Tuesday June 24, 2014
by DR MICHAEL HEAH
Question:
My company has just undergone a painful phase of cost-cutting and restructuring in order to keep our business afloat. In the process of doing so, we have lost a number of people whom we had to let go. The remaining employees that are still here,were somewhat shocked and unsettled with what they saw happening.
I know that life in the organisation is going to be different now. On top of that, the owners of the company have promoted me to become the new head of department.
This is a big load on me now, as I have to rebuild the whole organisation again. I am currently in the midst of forming a plan to do so. What do you think I should be considering at this stage?
Answer:
Firstly, you’ll want to see that everyone has put the past behind them, and is now directing their energy towards a new chapter in the organisation’s future. In moving forward, this usually means going into the area where your organisation wants to participate and chart the pathway there.
The logical way to begin is by setting a clear vision, with pragmatic strategies on how to get there. This is best done when you have completed adequate research into what the current and future opportunities and challenges are.
Let’s take this as an example: You want your organisation to be a high quality player in the field of cosmetics that caters to the 20-30-years-old age group.
The opportunity that exists is probably a huge market of potential users among this generation, but the challenges could be the short interest span your target market has, as they are fickle-minded, adventurous, and constantly on the lookout for something new.
This may imply that your organisation will have to be constantly brainstorming and innovating for new or improved products, to excite this generation of users. Once this is clear, then all your team’s energy should be united to deliver this goal.
Doing this will ensure that everyone and every process is aligned to achieve this common objective.
Powerful Questions You Can Ask Yourself:
• What made it necessary for your organisation to undertake the recent restructuring?
• What lessons did you learn from this exercise?
• How can this be converted into a new vision for the organisation?
• What is the common area that could unite everyone’s efforts?
Article by Dr Michael Heah, an ICF Master Certified Coach with www.corporate-coachacademy.com