Part 2 – Creating Systematic Trust at the Management Level

In the first segment, we delved into the foundational aspects of building systemic trust by guiding you and the organization at its highest level on engendering trust. TL;DR You can effect change at the top level of the organization with a couple of practical how to’s.

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Now we must move down the abstraction to the managerial level and create systematic trust. In order to understand this let me share a story of that illustrates the problem we are going to try to solve.

True story- At a former employer, our CEO had clarity of vision. It was bold. He wanted to change the way the company operated.  He adeptly conveyed his expectations and left the execution to the managerial stratum with a simple directive- “Make it happen.” Yet, he missed a crucial step. He neither provided them with a roadmap nor granted them the autonomy, safety, or trust to chart their path. His lack of expertise in the 'how-to' was evident, which in itself is acceptable and highlights the essence of trust but in this scenario it was the weakest link. As a result, the managerial tier found themselves in a dilemma - juggling the pressure of meeting quarterly targets while adopting this unfamiliar mindset. So, what transpired? Predictably, trapped in an environment where curiosity and experimentation were misconstrued as vulnerabilities, they gravitated towards the familiar – hitting their targets. While their vocabulary was peppered with trendy jargons implying transformation, their actions revealed a short-term perspective in a scenario that demanded expansive, long-term thinking. Although it’s too late for them and the hundreds of millions lost in this effort it will not be for you. Here we go!

How can you equip your management to cultivate systematic trust?

Managers often lean towards processes, as they juggle a diverse array of responsibilities, from handling numbers to leading people. To instill trust in your managers and their teams, it's imperative to-

1. Provide a structured method to tackle challenges and adapt viewpoints.
2. Offer a comprehensive list of best practices and pitfalls to adopt and avoid, respectively.
3. Share guiding principles as a foundation.
4. Introduce effective team structures that drive success.
5. Equip them with effective communication strategies.

The Structured Method for Sense Making

To truly empower the managerial tier for transformation, you must first offer them a tool to decipher the multifaceted challenges they confront daily. Enter the Cynefin Framework.

Breaking down the Cynefin Framework from bottom right counterclockwise:-

1. Clear (previously Simple)- Here, problems have straightforward solutions with predictable outcomes. "Best practices" are ideal. However, managers must realize that not every situation has a "best practice", especially in today's dynamic market conditions.
2. Complicated- Challenges here may have several solutions, necessitating "good practices" based on expertise. The pitfall is assuming a complex challenge can be addressed using a complicated approach, relying heavily on expertise.
3. Complex- This domain is dominated by unforeseen uncertainties. Agile thinking is paramount. Cause and effect connections become evident post-facto. There's no set path; instead, the focus is on experimenting, observing, and iterating based on insights. Transformation thrives here.
4. Chaotic- This underrated domain demands swift action, often prioritizing promptness over profound knowledge. The aim is to stabilize the situation, then transition from chaos to complexity. For instance, the immediate response to the Covid Pandemic – swiftly transitioning an entire workforce FROM work TO home.

This method was originally developed by David J. Snowden in 1999. Understanding the Cynefin Framework allows managers to apply suitable strategies to diverse challenges. When upper management pushes for results, and the path seems uncertain, this framework offers a starting point. Recognizing the nature of problems and adjusting approaches is key to managerial success.

Helping Management Recognize Patterns and Anti-Patterns

One of my favorite books on achieving a transformative organization is called Sooner, Safer Happier by Jon Smart . It follows the method of better value sooner safer happier (BVSSH) and importantly points out many of the components(patterns) you need to change your business and as importantly points out the bad paths(anti-patterns) organizations can go down when attempting to transform

While we typically recognize the beneficial patterns we should adopt, it's equally crucial to identify detrimental ones. This is a way to recognize when you are going down a bad path.

The Power of Guiding Principles 

In "Sooner Safer Happier" by Jon Smart, there's a poignant emphasis on guiding principles. These principles crystallize the behaviors that managers should embrace to foster innovation and avoid obstacles. For those in managerial roles, consider the following-

• Embrace Uncertainty- Cultivate a growth mindset. Stay open to various possibilities, promote experimentation, and be adaptable.
• Prioritize Communication- Engage in dialogue more than you believe is necessary. Effective communication is a cornerstone; practices like ASREDS, CoPs, and awards can help bridge any disconnect.
• Promote Organizational Value- Focusing only on Agile in IT is a limited approach. Understand that everything matters and apply an agile mindset to the larger picture.
• Think Scale, Start Simple- While the vision should be grand, the beginning should be modest. Move swiftly, learn continuously, and apply agility comprehensively.
• Safety Above All - Create an environment of psychological safety. Celebrate positive actions and contributions, not just the absence of negative ones.
• People Before Processes & Technology- Emphasize behavior, collaboration, and conversation over rigid processes and tools.This list is not comprehensive as other guiding principles belong at different levels of the Trust funnel above.

So, why emphasize guiding principles?

For me, they've acted as a compass, especially as responsibilities and challenges grow. They prevent me from straying too far off course and keep me aligned with my core values. Embrace these principles and even customize them to resonate with your personal and organizational ethos.

