CREATING A COMPANY FIT FOR PURPOSE
With the meltdown of the financial markets it is becoming increasingly obvious that companies have taken more and more risky decisions. It is clear that many will have to undergo dramatic change if they are to succeed and prosper; indeed, many are using the current environment of economic uncertainty to take a 360 degree view of their existing strategy and set-up.
One of the most important imbalances in the workplace needs to be adjusted: the gender mix within the organisation, especially at a senior management level.
For the majority of companies around the world, 50% of their graduate intake is women. By the time those women get to managerial level, it goes down to 30%. When it gets to senior executive level, it's between 15% and 10% for main board positions. The problem is that women have either left the workforce or they simply haven't risen to the top.
We know that people who get to the top in part get there because they're mentored. There is a long history of research to show that women are not mentored as much as men are – and that's primarily because cross-sex mentoring is uncomfortable.
One of the most substantial things a CEO can do right now is to change the gender mix of the board. This would have profound implications on the organisation and the way the organisation thinks about itself.
As part of our research at the Hot Spots Movement, we looked at teams that were all male, teams that were just women, and teams that were a 50/50 mix. We asked: "Which gender profile in teams is more innovative and which is more productive?" We found that the 50/50 mix was the most innovative and the all-male teams were the least innovative. You can download this report here.
There have been a few very important schemes that have provided a framework to encourage senior men to mentor women and they have been extremely successful. These are exactly the type of courageous schemes will be crucial for future organisations. The simple truth is that unless companies act now, they will either lose their women or their women will stay in middle management roles.
This very topic was the subject of Judgment Call in the Financial Times; click here to follow the debate.
ACTIONS YOUR HR DEPARTMENT CAN TAKE NOW TO BUILD COLLABORATION
True collaboration across teams is one of the most significant competencies an organisation can build in order to truly ignite innovative ideas. There are a couple of important ways that a HR department can get involved and take positive steps to build collaborative teams in their organisation.
1. Train employees in the specific skills required for collaboration
These skills include: appreciating others; engaging in purposeful conversation; productively and creatively resolving conflicts; and managing programmes.
2. Support a sense of community by sponsoring events and activities
These activities could include networking groups, cooking weekends or tennis coaching. Spontaneous, unannounced activities can further foster community spirit. For example, Marriott celebrated the anniversary of the company's first hotel opening by rolling back the staff cafeteria to the 1950s and sponsoring a team dance contest.
In the next newsletter, we will look at steps the executive can take.
REAL-LIFE APPLICATIONS OF HOT SPOTS
 Some of the most interesting organisations are creating Hot Spots of activity and energy, and looking at new ways of using virtual teams. This includes major non-profit groups such as World Vision, a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation.
Eleanor Monbiot, Director Global Management of World Vision, heard an extract of an interview with Lynda on the BBC World Service while she was driving in Nairobi and immediately understood that Lynda's concepts were exactly what World Vision had been working on. After spending hours trying to download a podcast of the interview thanks to slow internet in Kenya, she listened again, signed up to the Hot Spots Community and then attended the Hot Spots Programme in London last month.
Eleanor explains: "Lynda's comments reinforced what we believed: that better use of project teams and shared knowledge is the route we should be taking. Hot Spots isn't an add-on to business strategy – it is the new way of working. As an organisation, we have a shared vision and commitment, but we wanted to make our networks more effective, as well as build on technical knowledge mapping.
"In an organisation of 40,000 people, we probably have only 200 team members that work across all knowledge teams, and we want to increase that to 10,000. We will be looking at new ways of grouping people so they can work outside their normal teams, and encourage all national offices to have representatives on cross-company teams. The challenge is also to use examples of very good and bad practice in order to build a consistent level of co-operation throughout the organisation."
COLLABORATIVE TEAMS CASE STUDY: LINUX
Linux was founded based on the idea that software should be free and for anybody to improve. This powerful thought inspired millions around the world and created Hot Spot clusters of volunteer programmers that are now formidable competitors to Microsoft. These programmers are single-handedly redefining the software industry as we know it. Open source projects have now sprung up within a number of software companies, and user-generated content sites such as Youtube and Myspace have grown multibillion-dollar valuations. These developments are catching even the fast-moving internet universe by surprise.
Linux is also a good example of signature processes, organisations' distinctive processes that competitors struggle to copy. They derive from the essence of the organisation: its history, heritage, values and management, which are intangibles that are difficult for the competition to replicate. Igniting vision by itself is not enough; core organisational and operational processes must realise the competitive potential. Linux has realised its competitive potential by grouping developers into large clusters that have no boundaries and can therefore be far more innovative.
NEW FORM OF SELF-HELP SPRINGING UP
In his recent piece in the Observer (viewed here), Simon Caulkin has a new viewpoint on self-help, urging us all to take responsibility for our own careers, despite what may be seen as powerful outside forces, like corporate downsizing and increasing unemployment.
