How Can I Build a Team to Fix Our IT Company's Communication and Leadership Issues?

Hi friends,

We are a $40 million IT company.

I observed a lot of things missing in our company and a lot of things going wrong. So I conducted a survey and found a few aspects that are making the system or the whole process worse.

As an IT company, we have a very structured model/process/system, whatever you say, for the entire operations of all departments starting from Training, Development, Sales, Recruiting, HR operations, etc. However, they are not followed strictly during implementation.

The information flow from higher level to lower level and vice versa is weak.

Professionalism is lacking everywhere.

Motivation and encouragement are missing.

Efficiency is not well recognized.

Leaders do not possess good leadership qualities and attitude.

Group dynamics are not observed, and knowledge sharing is not a part of the process.

A serious or aggressive work environment is missing.

Hence, those who are truly efficient are leaving the organization, while those who are not efficient are not contributing effectively. Nonetheless, there are individuals who are eager to develop and improve the company. Therefore, I am planning a mission to implement over a period to restore the structure.

For this purpose, I am going to build a team.

Please advise me on the actions we can implement to address the current problems and let me know what kind of team I should build and how to select them.

I would be thankful if you could provide me with good advice or solutions.

Hi,

It is nice you have identified these issues. Now the next step after any such survey is building a team and focusing on Organizational Development.

You have two options:

1. Do an OD exercise yourself.
2. Do it with a Consultant.

If you have previous experience, then you can try it yourself. Otherwise, it is good to retain a consultant.

It is imperative that the CEO starts and owns this activity, and you, as HR Head, will be a facilitator.

There are different methodologies used, and you can also work out with a limited budget to start with and scale it up by the year-end to see the results. However, these activities cannot continue forever. You can have a time frame of 18 months to resolve most of the issues specified by you. By the end of 18 months, you would have built teams at all levels.

There must be commitment from all in the organization for you to succeed.

From what you have stated, my impression is that you need to address these issues urgently, and I am sure from the way you have analyzed, you are capable of anchoring OD exercises.

With one consultant for 18 months, you can change things.

Siva

Siva,

Thank you very much for your STIMULATING reply. It's very encouraging to find this kind of response.

As you said, it's the responsibility of the CEO and HR. However, the real people in these responsible roles are missing, and I am just a recruiter. Despite this, I have personally experienced all the issues and am eager to make a difference in our organization. I presented my concerns to my CEO, and he is pleased to see these points align with his perception. He has approved me to plan and implement changes and suggested involving HR and the VP.

Unfortunately, they are not performing well. If they were capable and dedicated to their roles, why would a recruiter need to step in and take on these responsibilities?

Therefore, I am planning to assemble a team of individuals who share the same passion and enthusiasm for changing the current conditions.

I lack experience in organizational development exercises. Could you assist me with that? I would be very grateful for your help.

I understand that this process may take at least a year, but I aim to expedite it with an effective plan and strict implementation. Please advise on the key areas to focus on to shorten this timeline.

Thank you.

Hello Suresh. My first question is: What is you position in the company? Next question is: What resources do you have at your disposal (money, time, staff, expertise)? Thirdly, what influence do you have in this company? Do you have the CEO and management team on side? These are critically important questions that will impact on your (and your company's) ability to deliver.

“So please let me know and advise me what kind of actions can we implement to answer the current problem.

And let me know what kind of team I have to build and select them.”

The actions that you and your company will need to take will depend on the diagnosis of the problem. You have come up with a lot of symptoms; however, you have not talked about what are the root causes you found. Your remedial actions will need to fix the root causes, not just paper over the symptoms. As for the team you build, I'm not convinced that you need a team at this stage. Are you thinking about a new management team (if you are the CEO), or a specific project team, or what? This goes back to the initial questions I asked.

Les Allan

Author: Managing Change in the Workplace

http://www.businessperform.com

Mr. Allen,

Your questions are quite interesting and key points.

1. Here I'm just a technical recruiter. But I have experienced all the issues myself and want to do something for our organization. So, I presented it to my CEO, and he is happy to find all these points aligning with his perception. He approved me to plan and implement, suggesting me to involve HR and VP. However, as I mentioned, the real people in the responsible roles are missing. If they are able and committed to perform their jobs as needed, why should a recruiter take on the load of responsibilities and conduct this analysis here?

2. Regarding the resources available to me:

- Full support from our CEO
- A few people who have the same zeal and enthusiasm as me to do it
- Money is not a problem, as I can get it granted from our CEO for this mission
- Staff - I believe we will get support from the staff as they are also facing problems
- Expertise - I'm currently pursuing my MBA and lack expertise in areas like OD practices, performance evaluations, and management, but I have a keen observation of the total system and processes of our organization. I am enthusiastic to undertake this.

