Personality Problems or SIlos? What's Making Your Business Unhealthy?!

I have the good fortune of meeting with business leaders to discuss the health, or unhealth, of their companies. Very often - very often, when asked about the source of their problems, leaders point "down". The problems are happening down below, in the rank and file....or so they say. And, most leaders are really frustrated with the discord - can't people just get along?! Well, here's the thing....what might look like a can't-play-nice-in-the-sandbox issue, might be something bigger.....

Often, the bigger issue (masked as a personality problem) is one of "silos". As many of you know, I'm big on perspective...perspective in healthy relationships, perspective in good communication, perspective in team dynamics, and perspective in productive interactions. Silos limit perspective. Silos allow departments to live autonomously - in their own fiefdom, free of concern or interaction with other departments. This causes breakdowns and waste within organizations.

The "fix" is (close your fist with your thumb pointing upward)...yep, you got it, the fix is up top. The leadership can best help break down the walls of their silo issues by rallying the troops around a common goal - one that is shorter in duration (3-18 months depending on the industry, circumstances, company size), and one everyone can sink their teeth into. This is not the same as the corporate vision or the mission statement. It is a goal that is shared by the entire company. Every department head: marketing; accounting; operations; should be able to get their arms around this goal. How individual departments carry out and work toward this goal will be different, but the goal itself provides framework, structure, and a theme around which the business can build.

This "rally" goal might be something as simple as:

• Raise standard of patient care to better establish  leadership position in community
• Complete merger integration
• Establish procedures and processes to secure company's foundation
• Expand to meet increasing demand

Whatever it is, it should be an overarching goal - so every department contributes a perspective on how to fix it or make it happen. Departments can see each others' viewpoint, and contribution, in working toward this common goal. Departments will get unified working together. But...there's one more thing - it is up to the leadership to maintain focus....keeping this goal central to every task, to-do, and discussion in the company. With this attitude, companies will eliminate in-fighting, territory battles, finger-pointing, and maybe even a few personality problems!!

For more information on this topic, enjoy Lencioni's quick read: Silos. Politics, and Turf Wars!

Right or Left? Brain Dominance, Perspective, and Communication!

Have you ever been in a meeting, let's say an all-day retreat or planning session, where you've thrown out what you thought was a really great idea, an insightful, brilliant comment, and rather than the "hurrah's" and "high-fives" you were expecting, you were met with icy glares from your peers...as if you were speaking out of the mouth centered in middle of your alien-forehead? Then hours later, sitting in the same meeting, talking about the same subject, somebody comes up with a fantastic idea which warrants (and receives) accolades and a pat on the back. The idea? The same one you brought up earlier in the day! O.K., so that's Example #1.

Example #2: You're sitting in a brainstorming meeting, hoping to solve a work-related marketing issue. You are getting so frustrated because the meeting never really gets "kicked-off". Everyone is sitting around, talking, joking, and throwing out random thoughts and ideas. Hours have gone by, the meeting ends and you are perplexed because the majority of the group is pretty excited about the progress that's been made. Progress? Seriously?! There was no beginning or end to the meeting, and you found the "randomness" very challenging.

Alright, one more example - there's a point here, hang in there! You are in a presentation, you are trying to pay attention as you listen to the speaker go through their sequence of material, reading bullet after bullet, waiting for them to get to the point. Somewhere in there you are able to get a couple of worthwhile points, but overall, it was a waste of an hour. Just as you are about to share this thought with your table mate, they gush about how valuable the talk was, how many notes they took, and how they can't wait to apply the principles. Huh?! Did you miss something?

 

These are examples of how right and left-brain differences impact us in the business world. Most likely we have adapted some decent coping mechanisms and are, for the most part, doing just fine.  But realistically, these right-left differences have been impacting us our entire lives. These situations color our perspective, impact our confidence, and provide filters when communicating  with others. These differences (that we often don't understand or realize are in play) impact our self-esteem, our performance, and our communication. 

I recently attended a workshop, hosted by EmpowerMind, about right-brained learning (an experiential program of course!). Fortunately this program invites participants eleven and older to attend (eleven, when self-identity is being shaped) so there were people of all ages in attendance - frustrated.  Frustrated because they don't always fit in, frustrated because they thought they had missed something, frustrated because maybe they weren't smart enough, frustrated because of the disconnect, since they have often heard they are "bright" and not living up to their potential. 

So let's go through the examples, and shed some light on right and left - I'm guessing you could relate to at least one of them:

Example 1 - If you could identify with this situation, you are probably right-brained dominant. Right Brained dominance allows a holistic view of topics versus a sequential one.  When somebody tells a joke, you laugh before the punch-line is delivered because you can see the joke unfolding, right? A left-brained person is waiting for the sequence to unfold and is anxiously awaiting the ending of the joke!

Example 2 - Does this sound familiar? If so, you probably lean to the left. The fact that your right-brained group will free-flow discuss without any beginning or ending is maddening to a left-brained person. Your strength is in the structure you provide and the sequence you offer.

Example 3 - If you enjoyed the bullet-to-bullet-fact-style presentation, again, you are probably leaning to the left. If you have been challenged to "get it" without knowing or seeing the big picture, or desiring stories instead of facts, you are more to the right.

Right or left-brained isn't an issue until you are the odd-man-out - when you feel incompetent because you are "off". We all use both sides of our brains, but some people are more heavily-weighted right or left - that's when issues pop up. The workshop, presented by Kimberly Kassner, focuses on right-brained learning. Since most traditional business and education systems are left-brained, the right-brained businesspeople and students have been the odd-ones-out...not exactly sure why they don't always fit it.  

Here are a few right/left characteristics: 

safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
 
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
 
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical

Is it really such a big deal? Afterall, many of us, whether right or left dominant, have developed coping skills to adjust. But....if it has impacted your career, it is a big deal. If it impacts your child and their learning in school it is a big deal. If it impacts how you feel about your competence, or the incompetence of others, it is definitely a big deal. I have been fascinated with this topic for quite a while, so I welcome your questions and comments. I'll also post a few interesting links below - you can test yourself, play some brain games, learn more about right/left characteristics, or find out about the workshop I mentioned.

By the way, I know for a fact this topic impacts people - I see it in my business, coaching business clients and how it colors their perspective, communication, and confidence. I also saw "the shift" in the workshop participants - realizing for the first time how gifted they were. It was EMPOWERING to watch them realize their talent, and exciting to know how their lives would be positively impacted by this discovery. Every communication and learning situation was forever changed.

What do you think I am?  Right or left?  My percentage?  Check out yours below!

More right/left characteristics
BRAIN GAMES!!
Test yourself - Right-Left Brain Test
EmpowerMind Workshop