We must admit, we have missed a big opportunity at VIM Executive Coaching. Over the years we have heard hundreds, maybe a thousand company slogans. We should have written them down, bound them in Corinthian leather and sold the collection at executive seminars.
The slogans are often related to us, tongue-in-cheek, by managers who are close to resignations or “shutting down,” after years of faithful service. The type of slogans they react to the most generally follow along the lines of: “At ABC, We Respect Every Voice,” or “At Global Universal, Our Employees Really Count!”
I Hear You, But I Don’t See You
The most common complaint in regard to the slogans isn’t the wording or even the intent, but the hypocrisy of the leadership who fail to understand the disconnect. The complaints are frequently associated with organizations in the process of change, and the failure of the executive teams managing change to include their people in the process.
Indeed, one of the most difficult challenges in change management is the simple act of communication followed by education. When mergers, acquisitions, the imposition of new technologies or any other sweeping changes occur, slogans become meaningless unless there is a commitment; a resolution if you will, to not just see workers at every level of the organizational structure but to hear their voices.
If executive leadership really respects every voice or believes that every voice truly counts, then one of the first steps to be taken in managing any kind of organizational change is a sincere, executive level conversation specifically designed to implement (not just ask) the following questions:
“How will we authentically communicate the changes and then respond to questions and the concerns of our employees in this process?”
“How will we compassionately and honestly educate our employees, particularly our valued managers as to what will be unfolding?”
In other words, will we hear our employees and not just see them?
The Most Successful of Slogans
We once asked a valued coaching client if her company had a slogan. “Come to think of it,” she answered, “No. Our executive leadership doesn’t believe in them, but the important thing is that they believe in us.”
Her company is highly rated in her industry not because their technology is so unique or their facilities are so outstanding but because they are a company that strives to be mindful of the needs of their employees. When her company recently acquired a new product line, literally doubling their offerings, the company managed the change not by creating a new slogan or logo, but by making the mindful decision to educate and communicate every aspect of the transition to every employee. We are talking about employees from the warehouse workers (much more important people than we may at first think) right up to the director of sales and marketing and the finance department.
By authentically relating to employees, not just imposing their narrative, the transition to the larger product line was quite successful.
Inclusion of everyone’s voice, appreciating everyone’s voice, must be the mission of every member of the executive leadership. The dividends of such an inclusion are enormous. The slogans can come later, but when it really counts, the employees must come first.
VIM Executive Coaching is pleased to assist executive leaders in managing the changes ahead.