Make sure you transplant the Sapling – not the Tree

Posted by John on Oct 30, 2011 in self-confidence at work | 0 comments

A friend of mine had had a long and successful career in a major UK multinational. He had progressed from team leader in marketing and through a number of vertical and sideways (of his own choice!) moves, became Regional Operations Director. His final position was CEO of one of their subsidiaries.

In what I’ve heard described as ‘de-layering’, ‘rationalisation’ and ‘shake-out; he volunteered to take a redundancy payment. He didn’t have to leave – he chose to. The reason was to fulfil a long held ambition; to set up on his own to share his skills, advising owner managers on the running of their businesses. He was drawn to the role of Non-Executive Director. However, when he approached some of the agencies, he got something of a shock.

They told him that because of his multinational background, he would find it difficult getting NED roles with smaller companies. His experience was not transferable. In the end he called on his marketing background and identified the benefits he could bring to the smaller businesses, having had such a varied career. He knew what ideas and processes he could transfer effectively and knew the ones that he couldn’t. He wasn’t going to suggest otherwise. This approach worked and he took on the kind of NED roles he’d been looking for.

This contrasts somewhat with another person I met recently. He also had a multinational company background and left to set up business manufacturing bespoke office furniture with a staff of 20. He called me in to help with team development. In the course of one of our early conversations, he expressed disappointment with one particular member of staff, who had problems with their time-keeping. I listened, whilst he explained the issues; the frequency of the lateness, how he responded and how the employee ‘retaliated’. After a while I asked the question, “What do you want?” There was a silence, which I let him eventually fill. His answer quite surprised me. “I want him to show me respect as a Company Director.”

You see this client had come from a company where the employee lift stopped short of the ‘Directors’ floor’ (unless you had the key). They had a very directive management style. Everyone had their place. Then suddenly he found himself running a team of 20 and blindly expecting to transplant the culture of the multinational and have it take root, without any problems.

Over the following weeks we worked together on a plan involving him in identifying what had worked in the past and to what extent it would work in the new environment. Not only did we work on a plan, my client put it into action. He even decided to re-paint his ‘Director’ car parking space and designate it as one for ‘Visitors’. Given further support, he was able to dismiss the ‘outward signs of inward success’ ethos and refocus his priorities.

I know it’s a maxim I’ve talked about before, but repeat here once again. Success in business is down to 70% people and 30% process. Not the other way around. Management energy and focus should be in the same proportions.