Right talent for the right phase

Organizations evolve like human beings: the essence of us remains the same, yet on the outside we change continuously. Even after many decades of time we are still familiar and recognizable to those from our past, as is evidenced when I returned to an alumni meet after 30 years. We have changed, yet we have not changed.

In today’s VUCA, a world of rapid change, we are constantly engaged at work doing one of the three things: Thinking, deploying strategy or implementing and embedding.

Perhaps this calls for a new way of looking at talent: those that are involved with the thinking unit (TU), some who are involved with the building unit(BU), while others in the operating unit(OU).

Let me offer an analogy to explain this. If suppose, we want to build a world class Hospital on 30 acres of land, you would first want a team of specialists who would be involved with the thinking unit: those who would be responsible for developing the blueprint, the actual plans. They would be tasked with the Design and Architecture. This would be the most critical stage to the whole piece and would require deep Subject matter expertise.

The next phase would be the building stage: clearing the land, digging, building the foundation, the columns and the floors. This stage is the conversion of the design to that which is physical and would require its own brand of expertise, but quite different to the earlier set above.

Finally, once the hospital is built, one would require talent that can operate the unit well: doctors, nurses, administrators, cashiers, lab technicians, etc. This stage requires the design of the operating model that would allow for integrated operations to come seamlessly together.

As we resource Projects, we need to be very clear, what phase we are on: TU, BU or OU. This would determine the right talent that would be effective at this phase. Usually, one tends and brings in consultants at the TU Stage, Service Partners and external vendors to help in the BU stage. Its only at the OU stage that regular role profile are appropriate.

I argue that Business Leaders need to keep this perspective in mind when selecting the right resourcing. Projects fail, often because the specific competencies required for each phase is not available.

Today’s leaders need to clearly recognize that they work in an environment in which all of the three stages are in play. Being able to pick the right talent is critical to succes

VUCA - Competencies for new times!

VUCA

It’s become a trendy managerial acronym now: VUCA, short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, and a catchall for “Hey, it’s crazy out there! So what are the competencies that allow for employees to be effective in such crazy times.

The law of entropy (the degradation of the matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inert uniformity), a universal phenomena plays itself out as simple moves to complex, single correlates to multiple, and order to seemingly disorder. The only constant they say is Change.

In such times, I would like to share from my own reflections what are the issues employees need to manage in such VUCA times.

For one, Need for Speed. Almost everything is required to be done in ambitious deadlines. During such times, one cannot cross the chasm in two leaps, and one needs to simultaneously work on both the urgent and the important. Change agents need to work hard, and smart, anticipate issues that would come up, while consolidating gains already made.

Secondly, need to manage ambiguity and uncertainty. Change by definition, means the design elements are changing. I have realized that people are open to change, provided they can be helped through moving out of their comfort zones, feel ‘safe’ in the change process, and if asked to participate. The key is to ensure regular communication at all times: milestones and clear path to destination. In addition, fair set of consistent and fair and sensitive principles, on how people would be managed in such times.

Thirdly, the change champion needs to manage Personal Frustration. During each day, there would be countless throughs and peaks: trials and tribulations. She requires to be balanced and moderate her emotions through this period. Emotional intelligence is the act of using one’s emotion for self and the other. Frustration is the result of ‘what I love is threatened’ and hence the reactivity that follows. Ensuring that thought, emotions and actions are balanced and in harmony is key during such stressful times. Hope and curiosity are two positive emotions that exist in troubled times. Crucial to see the ‘glass half full’.

Finally, during explosive change the change agent needs to manage personal obsolescence.  Managing change requires new skills: often drawing from past experience, often crafting new solutions. The ability to reflect and learn and be willing to recognize one’s own limitations and lack of knowledge is crucial. Wise is he, who knows that he knows not.

I would like to end with the analogy of white water rafting. The competencies required for such a sport lends itself to today’s Corporate turmoil: Energy, Thinker-Doer, Intellectual honesty, team player, managing and anticipating, clear objective of goal, willing to adapt to win.