A Lean Journey
When
it comes to habits David Mann tells the story of Smokey the Bear’s campfire
rules. Douse the fire with water, stir the coals and turn them over, then douse
again. Not following the rules of Smokey the Bear you risk the fire restarting
itself from the live embers that remain. Cultural habits are very much the same
way.
it comes to habits David Mann tells the story of Smokey the Bear’s campfire
rules. Douse the fire with water, stir the coals and turn them over, then douse
again. Not following the rules of Smokey the Bear you risk the fire restarting
itself from the live embers that remain. Cultural habits are very much the same
way.
Habits
define how organizations behave, and therefore changing organizational habits
often requires changing the organization’s culture. To increase your chances of
success, start by changing your organization’s keystone habits, or the habits
that by definition change other habits.
define how organizations behave, and therefore changing organizational habits
often requires changing the organization’s culture. To increase your chances of
success, start by changing your organization’s keystone habits, or the habits
that by definition change other habits.
As
a leader try to identify the right moment for the organization to introduce
change and think about crises as opportunities to break old habits and introduce
new ones. In the mist of chaos, people become both increasingly flexible and
willing to rethink “the way things get done around here.”
a leader try to identify the right moment for the organization to introduce
change and think about crises as opportunities to break old habits and introduce
new ones. In the mist of chaos, people become both increasingly flexible and
willing to rethink “the way things get done around here.”
Leaders
of business have a powerful influence on the development of the company’s
culture. You might not be very aware of your culture, or you may just think of
it as “the way we do things around here.” But your company does have
a culture, and it probably reflects your leader’s values for good or bad:
People will have adopted the manager’s behaviors and attitudes toward their
work.
of business have a powerful influence on the development of the company’s
culture. You might not be very aware of your culture, or you may just think of
it as “the way we do things around here.” But your company does have
a culture, and it probably reflects your leader’s values for good or bad:
People will have adopted the manager’s behaviors and attitudes toward their
work.
The
culture of a company is the result of the behavior of its leaders. If you
change their attitudes, their values, their beliefs, their behaviors, you will
change your culture. If you don’t, you will fail. Here are 5 ways leaders can make
forming new habits easier for employees and themselves:
culture of a company is the result of the behavior of its leaders. If you
change their attitudes, their values, their beliefs, their behaviors, you will
change your culture. If you don’t, you will fail. Here are 5 ways leaders can make
forming new habits easier for employees and themselves:
1.
Start Simple
Start Simple
Don’t
try to completely change everything in one day. It is easy to get
over-motivated and take on too much. For example, If you wanted to study two
hours a day, first make the habit to go for thirty minutes and build on that.
try to completely change everything in one day. It is easy to get
over-motivated and take on too much. For example, If you wanted to study two
hours a day, first make the habit to go for thirty minutes and build on that.
2.
Commit to Thirty Days
Commit to Thirty Days
Three
to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can
make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to
sustain. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily
fits in your calendar.
to four weeks is all the time you need to make a habit automatic. If you can
make it through the initial conditioning phase, it becomes much easier to
sustain. A month is a good block of time to commit to a change since it easily
fits in your calendar.
3.
Make it Daily
Make it Daily
Consistency
is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising,
go to the gym every day for your first thirty days. Going a couple times a week
will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days
are trickier to lock in as habits.
is critical if you want to make a habit stick. If you want to start exercising,
go to the gym every day for your first thirty days. Going a couple times a week
will make it harder to form the habit. Activities you do once every few days
are trickier to lock in as habits.
4.
Run it as an Experiment
Run it as an Experiment
Withhold
judgment until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior.
Experiments can’t fail, they just have different results so it will give you a
different perspective on changing your habit.
judgment until after a month has past and use it as an experiment in behavior.
Experiments can’t fail, they just have different results so it will give you a
different perspective on changing your habit.
5.
Be Imperfect
Be Imperfect
Don’t
expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took
me four independent tries before I started exercising regularly. Now I love it.
Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.
expect all your attempts to change habits to be successful immediately. It took
me four independent tries before I started exercising regularly. Now I love it.
Try your best, but expect a few bumps along the way.
The
culture of an organization is learnt over time. It can be taught to new
employees through formal training programs but is more generally absorbed
through stories, myths, rituals, and shared behaviors within teams.
Organizational culture will impact positively or negatively on everything you
try to do whether you want it to or not.
culture of an organization is learnt over time. It can be taught to new
employees through formal training programs but is more generally absorbed
through stories, myths, rituals, and shared behaviors within teams.
Organizational culture will impact positively or negatively on everything you
try to do whether you want it to or not.
Leaders
need to be mindful of their role in creating culture change.
need to be mindful of their role in creating culture change.
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