Shifting Business Orbits through People Engagement

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Did you ever wonder why moving business orbits becomes such a difficult, painful, and complicated process? It has a simple explanation; existing successful structures encourage business behaviors that are apt for the current orbit only. These behaviors are an outcome of programmed emotions and hard-wired responses developed over a period.

Interestingly you don’t necessarily need to transform your entire organization to scale orbits. The scale-up approach is much more straightforward and ROI driven. Move from a typical hierarchical structure to a “holarchical structure” within select test areas.

As a first part, Holon’s are set up as autonomous, self-reliant units that are empowered with a required degree of independence. They manage the scale-up initiatives & handle contingencies without interference from higher authorities or clearances. This system ensures that Holon’s are solid forms that can withstand disturbances.

These Holons are a bunch of selected inspired members of the organization with very high Self-awareness and Self Motivation, Cognitive Capabilities, and Pattern Recognition. They may not have necessarily been consistent performers but do demonstrate the hunger to excel. It is just that these Holons either need a direction or skillsets to orient their energies towards high performance.

As a second part, these Holons are also simultaneously coached and controlled by one or more experienced, competent authorities. This property ensures that they are part of an ecosystem providing a context for the proper functionality for the larger whole.

Once this system is set up the model is simple to execute:

1. Determine the business orbit in which the organization wishes to move to.
2. Structured Assessment: Identify the systemic fault lines in organization structure and business behaviors that are choking the system.
3. Organization Behavior: Set up new Business behaviors or process drivers that are required for the orbit shift.
4. Change Initiative: Initiate change projects and collaborative events for innovation in areas identified through “Design Thinking.” Formulate the necessary business intelligence tools for tracking the success trends; monitor and control process drivers stringently using analytics.
5. Organization development: Set up systems & structures that support the new change process and enable the accomplishment of the desired business orbit. Establish this as a dynamic process.
6. Build Expertise: Coach up the target team working in the scale-up initiative to demonstrate the skills & business behaviors for increasing the probability of success.

As the Holons create success, the eco-system around them also starts aligning and performing to support the new ways. It is also noteworthy to see how the language and solution orientation of the Holons also scale up. Scale-up needs deep pockets and patience. 15 months is the minimum period to see the effect of scale-up initiatives. To fire-wall the organization from the undesired business impact, it is imperative not to expose the entire entity to this intervention but address it in parts and keep it localized. Test run and build a model that can then be rapidly implemented across the organization.