In my career so far, I can perhaps indulge in a small humblebrag about the number of people I have coached and the many different perspectives I have had the opportunity to hear, from business owners and C-suite leaders to the people who work across organisations in general.
What I have observed is that there can be a significant polarity between those perspectives, as well as between expectations. Balancing two worlds that should be working towards a common goal, yet often end up colliding, is a demanding task, but I would argue that senior leadership and business owners need to be aware that what they expect or perceive can be very different from how their teams experience things. I firmly believe it is their responsibility to open their eyes and sharpen their skills in order to meet and understand the people doing the everyday heavy lifting that often goes unseen.
The people’s needs
I had one particularly interesting case that illustrates what I mentioned earlier. A not-so-large organisation displayed a striking polarity – senior management was rigorously trying to impose processes and KPIs, while the people in the field were baffled by the high expectations, the vague explanations of how they were expected to work, and the apparent lack of leadership skills. I had many tasks there, but the most profound insight I can share is how amazed you would be by the different language people use and the contrasting ways they perceive the company, depending on which side they are on.
Senior management has an entirely different point of view and, often, they lose touch with how the company operates in practice. They don’t always fully understand the needs of the people on the ground, which tend to be simple and humane: guidance, respect, and understanding. Yet, in the pursuit of KPIs, it is common to lose sight of the simplicity of the human system within the organisation.
At one point, someone in a team told me very directly that they didn’t care what happened in upper management and shouldn’t be burdened by management’s problems. Some might take issue with this attitude, but it is not entirely untrue. People on the ground have work to do, and if you overwhelm them with management issues, they simply won’t care. Treat them poorly, and they may stop caring even about the tasks they are responsible for.
I’m not suggesting that this is a reason to celebrate a lack of engagement, but there is a very simple trade-off: provide people with a fair paycheck, respect, and clear work obligations, and they will deliver what is expected of them.
The business needs
Behind every company, there is an idea – a problem they set out to solve. Many start with a noble motivation: how to make a difference or fix something. But as the idea scales and the company grows, the goals often become so focused on growth and profit that the original purpose can get lost. Profit is usually equated with the company’s success; it is treated as a singular measure. And let’s not be naive – without financial gain, there would be no company.
There is, however, a significant caveat: finances are deeply connected to the human system. If the core humane idea behind the company is lost, the people who work for you may lose touch with it – or may never even understand the motivation behind your solution.
So, when you consider a company’s needs, always think of them in combination with the human system and the needs of the people. There’s a reason why so much emphasis is placed on investing in your people, using tools such as team-building, recognition, benefits, and more. But let’s not forget: even the most lavish team-building event won’t make people feel they belong if they are belittled while at work. The joke about the mandatory pizza party is not a joke anymore. There are companies that think this fixes something, and to be honest it deserves all the memes it gets. You can’t establish a culture with a pizza party.
What’s the solution
If two people speak different languages, how will they learn to communicate? Quite simply, by learning each other’s language. The same principle applies in organisations: confusion often arises when communication is unclear, and it is the company’s responsibility to address this from the bottom down.
People won’t be confused about what is expected of them if things are set up correctly. When introducing something new or setting new goals, you need to show them why it matters and how it can be achieved. A document outlining a process rarely helps. A report showing the profit they are expected to achieve doesn’t motivate them. Even a speech or a pizza party won’t solve it.
What does help is management that can clearly explain expectations and the path to achieving them. And remember this: managers who don’t know or understand what day-to-day life in the organisation looks like are not suitable to lead. You need to roll up your sleeves and see for yourself what happens in practice. When you do this, and treat your people with respect, they will better understand your motivation and, ultimately, will be glad to achieve the targets you set. But for the financial side to succeed, you must first embrace the human system.