15 top issues explaining most organizational challenges
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I've consulted with hundreds of clients across industries and cultures. While everyone is unique, their challenges usually are not. I've compiled a list of the 15 most common issues that any organization might be struggling with.
These issues are common. So common, they are often unrecognized.
Think of a current or recent organizational challenge.
Read through this list and check off, or make a mental note, about each of the reasons that you believe would explain that challenge.
Accurately identifying the issue is your first—and often most important—step towards resolving it.
Vision/purpose issues
1. Purpose or outcome confusion:This happens when plans, activity or efforts are confused with results. This can be because we are often not clear about what we're trying to accomplish.
2. Strategic confusion: This happens when leadership confuses strategy for tactics, tasks, or planning.
3. Alignment confusion: This happens when we state a purpose, vision or values but don't act or organize according to that purpose, vision or values. It creates dissonance. It weakens the system. It undermines credibility.
4. Value confusion: A lack of discernment about what is important and why. Values that drive your decision-making include what your audience or customers genuinely need, and not providing or knowing how to provide that value.
5. Success confusion: Uncertainty about how we define or measure success. Often expressed as having no vision of success or using someone else's definitions and metrics.
Your leadership
Ultimately, all fifteen reasons on this list are the responsibility of leadership. However, these six are unique challenges often found in thebehaviors or decisionsof leaders.
6. Not creating clarity: Most conflicts in organizations are birthed from unclear expectations, roles, responsibilities, behaviors. Research indicates that managing these conflicts consumes, on average, 20 percent of a leader's time and attention. It never takes that much time to create clarity.
7. Not accounting for humans: Too many plans, policies or leadership styles assume a perfectly controlled, non-organic environment. To lead actual humans—who make up every organization you've ever been a part of—requires communication, conflict resolution, respect, humility, integrity, flexibility and meaning. Most of which has to do with the character of leaders—not the quality of plans.
8. Failure to prune: Organizations are like fruit trees. They are healthier and produce more fruit when pruned regularly. Careful pruning can restore both a tree and an organization's health. Some people need to be let go. Some programs, services or products need to be cut.
9. Not knowing how to decide:There isn't a universally correct way to decide or make decisions as an individual or group. The most effective organizations know the differences of and are clear on when and how to use consensus, consultation or directive decision-making.
10. Not knowing the difference between acquiescence and commitment:Too many leaders receive acquiescence and assume it is commitment. This might happen in a board meeting as well as from staff. Compliance (either coerced or rewarded) is too often defaulted to because it seems more expedient. Compliance is always temporary and requires enforcement. Commitment is internally motivated and sustainable.
11. Failure to decide or act:Usually due to fear (manifested as perfectionism, uncertainty, procrastination, etc.) leaders put off making decisions or acting. Even leaders who are very active may find there are areas they tend to avoid. Avoidance is an ineffective leadership strategy and will produce consequences that you don't want.
Operations
Within your organization, how you manage and operate day-to-day, week-to-week activities matters. Small organizations often feel too small or rushed to be intentional. Large organizations default to developing stifling bureaucracies as opposed to managing and operating in alignment with the purpose (#3.)
12. Focusing on blame instead of cause, effect and responsibility:When problems occur, there is a tendency to become reactive, defensive, and blaming. Focus on identifying the behaviors or situations that created the challenge. Then focus on how to correct it. It's less important to know who to blame and more important to know how to grow, improve and correct the situation.
13. Not accounting for risk:Both in planning and in implementation there can be tunnel vision. It's important to identify potential challenges and threats and develop ways to prevent them when possible, mitigate impact when prevention isn't possible, and create contingencies for when change is needed.
14. Mimicry, or using the models of others:I'm a huge believer in learning from others. But I can't cut and paste someone else's life or success into my own. Understand the principles and why something worked for someone else. Only adopt or apply if it looks like it should work for you.
15. Not leveraging systems or structures:Too many small organizations undervalue the need for developing systems and structures as part of what allows sustainability and scalability. Too many large organizations lack understanding of how to properly leverage or use their systems and structures to fully benefit from them.
The question of ethics
I didn't directly address ethical (or moral) leadership above.
Sometimes leaders accidentally act unethically because of a lack of awareness. In my experience, however, when leaders regularly act unethically it's because they don't care.
They prefer to lead in a way that supports their interests over the interests, safety or rights of others. It is only in the rare case that they respond to correction or coaching.
No organization should tolerate unethical leadership. These are of the group of people who should be "pruned." Quickly.
If you share leadership, or for some reason you can't just "prune" an unethical colleague, you'll need to decide whether you can exert a meaningful corrective influence or whether you should leave.
To not address or confront the lack of ethics is to be complicit.
The role of leadership
Ultimately, every one of the 15 reasons above is the responsibility of leaders. The good news is—with accurate identification—resolving issues can often be easier and more effectively accomplished than what many believe.
 | Christian Muntean is a seasoned expert in fostering business growth and profitability. With a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and certifications as a Master Coach, Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), and International Mergers & Acquisitions Expert (IM&A), he guides entrepreneurial leaders through growth, succession planning, and exit strategies. He is an accomplished author of three books, including Train to Lead. Christian resides in Anchorage, Alaska, with his family. Learn More » |
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