5 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Organizational Potential

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Company-wide transformation can begin with these actions.

Company-wide transformation can begin with these actions.

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Have you ever worked for an organization that has achieved its highest organizational potential? If you are truly honest, the answer is "no." For most of us, fully actualized organizational potential is an illusion, in the same category as a unicorn sighting. It can be described, in theory, and graphically depicted in flowcharts, but, for one of several reasons, it is never actually achieved. Imagine, if you will, how your role as a chief talent development officer could be used to make this myth a reality.

Have you ever worked for an organization that has achieved its highest organizational potential? If you are truly honest, the answer is "no." For most of us, fully actualized organizational potential is an illusion, in the same category as a unicorn sighting. It can be described, in theory, and graphically depicted in flowcharts, but, for one of several reasons, it is never actually achieved. Imagine, if you will, how your role as a chief talent development officer could be used to make this myth a reality.

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On a simple plain, many HR functions are less about developing personnel and more about ensuring an adherence to a common factor. Position descriptions, performance reviews, even mentoring programs are less focused on developing a singular, unique talent versus making sure all the right boxes are checked. Further, various operational barriers have been erected, again—ensuring that mediocrity is the achieved output.

On a simple plain, many HR functions are less about developing personnel and more about ensuring an adherence to a common factor. Position descriptions, performance reviews, even mentoring programs are less focused on developing a singular, unique talent versus making sure all the right boxes are checked. Further, various operational barriers have been erected, again—ensuring that mediocrity is the achieved output.

Build up your risk tolerance

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During a recent strategy meeting for a state agency client, the leader, in looking for new ideas, implored her team to think about their temperature for risk tolerance. As a state agency, the appetite for any form of risk often remains a nonstarter because audit and regulatory agencies are quick to hop on anything that doesn't fit into their review format or, heaven forbid, may fail when attempted. But the question or desire to formulate ideas in a riskless environment was intriguing. The problem, however, was that the performance metrics created their own boundaries of impediment, making any form of novel achievement impossible—even if innovation were truly introduced.

During a recent strategy meeting for a state agency client, the leader, in looking for new ideas, implored her team to think about their temperature for risk tolerance. As a state agency, the appetite for any form of risk often remains a nonstarter because audit and regulatory agencies are quick to hop on anything that doesn't fit into their review format or, heaven forbid, may fail when attempted. But the question or desire to formulate ideas in a riskless environment was intriguing. The problem, however, was that the performance metrics created their own boundaries of impediment, making any form of novel achievement impossible—even if innovation were truly introduced.

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Acting as a creative CTDO, you have the ability to bring a new way of thinking to your organization. Rethink your market. Break down and eliminate barriers and constructs that all but guarantee mediocrity. Start asking "Why not?" as opposed to "Why?" Most importantly, realize that each employee is unique—complete with a distinct set of competencies that can, when realized, allow your organization to achieve its full potential.

Acting as a creative CTDO, you have the ability to bring a new way of thinking to your organization. Rethink your market. Break down and eliminate barriers and constructs that all but guarantee mediocrity. Start asking "Why not?" as opposed to "Why?" Most importantly, realize that each employee is unique—complete with a distinct set of competencies that can, when realized, allow your organization to achieve its full potential.

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In the short term, how can you start this journey today? You can initiate theses five actions to achieve a higher level of organization potential:

In the short term, how can you start this journey today? You can initiate theses five actions to achieve a higher level of organization potential:

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  Affirm your organization's singular objective. Specifically, what is the one item that, when accomplished, will catapult your organization forward? Since most organizations attempt to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, it is no wonder that limited resources all but ensure that no single change is ever truly implemented.

  Affirm your organization's singular objective. Specifically, what is the one item that, when accomplished, will catapult your organization forward? Since most organizations attempt to achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, it is no wonder that limited resources all but ensure that no single change is ever truly implemented.

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  Ensure that every activity at your organization is aligned with that singular objective. If employees are unable to determine how their activities are associated with the attainment of that single objective, the activity is a relic of a bygone operational era or you, as a leader, have not been effective in communicating the action's necessity.

  Ensure that every activity at your organization is aligned with that singular objective. If employees are unable to determine how their activities are associated with the attainment of that single objective, the activity is a relic of a bygone operational era or you, as a leader, have not been effective in communicating the action's necessity.

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  Realize that nimbleness is a trait best used when planned actions do not result in the desired outcomes. The singular objective doesn't need to change; however, the path to achievement may need to be revised several times to attain your results.

  Realize that nimbleness is a trait best used when planned actions do not result in the desired outcomes. The singular objective doesn't need to change; however, the path to achievement may need to be revised several times to attain your results.

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  Abide by the "heads-up rule," leaving your staff to accomplish the heads-down tasks. Ensure that new intelligence—market, competitive, and operations data—is used to further the accomplishment of the singular objective. Like a sea captain, never take your eye off the horizon and make sure your team doesn't take their eyes off their tasks.

  Abide by the "heads-up rule," leaving your staff to accomplish the heads-down tasks. Ensure that new intelligence—market, competitive, and operations data—is used to further the accomplishment of the singular objective. Like a sea captain, never take your eye off the horizon and make sure your team doesn't take their eyes off their tasks.

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  Celebrate the small wins. Too many organizations follow the edict of only celebrating when the singular objective is achieved. Because the possibility of achieving the full impact of a singular objective is rare, organizations work diligently but never quite reach the pinnacle—and, in the process, wear out their staff. Any journey begins with a single step; as such, it helps to celebrate the milestones of the adventure.

  Celebrate the small wins. Too many organizations follow the edict of only celebrating when the singular objective is achieved. Because the possibility of achieving the full impact of a singular objective is rare, organizations work diligently but never quite reach the pinnacle—and, in the process, wear out their staff. Any journey begins with a single step; as such, it helps to celebrate the milestones of the adventure.

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  Although these actions cannot guarantee you the ability to achieve a fully actualized organization, they will bring you closer to that elusive unicorn sighting and, more importantly, to achieving higher levels of organization potential.

  Although these actions cannot guarantee you the ability to achieve a fully actualized organization, they will bring you closer to that elusive unicorn sighting and, more importantly, to achieving higher levels of organization potential.