In association with Machwuerth Team International
The development of a sustainable management culture is a difficult and complex process. This evolution may require modification to the fundamental way that managers go about doing their jobs; a type of change requiring more than just behavioural training.
Several years of uncoordinated leadership behaviour development can lead to a need for broad change in management culture. When employees and manager can no longer communicate or work together effectively, the development of a sustainable management culture must be prioritized. Otherwise, teamwork will not evolve among managers, employees, or between the two. Extensive periods without change can lead to a strong resistance to attempts to change or modify ineffective habits, making the campaign even more difficult.
A change in management culture cannot be achieved by a single act, but rather should be manifest in a prolonged campaign to modify entrenched behaviour and mindsets. The goal is to do away with unproductive behaviour and ineffective thinking in order to bring about sustainable improvement in management quality. Such improvement requires a long-term organizational development process addressing a company’s specific issues and problems; implementing changes that address each of the following:
- Level of attitudes and mindsets
- Level of management structures and processes
- Level of management instruments and standards
- Level of specific leadership behaviour
It is crucial the development process spanss all levels and sub-projects. For example, the process of introducing instruments and standards has to be participation-oriented in order to change mindsets and attitudes and to make new behaviour visible. The change processes need be supported by methodical instruments that then need to be practiced and integrated through training in order to be effective and permanent.
The following sub-projects are good examples of how such a project could be planned over a five-year period. Certain components should be realised in parallel, while others may be administered in a more subsequent order.
Development of Management principles
The first priority is to develop a unified management understanding by beginning with a reflection on common management understanding. Managers should hold a workshop to outline important leadership principles and then summarize them in a catalogue of management principles. This is then discussed and agreed upon by all managers during the meeting. After compiling this document, it should be forwarded to all employees and discussed together.
Competence profile for managers
Management principles should be distilled into management standards, and subsequent general requirement profile for managers. Involvement from managers at all levels is required. Singular management functions need to be weighted to create quality benchmarks for future management behaviour. Employees and managers as well as a third-party organisations can then evaluate the company’s management based on the requirement profile, helping to paint a clearer picture of the company’s overall management situation.
Management conversations
Once the competence profile is introduced, management training should be held focusing on using and discussing the competency profile with employees.
Management meetings and feedback
Management concepts and instruments should be developed to enhance the exchange concerning management expectations and their fulfillment.
Join us back here next month for Section Head when we conclude our revelation of the components necessary for developing a management culture.
