Sustained
Change
“Burning
Platform”, a term created in the 80s by Daryl Conner (2010), is a tool, a psychological
formula to sustain change. Conner says that good ideas do not go as far as
business imperative. The leader’s behavior towards change is what will define the
position of the organization in the market, no matter if it is already at risk,
or if the leader is preventing a coming issue through taking a current opportunity.
The
psychological formula, mentioned by Conner, is founded when the price of the
status quo is higher than the price of the transition. The author defends the
idea that when the risk of complacency is higher than the risks of a change,
one is moved towards change putting fear aside and moving forward. When a
platform is already burnt there is no choice and the leader along with the team
do not consider looking back, as there is nothing to look at.
Anthony
(2012) says the ideal is preventing the platform to burn. He goes along with
Conner’s perspective, with the same ideal, however his focus is on prevention. At
the other edge, Gilbert et al (2012), defend a more cautious idea, where they
believe a change can be led with a regrouping strategy, sharing the
transformation in two separate projects. “Transformation
A should reposition the core business, adapting its current business model to
the altered marketplace, and Transformation B should create a separate,
disruptive business to develop the innovations that will become the source of
future growth, this way, avoiding the risks of an aggressive transformation.
Independent
of perspective, it is important that the change is well communicated. What leads
the change, the way a leader chooses to sustain it and the business imperatives
are crucial, but if the vision, goals and directions are not well communicated,
the change burns along with the platform, and the transformation gets stalled
(Kotter, 1996). According to Kotter, there are two cases of communication
failure: inconsistency with the vision of the change, and frequent but poor
communication.
There
was a time, around three years ago, that I have found
myself in a group with my colleagues (all onboard leaders), waiting for cabin
crew managers to roll out an important "change initiative to support a vision”.
The company wanted the seniors onboard to be more supportive and decided to use
a new performance review platform as a tool. The previous developed platform
was being misused, and some of designed features was leading to misunderstand. This
way, they spend more than a year developing a new performance review design,
with restructuring of words and approach. The management team delivered the
message, included the vision and the goal of the platform, and clarified all
the doubts.
It was a full day of training on the new features and how to use
each of them. Managers included some media to the presentation with curiosities
about the company’s numbers, differences between generations and their common expectations,
as we range between 21 to 60 years old in our department. The presentation was
interactive, with role play, funny videos, different managers to talk about
each topic, jump in of leadership training department, and coffee breaks to
allow interaction and the information to be absorbed and discussed informally.
Because of the issues faces with the previous review platform,
we were more than a year with no performance review at all, and this was
causing some issues with careless attitude from the staff, and onboard leaders only
documenting major behavioral issues through other communication channels. This
issue made us all get excited about the introduction of the new platform, so
getting me and my colleagues’ attention was not an issue from the beginning. As
mentioned, the design of the presentation was well developed so the
presentation ran smoothly with a great interaction. There were times when
numbers and lack of deep information about the change (as the developing team
was not present) distracted us from the main vision, but overall the message
was well delivered.
The change has been technically sustained, along with other
initiatives, as new requirements for promotions for instance. There was no way
back, the consequences of the lack of a system was unsustainable and a
performance review was necessary, as it is crucial in large organizations. The
goal was achieved, the vision is maintained, but the values behind the vision
is hindered. Team members are being supported by positive but general comments,
often not discussed or not detailed. Feedbacks are not being given, and when it
is delivered, it is done once, usually at the end of the journey, when nothing
can be done to corrected and no impact can be anymore created. Often leaders
give the virtually documented performance review to the crew member to read in
a tablet, and after been read the review is submitted, without discussion,
dialogue or any personal interaction, whatsoever.
The system is being misused again, but in opposite direction.
Before was used as a tool to punish the reviewed staff, and now is used to
motivate them (although I do not believe it is truly motivating anyone), as the
management required. The vision was clear, and well communicated, but apart
from not being sustained, is not used for the prior purpose. A performance
review platform is to be used to evaluate and follow up a performance, not to motivate
team members. This is partly the reason why the change could not be entirely
sustained. Another reason I can think of, is that there is no innovation, or a
team tracking how the system is been used. The change was defined, communicated
and that was over, as if the project is finalized on its first step. A change
to be sustained needs to be frequently communicated (Kotter, 2015) and it is
not happening in my organization, on this specific change.
The way I am using this “burnt platform” to gain the support of my
followers, in order to achieve sustained change, is by using the system with
its first purpose (review a performance), focusing on behavioral traits, and
when possible using it as a motivational tool (as required by the company), but
in a customized way. I deliver feedback constantly throughout the journey, not
only to the ones the system assigned to be reviewed, but to all my team
members. After that, I document my observations on the review platform and have
a discussion (two ways communication) with the crew member whom I was required
to evaluate. Independently if the follower was assigned or not to be reviewed, I
document the performance in a separate report which goes directly to the
management, in case they show an outstanding performance. At the end of any conversation,
I ask feedback from followers, on how I can improve as a leader.
These are few steps I take in order to sustain the change implemented
by the company. I believe as leaders we are responsible to apply the required
change the best way possible. I also believe to achieve this goal we are
empowered to put our own twist in order implement transformation. I keep in
mind the vision, the goal and the values behind, but how I act upon them is what
makes me a leader. Burning platform, whether dealing a high
risk or taking an opportunity, needs to be an emotional move (Conner, 2010). By
taking every spare time to have dialogue with my followers, by observing them
in unexpected circumstances, by asking their opinions, and by providing
constructive and uplifting feedback to all followers independent if
requirements, I believe it shows how valued they are and how I respected their job
and efforts to accomplish the organization’s mission. Touching on core human
values, ultimately a leader touches on emotions, and that is the way I lead my
team.
References
Anthony, S. D. (2012, December 11).
How to anticipate a burning platform. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/12/how-to-anticipate-a-burning-platform
Conner, D. (2010, November 24). Burning
Platform: Misunderstanding. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwRB0sHpN9E&feature=youtu.be
Gilbert, C., Eyring, M. Foster, R. N.
(2012, December). Two routes to resilience. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2012/12/two-routes-to-resilience
Kotter, J. (1996). Leading change.
Boston, MA: HBS Press
Kotter,
J. (2013, August 2015). Leading change: establish a sense of urgency. Retrieved
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yfrj2Y9IlI.
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