Queen Pin: Information is Power Objectives and Timelines Implementing the Plan Looking Forward Measurable Results
Queen Pin: Information is Power
The director of a government organization called me in to work with his staff of twenty. He reported that there had been
ongoing conflicts specifically related to the poor performance of one manager. He shared with me that this manager,
though skilled in many ways, wouldn't acknowledge that her problematic behaviors were wreaking havoc amongst the other
members of his staff. Further, this manager had tenure and made it clear she wasn't going anywhere. He wanted this
manager to address and change her attitude and behaviors because of their negative impact on others. Specifically,
it was her anger, her passive and overt aggression, and her misuse of power through withholding information that were his
main areas of concern.
Objectives and Timelines
The director and I created clear, measurable objectives and timelines for my consultant role with his organization.
He asked for specific outcomes from my work, including that he needed this manager to share her knowledge with others,
improve her communication skills, be timely with projects, and not be so obstinate.
We designed a plan of action which included that I co-facilitate a series of staff meetings that included this manager
and the other staff members. I would coach these players through various new communication skills and procedures. These
staff meetings would be choreographed carefully by the director and me, so rather than pointing fingers, we could re-frame
the mindset of all present, but especially the angry manager. He needed her to recognize her actions and willingly change.
He did not want to blame her for previous mistakes and bad habits. He just needed these behaviors to change.
That said, he knew that her tendency would be to try to take control of the meeting or at least re-focus it. She could be
formidable. Our planning needed to include skillful interventions that would extinguish her previous negative behaviors,
including her denying or justifying previous problems, hiding her mistakes, being aggressive toward superiors and
subordinates, being moody and volatile, showing favoritism, withholding information, back stabbing, and various other
kinds of covert sabotage and overt misuses of her power.
Implementing the Plan
Through carefully facilitated round table meetings, the whole department talked about the challenges it was facing.
There were issues relating to the department's not meeting its organizational objectives and goals, as well as
communication concerns that came up. These meetings were not easy by any means. Careful facilitation and clearly
agreed-upon guidelines for participation, confidentiality, and respect were established upfront and revisited often.
Established norms and reliable structures (sticking to timelines, taking breaks, following rules, having the facility
support the event) were also very much in place at each meeting. These meetings were thoughtfully choreographed from
start to finish, as well as evaluated and debriefed after the fact to find areas for improvement.
Many times, especially in the first few of the series of meetings, the aggressive manager expressed denial of any and
all wrongdoings. She reported she felt attacked when certain topics were brought up. She showed anger and, at times,
openly wept. She and others expressed a whole range of emotions as we touched on some painful memories and difficult
negotiations. Clarifying longstanding misperceptions and beliefs was TOUGH, but the meetings were framed in such a way
as to be focused on the goal of making things better. The goal was clearly to help the team keep the positive and rework/replace
any negative. Whenever the manager and the team acknowledged struggles, it was received in a supportive, honest way. The
director and I modeled this repeatedly until it became the norm. Despite the time it took to address the intense emotions
that percolated to the surface time and again, all were courageous and committed to engage in this positive approach. All
agreed to make proactive changes for the improvement of this department and the organization as a whole.
For years previously, each member of her staff had learned the painful lesson that it was unwise to directly address the
difficult behaviors displayed by their manager. So confronting this manager in the beginning phases of these round table
sessions was a terrifying experience for many present, but over time, and as sufficient trust with the group was established,
even the most challenging topics were covered. It was apparent that each challenge always seemed to lead back to one of
the bad habits that had been presented by this troubled manager. Through repetition, it became obvious to this manager how
she impacted others. Through her own self-reflection and through cushioned confrontation when it was needed, she reported
to the group that she got the message loud and clear: her behaviors weren't helping. Her team needed her to play fair, be
respectful, communicate openly and honor their feelings and contributions. Further, this manager needed to extinguish her
misbehaviors, as they were actually the cause of so many problems that productivity was suffering.
Looking Forward
Finally, in the last sessions, plans for what to do for the future were begun. A multi-step long-term process to rebuild trust,
make communication better, and improve productivity was created by the group. In these last sessions, the manager and the staff
members were comfortable enough to ask for help, check for understanding, and clarify before misperceptions became serious
issues. In these meetings, the manager and others practiced how to deal with destructive behaviors such as being rude, acting
out, withholding information, etc. The staff and the manager agreed on how to teach each other how to broach these difficult
patterns in the most respectful and professional way. Where previously these hurtful behaviors would have quickly spiraled
feelings out of control and made a situation worse, now there were skills set in place from which all could learn and grow.
The foundation for consistent and sustained positive change and growth existed. Honest communication was improving dramatically.
Trust between all the stakeholders was established. Taboo topics became okay to address in a successful and timely manner, so
that communication and productivity could be leveraged to the fullest. Tension was reduced significantly. Problems were caught
more quickly and redirected toward more fruitful directions. Resolutions to problems were now seen as a normal part of growth
and came more easily. As a result of this exhaustive experience, the department was able to leverage and utilize all the skills
and values this manager had to offer. She became an asset because of her ability to share wisdom, knowledge, and her many skills
with others. She ceased to withhold these talents as her only means of wielding power. Her knowledge and skills became gifts
rather than weapons.
Measurable Results
Post-evaluation feedback showed these measurable results:
- Department members reported experiencing SIGNIFICANTLY less stress.
- Improved communication within the department and across departments freed up considerable time for the manager and her
staff, as well as for the director who had previously been swamped with complaints about this manager.
- The manager opened up and shared her wealth of 16 years of experience, skills, and knowledge, benefiting individuals in
the department and benefiting the organization as a whole.
- Trust became the norm.
- Honest dialogue during scheduled meetings replaced silent whispering campaigns in the hallway.
- People focused more of their energy on solving problems and less time protecting their turf or censoring what they should share.
- Productivity increased. There was measurably more synergy and creativity. Attitudes and performance of all staff members,
the manager, and the director were improved overall.
