My staff can’t see we’re on a sinking ship. Help!

Dear Aunty B,

I have an unusual problem and would like you to have a stab at it please.

I am part of a very successful company that just celebrated its 20th anniversary. We have a great culture and everyone feels very proud to be associated with the company. So while that is great to come to work every day and see that, and I am the envy of my mates when I talk about where I work, I can also see a train wreck about to happen.

People can see the market place is changing and they talk about that. But they keep doing things the same way because that’s the way we have always done things, and it would cost too much to do things differently that we don’t know would work.

So now that things are heading downhill everyone is blaming the economy. But it’s not that. Mates in other companies in our industry are doing better. The worst part is that when I keep pointing out that we are in trouble, people accuse me of being disloyal.

I feel like I am in a parallel universe on a sinking ship and the real world is going on somewhere else and I can see that but my staff can’t. Or are they right to just dig in and rely on past success?

Dean,
WA

Dear Dean,

You say the problem is unusual. But it’s far more common than you think. Take my industry. You could be describing News and Fairfax!

There is a great book by Jim Collins called How the Mighty Fall. In it he describes the “markers” of decline. One describes your company beautifully. It starts off with just three words: success, entitlement, arrogance. He goes on to explain that success is viewed as deserved rather than fleeting or hard-earned in the face of incredible odds. People begin to believe that success will continue no matter what the organisation decides to do, or not do.

There is another relevant marker which is Decline in Learning organisation. This occurs when leaders lose the inquisitiveness and learning orientation that mark great leaders who no matter how successful they become, maintain a learning curve as steep as when they first began their careers.

So in a nutshell, my friend, you are on a sinking ship and they – and you – are right not to dig in and rely on past success. Here is your time to shine. Don’t be destructive, but constantly couch things in a way that takes into account past successes and frame new ideas as “part of the journey”.

Look for people who can understand and focus on converting them and getting them to convert others. Keep on fighting the good fight because companies need more people like you and less like those arrogant leaders who have stopped listening, learning and asking why.

Be smart,
your Aunty B

To read more Aunty B advice, click here.

Email your questions, problems and issues to auntyb@smartcompany.com.au right now!