OPEN ORGANIZATION TOOLKIT

DIAGNOSIS
Client in the first meeting may not be the eventual client. Hence desist coming to a
conclusion if it is an Open Organization issue or something else.

Asking questions around the following issues can be critical to understand the key problem
area:

1. State the business problem and its effect on business performance

2. Data on symptoms of the business problem, e.g. drop in sales, low customer
satisfaction ratings, percentage quality rejects, number of sales returns etc.

Conduct conversations with a sample of employees to understand their issues vis-à-vis the
business problem and how collaboration, information sharing and communication is
contributing to it.

Conduct interviews with a sample of users across levels – 1 from executive, 2 from middle
management, 4 from junior management and frontline employees – either on phone or in
person.

Method/ System People Performance

Business Problem

Technology/ Infrastructure * Context

Identify the communication and collaboration related root cause that is contributing to the
problem

Try and capture:

- What are the desired states – as a behavioral level and at a functional level that the
audience desires

- Past implementations like intranets etc. and the success/failure for the same

SELECT
This is a tactical step that involves selecting a tool that best fits the organizational needs
and requirements. There are potentially a number of qualified vendors that provide solutions
for the proposed program. A short list of vendors should be created based on a preliminary
investigation of possible candidates.

The evaluation process should address product requirements based on specific application
features, which vary by solution type, as well as generic requirements such as:

- Security

- Reliability

- Scalability

- Ability to customize

- Ease of use

- Integration with other applications

- User operating environments

- Total Cost of Ownership

ENGAGE
The selection and implementation is the easy part – however the real challenge for any
organization to transform into an open organization is for behavioral change to happen so
that people start using the tools to derive maximum benefits.

Here are some of the ways new methods and tools can be implemented

MAKING THE CHANGE NON-NEGOTIABLE

When leadership commits to a change, the message must be that the change is not an
option. But the message that often comes across is "We'd like you to change, we're asking
you to change, we implore you to change, please change..." Whenever people have the
option not to change, they won't. Hence the messaging has to be that the change is
imperative and non-negotiable.

A FOCUS ON PROCESS AND RESULTS

The process has to be balanced with the results that the change is targeting. While a step by
step approach is critical to be followed, it has to be open enough to address exigencies and
people’s unexpected reactions.

INVOLVING THOSE EXPECTED TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE

Employees need to be involved in two ways. First, their input and suggestions should be
solicited when planning the change (in the Diagnose stage) Secondly, after a change has
been committed to, they should be involved in determining the means. Leadership needs to
communicate, "Here's what must happen. How do you think it can best be done?

Some of the ways this can be done is by

1. Constituting a team of Implementation Champions

2. Workshops on what can be done to derive maximum value from them

a. This would look at current dysfunctions

b. How the tool can address that dysfunctions

c. What are the current work processes and workflows that would be disrupted

d. How will such disruptions be address

e. Fixing authority and timelines for addressing such changes

3. Technical education for all employees

a. Making case studies on how the technology will address issues unearthed in
the diagnosis

b. Conducting initial workshops with the Champions

c. Enabling the champions to connect with each other and take the education
independently

OWNED BY "INSIDERS"
Change is an inside job. Although 2020 Social consultants might provide valuable ideas and
input, people inside the systems must accept responsibility for the change.

CHANGING REWARD SYSTEMS

If you keep rewarding employees for what they've always done, you'll keep getting what
you've always gotten. Make sure that rewards, recognition and compensation are adjusted
for the desired change.

LEADERSHIP WALKS THE TALK

For change to happen, everybody involved must buy-in. Leadership, however, must take the
first steps. Change is aborted whenever leadership doesn't demonstrate the same
commitment they expect from others. Some ways to kickstart the change is to get the
leadership team to start profiling and updating and sharing their details on the tool.
FOLLOW-THROUGH
The best planning is worthless if not implemented, monitored and carried out. Responsibility
must be clearly defined for making sure that follow-through is timely and intense.