We have been called by a company to provide coaching in organizational change.
The CEO mentioned to us few objectives to focus on in the change initiative. We start diagnosing the situation by critical studying the culture and climate of the corporate.
Upon analyzing the findings, we found that 83% are suffering from low self-esteem and sever stress symptoms.
When somebody's self-esteem is low (self-dislike), his/her ability to accept the critique is remarkably weak. So, they tend to accuse and blame others for mistakes and problems.
To explain it scientifically, low self-esteem contributes to:
• Sensitivity to criticism
• Tendency to put on a false social mask to impress others
• Hostility, excessive anger, dislike and distrust of other
When our self-esteem is weakened, we become unsatisfied with whom we are subconsciously. That is, there is a constant inner voice which keeps saying to us that we are not happy, good, qualified, and stable enough.
This inner voice of rejection inside the person generates regularly feelings of guilt, sadness, anger and anxiety. The person is already compressed with those emotions. Therefore, if we try to show them they are responsible for something, for them, it is a one more reason not to feel good, and because they are already pressured with bad emotions, they tend to defend their position and blame other to escape the feeling of guilt. The new knowledge threatens their sense of worth.
In that company, we found that people keep finger-pointing, and blaming others and practice gossiping and forming lobbies to protect themselves.
The analysis of the company leads to a real miserable results, something we usually find in organizations.
It was my job to present the findings to the CEO at that sunny morning at 9:30 AM before two weeks.
If the board of directors knows about the results, probably the CEO will loose his job.
Therefore, I expect that while or after presenting him with the facts, he might fire us and replace us with another company, which are not that much direct, brave, and honest to face the CEO with very unpleasant facts.
We know how some managers react to criticism, they take it personal, then they justify it with rationale reason, then they look for facts that support their emotional state, then they react. Usually, they remove the source of critics from their environment by marginalizing, firing, transferring, etc, unfortunately.
I started with a nice introduction to calm him down, and I mentioned that it can be changed.
I started to present the figures. What happens then, he became interested, then asked me for more, and then he concluded:
I accept responsibility for this, this is my mistake, and I will work on it
It was obvious for us that this is not his mistake. It is a culture and a history in the company which has been growing for years. He is a new CEO to the company. Nevertheless, we did not hear a single word from him about the previous CEO and his mistakes.
The sample of research took 60% of the company's employees. Yet, when we presented the facts to middle management, they claimed that the sample is not enough, and we are over-generalizing the problems. No comment!! I
The CEO who attended the session, interfered, and told them, I accept that this is my mistake, and I wish you to accept the same. We are here to work on the issues, and not to balm anybody for it. Things become better.
I took a deep breath and I learned what is meant to be humble, open, confident, and brave to accept responsibility for the change. Only people who are great in values, self-esteem and capabilities can do this.
I think before changing the world, we got to accept the changes that we have to do with ourselves.
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