42 Rules for Creating WE by Judith E. Glaser

Author:Judith E. Glaser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Super Star Press

Rule 25

Seek Engagement, Not

Compliance

Jerry Manas

Presentations, training, mission statements, road shows, lectures, or even audits, will not make people embrace anything.

Many organizations implement some new process or form and wonder why people don’t comply. Worse yet, instead of attempting to learn the newly proposed system, people instead grumble and spread the misery around the office. A better method for implementing such change is to engage people in co-creating the solution wherever possible. By soliciting feedback and presenting challenges for people to address, you’ll be surprised by the ingenuity displayed and the level of participation. Next time, seek engagement instead of compliance, and see the difference it makes.

One of my coaching clients (let’s call him Dave) was having difficulty getting his small staff of three to comply with using a new project management template he had recently implemented. “They don’t seem to seem to appreciate the fact that I know this stuff better than they do,” Dave lamented. “Besides, I know what’s right for the organization—I’ve been doing this for 20 years!” Then he posed his question to me. “How do I get them to comply?”

I suggested that perhaps an alternate perspective of the question would be: “What objectives are we trying to achieve and how can I get people engaged in meeting the objectives effectively?” I added that it’s not a matter of who knows what; it’s a matter of how we engage others, how we communicate our needs to them, and how we meet their need for inclusion. I suggested he hold a meeting with the three people in question, with the following agenda and guidelines.

Review the problem or opportunity that the template was meant to serve.

Ensure that everyone agrees that the problem or opportunity is real and needs to be addressed in some manner. If there is disagreement, try another perspective—that of meeting the needs of all parties in the room.

Review each element of the template in question and the need it is intended to meet.

Have an open dialogue on alternate ways of meeting those needs, letting the staff take the lead and discuss alternatives. Avoid steering or directing the conversation at all costs.

Be open to removing elements where the cost in confusion or time is not worth the value it brings. Try to integrate the ideas of all parties where possible.

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