On our ‘Engaging People, Powering Companies’ podcast last week,

Amrit spoke about a conversation he had with someone regarding Social Identity Theory. The ‘them’ and ‘us’ that happens in organisations (and life generally), and how our job as leaders is to minimise the differences between teams and departments, so people are all aligned and fighting for the same cause. To create an environment where it is all of us together. This person explained how tough a job that is to do, when KPI’s and objectives are not only different but completely opposing the overarching objective of delivering for the customer.

This prompted Amrit to ask our listeners ‘if you could improve productivity and performance why wouldn’t you’? ‘Are you doing everything you can do to improve it’? Or are you turning a blind eye to things that are holding people back and preventing a great customer experience, keeping employees in their own silos and in this us and them culture?

This is of course never intentional. Things get implemented, departments don’t always talk to each other, people make tweaks and changes without consulting everyone that may have needed to be involved. Of course. It may also feel like a huge task to strip it back, to get in there and really understand what is going on, auditing roles and responsibilities, fixing things, implementing change, making sure that all are in support of one another.

However, if we are absolutely committed to our whole reason for existing, and the missions and the values that drive it, then surely, we would want to create an environment where what we are incentivising, supports what we say is important, giving our teams the very best chance to serve the customer, and in doing so, supporting each other.  

We often present data and findings to board rooms such as engagement survey results or cultural diagnostic data, where we have gone right to the ground to get the down low. Sadly, it is not unheard of to be asked beforehand, ‘please can we keep it as positive as possible in there’. So, before people even know what we are going to present, the fear of hearing something they don’t want to hear or don’t want the board to hear, means that they are prepared to bias it right from the get-go. Now maybe this is because people are trying to manage personalities and politics. Maybe it is because they are afraid that it will all fall on deaf ears, so the message needs to draw them in. Whatever the reason, it is not the truth.

If we want to truly improve performance, then we must be willing and able to understand and accept our current reality. As it is. No frills, or soft edges, just the facts. And sometimes the truth as others see it, whether we agree with it or not, because regardless, it is impacting performance. And within the data, facts and narratives, are opportunities to improve performance and relationships, and in turn create the strongest, most resilient culture. One to be proud of and not want to hide away from.

Where do we start then if we know we have some unpicking and realigning to do? Firstly, taking the time to look at the KPI’s in relation to the overarching objective of the business, to serve the customer. From the top all the way to the ground, do the KPI’s show that this is what we are here to do and therefore is what is being measured?

I have known KPI’s to be in direct opposition with each other, even within the same departments! Achieve a great net promotor score but do it in less time than is humanly possible to create any sort of connection with the customer. Or between departments, when marketing needs as many customers as possible on a new product and send out all the letters, but the operation can’t physically change the product just yet, and now we have more contact than ever from customers, but can’t give them what they want and expect.

Now I know that we can get great at delivering what seems near impossible on paper, through strong relationships, and strong localised cultures. Been there done that, but it doesn’t help the ‘us’ and ‘them’. We pull together and get the job done but at the expense of what? Certainly not an improved relationship with marketing! These are just examples, but you catch my drift.

We must look at what we are incentivising, is it truly driving the right behaviour aligned to serving the customer. Getting a high net promotor score might translate into not sending the survey in the first place. Or bribing the customer in some way, shape or form. There will be many examples of where what we are monetising for people, actually goes against the mission and values of the organisation. And money talks, so let’s be very clear in what it is we expect before putting a price on it.

We then want to hear from our front-line employees. What stops them achieving a great customer experience? What seems just ludicrous? What frustrates them about other departments? What don’t people understand about their roles? Hearing all the things that are going on, and that are frustrating employees and preventing them from doing what they need to be doing. And a call to action to front-line employees, if it feels safe enough to do so, speak up. Let your managers and leaders know what it is really like doing the do every day, and what it is you need to do it better, slicker.

To CEO’s and Board members, do you know what is going on? Do you want to know what is going on? If the answers are no and yes to those questions, then let’s devise a plan of action. It can be daunting but also exciting to get really stuck in, and it can transform culture, performance and relationships. That is the whole point. And if you know what exists, but are turning a blind eye, then you are all living a lie within your organisation and that is never going to improve performance.

People get used to playing the game despite everyone knowing the truth and this makes for a toxic culture of them and us in its worst form. There is a responsibility to take care of our people, organisations and customers alike.  Facing into hard truths aids acceleration. Dealing with things head on is noble, and revolutionary, and people will respect it. And those that don’t, well they are not your people and can hop off the bus. As Amrit said in the podcast, if there is a fear to tell the truth, or we are saying please just keep it positive, something is wrong and it’s going to be exhausting you, your people and your customers.

Digging in when you know in your heart of hearts things aren’t right takes courage, a line in the sand and an acknowledgement that once you start you can’t ever go back. Digging in when on the surface things look rosy but curiosity gets the better of you is also brave and enlightening. We have worked with organisations that despite having had great engagement scores, still want to get right under the skin of what is happening on ground level.

They could leave it, why rock the boat, it seems to be working, and everyone is getting paid regardless. And potentially what might be uncovered isn’t going to be as pleasant as the data in the engagement survey. However, they know that these surveys don’t give you the whole story. Taking steps to challenge what they think they know, going on a journey of getting to a place of truly trusting what they know, and then fixing what needs to be fixed – well this is true strength. Strength in mission, values and a firm commitment to the truth.

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