Servant Leadership will bring you to many places not defined by organization and process, but by need and desire. This series picks up my experience of ACT (Associate CIP Team), tying the characteristics to a group that far exceeded even my lofty vision!
The Need Defined
Bosch, in its inimitable way, has many curious processes – being a worldwide company with German roots leads to interesting congruities. One such method (at least until 2021) was the all-associate satisfaction survey, performed every other year. As I started reporting to the Lincoln site in 2011, AS11 was getting completed. As expected, results took quite a long time to compile, present to different layers of management, and filter down to operational departments; so the results were down to our department in early 2012.
The Review
Just before this was delivered, I had received my yearly review, and my first review since moving to Lincoln. It must have been hard for the manager there (let’s call him Fred) to evaluate me; I started reporting to him in April, I spent months in Mexico implementing a new ERP system, and had spent little time in the Lincoln facility. So, when Fred got the task of building my review, he had scant evidence.
I had made a small comment in a moment of pique to a fellow associate, saying that “if I start using large words, you know I am angry”. This had somehow bubbled up to Fred, and this phrase landed on my review, especially in the area of communication. It stung, and I still remember the hot face I had when he delivered it to me; here I am, delivering Servant Leader principles, and I have this impediment drawn in full display. I felt it was unfair, but, as we teach NYLT youth, feedback is a gift (not expressed is the way it should be treated as one you desired). I did, however, in the wisdom of the moment, ask that Fred alert me if he sees such behavior so I can quickly remediate, so this also stood on my review (and, as you may imagine, never showed again).
Back to the Survey
Fred, finally gaining access to the survey results, felt defeated, and helpless; they were significantly bad, and seemingly worse than the last survey of AS09. He had to report through the layers about how this would be fixed. In a small meeting we had, he expressed frustration and impotence in changing the outlook of the organization.
I had another experience at Bosch with these surveys, and even bad ones; the idea that took hold of the VP in charge of that organization was one of Focus Groups – selected individuals from relevant departments that could tease the feedback out of the (rather generic) result, giving a measure that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based (or timely) – most of you already know about SMART goals.
Upon giving this idea to Fred, and outlining the strategy and possibilities, plus offering my effort and direction to organize it, Fred immediately recognized a solution, a move forward, and the possibility to gain some traction with the organization. He approved the Focus Group idea, and had me share it at the next staff meeting, so that each department could give one or more associates to this. I gave Fred a vision!
Servant Leader Lessons
As a Servant Leader, I exercised foresight as I brought lessons from the past forward, with a heavy dose of persuasion as I laid out these plans to Fred, and ultimately to all the other staff members. Plus, I had to do some healing for myself, as I processed the feedback from Fred on my review, increasing my awareness of how I could communicate to this new organization.