3. I have already influenced and impressed our CEO with this proposal. I am in good books with management as well as employees. The actions you mentioned align exactly with what I am thinking; we need a treatment for our organization. However, I am unclear about the type of treatment we should initiate.

In terms of root causes, the main problems are attrition and poor performance. Job satisfaction is a factor, where there is full job security at certain levels, mainly at the leader/manager level, but less at the common employee level. Those who are unproductive are not identified and sometimes even rewarded with salary appraisals and promotions, leading to disappointment among real hard workers who eventually leave the organization.

The root causes and problems themselves include:

- Weak information flow from higher to lower levels
- Lack of professionalism everywhere
- Absence of motivation and encouragement
- Inadequate recognition of efficiency
- Leaders lacking good leadership qualities and attitude
- Absence of group dynamics and knowledge sharing
- Lack of a serious or aggressive work environment

I have planned a team resembling an army of soldiers who will work together to create a friendly environment for a duration and implement the entire plan/treatment until we achieve results. This team can be described as a Specific Project Team and should consist of common employees, excluding present leaders/managers, except our CEO and other crucial higher officials.

Additionally, I must mention that we are INDIANS, and I understand the cultural and emotional behaviors of INDIANS. Please let me know if you require any further information.

It appears you are going to provide me with the best solution.

Please inform me if you need additional information.

-Suresh

Hello Suresh. Thank you for the background information. I will need to be brief. Firstly, on a personal note, you are very committed and show much enthusiasm and I commend you for that.

“Here I'm just a technical recruiter.

But I myself experienced all the issues and want to do some thing for our organization.”

I presume that you are a front-line employee with no direct reports and that you have never had anyone reporting to you.

“And suggested me to involve HR and VP. … Full support from our CEO.”

Yes, he told you that you have his full support, but is leaving it to you to tell/involve HR and VP. This is not a good start. HR and the VP could very quickly come to the conclusion that a front-line employee is trying to do their job. Think of the political implications of what you are setting out to do. Many organizations are a minefield of political power struggles, involving wars to win influence and funds. Organizations such as yours that are not process driven and filled with people of low leadership and management ability are the most political in their workings. What I am saying is be very, very careful that you are not setting yourself up to make natural enemies and setting yourself up for failure. I will ask you what experience you have had in managing people and projects and bringing about large-scale, comprehensive cultural change in organizations?

“And money is not a problem I can get it granted from our CEO for this mission.”

Exactly how much money has he committed? Your company sounds sizeable, with a number of departments. For the kind of change that you are talking about will cost perhaps several million dollars. And lasting cultural change of the sort you are talking about may take three to five years.

“And this team has to be build from the common employees none of the present Leader/ Manger should involve in it except our CEO and some other important higher officials.”

Leaving out managers is a recipe for alienating the entire management team from the very start. In fact, for any measure of success, the initiatives will need to be driven from the very top (CEO) down, through the management team. Revolution by front-line employee is very unlikely to work. I will add to this that you will need outside OD/quality management/etc expertise. It sounds as if you do not have this expertise in-house.

“Really it seems you are going to give me the best solution.”

I cannot give you a solution, at least not via a public forum. My time is very limited to devote to long analyses. In fact, the solution will need to come from you and the management team. If the “solution” is sourced from outside, the management team will not take ownership of the initiative and you will get short- to medium term compliance at best. Our consulting approach is a process approach. We help you work through your problems so that you and your team come up with your own solutions.

As a start, what organizational diagnostics have you conducted? I mean, in addition to your personal observations. A common way to start is to conduct an audit using one of a number of tools, such as an organizational health survey, Baldrige quality criteria, Investors in People survey, etc. These are supplemented with a site visit and confidential interviews with employees. If yours is an IT company, you may be familiar with the P-CMM, an offshoot from the CMM. This is another option.

I should also add that the solution might be multi-dimensional, involving a number of inter-related initiatives. For example, it may involve strengthening strategic/operational planning, training in leadership and management skills, identifying and mapping core processes, changing the performance management system and the related system of rewards and recognition, etc, etc. You can see how a few million dollars can quickly get gobbled up.

Please do not send me private messages asking for detailed advice. I am of course happy to connect you up with one of our consultants/coaches to help you further. I trust that I have given you some food for thought.

Les Allan

Author: Managing Change in the Workplace

http://www.businessperform.com

Mr. Allen,

Really, you have a great understanding. I appreciate your understanding of what's happening here. Thank you very much for your time, and I respect it. Also, thank you for your kind words.

