach or a trainer. You are doing it. I am explaining it. This second step is transitional with new knowledge. You are doing it. You are explaining it. Final step with transferred knowledge.

23 Business coaching and mentoring one of definitions states; Business coaching is a collaborative relationship, solution-focused, results-oriented, systematic and enlightening process in which the specific remit of the coach is to work with an employee to achieve improved business results, improved business performance and/or operational effectiveness building lasting capacities

24 Coaching / Mentoring concept

25 Guidance in building change influenced by mentoring 1st step: Promotion of knowledge and solutions 2nd step:empowering people in water utilities via training and education 3rd step: Educating managers in water utilities 4th step: Developing strategies and plans for water leakage control and reduction 5th step: Educating utility board members and regulators 6th step: Educating private sector (designers, service and equipment providers) 7th step: Establishing business community based on knowledge exchange 8th step: Monitoring progress and sharing experience

26 Questions for debate How to promote this issue? How to change - influence general managers in water utilities? How to change yourself?