Insights

Scaling Up, Down and Sideways

In these unprecedented coronavirus times, some of us are scaling up, some are scaling down and some are scaling sideways as best we can. Regardless of which way we are doing it, we are experiencing dramatic shifts that are transforming our home and work lives at the same time and at high velocity.

Leaders navigating remote operational challenges have a unique opportunity to create stronger culture and better processes to generate a tailwind for scaling up at the end of this tunnel. The newly remote workplace shines a bright light on the business practices that support or hinder our remote work and those that create real risk to our businesses.

A simple yet highly effective Framework to Meet the Scaling Challenge consists of 5 main components:

1. People First
Stand up, reach out, and connect. Communicate clearly, consistently, and often. Be as transparent as possible with easy to understand messages that cascade throughout the organizations in different forms. Always provide a safe space for Q&A. People will feel better and do better work.

2. Mitigate Critical Risks
Assemble a steering committee of 4-6 key leaders with diverse perspectives and system-wide approach who can drill down to understand, and take responsibility for, how and why current norms, organizational structures and operational processes were created. Manage critical risks and implement risk controls without judgment to get maximum support.

3. Strengthen Processes
Clarify roles and accountabilities to address specific operational processes that hinder remote work and/or create risk for the business. It’s a simple thing but it’s hard to do. Focus on fine-tuning existing processes that scale better until a longer-term IT solution can be implemented.

4. Learn from the All-Remote World
Think plug and play. To the maximum extent possible, capture and document all repeatable processes and process knowledge in a format that is readily accessible and easily understood without one-to-one communication. Even in draft form, documented desk procedures and process knowledge, minimize key person risk.

5. Invite Feedback…and Listen
Leaders’ immediate challenge is to understand the interconnectedness and ripple effects of decisions made to support newly remote work. Give people an opportunity to provide valuable feedback and … listen to it. Not only do people appreciate being heard, their innovative ideas have the potential to strengthen processes and avoid the little thing that becomes the big thing.

The steps in this simple Framework to Meet the Scaling Challenge reduce risk, strengthen culture and processes, and smooth the runway for accelerating at the end of this tunnel.

Put People First

by Barbara Abadi

Communicating consistently and often is not always enough. Clear leaders engage in conversations to connect, understand, and be understood.

Next Entries »

Barbara Abadi

Barbara Abadi is a strategic thinker and insatiable learner with more than 25 years of experience in international banking, consulting, and executive coaching.

Let's Chat