Is Your Company a Hot Mess? 

You go to work everyday and think you’re riding the hot mess express.  Everyone seems scared of saying anything wrong for fear of losing the job they hate.  Your project direction changed 3 times this week.  New product development consists of renaming a product and calling it innovation.  The organization’s mission and vision are posted in the breakroom but the sign is so faded no one can read it.  Nor do they really care.  Unfortunately, many employees in lots of other companies are feeling the same way.  Here are 5 characteristics of an organization in chaos:

  1. Disengaged employees: John wears his lab coat to appear productive.  Mary takes short breaks from Candy Crush for the occasional meeting.  Bob down the hall calls off at least once week, sometimes twice if there’s a looming project deadline.  According to Gallup, disengaged employees have 37% higher absenteeism, 18% lower productivity and 15% lower profitability.
  2. Lack of vision, strategy and shifting priorities: Vision must be more than making money.  Strategy must be more than chasing all the glittery objects that come along.  An organization that runs only on the notion of 1) make money and 2) have fun is probably not making any money or having any fun without out some vision and strategy.
  3. Working in crisis mode with short-term focus: When you’re constantly putting out fires, it’s probably because your organization is on fire… and not in the hip way of being “on fire.”  You’re constantly focused on survival for the next few months and don’t have the energy or capacity to think about the next few years.
  4. Inconsistent results, lack of growth and/or revenue loss: Growth is stagnant, innovation is a joke and there’s plenty of excuses and blame to go around.  There’s little interest, or incentive, for doing anything new or pursuing new opportunities.
  5. Negative (or even toxic) culture: Employees are considered a number and fear dominates workplace dynamics.  Communication is focused on rumors and drama.  Trust doesn’t exist.  Managers across the organization have little power and enforce status quo while decisions are made by a few that know and play by all the unwritten rules.

Do you see these characteristics in your organization?  What happens when you speak up?  You don’t have to be a hostage on the hot mess express.  The good news is that organizations can transform from a state of chaos to stability and then high performance.  Commitment and participation at the top are required.

Are you ready to move beyond chaos?

Contact our team today at info@everrisellc.com to schedule a consult.

Dr. Crystal G. Morrison

Dr. Crystal G. Morrison

Dr. Crystal G. Morrison is a highly regarded scientist and leader who is passionate about developing people and organizations to their highest potential.

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Founded by a scientist and leader, EverRise LLC is a consulting firm dedicated to transforming technical professionals and industries. Our company works with organizations to assess performance, refine strategy, and build world-class leaders and teams.

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