Apr 08 2009
Stop the Value Vacuum from Sucking the Life Out of Your Organization
They torpedo great ideas, foil the best laid plans and, if left unchecked, can undermine entire organizations. We’ve all had to deal with them at one time or another. An employee, board member, or constituent that just doesn’t get it, doesn’t want to get it, and worst of all doesn’t want anyone else to get it.
As association leaders, we are responsible for the culture of our organizations—and it is our duty to protect them from value vacuums. The root of many a morale problem, these menaces go 80 in reverse, blow past “zero value added,” and leave a negative value balance in their wake.
Lazy Lois, Nay Say Nester, Whiney Will, the list goes on and on. The point is that while they may inhabit our environment, there are steps that can (and must) be taken to ensure that value vacuums don’t kill our creativity and prevent the innovation-breeding that will allow our associations to thrive.
Step 1: Starve them. Cut off whatever it is that is feeding their value-sucking behavior from within the organization (could be anything from a gossip mill, to a lack of oversight, to a bad role model). It is much easier to change the environment than to change the personality. Eliminate the opportunity for the behavior to occur and do it quickly.
Step 2: Exercise them. Assign the value vacuum more work–and more meaningful work. This will stop negative behaviors that stem from idle hands or a lack of engagement. Getting value vacuums more involved, encourages them to take more ownership—and can actually turn them into great long-term contributors.
Step 3: Turn up the heat. Demand excellence, positive contributions, and honest effort– and do it through clear expectations, regular follow-up and measured outcomes.
Step 4: Live, recognize and reward value-driven behavior and positive contributions. Easier said than done, but your efforts are doomed if this doesn’t happen and happen consistently.
Step 5: Hold everyone accountable for adding value to the organization. Allowing negative behavior to continue unchallenged is the single most detrimental thing that you can do to your organization’s culture. Every employee, member and leader must take responsibility for contributing to the success of the association. Hold everyone accountable and encourage them to hold each other accountable as well.
It is important to recognize the substantial negative impact that a single value vacuum can have on your organization. If you are unable to stop the value vacuum from sucking, it may be best to unplug it altogether—sever the relationship for the good of the association.