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Step 3 - Process Imbalance - Too much and Too Little |
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Another step in creating organizational dysfunction is throwing process out the window.
When every situation is an exception and employees have to run the proverbial daily fire drill, dysfunction follows rapidly.
Business processes that are understandable, easy to follow, and which
have proven results are the enemy of organizational dysfunction and
should be avoided if the goal is chaos and dysfunction. The manager
can swoop in and solve daily problems when employees don’t have a way
to do it themselves. This makes the manager feel more important and
secures the respect of his subordinates – or so he thinks.
The reality is that employees are constantly working under stress.
Work performance and absenteeism suffer. Most importantly, however, is
that constant emergency creates a condition of numbness. Real
emergencies can’t be treated as such because there are so many fires
burning out of control to effectively handle the real calamities.
When real calamities aren’t handled effectively, or even when
non-emergencies are handled poorly, management has the opportunity to
blame employees that are trying to tread water on a daily basis. The
managers most effective at creating dysfunction take the opportunity to
state that an employee lacks a sense of urgency, which is one of the
author’s most favorite motivation methods in the quest for dysfunction.
Results are widespread. Employee burnout is very common. Physical
manifestations of stress and mental anguish cause higher absenteeism.
Finally, the effect on company customer service can be seen. When
customers are ultimately affected by organizational dysfunction, you’ll
know you’ve arrived as the master mismanagement.
The flip-side of too little process is too much process, which is just
as effective at creating organizational dysfunction. Instead of
letting people engage in the activities that contribute most to good
results, they are mired in bureaucracy. Employees become frustrated by
their inability to do what they do best and make good things happen,
they are stuck with requirements that cause them to major on the
minors. Management in large companies seem to most guilty of this
dysfunction, but not to worry, you can see this trait in small
companies too. The worst outcome on this end of the process
dysfunction spectrum is simple - bad business results. The process,
procedures, and policies can be flawless but when overdone, they kill
results.
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Dysfunctional Management - 12 Steps 