Your assumption is correct; I report directly to one of our VPs, who is also the wife of our CEO (not the one I mentioned earlier). Therefore, I am in contact with higher authority. I do not have a team reporting to me; instead, I coordinate with the Sales team and Technical Managers. Both teams have weaknesses, so I source leads and conduct technical evaluations.

As you mentioned, there are already political implications in my mind, and I am considering that aspect as well. These individuals will likely act on this information. They are aware that I am taking action, so they are making their own plans. However, I am not hesitating to move forward. I intend to discuss this with our CEO to address these challenges.

While it may take at least a year to achieve the desired results, I aim to expedite the process as much as possible.

Initially, I plan to conduct an official survey using questionnaires to gather feedback from employees regarding their feelings about the organization, areas of concern, and their satisfaction levels in terms of relationships, salary, recognition, etc.

Based on the survey results, we will plan necessary implementations. Our first step will involve changing the physical environment by displaying motivational quotes, posters, and prominently featuring the mission's name throughout the buildings to draw employees' attention to ongoing initiatives. Concurrently, we will introduce the action plan and necessary steps for implementation, involving employees in the process.

Subsequently, we will engage consultants for personality development, communication skills enhancement, motivational programs, etc. Additionally, we will organize cultural activities to foster employee engagement and improve interactions, necessitating budget allocation.

As there is no pre-existing plan, I cannot estimate the expenditure. However, I trust that our CEO will be supportive, which is why I seek advice from individuals like yourself.

Regarding organizational development (OD) exercises, performance evaluations, and management, I lack experience in these areas and require your assistance, as there is no qualified personnel within our organization.

Your proposed solutions highlight my reliance on external support, underscoring my need for your guidance. I apologize for any confusion caused earlier.

To start, I need to conduct surveys. I have already conducted confidential interviews, from which I have gathered valuable information. I am also researching tools like organizational health surveys, Baldrige quality criteria, Investors in People surveys, etc.

Given the multifaceted nature of the issue, the solutions must also be multidimensional, making the process complex, costly, and time-consuming, requiring input from multiple individuals.

The involvement of management remains a significant concern for me. Engaging them may jeopardize the mission, while excluding them may lead to dynamics within the organization. I have yet to reach a conclusion on this matter.

Thank you for your support, and I eagerly await further communication from you.

Hi Suresh & Allen Sir,

Wonderful discussion. As Allen Sir mentioned, Suresh, your commitment is commendable. Be very clear in your thoughts. Please prepare your heart and mind before starting the mission. You should be able to handle the resistance and failures that come your way. Take care of your career; you are getting too involved in one aspect and forgetting about your career. Later on, it will be difficult. Do some self-analysis before beginning. Allen Sir has provided a clear path on how to proceed.

I am wondering how this discussion missed the members' views!

All the best. Allen Sir, you are amazing.

Regards,
M. Peer Mohamed Sardhar
91 93831 93832

Dear Friend,

Firstly, have a group who have high self-motivation, i.e., who don't need any kick to move forward. Secondly, identify people from all areas such as operations, admin, purchase, HR, IT, etc., who have a common aim - to improve the system.

In the second step, have a leader with adequate knowledge and experience. Prepare a SOP/Guidebook with fixed agendas and timelines.

Have a weekly brainstorming session for formulating processes and procedures. Prepare a do's and don'ts checklist, etc. Start the process and thereafter, just keep noting the flaws and move on.

Thanks,
Siddharth

Siddharth,

Thank you very much for your reply. The same thing that you mentioned is on my mind, but I don't know about SOP. If possible, please let me know in detail.

-Suresh

Hello Mr. Allen,

Sorry to have missed you all these days. I hope you are doing well. I was unwell since last Saturday, but now I'm okay and back to work. I am thankful for your support and suggestions.

I would like to seek your permission to stay in touch with you in case of any need regarding this issue/mission.

Yours sincerely,
Suresh

SOP stands for Standard Operating Procedure. These are processes that lay parameters and guidelines for any given process.

First, draft an SOP that is general in nature and includes all the necessary inputs on how to start and complete a process. In the second stage, add KPIs/KRAs for all the steps and establish set standards.

The SOP should cover all the questions and answers related to any given process. For example, in a Recruitment process, the SOP should include a budget plan, approval details, and the types of questions/tests to be used. An SOP should have an issue/version number and be revised on a yearly basis.

Please feel free to ask any further questions.

Hi Suresh,

Don't feel sorry; I said that in a lighter vein. Now, I promised to share my experience, and here it is. I am repeating your observations as they are, as we also found most of these observations in a climate survey. The wording of the observations was slightly different.

