Move over Just-in-Case Learning!

Here comes Just-in-Time

How many of you have noticed that while you enjoyed the two-day training programme you went to last week, you haven't really applied a lot of the theories from it...yet? You learned a lot about cultures and planning dynamic meetings and although you are immersed in culture and have non-stop meetings, you still haven't implemented the learning... where has your motivation gone? Your good intentions are just sitting there in the darkness... when does the magic of transforming them into strong behaviours happen?

Not to point fingers... but Just-in-Case learning has a bit to do with the struggle here. Yes, we need to learn things "just-in-case" as we did with second languages when we were younger or when we discover how cultures affect each other. “Just-in-case” we are in those particular situations, we will need that understanding, empathy or that skill-set to thrive. Just-in-time learning on the other hand is what you need when you are about to run out the door and pitch a product but need the product features and benefits right there and right then. You can’t wait 6 months until the course happens. And you can’t invest one week for a product you need just-in-case.

Ta da: Just-in-Time Learning! JITL is a toolbox of methods, apps, materials, job-aids, eLearnings, webinars, surveys…etc.. etc… you get the point. It is something that appears when needed, that is easy to use and when motivation is high for implementation. This concept is another way to bridge the gap between formal learning (organised with learning objectives) and informal learning (the opposite and incidental)… It is Non-Formal Learning. OECD defines “non-formal learning” as something not clearly defined, something flexible, where learning may be initiated by the learner or a by-product of an organised activity. Check out: http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-school/recognitionofnon-formalandinformallearning-home.htm

Whatever the weather, start the reflection… what kind of learning are you engaged with? Just-in-case… or just-in-time?

-Christina Hogan

How To Change Attitudes

The Way to Change Someone’s Attitude Is To Change Their Behaviour (And the Harder You Try the More they’ll Resist!)

In 1957, Leon Festinger published a ground breaking theory which changed the way psychologists thought about decision making and behaviour, and has also more recently given change professionals much to think about too.

The theory is called ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ and works like this.  The Brain has the capacity to hold millions of ‘Cognitions’ or thoughts such as ‘I’m frustrated in my job’ and ‘Manchester United are playing at home tonight’. Most of the time these cognitions have little to do with each other (like my job and United).  However, some cognitions are related, for example ‘my boss doesn’t care’ and ‘I’m frustrated in my job’.  These cognitions are related and one follows on from the other…they go together or are known as ‘consonant’.

However, we sometimes have cognitions that are related but do not follow on from one another – in fact they may be complete opposites, for instance ‘my boss cares about my personal development and growth’ and ‘I’m frustrated in my job’.  The cognitions are referred to as ‘Dissonant’.

Here’s the really interesting part…Festinger’s theories demonstrated that people do not like dissonant cognitions…so much so that we will go to extraordinary lengths to eliminate it.  For example I could eliminate the dissonance in the example above by rationalising that my boss in only going through the motions, or that my boss doesn’t really have that much flexibility to change my job.

The principle here being that ‘the way to change someone’s attitude is to change their behaviour’

Consider a person in an organisation who is one of the most cynical people you can imagine.  Involving them in an improvement team may result in a response of ‘it’s just a fad…it will disappear like all the other initiatives” (holding this belief will reduce the dissonance for this person).

Invite them again and show them the follow through of actions from previous sessions and the response will shift to ‘I’ll wait and see if this will work’. It’s a small shift in attitude but its movement nevertheless.

Further involvement and tangible results will see yet further attitude change…we’ve experienced the transformation of literally hundreds of so called ‘doubters’ into change champion through this approach. 

"What small changes in behaviour could you bring about that would create a gradual shift in attitude, and what could you do as a follow-up that would change it yet further" are useful questions to reflect on as a leader or facilitator of change.

Employeeship - A Revolution Waiting to Happen

How do you reduce problems like absence and staff turnover whilst at the same time improve customer service? How do you do this in an organisation that has been the same for some time? It's a question that many CEO's and HR professionals have been wrestling with for some time. Usually the answer is more leadership training or some more policies and procedures. But don’t these miss the point? How many leadership programmes result in manuals gathering dust on the shelf with, at best, those that attended the programme saying “Oh yes I remember, it was really good...can't remember exactly what we covered though it was so long ago”. And how many policies and procedures end up lost in the HR manual not really making much difference to the everyday lives of those at work. 

