Are you working in Pleasantville...?

 ... and you feel you want to release the rebell in you...?

“The number one managerial objective in most big firms should be creating a revolution” (Professor John Kotter, Harvard Business School)

Pleasantville

Pleasantville is a movie, mostly in black and white, where the plot is a brother (Bud) and sister (Mary Sue) who are magically transported back into the 1950 world of sitcom. Life In Pleasantville is, yes you guessed it,…..pleasant. Dinner is served at 17.45 sharp. Everybody is always wholesome and cheerful. Nothing ever goes wrong in Pleasantville…

Geography lessons at the local high school are limited to subjects like "Main Street" and "Elm Street" because the world literally ends at the city limits.

Inspired by the insights from Bud and Mary Sue from the 90’s the people of Pleasantville slowly turns into colour when they realise there is a world outside the city limits of Pleasantville and different kinds of pleasure.

The kids at school are the first to start appearing in colors. They're curious and ready to change. They pepper Bud with questions. "What's outside of Pleasantville?" they ask. "There are places," he says, "where the roads don't go in a circle”.
Others are more reluctant to the change and refuses to see the possibilities with colors. Why change a black and white world that always is so….. pleasant…..?
(source: rogerebert.com)

Challenge the normal

Is this where you work? In "Pleasantoffice". Everyone is happy and excited. One big family. Nothing is wrong. All are polite. No one raises his voice. No criticism. Ideas are being put in the box outside HR. Anonymously of course.

Because your employees hesitate to challenge the “normal”. To challenge management. Few people dare, or want, to come up with new ideas. Ideas about the business.

Ideas that are born, fed and, when mature, contributes to improvement. Where employees questions the status quo. Where employees want to participate. To be involved. To be able to influence. Where change is a possibility and not a threat.

Where you measure performance in other than numbers. "But" says the number fascist. "What you cannot measure, you cannot manage" But how do you measure engagement and creativity?

In Pleasantville no one has been out of town. The town ends at the city limits. Where, the dark scary forest begins. In "Pleasantoffice" they say, "We know how to do it" No influence from the outside pleeeease…

Creativity

What do I hear! You want to attend a course that is not about your job! Absolutely not! Out of the question!

Creativity is the ability to put together two existing ideas. To create a brand new idea. Necessity is the mother of invention, a Swedish expression says.

You lose your job. Then you have to think and change. Think outside the famous box. Whoever put you there... What can you do besides what you have been working with your whole life? You start thinking outside the box.

When life rolls on and you are relatively happy with your situation. Then there is no need to be too creative. It is better to let things be as they are. What if there will be changes and you are one of the losers?. No, it's better to crouch and smile...

The lunch is always served 12.00 and always tastes great. In Pleasantoffice. The same menu every week. But who cares. You recognize the flavors. Or is it the lack of flavors….?

What about if you did attend the course? Sure, it has nothing to do with your job. For the moment anyway. But in a month, a year, it might. Who knows. And how will anyone know today? The course is part of the puzzle. Working puzzle or puzzle of life. It may be “the” piece you’re missing. The one piece that allows you to make a difference. In your job and in your life ..

Did you blow all that money...? On IT...?

So you're the boss in Pleasantoffice? You invested heavily in IT. The solutions that would rock your world and leave the competition in the dust behind you? Sure, it is a matter of keeping up with your competitors but ... You missed a critical part. To listen to those facing your customers. Those who have contact with the world outside Pleasantoffice.

They did try to tell you that color and not black and white is "the new black". The roads don't go in a circle outside Pleasantoffice.

How much did you lose? Because you had to write-off and start all over again. Around EUR 400 mio?. Because you yourself “know” how to do it.

Your employees are tired. Tired of not being invited. To be involved. That you are not listening. That you do not have the ability to encourage creativity.

What’s the write-off for uninvolved and non creative employees? More than EUR 400 mio? Perhaps EUR 800 mio. Difficult to estimate. Difficult to measure

Excuses, excuses...

You cannot change right now? You make too much money, not enough money. You have ongoing important projects, you fire and you hire. Your employees are so special. They cannot coop with change...

Actually change is always badly timed. If you’re not in the driver seat of course. Then it’s different…
I can see you have high staff turnover. They did not fit into your company ..? .. OK ...? Because their thinking was different than yours. They did think in a different way? Tough luck…!

People leave managers not the company

It is demanding to run a business. But you can ask for help. As people do when it's tough. Employees love to be asked to help out. To be involved and to influence. Contribute with their expertise. Feeling competent. Being part of something big.

You are responsible for running the show. Ensuring that the company makes a profit. To keep shareholders happy. To attract competent people to your company. People are drawn to strong brands. With good reputation.

But people do not leave the company. They often choose to leave the manager. What happens if key persons leave your company. Or those who "do not fit" according to your standards. If customers are leaving because of the turmoil in the company? If competition runs ahead of you? What will happen to your job?

Fear

Changes goes faster and faster. We react in different ways to change. Some managers can implement changes and staff is dancing on the tables of joy. Others do not have the same ability, sending negatives vibes. The organization is concerned because change is scary. Change is negative. Before I know how I am affected. If my job is at risk.

