How ready are you for a change in your company? Dr. Nathan Baxter asked the Southwestern Fastener Association.

“It starts with a change of company culture,” he advised.

Changing company culture starts with ‘self-leadership,’ the change consultant with Lead Self, Lead Others said.   

“Lead yourself better. Get unstuck. Get started with a vision,” Baxter advocated. “What do you see for your company? What do you see for your life? What do you see that others don’t see? Companies start with a vision.”

• In addition to challenging what you see for the company, you need to ask, “What do you see for your life?”

“You gotta have your act together,” before leading company change, Baxter declared.

When you are clear about your vision, “Go for it,” Baxter declared. “Make a plan for change.”

• A new company vision requires  a “new effort and cultural change,” Baxter said. “Culture is very difficult to change.”

A place to start cultural change is asking “How do you treat each other? Do you have a culture of a trust environment?”

• Baxter emphasized that there is a difference between “leadership” and “management.” Management is “protecting what we have” and leadership is about “going to get what we don’t have.”

• Baxter cited four things employees want:

  1. Compliments.
  2. Resources to do their jobs well.
  3. Want to be clear on what they do matters.
  4. Want the ability to contribute to company success.

“Motivating humans is ‘not a rah-rah speech.’” Companies need an “empowered workforce.”

“They want a collaborative environment.”

• Make the vision clear to employees and plan how the company is going to change.

• Baxter suggested the first tool is a “Critical Focus List,” which should be tested first with a friend. When it passes, it must be shared with employees to create company change. Next, list which activities “I need to focus on” to create that change.

• Regarding millennials, “know them by name, let them know why what they do is important and that their role matters.” Ultimately, it is vital to “be fair” by treating millennials with “human decency.”

Before “hit(ting) the reset button, get a vision of where you want to be.” Web: LeadSelfLeadOthers.com