A tool, my kingdom for a tool

People who resist new programs because they appear to require a lot of effort, brain power and behavior out of their competence, confidence and comfort zone will be more open to an easily usable and disruptive tool that immediately produces positive results.

Why?

Usually the people who come up with these grand new programs are not the ones charged with executing them. The people who come up with them are "higher ups" or even worse, outside consultants/vendors. And both groups are frequently seen as being out of touch with what the rank and file/lower downs have to contend with just to get their current jobs done.

Then add this to the frequent complaint from the rank and file/lower downs that higher ups and consultants, a) do not appreciate all the details and weeds that they must deal with just to get their present work done and b) also have an attitude of not wanting to know.  When you do that you have a recipe for the rank and file/lower downs smiling from the neck up -- so as not to tick off the higher ups or their hired consultants -- while privately thinking, "Here we go again.  A lot of work on top of what I already have to do and get done that probably won't make any difference, just like the prior programs."

It's not that the rank and file/lower downs are resistant to programs.  It's that they are resistant to putting out a lot of effort, that only adds stress to their current responsibilities, for something in which the perceived value is dubious.

It was because of this observation from our working with companies and organizations for several decades that we realized the same people who are less than enthusiastic about trying a new program will try a new tool which is simple and easy to use that immediately gives positive, recognizable and worthwhile results as seen by those using it.

This has led to our distilling from our years of experience simple, but not simplistic, tools that change culture, engage employees and customers, cause cross cultural cooperation and collaboration and actually increase "buy in," follow through, adoption and internalization of larger programs.

Three disruptive "tools" that we are already using with companies and organizations are:

1. Culture Change Tool - this is something that when used spontaneously, and we mean immediately, shifts negative and resistant mindsets into positive and cooperative ones.
2. Customer and Employee Survey Tool - this is a simple tool that finds out what your employees and customers really think of you and has a response rate of 75+% compared to usual surveys where the response is much lower.  Here is the kicker however.  Your customers and employees will tell you what you need to know about how they view your company.  But when they do it, you need to be committed to being responsive to it.  Otherwise they will just think they have been had again.
3. Cross Cultural Cooperation and Collaboration Tool - this causes different cultures (genders, generations, nationalities) to immediately connect via a something they all have in common.

And your takeaway?

When you're running into resistance to programs, consider starting with a tool that is simple to use and that delivers the promised results.  And then having such a positive experience, people will be more open to other tools and even programs you might have.

To find out more about about Heartfelt Leadership's disruptive tools, contact us at: info@hfleader.com.