It's time to change your mindset. To let go. Listen to new ideas. Listen to the rebels. Because that's how you see them. Pesky types with ideas and different views. The ones that don’t fit into your picture of reality.

Step out of your office. Talk to people. Get a feeling for what’s going on. Check what other departments think about you. What kind of ideas they have for your department? The longer you work in the same place the more blind you become. You can´t see the forest for the trees

Let your employees set the agenda

Why is it so difficult to change? We all have our own, or others', ideas about change. No matter who’s idea, there is one common word that explains it.
The word is spelled FEAR. Fear of changing the status quo. Losing your position. Being afraid that someone else will take over. If their ideas are encouraged, instead of yours.

• Invite your employees to management meetings.

• Let your employees set the agenda for the next meeting. I can assure you it will be a different meeting. You will realize things are not really the way you think they are in your organization.

• Before you bring in outside expertise. Check with your employees. They would love to help. You will increase engagement. Did not work? OK, but you did give it a try…

Picture courtesy to Tom Fishburne

Forget the tech race for a moment

Forget about technical solutions for a while. Forget apps, big data, etc.. All tech. solutions supposed to make you a winner. Look around you. Who among your employees have ideas? Who is creative? Who wants to be involved in developing? Not everyone wants to. It's perfectly natural. But let those who want to do it.

What’s the passion
Communication is difficult. Few are the managers who get the gold medal in KYE, Know Your Employee. Managers, in general, don’t know their employees to well.
What do you know about their passion? It could be found hidden away in the CV because It’s not considered “important for the job”. What’s their passion? Outside the office. What’s their interest outside office hour’s. Can it be used in the business?

Work on your ego
Can you "create" creative employees? Hardly. But you can create an environment encouraging creativity. You must be prepared to change the way you lead. Change the negative elements being parts of your ego. The elements having you protect your position. If you are confident and let others join in. Then you don’t have to defend yourself. Your position is obvious.

Motivational Speaker
Communication problem when employees are dissatisfied? When you cannot deal with the situation. Motivational speaker usually works you might think. Sometimes yes and sometimes no. They can be your stand ups joking about the issue. So everyone understands. In a funny way. That things are not as they should.

Well prepared by management. Witty and with plenty of irony the performance is a success !! But then what? In one corner, management. Convinced all employees understands how they think and what is needed. In the other corner, the employees.

Convinced that management finally understands the issue and is prepared to deal with it. Two groups of people with big hopes.

Next day. High expectations about the plan how to work with the issues. Nothing happens. Do not worry. Not much will change. Who will take the first step? And then you wait and wait… It will soon be forgotten. It usually takes a few weeks then it’s business as usual…

Another day in Pleasantoffice ....

Let out the rebel in you!

There’s a rebel in all of us. In managers as in employees. The majority of us want to make a difference. We want to think differently. To do different. Today's heroes in the business world are rebels such as Richard Branson He’s the businessmen's role model. Business rebels dare to take risks. They act quickly. They are not afraid of losing their position.

You are the boss. There’s a rebel in you. Dare questioning the status quo. Be creative. Dare to challenge your managers. Your Board of Directors. Get involved. Challenge the structure. Ask your employees for their views. What they think of you as a manager. How they would act. If they were managers.

Where does the best ideas pop up? Where are you most creative? Hardly at work, I assume ...

Do not copy your superiors. You will climb the career ladder anyway. Do not change your personality. Because you do want to be a rebel. You do want to be the one who makes a difference! Come on boss, you can do it !! Along with those you lead.

You will meet resistance. From your managers. You will be the hero among your employees. You’re on the same side. You want to do differently. To do better.

The new Black
To think and do differently is the new black (ehhh .. the new color ...) in Pleasantoffice. Continue to develop your tech strategy. Encourage your employees. Be brave to change. To challenge the status quo.

Are you considered a fox in the hen house? Because you are trying to do differently? Then maybe Plesantoffice isn’t the right place for you to work anyway…

Your mission.

• Consider how you want to be remembered by your employees
• Consider how you want to be remembered as a parent
• Consider how you want to be remembered by your friends.

At work you’re one person. With your family you’re another. Your friends do not understand the bad mouthing about you from the people in your office. To them you’re nothing like that.
Think about it. Who would you like to be? Who does others want you to be? How will you resolve the issue?

"I want to be .... Oh, I do not have time to change now. Too much work and deadlines to meet... .. ;-)

That’s a pity. You would have made it… ;-)

Last advice. Buy a magazine, or two, covering subjects you know nothing about or you have never heard about. Read them and merge your new ideas with your knowledge...

It could awaken your slumbering creativity...

I am the founder of The Pitch Factory.lu. I've been working in the banking industry for 30 years and lost my job 3, no 4 times, (but the 4th was not my fault...) and missed out on different opportunities for various reasons. Rebel? Yes! My passion is Change, Creativity and Egos. Check in at http://thepitchfactory.lu/ for more info about how I can change your world to "The new Black"!