Simon makes reference to a couple of companies currently making the headlines, such as WL Gore, maker of the fabric used in the roof of the new Centre Court at Wimbledon. There, he says, projects don't happen unless the project leader attracts followers – self-organising, non-linear, and collaborative teams grow up as a result.
While reviewing Glow, he points out that these organic company structures, created along the lines Lynda outlines in the book, prevent the drain of energy, created by too much management, and too little individuality.
Has your workplace become a freer place since the recession started to bite? Do you believe that necessary cutbacks have actually generated a positive energy in those team members left behind, and given more responsibility? Send your thoughts to Lynda at lynda@hotspotsmovement.com.
2 FOR 1 OFFER FOR LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL PROGRAMME WITH LYNDA
Members of the Hot Spots Community can get an exclusive 2 for 1 offer to attend the London Business School two-day programme, given by Lynda, on Managing People Through the Downturn.
In today's economic climate, the skills and organisational culture that contribute to success can be eroded. Lynda's new programme identifies the opportunities and challenges that exist and equips you with pragmatic techniques to strengthen your people strategy during these turbulent times. By attending, you will have the unique chance of discussing some of your current issues with Lynda face-to-face.
During the two-day programme, you will:
- Understand the impact of previous recessions and the benefits of innovating management practices.
- Identify your organisation's 'signature' practices (your internally developed idiosyncratic process that reflects the history and values of your organisation) and how to preserve these.
- Learn techniques to motivate your workforce and maintain high engagement.
- Leave with an action plan to strengthen your people strategy, which you can implement immediately.
The programme takes place on June 15 and 16 at London Business School, and the special Hot Spots Community offer is for two delegates to attend for the price of one (normally £2,950 per participant). For more details, click here, or contact Danielle Ulwick, the Programme Director of the Executive Workouts, directly at dulwick@london.edu or +44 207 000 7060.
HOT SPOTS AROUND THE WORLD
Despite the recession we have found that executives are still keen to support development - particularly if it is proven to add value in a cost-effective way.
The Ministry of Manpower in Singapore continues to support our work and has encouraged teams and companies across Singapore to go through the 60 day Learning Journey. We are delighted that they have supported our work in this way and we will be rolling this out to many more teams over the coming months. If you have a team based in Singapore that you would like to support the drop, contact Andreas at andreas@hotspotsmovement.com - the good news is that the MOM will fund most of the cost of the programme.
We have seen excellent results in Singapore: 75% of the teams increase their performance and innovation as judged by their stakeholders as a result of the Learning Journey. Of these, 35% significantly increase their performance. We are now looking at what makes the difference. We have discovered that those that boost their performance the greatest do so by:
- actively engaging with their stakeholders (their clients and customers) to create a Hot Spot of energy and innovation;
- focusing their learning on real-life work tasks to ensure the learning from Hot Spots is rapidly translated into real life experience;
- ensure that they engage with the podcasts, videos and articles that increase their understanding and knowledge of what it takes to create a Hot Spot.
Meanwhile, the programme for Nokia continues with workshops in Helsinki, London, New York, Beijing and Dubai. More than 100 teams across Nokia are participating in the Learning Journey and we are really excited about what they - and we - are learning.
Nokia has always been known for its innovative capability, so it is no surprise that they are one of the early adopters of the Hot Spots methodologies. In co-creating with our colleagues at Nokia, we found that in a technological company like this virtual working is the norm with many team members spread across the globe. So this is an environment in which people are at ease with learning technology and keen to engage others in debate. It is too soon yet to know what is working for them, but in a later newsletter we will take a closer look at what has worked and what we have learned.
Future Developments: we are currently building a learning platform to support teams and communities who are participating in the Hot Spots experience. We have engaged a really creative team in Finland and the prototype will be up and running by the end of June. This will enable Hot Spots teams across a company to join together in peer review and conversation - and more excitingly - it will enable Hot Spot teams from different companies to learn from each other in a consortium-based learning. We are currently talking with a number of companies across the world about joining this consortium so email Lynda, lynda@hotspotsmovement.com, if you are interested.
WHERE CAN YOU SEE LYNDA SPEAK?
Lynda recently spoke at the Emiratisation Forum in Abu Dhabi, which was organised by Abu Dhabi University. She is pictured here with, from left: HE Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research; HH Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan; HE Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, chairman of the Executive Board of Abu Dhabi University.
In other news, Lynda will be speaking at a two-day conference in Johannesburg with Dave Ulrich, on June 19-20. For more details, click here. She will also be speaking for the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore on September 29.
STOP PRESS!
After the third and very highly appreciated Hot Spots Programme, we have added a second Hot Spots Programme this year after so many of you, the Community Members, requested another date. It will be held in London on November 3-4 and you can read more here.
HAVE YOUR SAY!
What is the single biggest difference between the company of yesterday, and the company of tomorrow? Send your thoughts and ideas to Lynda on lynda@hotspotsmovement.com.
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