Your thoughts and comments are welcome, as always.
This one was fun because I chose to use some patterns of spiritual and religious organizations and put them into a corporate context.
It also fit fairly well into my blog context: Why do we do what we do, and how can we do better?
If this is you too, Leave me a comment of ideas for other posts, or thoughts that you have!
Enjoy!
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Sustainability: Conversion, Activation, and Retention
In thinking about what makes a sustainable organization, my
mind was drawn towards a broadcast that I have viewed and studied multiple times
and contains great insight into what makes an organization sustainable. I have
seen the necessary process is the business world, as well as in a religious
setting, in which this broadcast was made. I firmly believe that the principles
of conversion, activation, and retention are crucial to a sustainable
organization. In my current employment, I seek to ensure that this process is covered.
Too often, managers are concerned only with making the numbers, reaching the
goals, filling the seats, or other similar terms. The ultimate struggle for
sustainability can be overcome by understanding the mantra “Any investigator
worthy of baptism becomes a convert worthy of saving” (Hinckley, 1999). In a business setting this has
similar connotations to saying any client worthy of having becomes a long-term
relationship worthy of retaining. If businesses focused on retention and
attrition as much as finding and meeting, real growth can occur. In the same
vein, a manager must have sustainable employees to ensure a compatible and
sustainable future.
In the broadcast,
there are three points that the speaker makes to ensure an able retention of
the individual, and though they are given in a religious context, I feel them
to be most agreeable to a business setting with minor renditions. He mentions
three aspects of making sure that one who enters the covenant or partnership,
or organization needs three things. A friend, a responsibility, and
nourishment from the good word of God (Hinckley,
1999).
Again, in a
business setting, these can be seen very similar.
A Friend: To be a leader who seeks sustainable growth, one must have the
strengths of friendship: Humility (Collins, 2005), seeking for the interests of
others or reducing self-interest (Duska, 2004), valued relationships and high
levels of trust (Saunders, 2007), and directing compassion towards difficult
conversations (Engels, 2007). The value of a true friend knows of the necessity
of having these.
A Responsibility: A leader who seeks to understand the
responsibilities of the profession and act accordingly is the epitome of
professionalism. If a leader can envision in his or her staff an acceptance
that the work that they are doing holds real value, and that they are truly a
part of the organization, this will bring about true results. Being
professional is not only a way to avoid ethical breakdowns (Duska, 2005) but is
a way to have your career as an extension of who you are and part of your moral
code. If that leader can then ensure that the products or services offered can
truly benefit those they service, they are holding true to the responsibility
given to that organization. A majority of businesses have some sort of
responsibility to give to the world, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
As the manager brings that responsibility to the employees, and the
organization brings it to the world, it creates a pattern for sustainability.
As individuals of the organization realize the crucial part that they can play
as they are given the opportunity, they become vibrant and not stagnant, which
is a force of sustainability.
Nourishment from the good word of God: Hear me out on this one. This can mean various
principles in the model of what I am discussing. But on even the most basic
level of life, to create sustainability, there must be nourishment— a source of
vital nutrients that provide the object what it needs. In the business context,
it can mean at least two things.
Relating to the
last one, one must have nourishment in the sense of understanding that he or
she still has purpose in the organization. Having love, trust, and
responsibility are good. In order to go further in the step of sustainability,
one must have constant nourishment. This can come in the way of communication,
feedback, feedforward, counseling, heeding instructions, or hearing and
understanding the words of those above us. It can also be seen as the hard part
in both religious and business settings - Calling someone to repentance or
change. Nourishment can be uncomfortable and helpful at the same time.
Another way of receiving nourishment is ensuring that the
right nutrients are coming from the right sources and sustaining the right
things. Eating to be full and eating to be nourished and sustained are two
different processes that receive two different results.
There are different types of learning: Informal and formal, developed
vs. Ad Hoc, and learner-driven vs. organization-driven (Pannoni & Ricketts,
2010). All of these may provide certain needed guidance at certain needed
times, but a sustainable-seeking leader will ensure that the right nourishment
is given at the proper times. The dosages of discipline, the measurements of
mercy, the recipes of responsibilities, and the conditions of counseling all
rest on the sustainable leader.
I believe that a leader who constantly seeks the attributes of a friend, understands the
power of responsibility, and knows the sources of nourishment and how to
deliver them will be able to create true, sustainable growth.
Collins, J. (2005). Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of
Humility and Fierce Resolve. (cover story). Harvard Business Review, 83(7/8),
136-146.
Duska, R. F. (2004). SIX CURES FOR CURRENT ETHICAL
BREAKDOWNS. Journal Of Financial Service Professionals, 58(3),
23-26.
Engels, J. J. (2007). Delivering Difficult Messages. Journal
Of Accountancy, 204(1), 50-52.
Hinckley, Gordon B. (21 Feb, 1999). Satellite
Broadcast “Find the lambs, feed the sheep”. Retrieved from: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/find-the-lambs-feed-the-sheep?lang=eng
PANNONI, R., & RICKETTS, G. (2010). A New Taxonomy for Learning. Chief Learning Officer, 9(8), 32-35.
Saunders, D. (2007). Create an Open Climate for
Communication. American Salesman, 52(11), 25-29.
Trunk, O. (2014). Conversion, Attrition, and Retention Creating a sustainable organization
Hey that is good stuff. A good leader is clearly what is needed to sustain any organization. Hugh Nibley gave a speech at BYU once entitled "Leaders and Managers" (elsewhere it was entitled "Leaders to Managers the Fatal Shift"). You know it's going to be a good speech when he begins by saying “We have met here today clothed in the black robes of a false priesthood.” He goes on to talk about the many differences between leaders and managers. He mentions among other things the "Law of Injelitance" which is "Managers do not promote individuals whose competence might threaten their own position." This spreads of course until the whole organization is ruined. Here is a link to the speech http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=578.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. I really like the talk that you referenced by Hugh Nibley. The intro is definitely classic. I also like the story that he tells about an assignment to compare and relate to a person from the Pearl of Great Price, and a student says he has to be honest and say Cain because of his continually seeking for worldly wealth. Great reference. Thanks for bringing it up... I had forgotten about that one until you reminded me of it.
Thanks!