Our Reason For Being
When people aren’t engaged, they simply disengage.
by Mark McOnie, Managing Director, Manavale
I have witnessed first hand just how important a team is to an organisation. The words ‘our people are our greatest asset’ can be so far from the truth when it comes to how organisations look after their people, how they develop a productive culture and maximise the talent that they acquire.
My experience has taken me into the boardrooms and hallways of global giants, ASX listed Blue-Chips through to kitchen table start-ups and everything in between. I have been lucky enough to spend time with elite athletes, top talent and many successful CEO’s. This experience has told me a number of things:
It all starts with the right team
All to often, organisations try to invest in team and leadership development with the wrong people. I can recall countless conversations with leaders who, following some time with their team in the bush, have whispered “Well, I now know who I don’t want in my team.” as they point to those members who perhaps didn’t fully commit to the task or their team. An important realisation maybe, but shouldn’t take these kind of investment events to realise that you have the wrong team.
You have to plan to hire the right people
What comes first culture or the team? The answer is definitely somewhere in between, however having and communicating the vision you have for your organisation and culture is critical to finding the right people. This in turn will inform the kinds of questions that you ask at interview, the values and behaviours that you find appealing or perhaps won’t work.
Diversity wins, but this starts with inclusion
By far the best (most productive) teams I have worked with are those that are diverse. They are diverse in every way and embrace this diversity as a power. These teams have been enabled by the plan (this is why planning is important). The leaders planned to hire , develop and empower a diverse team and then the culture of that team was able to flow.
The buck stops with you
Organisations can have all of the right things in place to develop a great team, but the leadership is where it succeeds or fails. Executive teams can be fairly fractured - a convergence of high achievers who have worked hard to make their careers and have super strong opinions. This can lead to a level of deep seated mistrust and a politically unsettling environment. Exec teams need to work hard (invest time, learning and self-reflection) to be vulnerable, trusting and share accountability, not just for business results, but also culture.
And finally…none of this is easy
Our mission is to help organisations plan for their desired culture, find the right talent for their mission and help to develop this talent in line with your business and cultural aspirations. We believe that these aspects of talent management are central to how businesses and organisations achieve their goals, not just a nice to have.
The Art of War, attributed to Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu, summarises how planning is critical to survival:
You have climate. It can be sunny or overcast. It can be hot or cold. It includes the timing of the seasons.
Next is the terrain. It can be distant or near. It can be difficult or easy. It can be open or narrow. It also determines your life or death.
Next is the commander. He must be smart, trustworthy, caring, brave and strict.
Finally, you have your military methods. They include the shape of your organisation. This comes from your management philosophy. You must master their use.
All five of these factors are critical. As a commander, you must pay attention to them. Understanding them brings victory. Ignoring them means defeat.
If you would like to chat further about experiences, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out below.