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This can only be considered letting the proverbial cat out of the bag. Many of us in the power industry have known this to be coming. The revelation may be a little too little and a little too late for many ordinary citizens. As utilities felt an uneven pressure to decarbonize and decommission coal-burning facilities and got caught in unrealistic expectations from politicians that renewable power (wind and solar in this case) could and would not only make up the difference but also cover the growing need for more power for AI and other demands, this reality started to emerge. As with many problems, the solutions are not likely to be inexpensive, timely, or perfect. Just know, there are those of us trying to do what's best for all stakeholders. So, hang on to your hats, your wallet, your purse, etc. It's going to be a bumpy ride for several years. And, finally, don't listen to sensationalism that parades as news these days. Do your own investigation, learn what it takes, and become informed. Don't become that reactive pawn in a battle of egos, dollars, and power.

The function of middle management has always been two-fold. From a corporate perspective, middle management was needed to provide insight into the rank-and-file workers. Middle managers would engage in the day-to-day, labor-intensive task of collecting data and presenting it to top executives. The other responsibility of these managers was to make sure that the initiatives, strategic vision and mission of the organization (i.e. the business strategy) was effectively communicated and implemented by those same rank and file workers. According to some reports, especially since the pandemic started, middle management has been under attack by business. In 2023 alone, 32% of layoffs and staffing cuts were in the middle management area (Medium). The question has always been, how many layers of middle management are needed to effectively create this bi-directional communication. Medium also reported that Citi cut down from 13 management levels to just 8 and that many companies are increasing their ratios of workers to managers. A lot of blame for this has been placed at the feet of AI and data collection and management efforts. It is argued that these middle managers are no longer needed or, at the very least, not in the quantity that they once were. Missing from these discussions is, it appears, the loss of institutional knowledge and operations that leaves with the management personnel. While I am not advocating for or against middle management or these developing business practices, what comes to mind is an adage my mother was keen to bring up to me (almost too frequently): “Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face.” While qualified and competent human resources, like many other resources, seem to be at a premium today, cutting management solely to cut costs seems like a risk proposition. Loss of experienced and process-driven staff has been an ever-increasing reality at that rank-and-file level necessitating a realization and response of senior management. Simply reorganizing or realigning management and leadership isn’t getting to the underlying problem, lack of organizational process and progression. Did you cut too deep or go to far, a typical reaction to streamlining directives? Ask me how ESCO Contractors, LLC can help you recover, refine, rebuild, and re-emerge as a healthy organization poised for success today and for the future.

These past several days have been, I hope, an insightful review of organizational maturity with a touch of team dynamics as it often pertains to football. This has all been done in the spirit of it being Super Bowl week. I’ve explored the four levels preceding today’s subject, level 5, being optimized. Those previous four levels had us starting at ad-hoc approaches as a level one, a processed approach at level two, an integrated and team approach at level 3, and, finally, a team approach quantitatively integrated with quality and risk management at level 4. Level 4 even included a heartbreaking introspect into my Cleveland Browns and how it’s unlikely they will see much above a level three anytime soon. So, what does a level five organization or team look like? I’ve already utilized the term “optimized”. In football, you might say this is a repeatable winner or dynasty. The dynamics today with free agency, short lived careers, and likelihood of severe injuries throw an extra wrench into that effort at optimization. However, think of some of the best teams in history that seemingly had, year in and year out, almost all the pieces, player wise, and just added or removed one or two players each year to optimize their overall approach. I would contend that they were at a level five from an organizational maturity aspect. Again, I avoid naming these teams to avoid team passions and allegiances but I’m sure you can name a few for yourself. Outside of my football analogy and in a level five organization, the team operates almost seamlessly. Members of the team do their job, have each other’s back, and do what is best for the organization and not for themselves. Leadership becomes the norm for the team, not management, which is why there are too few level five organizations operating in business today. The entire team integrates across all facets of organizational management and knowledge areas. New team members are welcomed, integrated, educated, and made an instantaneous part of the group without missing a proverbial beat. While achieving level five organizational maturity may be difficult these days for a whole host of reasons, it is worth setting that as a goal for any organization. However, the organization as a whole has to understand what the levels of maturity are, has to be willing to put forth the work to grow (sometimes painfully) through the levels of maturity, and must start with a firm commitment from their leadership and management to begin the process. That commitment often starts with a frank and honest self-introspection of oneself as well as the organization. And to be brutally honest, today’s victimization culture is a serious and unfortunate impediment to that honest self-introspection. Let’s hope it disappears quickly so we can all get back to self-betterment and optimization.

Natural gas has to be an integral part of the solution to today and tomorrow's energy needs. We are happy to be a part of a broad based and level headed approach to America's energy future. #epc #managedsolutions

