Asking versus Telling
Stabroek News
February 2, 2007
Think about what happens most often when we decide to make a major change in the way our company does things. Typically we call everyone together, tell them the new idea, and give them all our good reasons as to why it is important to do things the new way.
At best, we attempt to sell the change by presenting all the benefits we think it would produce.
My experience working with my staff in Guyana is somewhat different. I find when I ask for things to be done most times it is not. I asked our gardener many times to do certain tasks. After many weeks when I finally remember to follow-up, the answer is "I am getting to that". If I wake up one morning and tell him the grass must be mowed today, it is done by the time I get back home. This last week I asked my staff to get a cable for a computer move, it was not done because I did not tell them it must be done.
If you are attempting to make changes in your company's direction you will find it more difficult. People tend to resist changes that are thrust upon them; while they naturally support ideas and changes they help create.
Telling on the other hand, by its very nature lays the foundation for defensiveness and resistance, because it thrusts change upon others. But in our business culture it seems to be the opposite, work gets done faster by telling.
This does not mean we should continue to thrive on such a culture in our business environment. We must start to get our staff involved in making decisions and being accountable for them. Acceptance, or buy-in, and successful implementation can seemingly take forever, if in fact it ever occurs.
I find resistance to technology to be the strongest. If you tell someone to change their work habits with new technology, most times they try to sabotage the implementation. Getting change done in your organization requires leadership.
A leader must be able to make it happen, by guiding the company through the process of change.
I find our people in the business community to be creative and innovative.
There's an old saying: "give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." We have to start showing our staff how to do it, and give them credit when they do it. The experts summarize the Asking versus Telling concept in these five ways:
1. When we tell people what to do and how to do it there is a tendency to resist.
2. The ideas people will support most are the ones they come up with themselves.
3. Whenever we tell someone how to do something differently, we may convey a negative message that what he or she has been doing is wrong.
4. Asking people for their input encourages both creativity and buy in.
5. The real experts about your company are your own people and the management challenge lies in tapping into this wealth and knowledge.
Companies such as Banks DIH are introducing new products into the marketplace; this is a form of change in order for them to be competitive.
They are asking the consumers to try their new energy drink. Citizens Bank proved it can withstand the Government Bond issue and still record a positive year by great customer service and sound financial management. Change is good if it is implemented properly.
Until Next Week. "Roop"