What is osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, characterized by the destruction of the cartilage that lines the bone surfaces. Cartilage is a tissue that acts as a "shock absorber" protecting the ends of the bones and promoting joint movement.
When the cartilage surface breaks or wears out, it causes the bones to move against each other and that friction causes severe pain, swelling, and loss of joint movement.
With these data, and making an analogy of what happens in some companies (no matter the type) we can affirm that in many of them, these symptoms are present and with them the lack of results and a low level of leadership to be able to get ahead.
From the organizational point of view, it could be defined that a company that suffers from Osteoarthritis, has as its main characteristic “a shortage in the ability to face the new reality that they have to live (environment, competition, behaviors) etc., and maintain strong action paradigms based on yesterday's successes ”. We could say that they show absolute RIGIDITY in all their structure of thought and action.
The most forceful example of whether your company suffers from this condition can be seen in a simple way through a SWOT analysis, or an Operational Diagnosis that also implies a serious 360º analysis of its Chief Executives. Rest assured, these tools will give you the best diagnosis and Assertiveness to be able to act accordingly and in such a case establish your cure.
The results that these tools commonly show when a company is under the effects of this disease are some of the following:
- Lack of innovation: Marketing, technology, processes, human, products, etc. Little investment in Training and Personnel Development. Little investment in Information Technology (IT) Error and mistakes are punished instead of learning from them. Pressure is exerted to be permanently successful. Operating results decrease gradually and permanently. Taxation is privileged instead of personal influence. Low level of commitment due to the notable drop in the level of influence of the leaders. Conservative directors, with inability to take risks and notably insecure to make decisions. Executives and collaborators with little vision of the future and little committed to the purpose and vision of the business. Fear of error and criticism, punishing failures and annihilating the initiative.(Permission is requested to make any decision.) Excessive bureaucracy and too slow for Decision Making. Robust organization charts instead of agile and flexible structures. Little capacity to delegate. Culture hung on "yesterday's triumphs". Very high resistance to change and consequently high generation of paralysis.
If you identify any of these symptoms in your company, you may be suffering from Osteoarthritis, and it is necessary to give you URGENT treatment before the matter becomes complicated, with the consequences of which are all known; LOW PROFITABILITY, LOSS OF MARKET, BUSINESS CRISIS.
Fortunately, this disease, as in medicine, has treatment, but it is required in principle that the “Company or the Patient” has the will to want to be cured and this exclusively concerns the Business Steering Committee, which must become aware of the condition and consequently make the corresponding decisions, if you want to get out of this problem.
Some actions that must be taken to get out of this diagnostic box are, among other things:
- Redefinition of a Reconversion model in all areas of the company: It implies having the idea in all areas of working a behavior change model that allows to simplify, refine and make efficient the processes and operational actions in flexible and less rigid models, that requires Leaders with absolute commitment to ensure change. Design the model that favors the commitment of the people: It implies improving the level of relationships of the Leaders with their followers, which requires training at the highest level in this matter and especially at the 360º level. Create a climate of trust that encourages decision-making and risk taking: Understand that the only way to improve is to "learn by doing". Remember:"Experience is nothing if it is not evaluated." Invest in human capital formation: Invest in personnel education and training, as part of the strategy at the service of change and evolution. It is imperative to improve knowledge management and take it as the basis for generating the changes that will have to be made to adjust to a "new reality and a new environment". Generate a culture of change and innovation in the company:This implies learning about the behavior of the market and customers, as well as developing products and services that adapt to their needs, based on quality, price and product availability. This requires being permanently in contact with the market, and learning from competitors (Benchmarking), which also requires investment. Coordinate actions that improve the Labor Climate: It is to ENSURE that the atmosphere offered by the company to carry out all the reconversion work generates the necessary confidence in the personnel and offers the guarantees that it will give them the necessary resources to solve in times of Crisis any need that is required to improve job performance.Constantly evaluate the leadership management of those who have this responsibility: Make the necessary adjustments so that the performance of the leaders is consistent with the purpose and vision of your company. Constantly measure this management activity and I am sure you will be surprised when you see the level of inconsistency between both parties, which demands the attention of the highest level of business management. Do not stop forming Leaders, understand that it is the only thing that can get you out of your crises and sufferings when they arise:The responsibility to carry out the Plan, to generate influence on others to achieve the assurance of results, is the sole responsibility of the leaders. They are empowered to unite teams, to clearly communicate the messages required to generate change and, above all, to multiply efforts instead of adding together. Invest in this process if you want to go far and always have a budget that guarantees your growth and development.
Undoubtedly, many more things can be done, but with the aforementioned you have enough to be able to prepare a plan for reconversion of your business and as a consequence, position myself much better in the market where you participate.
If you require support, as I always reiterate that you do not hesitate to contact us, I am sure that we can put at your disposal, several ideas that will allow you to improve substantially in your processes and achieve an absolutely different mental change, in those who have the obligation to lead correctly each area in your business.
