"Governing is not easy and much less, doing it well" says the Spanish speaker and writer Fernández Aguado.
Fernández Aguado is the author of the book "Organizational pathologies" in which he describes the different diseases that an organization can suffer from. When I read this book I immediately wanted to put into practice what the author was explaining and it is for those that I decided, to carry out a survey in a company (of which I reserve the name). The results are not encouraging, but the important thing is that after this research there is a diagnosis and executives have the option of applying the treatment to cure it.
In a sample of 10 employees from different departments and from different ranges, the following results were found.
When asked about the problems the company suffers, they answered the following:
- Of the 10 samples, 10 identified that there was job discouragement. Of the 10 samples, 4 said that there was a lack of acceptable, positive and exciting challenges for the organization. Of the 10 samples, 8 said that they were not involved in the projects. Of the 10 samples, 8 said that there is little Communication and interaction between groups of different natures and little activity within their group. Of the 10 samples, 2 said that market share had been lost, 2 identified that successive restructuring is carried out without clearly explaining the same
When asked about the causes they believed caused the aforementioned problems, they answered the following:
- Of the 10 samples, 8 said that there is no strategic plan Of the 10 samples, 10 said that there is an absence of a motivational policy on the part of the human resources department Of the 10 samples, 6 said that there is an inefficient management style Of the 10 samples, 8 said that there are scarce remuneration and compensation programs Of the 10 samples, 6 said that there is a loss of resources with respect to the past, especially regarding the talent of their professionals. Of the 10 samples, 6 said that there is an absence of reconciliation policies., that allows harmonizing the different realities (specifically those of the family environment with the work environment)
Given the problems and possible causes, it can be said that the institution in question suffers from Organizational Depression, a disease that the author of the book defines as follows: “Organizations mired in crisis, unable to cope with changes (in the environment, customers, competitors, regulation…). Feeling of general discouragement, with lack of impulse or energy when facing their daily activities or future challenges ”.
The author of the book lists a series of treatments that can work for this "disease", some of them are:
- Elaboration of a strategic plan that contains the minimum aspects that allow to visualize, to the whole organization, "the course and destination" that is being pursued. As many people as possible should participate in this development (participation may itself be a vaccine against depression). Appropriate model of human resource management that is at the service of the strategic plan and that fosters, among other aspects, a culture of commitment, an exciting remuneration and compensation policy (not always in the economic sphere, I add) and the incorporation of talent from abroad (if the required profile does not exist among the employees, I add).Design of a management style that promote the established values: Commitment, enthusiasm, recognition, etc. (not only by the highest authority,but from all levels of management, I add) Empowerment of the areas or departments with the greatest contact with the exterior. Implementation of a benchmarking philosophy, of systematic market studies.
These drawbacks are not exclusive to this institution, in my country (Dominican Republic) the majority of state-owned companies and many private ones, have non-binding management models, which translates into little commitment on the part of employees towards the company, and therefore in organizational depression and many other illnesses that this book by Fernández Aguado helps us identify.
The most important thing of all is that once you have the diagnosis and treatment suggestions, companies are ready to apply them, but not irrationally, they must do so in the company of a coach, or an advisor, so that the application is made within the framework of objectivity that permeates the fact that these two figures do not have a direct link with the company.
The company that we investigated has an advantage, because it already has the diagnosis, it is up to it whether or not to apply the corrective measures.