1. The information flow from a higher level to a lower level and vice versa is weak.

Basically, communication about strategies was not understood across the organization. We had monthly meetings with all managers and called in some executives to explain the strategies repeatedly. We formed teams to work on specific areas. The in-house magazine was the last thing we did. It really did not help, and some strategic issues cannot be openly published.

2. Professionalism is missing everywhere.

It requires infusing new blood and encouraging people to take risks. Initially, allow people to take small risks, and failure should not be punished. Many times failure is punished (including sacking), giving the impression that the organization is not professionally managed. No one will take risks thereafter. Encourage risks.

3. Motivation and encouragement are missing.

We downsized the organization and, in the worst year, released substantial increases. We conducted regular training programs in the worst year. We formed small teams and had regular feedback sessions with them. We introduced incentives.

4. Efficiency is not recognized well.

We introduced a performance appraisal system and reviewed and rewarded employees based on ratings. We got rid of non-performers.

5. Leaders do not have good leadership qualities and attitude.

We brought in new leaders and developed internal leaders. We used Thomas Profiling as a standard tool for identifying leaders.

6. Group dynamics are not observed.

Yes, this was an issue, and we used an external OD Consultant to address this issue. I could not complete this exercise, but at least awareness was created.

7. Knowledge sharing is not in process.

We introduced regular monthly meetings on knowledge sharing and performance review. Juniors were encouraged to make presentations and ask questions. Importance was given to this meeting.

8. A serious or aggressive work environment is missing.

We had a serious environment but not an aggressive one. We also identified that an aggressive atmosphere may not be the right thing for that organization.

But it requires a lot of perseverance, acceptance, drive, influence, and support from the CEO, and without these, you cannot achieve the desired result.

Start with one at a time. Communication is the best place to start.

Good luck,

Siva

Hi Suresh,

Thank you for your message.

Your information is valuable. Every solution you have provided is an exact match.

I advised our CEO with some solutions, but he chose his own way and came up with a different implementation without discussing it with me. Not a problem; I feel proud to awaken the management and influence it to bring changes in a multinational company in a short period. It's a good thing that our CEO got involved in the field.

According to my analysis and all of your advice for this problem, we need at least one month to architect the whole process of this mission. Initially, we should conduct some surveys using questionnaires and polls to gather exact information.

Then, we need to select the team, like soldiers, and a team of new leaders to create a new environment. Everyone should be educated about this mission, gather their ideas and suggestions, etc. After that, we need to conclude the exact exercises, dos and don'ts, modifications needed in the current system, new aspects in the current system, activities to increase interaction between employees, to motivate and awaken them. All these implementations will take at least one long year to achieve the desired results.

I'm not underestimating our CEO, but the way he chose seems wrong. It's like introducing an activity into the current system rather than a new activity to change the current system.

During our last conversation, he asked me about people with the same zeal to do this and whom I am choosing to build a team. I mentioned that we need to give an open call to all the teams, then select genuine candidates who are not current leaders. He then asked me if I have found anyone, and I provided two names I already recognized.

However, in his implementations, he involved the current leaders again, which confused the employees from the very start.

So, I came to understand where the problem lies—it's with our CEO. Therefore, we can leave it now.

No manager in our company comes from a management background or is an MBA student, so who can advise him in this matter?

Thank you very much for your valuable time and support. I will be in touch with you further if I need any support.

I have been enjoying this duty. I'm currently pursuing my MBA in HR and IR, and I work as a Recruiter. I aspire to be in Administration and Management as I have found my skills lie in this area.

What steps should I take to transition my career from recruitment to Administration and Management?

Best regards,
Siva

Dear Mr. Suresh,

In order to start your process, I advise you to do the following since you have started to do the exercise. Do add these questions to your list:

1. Develop the process maps and flow charts for each department and every action taking place in each department.
2. Understand the above thoroughly so that you will know everything that's going on in your company. These questions might help:
- What is happening?
- Why is it happening?
- How is it done?
- Who does it and why?
- Is it productive?
- How can we do the same while reducing the process? If possible, how?

By reducing the unproductive time, we can save the company valuable resources and time, which in turn can be added to the company's value. I hope this will help you to some extent.

Moreover, process charts will act as a record of what is happening in your company.

Regards,
RAJ

Well, he wants to shut down total Indian operations rather than solving the problem, changing the office hours from 10 am - 7 pm to 1:30 pm - 10:30 pm for better communication between US onsite and offshore employees, which is not needed. Involving the same leaders in the new process. That's why first we also wondered... 🙄

- Suresh