This document discusses various organizational "viruses" or issues that can negatively impact an organization such as constant change, lack of focus, and poor leadership. It proposes interventions for organizations including developing strategy, encouraging collaboration, living the values of quality and change. Finally, it discusses keys to high performance such as being driven, relentlessly pursuing a vision, and valuing people. The document advocates for organizational well-being through balanced challenge and support for employees.

1. Mario Denton

4. Contents
 Corporate viruses
 Managerial derailment
 Organisational Liposuction
 Proposed Interventions
 Conclusion

5. Meet the bugs(viruses)
that
could destroy your
organisation.

6. Activity mania
We like to be busy. Our badge of honour is
being so busy that we don’t ever have time
to think

7. Flavour of the month
We jump from project to crisis as
separate un-integrated initiatives and
cynicism about new ”projects” mount

8. Kill the messenger
Don’t be the bearer of
bad news

9. Disjointed action
We don’t see the big picture
and how our unit’s work fits in
with an overall strategy or
purpose

10. Crisis jumping
When in a crisis, we act more quickly
and decisively and then we often wait
for the next crisis to hit before similar
action occur

11. Over changed
We have a capacity problem with too
many changes going on around us; it
is more difficult to keep up; we are
stressed out

12. False positive
We like “nice-speak” – be subtle, be
nice, be kind, even if we disagree.
This leads to passive resistance

13. Turfism: my business vs
our business
We like to defend our turf to the
exclusion of what is in the
organisation’s best interest

14. All things are possible
We are not clearly focused on a few
critical priorities; each good idea receives
attention and energy; we don’t say ”no”
to good ideas which are not part of our
strategy

15. Caste: Value by grade
We like to label people by grade which then
leads us to evaluate their contribution
by grade and not by competence

16. Glacial response
We just can’t seem to get
decisions made quickly

17. Have it my way
We don’t learn much from each
other; “not invented here”
syndrome

18. Have you been affected by
those bugs in the
workplace?
Let’s see

19. Ask yourself these
questions
• Do you lack enthusiasm for your
job?
• Do you dread getting up and going to
work?
• Do you hate the thought of dealing
with the internal politics?

20. Ask yourself these
questions
• Do you avoid certain individuals so that
you just don’t have to deal with the
frustration of interacting with them?
• Are you tired of inconsistencies in an
office where direction, strategy, policy or
procedure can change from day to day?

21. Ask yourself these
questions
• Are certain philosophies and
attitudes preached but not
practised?
• When a new programme is initiated,
do people think “This too will pass”?

22. Ask yourself these
questions
• Do you find yourself looking forward to
either resigning or biding your time until
retirement?
• Do you feel that, no matter how hard
you try, you simply cannot make a
difference?

23. The
fis h
rots
from the
head
(Bob Garratt)

24. Organisational Liposuction
What happens to the
person who has
liposuction performed
on his body, but
fails to change eating
and exercise habits?

25. Outward appearance may improve temporarily
Overall well-being and physical fitness do not improve
Soon , the person regains fat
Downsizing is simply a drastic measure to remove
unwanted corporate fat :
DOWNSIZING is institutional liposuction

26. As it is necessary for the overweight
person to follow a well-balanced diet
as to avoid the surgeon’s knife, it is
of equal importance for organisations
to adhere to certain organisational
diets as to avoid liposuction.

27. Leadership diet : avoiding the fat
 Leaders continuously assess the future
 Understand their competitive position in the
market
 Analyse and anticipate changing customer needs
 They must be proactive
 They manage their key business processes well

28. Recommendations

29. Unfolding strategy
Stop
What are the
things that you
Let go Maintain
need to
Initiate

30. Here is the test to find
whether your mission
on earth is finished. If
you’re alive, it isn’t.
- Richard Bach

31. Ideas into action: Tom Peters
 Ensure staff collaborate to achieve continuous
improvement in performance.
Put customer satisfaction ahead of numerical
targets and financial goals
 Be “soft” in managing people., “hard” in expecting
good performance
 Live the quality message with “passion,
persistence, and above all consistency”.
 Welcome change and be a change agent
 Eliminate silly bureaucratic procedures, demeaning
regulations, and dispiriting working conditions

32. What have you been
ignoring that is
calling for your
attention?

33. Ideas into action: Peter Drucker
 Make sure that everybody understands what your
business is really about.
Maintain a purposeful and organised search for new
opportunities
 Make managing knowledge a prime concern in
managing the business.
 Freedom to challenge everything and anything

34. What is
cluttering
your life?

35. Ideas into action: Stephen Covey
 Combat bad times by adopting practical, do-able
counter measures.
Ensure that you are seen as fully competent in your
area of professional expertise
 Profound, sustainable, cultural change can take
place within an organisation… only when the
individuals first change themselves from the inside
out
 Look for credibility problems and make resolution
of them a high priority

36. What gives your
spirit, mind, heart,
and body energy?

37. Ideas into action: Jack Welch
 E to the fourth power. “E” stands for Energy,
Energising others, competitive Edge and Execution
 “ Ginger up” management by making
unexpected visits and engaging in confrontational
argument
 Banish traditional bosses
 Commit management to the relentless pursuit of
unattainable perfection
 Educate managers to think like owners and give
them sound incentives to do so.

38. High performance organisations
 Performance driven and demanding
 Relentlessly pursue a vision
 Value “people skills”
 Entrepreneurial – behave like small
companies
 Value creation as a key driving force
 Use simple measures of what they call “
superior performance”

39. Eat like you’ve just had a heart attack.
Work like your job description is
under consideration.
Talk like everyone can overhear what
you say.
Live like you’re going to have a face-
to-face with your Creator every day.
- Stephen Covey

40. Hi
SPECTATOR FULFILLED
Sense
of
purpose
VICTIM WORKAHOLIC
Lo
Lo Productivity Hi

41. THE FOCUS OF GREAT
ORGANISATIONS
1. They know what is expected of them?
2. They have the materials and equipment they
need to do their work right?
3. They have the opportunity to do what they do
best every day?
4. In the last seven days, they have received
recognition or praise for good work?
5. Someone seem to care about you as a person?
6. There is someone at work who encourages your
development?

42. THE FOCUS OF GREAT
MANAGERS: Gallup survey
7. Your opinions seem to count?
8. The mission/purpose of your organisation
make you feel like your work is important?
9. Your co-workers are committed to doing
quality work?
10. You have a best friend at the organisation?
11. In the last six months, have you talked with
someone about your progress?
12. You had opportunities to learn and grow?

43. BALANCING YOUR
ENERGY
Hi
Burnout Peak
Exhausted Performance
Challenge
Recharge Distress
Time Boredom
Lo Hi
Energy

44. EMPOWERMENT
Hi
High
Comfort
Performance
Zone Zone
Support
Apathy Burnout
Zone Zone
Lo Hi
Challenge

46. Blessings from Mario Denton
Let's keep the good coaching vibes alive. Let's
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e-mail address: marden@mweb.co.za
Website: www.strongmessage.co.za