Whenever our firm is implementing change in an organization, we emphasize to the executive and middle managers that truth telling and truth facing will be the hallmark of our process. If the people with whom you are working can’t trust that you’ll tell the truth, you can’t get commitment, and when you make commitment, you build hope…when you keep that commitment, you build trust, when you have trust and commitment, you get ownership of the work performed and results!. Respect guides you to tell the truth and adds momentum to doing the right things well. If you can’t establish respect, you can’t get trust. If no trust, no commitment. If no commitment, results are poor and time is wasted.

It’s difficult for most to embrace changes in the way things need to be done. For business ownership, they are naturally concerned about changes to the way the business got to where it is now, will key personnel quit, the cost, will it really make us better? Thus, for our firm, we establish trust as an immediate goal. We do this by delivering the results intended and by accomplishing what we were hired to do on time and within budget. To establish loyalty to both the company and to the process, we always seek to acknowledge the contribution of others and promote it, both in front of them and in a public forum. Problems are discussed in private, yet we expect that “pride” will not get in the way of a manager or executive apologizing to the targeted parties and doing the obvious “right thing” when an obvious “wrong action” has been done.

Finally, don’t blame someone else when things go wrong. Demonstrate your own accountability to the commitments made to the company. “Step up”, make commitments and accomplish them, treat co-workers with respect, be completely honest in communications, and you’ll not only “get what you measure”, but also, through a defined process for positive change, you will create a powerful workplace, greater profits and revenues!

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