Building Teams that Work

As you would imagine the traditional team makeup does not work when moving to this mindset. You cannot use a standard organization composition of teams. To build a team that works consider taking some advice from Team Topologies. Manuel Pais (Team Topologies) 🇺🇦 🇵🇸

In it, the authors talk about dividing into 4 distinct teams each with their own functions.  

Stream-aligned Teams are used to sustainably design, develop, and manage software-enhanced services with a dedicated team of >5 members but <10.

Enabling Teams are a team of specialists that provide guidance and identify areas of improvement, without taking ownership of any software components.

Complicated Subsystem Teams will minimize distractions and boost efficiency in Stream-aligned teams. This team of experts offers complex solutions 'as a service', functioning like a compact platform.

Platform Teams to enhance efficiency in Stream-aligned teams by offering standardized aspects 'as a service', minimizing unnecessary mental strain.

What's the Takeaway, Mark?

By employing such a structured approach, you empower your teams to focus on their strengths, rather than the traditional "one team, one dream" method that often demands extraordinary efforts for product delivery. The way you organize your teams is a deliberate choice that can significantly influence outcomes.

Taking the Leap with Communication

Communication, because of the traditional organizational habits are often terribly done. Either there is fear of looking bad or not a common habit but for whatever reason this antipattern of not communicating is ripping our organizations apart silently. Literally, the act of "not doing something” is destructive. Therefore here are some actions to be taken around communication to help the managerial level of the organization be successful. According to “Business Communications: A Cultural and Strategic Approach” there are four different elements to consider as you take on the necessary task of communicating out to your organization.

• Communicator strategy.
• Audience strategy.
• Channel strategy.
• Message strategy.

Strategic Communication Approach

Begin by positioning yourself as the "messenger." Reflect on the following:

1. What's the motive behind your message?
2. What outcomes are you aiming for?
3. How do your audience perceive you? Do they see you as credible? Modify your message accordingly.
4. Is there trust between you and your audience? If not, how can you foster it?
5. Are there cultural or background differences with your audience? Familiarize yourself with effective cross-cultural communication strategies to bridge any gaps.

Your communication's goal is crucial; it shapes the direction for the subsequent steps. Clearly articulate the aim of your message.

Understanding Your Audience

Understand your listeners. By acknowledging their desires, backgrounds, and expertise, you can tailor your message to align with their insights and anticipations.

Reflect on the following:

1. Who are they?
2. Do they consist of varied sub-groups with distinct requirements?
3. What knowledge do you possess about them?
4. What's their understanding of you?
5. How familiar are they with the topic at hand?
6. How can you engage them?

Sometimes, your audience is well-known to you, like when sending an email to a team member. But other times, they might be unfamiliar. List down your current understanding and consider ways to deepen that knowledge.

Think about what they expect from your communication and how it will benefit them.

Message Strategy

Here, you need to think about the style, tone, and structure of your message. Consider these questions:

1. Is your purpose to persuade, entertain, consult, or inform? What style and tone will best fit your purpose?
2. Does your message need to be formal or informal, or a subtle mix of both? Consider your audience carefully to answer this question.
3. When you think about your message, you also need to consider your audience's likely reaction. Do you think your audience will agree with what you say? And are your audience members busy? If so, you might want to take a direct approach. To do this, communicate your main idea upfront, and back it up with supporting arguments or evidence.
4. Are your audience members likely to disagree with what you have to say? And do they have time to listen to, or read, a longer communication? If so, you might want to take a less direct approach with your message. Include your supporting arguments first, followed by your main point or purpose.

As you craft your message, think about how you can let your audience members know why they should keep listening, and make sure that you finish with a clear, motivating call to action.

I've walked the talk. While communication is challenging, its absence is often rooted in fear. But remember, our main objective is fostering trust within the organization. With genuine trust, apprehensions fade, making way for promising opportunities. When I launched my initial mobile app, its success came with hurdles. I encountered some harsh feedback, which initially was disheartening. However, I recalled a piece of wisdom about engaging critics: "Converting one critic can lead to gaining the support of 30 more enthusiasts." Pushing my apprehensions aside, I decided to engage. Crafting that response took an hour, but the reply I got was beyond rewarding. The critic hadn't anticipated my response, presuming I was part of a large corporation, not a solo developer. Their whole perspective shifted, and they became one of my staunchest supporters. This daunting experience became a valuable lesson: Overcome the trepidation and reach out.

In Conclusion

Throughout this piece, we've addressed multiple challenges, providing tangible strategies to help organizations transition by equipping managers with actionable ways to bolster trust and engage their teams. These methods aren't exhaustive solutions but offer direction where there might have been ambiguity before.

I’d like to thank and recommend the following references for their wisdom:

• Sooner, Safer, Happier: Antipatterns & Patterns for Business Agility
• Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow
• Business Communications: A Cultural and Strategic Approach
• The Cynefin Framework

Coming up Next: Empowering the lifeblood of your organization - Systolic Trust

Schedule a call with us to talk about how to get this started.