This one hurt to write as a Browns fan. #selftherapy

A smart move to ensure clean, efficient base power for the future. #thetimeisnow

Well, this isn't the third day of the week. I've long lived under the belief that the road to damnation is paved with good intentions and for years, I've been on a shiny path. Basically, don't just intend, do. And as with any good endeavor with lofty goals, such as my series on the similarities between organizational maturity and group dynamics, life gets in the way. A three-day business trip means that we crash the schedule and deliver on-time, just unconventionally. Previously we covered the aspects of being an ad-hoc, firefighting type of organization or strong, solo performer group as Level 1. We have also covered being an organization with processes and procedures, much like a sports group that has organized ways of tackling and blocking (for the football reference) and designed plays comprising a playbook as Level 2. Level (and not day) three explores the term “team” and how that reflects a level of organizational maturity and why it’s important in many ways. Building on those processes and procedures, a group becomes a team when they become effectively integrated. An organization does this by beginning to integrate the elements of work scopes, budgets, and deadlines (i.e. scope, schedule, and budget). Teams similarly integrate the line, back, and receivers on offense in football or line, linebackers, and secondary on defense. Each group plays their respective part of the overall game complementary to the other groups to generate an effective and successful outcome. Team members then become supportive of one another, helping to overcome momentary lapses or mistakes by other teammates. Teammates have each other’s backs. In much the same way, organizational dynamics change around this level. As members start to team, silos start to disappear. Culture improves and the atmosphere of support starts to permeate the organization. And, as all of this happens, an almost magic transition occurs with accountability. Accountability in the level 1 and 2 organizations is rarely accepted and is taken negatively. The culture of BCD (Blame, Complain, and Defend) runs rampant. As a group makes that transition to a team, accountability is a positive aspect and is sought and it starts to drive an atmosphere of continuous improvement. Again, it must be stressed that skipping levels of maturity development or improvement is impossible. Can growth and transition from lower levels to higher levels be accelerated? The simple answer is yes. However, the “cost” of this acceleration must be measured in more than financial costs. It will have “costs” that impact personnel, quality of work life, and a whole host of intangibles. The question must then be asked, “Is the value worth the effort?” and therein is the question of everything we do as humans. #managedservices #organizationalmaturity #teamwork

Today, in my continuing analogy of organizational maturity and how that can mirror team dynamics, all in honor of it being Super Bowl week, I want to introduce the second level of having processes and procedures. Before we begin that discussion and harking back to yesterday's introduction of level one and having an ad hoc, firefighting approach to work and management, I want to assure everyone there are complexities to every group and every situation. Just because a person or organization may have a very ad hoc approach to a given situation or work effort doesn't mean that the organization as a whole or all of it's component groups are at that same level. And further, there are degrees of each level of maturity. So, a quote-unquote "dumpster fire" of an organization may be a 0.6 on the scale and an improving, yet very reactive organization may be a 1.3. Both are still reactive and ad hoc but with conditional refinements or qualifiers. So, level two can be almost anything from + or - 0.5 of that actual number. That encompasses a whole host of organizational and team types from those barely processed and trying to become more so to those that are very processed but not following those same processes. As many will attest, just because you have a process or procedure for something, it doesn't mean it's always known or followed. Let's go to my football and group dynamics analogy. Just because you were taught and shown how to tackle by turning the head, hitting, wrapping your arms, lifting, and driving through your target doesn't mean that's how it's done. In fact, I would say in the essence of major college and professional football, those types of tackles are few and far between and usually make some type of highlight reel because of how effective they are. Missed tackles and cutting the legs out from under the ball carrier seem to be the defacto results of a unfollowed process. Can an organization or, in this instance, a group, become too processed? The answer is yes. In fact, in the effort to become more processed, most organizations will over process and go too far. As the proverbial pendulum of organizational efforts swings from reactive to predictive, it will almost always "swing" too far and organizations have to be sensitive to that. Yet, they also need to be sensitive to the Nay-Sayers who never appreciated or wanted processes and procedures in the first case as they will work endlessly to stop the improvement effort. This time within an organization or group is usually the most turbulent. Call it the "no pain, no gain" period and all groups experience it. You will also notice that I have gone out of my way not to mention the word "team" within these descriptions and writings. The reason for this is simple. The next level of organizational maturity and development is that teaming level where process, stakeholders, etc. are integrated into a singularly focused effort. That's for tomorrow!

We take this month to reflect upon the importance of the history of our fellow Americans. Look for more reflections this month from our President, Karl Newman, as we explore this important history and the contributions of various individuals in our lives and in our communities.

It's officially Super Bowl week! As a huge fan of football (in several ways), it came to me last night that there are a number of parallels between what I try to help clients with and aspects of team sports. Having played football and the fact that it's THAT proverbial week, I thought that a five day series on the levels of organizational maturity and their parallels to team dynamics might be in order to better highlight how these services can help various organizations. Plus, let's be fair, five distinct levels of maturity aligns well with five work days in the week. Level 1 and the lowest form of organizational maturity and team dynamics is considered the "ad hoc" level. If you have ever played team sports and had one or two "stars", whether true or just in their own mind, solely carry the team success, you know what I mean. In fact, whether there were stars on said team or not, when everyone played like they wanted to, did things their own way, or your group was just were five, nine, or eleven solo players, things didn't work or work well. Descriptive words and phrases that come to mind in these types of organizations and team dynamics include dumpster fire, firefighting, rat race, cluster...., etc. Employees, teammates (in name only), and stakeholders quickly become frustrated, tired, overworked, and withdrawn. The group, because it's not truly a team, goes from crisis to crisis in a never-ending cycle. Members suffer high rates of burnout and the organization will often times see reduced participation, high rates of turnover, and a host of operational issues. Sound familiar? You know it does because we have all been there at some time or another. You might be "there" right now. The first step is becoming processed. Whether that be rules, standards, set plays, etc., the group and/or organization must go through this step before becoming a team. The instigators of chaos or those that love to live in that ad hoc environment will not enjoy or support this process. In fact, they will likely rebel, resist, and revolt against these efforts. When you are looking to improve, you can't let them hold the organization or team hostage and difficult decisions lie ahead as you progress to the higher levels of maturity. More on that over the next couple of days. Most organizations do not plan to fail, they fail to plan. Failure to properly initiate and plan projects and programs are likely the two biggest oversights committed by most organizations. ESCO works from a variety of industry standards, such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), to provide Program and Project Management services. Providing a tailored approach and appropriate mix of resources and staff is a key component of our project & program success, always leading to client and stakeholder satisfaction. Our dedication to service, quality, and safety demands nothing less. Give me a call to discuss.