“managing change in volatile times” leadership lessons learned geoff smith and stephen quesnelle...
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“Managing Change in Volatile Times”Leadership Lessons Learned
Geoff Smith and Stephen Quesnelle
Sacred Cow Company
May 27, 2009
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
The Current Volatile Environment
• We are at the end of an 8 year bull run
• This recession has killed, and will continue to kill, companies who try to keep operating the same way. – (Nortel, Circuit City, Chrysler, Quebecor, Canadian Superior)
• Bad practices, broken processes and poor performers are more likely to be hidden in boom times of growth
“When the tide goes out you can see who has been swimming naked”
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Mitel Revenues 1978 - 1999
Revenue
0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000
1,000,000
Year
$000
Forming:Entrepreneurial
Growth
Norming:Processes,
controls
Reinventing:Workforce
Engagement
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
More Than The Economy
Revenue
0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000
1,000,000
Year
$000
Recessions ‘82, ‘90
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Engaging Employees: Changing Behaviours
Revenue
0100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000600,000700,000800,000900,000
1,000,000
Year
$000
Change program begins
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Sacred Cows…A Definition
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What Changed?
• Focus: Quality and Time to Market• Voice of Customer: Tucson Tapes• CPL Change Intervention
– Shed the past– Behaviour Change– Employee engagement
• Visible Scoreboards: CDI and the Clock • Sacred Cow Hunts
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Where Sacred Cows Come From
• Slow evolving businesses or industries– Bifurcations bring out the cows
• Fax: Teletype and taxis• E-mail: Canada post and US Presidents
• The ups and downs of business cycles– Ups breed & feed the cows (growth, focus,
accountability)• Down times merely expose (and can anoint) the cows
• Culture clash – Bad marriage mergers
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Reading Brands on Sacred Cows
• Innocent Cow– It’s not my fault / my job
• Naked Emperor Cow– Your data is wrong – everything is fine
• Fat Cow– It’s only company money
• Customer Focus Cow– The customer is wrong / I am an artist
• The Royalty Cow– Our department is important here
• The Dictator Cow– I am in charge here. Turn your brain off and do as I say
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Organizational Effectiveness
Strategy Process
Behaviour
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Balanced Business Model
StrategyStrategy BehaviourBehaviour SuccessSuccess
©
Lost but making good time
Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow
Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
ProcessProcess
BehaviourBehaviour ProcessProcess
StrategyStrategy BehaviourBehaviour
StrategyStrategy ProcessProcess
Misguided
Inefficient
Ineffective
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Leading Change to Keep Competitive
• Begin with measurable business issues: data• Call a cow a cow: Identify key behaviours • Activate change from the line • Make the case for change: The big picture
• Pick your battles – search for the 1 -3 big rocks• Pick key behaviours – select the 1 – 3 levers• Recognize, reinforce and support employees
Sacred Cow Company.com - When things have to change
Geoff [email protected](613) 868-9145
Steve [email protected](780) 717-5681
Questions