A simple yet radical approach to addressing these challenges is being pioneered in Sweden, delivering amazing results in Sweden’s rail company, SJ. Called ‘Employeeship’ (or Medarbetarskap in Swedish), the concept literally turns ‘upside down’ traditional thinking about how organisations work. Employeeship is a process where the traditional thinking around leadership and subordination is abandoned. The traditional model is replaced by a mindset of partnership, a relationship where both managers and employees take ownership over their work situation. The main objective is to achieve a working environment that stimulates involvement among employees and managers. This creates a workplace where employees feel valued and important. Managers develop their skills in facilitating, involving, revealing and learn to make better use of their employees’ knowledge, ideas and initiative.

When people meet in an atmosphere of mutual trust their loyalty increases and they become more motivated to invest their effort on the job. A further consequence of this approach is that individuals become more grounded – a concept that is demonstrated powerfully using the ‘Weeble’ as a metaphor.

“Weebles Wobble But They Don't Fall Down” is a well-known song that many of the older generation grew up with. The Weeble being a small doll that never fell over because it had weight at its base. If we think of this as a metaphor for employees that are constantly challenged with customer demands, tight deadlines and the ever-increasing rate of change, it's vital that we think of ways of giving weight, or grounding. Grounded people take responsibility and are able to manage, come what may. Leadership development programmes and policies and procedures are simply scaffolding that keep the employee upright...the moment they're gone, the Weeble falls over.

The insight that organisations that embark on this approach uncover is that the characteristics we wish for and value in leaders is identical to co-workers and colleagues. In essence, focussing on Leadership as the skill to be developed misses the point. We all want to work with people that are open, honest, that take responsibility and are trustworthy. The feeling of being a part of things is important; it is a prerequisite for grounded people who enjoy their work.

So how is Employeeship developed?

Sounds common sense so far you could be thinking and paradoxically this is both simple and NOT easy. The key to this approach is for teams to be able to have transparent conversations with their 'leader' regarding things we just don't talk about often. Tricky subjects like

• What is loyalty?
  
• The meaning of work
  
• How it fits in with our lives
  
• Relationships between us in the team
  
• Responsibility, accountability and taking initiative
  
• The service we offer others
  

This takes a great deal of sensitivity, listening and courage from the 'leader' of the group but the results are breathtaking. The key to SJ’s success has been the commitment of the senior team to create time for teams to hold these conversations. Of course the level of take up has been variable but those areas that have embraced it fully have experienced a vast turnaround in measurable performance. In fact SJ recently announced that it’s absence levels have dropped by 25%, bucking the trend in Sweden overall.

The key to Employeeship is that it cannot be considered as a one-off, something that is ‘done’ for 12 months and then replaced by something else. SJ is already asking itself ‘How can we refresh, enhance and sustain what we have already developed’….how many organisations would fall into the trap of asking ‘So what next?’.

At Lorensbergs, we've been helping a number of clients with this powerful approach, so watch this space for tips, learning, pitfalls and results that we experience on the way.

Trevor

trevor(at)lorensbergs(dot)se

Let the blogging begin!

So here goes....a first dabble in blogging.

The trigger comes from having designed a marketing workshop for a client, an organisation that is in the IT sector and looking at ways of sustaining its success, even through the tough times.

A huge insight came to our thinking about the design when we reflected that much of the normal stuff of marketing topics (marketing planning, SWOT, Boston matrix, etc. etc.) might not be exactly top of peoples list right now. What might be of more interest and value is focusing on marketing that is really close to the point of purchase.

The beauty of blogging seems to be that it's a two way communication, not one where seller interrupts potential buyer with advertising but more about potential customers linking up with those who add the value they need. 

And for me, I'm hoping it's a way of connecting with those who have a real interest in helping organisations change with the full engagement of their people - something I'm passionate about. So stay connected to exchange more about employeeship, facilitation, change, team-building and other insights around change that we at Lorensbergs are learning from the field.

Cheers

Trevor

trevor(at)lorensbergs(dot)se