My son didn’t like what he heard from me, so he went to his mom and got the answer he wanted. We call this “the end-run” but it also happens in business. Ever experience dissention in your organization where employees sided with one leader over the other? It’s like a reality show where alliances are created to overtake the other party.
Does your company act like a reality show?
How Are You Parenting?
As parents of the organization, the leadership team has to be on the same page and speak the same language, especially the Visionary (usually CEO) and Integrator (usually COO). If they are not, similar to children in a family, the troops will divide and conquer. For a company to be healthy, the Visionary and Integrator have to be on the same page!
Same Page Meeting
It’s really a Process issue and it starts with Communication. In EOS, we recommend the Same Page Meeting. As the Visionary and Integrator, this could be the single most important thing these two individuals can do . . . to represent a united front so the vision is crystal clear. Then the team can determine how to get there and what everyone’s role is in getting there.
The Same Page Meeting has a simple agenda with the main objective of ensuring the Visionary and Integrator hash out differences and getting on the same page instead of arguing in front of their team or giving mixed signals. As illustrated in Mark Winters’ video, the 3 agenda items are 1) Check-in, 2) Build Issues List, 3) IDS.
- Check-in: Start on a personal note and see how each of you are doing.
- Build Issues List: Be open and honest on what the issues are and list them out.
- IDS: Follow the Identify, Discuss, and Solve process.
When you follow this simple process, it helps resolve any open issues that’s creating friction in the company, resulting in more alignment across the organization and a clear direction for the team.
Functional Parents
Imagine a healthy home environment where you and your spouse are completely in sync and your kids are behaving in the way both of you have envisioned. They get the same exact answer regardless of which parent they go to. Translate that to your business that you’re parenting. What would it look like if you and your 2nd in command or partners were completely in sync and your employees knew exactly where the company is going, how to get there, and their part in it?
If you’re the Visionary, are you and your Integrator speaking the same language, representing a united front in front of your team? Or is your team confused and know how to work around the situation by going to the one that will favor them for their own personal gain?
How healthy is your Visionary and Integrator relationship?
When was the last time you had a Same Page Meeting?
Take the Organizational Checkup to gauge the health of your company! For more information on creating a healthy business lifestyle, read about the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).
To Your Business Health!