Trust, empowerment and collaboration are common words to see in culture statements. Words a company proclaims to live by. But how many companies actually demonstrate these values in day-to-day actions and behaviour?
Would you trust your employees enough to flip the organisational hierarchy on its head – especially when it means putting yourself at the bottom? Or would you stand in the way of control?
Gossip - Standing In The Way of Control (Glastonbury 2024)
Putting yourself at the bottom was the bold approach Kees Pater took in his cookie factory, gaining him some surprisingly positive results.
The company was achieving impressive growth, but there was a cost. Everyone, including Kees, was feeling pretty miserable about their working day, so some drastic action was needed. The solution wasn’t an obvious or easy step. It took some negative feedback from the team, burnout, and time away to gain some perspective and for the path to improvement to show itself.Â
Kees recognised that when he was absent from the business, things didn’t fall apart, they kept going as usual. However, when the production team wasn’t at full capacity, the cracks quickly began to appear. It turned out that the control he was used to imposing wasn’t necessary after all.Â
Rather than trying to cling to power, Kees trusted the team to troubleshoot, solve issues and find ways to improve. Kees's role shifted from one of control to one of support, and everyone found their roles more fulfilling.
Of course, this is a brave move and requires some fundamental elements to be in place to make it work.Â
The whole team needs to be aligned with shared values, vision and goals
Everyone needs opportunities to grow which are supported
New ways for everyone to remain accountable need to be established in order to let go of tight controls
The whole team need to embrace a collaborative approach to constantly improving
So, one lesson learned is don't stand in the way of control. Has your business made some unconventional changes that have led to great results? The Kaizen Awards are celebrating businesses in the South of England that are embracing continuous improvement. Visit the Kaizen Awards site to find out more and get involved.
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