Get Sally Talking
Sally is a potential superstar. Aside from the excellent job she has done since joining your company she has gone over and above the call of duty to learn other aspects of your growing enterprise. So much so, that she has observed a good number of areas in which her previous employment experience could definitely come in handy.
The problem is no one knows or maybe more to the point, no one cares. You see, Sally has tried making minor suggestions to her manager but they largely get ignored. She is often told, "Oh Sally that's not your job so don't worry about that. That's someone else's responsibility." To which she tucks her tail and heads back down to her cubicle, disappointed and frustrated.
Every time she's met with this resistance her passion for helping the company advance or improve in any way dies just a little bit more. Her boss, an unenthusiastic individual herself, doesn't see the potential in what Sally has to say because she really isn't listening. She's a don't rock the boat kind of manager. She doesn't see herself as much of a change agent and she'll be damn sure one of her underlings won't be seen as one either.
The companies I've had the pleasure of doing some consulting and strategy work with have all had their own Sally's in their midsts. People who are often too scared or too intimidated to offer a suggestion, an idea, or just a simpler, better way of doing things.
Why?
Because in most cases, the right people aren't engaging the right people in conversation. They aren't creating a safe zone for people to really say what's on their minds without fear of retribution or alienation. The greatness in the people a company has hired may never be tapped because the right conversations aren't happening.
How many Sallys are in your organization right now? How many are reporting to managers who are either too lazy or too intimidated by their own employees to help further a cause, solve a problem, or suggest a new innovative way of doing things? If you have an environment like this in your company and you want to put an end to it, let's talk because I know that I can help.
Ripple On!!!