The morning light was pouring into the conference room as we gathered for the first meeting on how to build an effective performance management system. Arriving early, I sat down in a chair near the middle of the long conference table and put my brief case in the chair next to me. Pulling out my blue notebook with my pre-meeting notes and a manila file with key information on the organization, I looked up to see two women executives come into the room, one I had worked with for quite a few years and the other was a new person who was attending her first management level meeting. I arose out of my chair, greeted them, and introductions were made. By then everyone else had come into the room so we sat back down and began the meeting.
Our time together that morning opened with an in-depth examination of the internal and external trends and conditions that were causing the organization to develop a new and more effective performance management system. Once this strategic level review had taken place, we all realized how important our work was going to be that morning. Then the person who was running the meeting and the one who had invited me to come asked for my perspective.
First, I explained how to design a new performance management system and what were the keys to success in the design process. Next, I explained two to three different ways to implement such a system. Finally, I concluded my opening remarks by explaining that a new performance management system was going to lead people into a six to nine month trough of chaos.
I had barely finished my last statement when there was an audible gasp across the table from me. The woman across from me, who was new to management, was a bit wide eyed. With a touch of panic in her voice, she said, “The trough of what? Six to nine months of chaos? Are you kidding?”
Her boss, who I had worked with for quite a few years, leaned over, touched her arm, and said “I haven’t shared that with you yet. We didn’t want to scare you straight out of the box.”
I smiled and thought to myself, commitment without understanding, a common leadership problem. And then we dove into a discussion on what happens in the trough of chaos.
Years earlier I had learned the importance of unifying commitment and understanding when I was working with a small rural healthcare facility, struggling with constant problems and persistent turnover issues. The new CEO had called me in “to help rebuild the foundation for success.” After a series of meetings with senior management and department heads, I presented my analysis that the organization was trapped between what was and what will be, resulting in a continual trough of chaos. It was a normal stage of organizational development that with time, patience and understanding could be transformed.
I remember one young department head raising his hand after my analysis and asking, "So how can we fix all this stuff that is getting in the way of our productivity?"
I responded that many problems in the trough of chaos are leadership problems related to the lack of strategic understanding and execution. As I pointed out to him that afternoon, there are two myths in leadership during change. First, many leaders think their job is to come up with all of the answers. They expect that they can solve all problems. Second, many leaders think it is their job is to tell everyone else what to do so they can prevent all the problems or at least not create any more problems. But as experience has taught me, commitment without understanding of how to move through the trough of chaos does not yield improved results.
Having done this work since 1986, I have learned that during every organizational change cycle there is a normal period of time which is challenging, complex, and difficult. I call it, the trough of chaos. During this six to nine month period, people have to let go of a previous system, organizational culture, or definition of success, and embrace a new way of working and thinking. It is hard work for employees and executives, but with time, patience, and understanding, it is not only doable but possible to yield significant results that will create short and long term momentum
The key in the beginning is to understand that the trough of chaos is a normal stage of development. There is no need to panic and there is no reason to fix it. Instead, we as leaders need to help people move through the stages of this challenging time period.
Many years ago, I gave an all day workshop to management and nursing executives from hospitals, nursing homes and allied healthcare organizations in the midwest. In the middle of my morning presentation, I stated that leaders routinely and consciously create chaos. There was a brief pause in the room as my comments sunk in, and then total pandemonium broke out amongst the participants. Hands flew up into the air with questions. Many people turned to the people next to them and started talking. The notion that an executive would seek to disrupt order and predictability was seen as wildly absurd or complete madness.
At this point in the learning journey, I reviewed with them the first Law of Leadership and Change called The Law of Chaos which states that “The world does not change through balance, order and security, only through chaos.” Once those gathered realized that when seeking to improve strategy, systems, structure or culture within an organization, all involved must move from a work pattern, which has a normal pattern of balance, order and security, through a period of chaos, where people choose to, or by circumstances over which they have no control, have to let go of the old way of working. Once they have moved through this period of chaos, they will enter into a new way of working together. When those gathered recognized that chaos is a normal part of organization change, the palpable tension in the room subsided and we moved forward. During the morning wrap-up, one young nursing executive pointed out that we should see “chaos is our friend.” Many years later now, her comments are still one of my most favorite quotes.
When commitment and understanding about the world of leadership and strategic change come together, great leaders and their organizations can engage all employees and offer exceptional customer service. Chaos becomes our friend, particularly when we seek to transform vision into action.
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