The following post was written almost 4 years ago. Ironically, the problem still persists inside of my friend's organization. I know you may be wondering how this organization manages to stay in the game. I won't wast precious space on all of the reasons, but one reason is they're in a hot market. Sadly, hot markets can be like ether to organizations and they come and go. Regardless, it was sobering to read and update this post.
I talked to a friend this week about how her company is facing a crisis of identity. Their crisis is not a marketing one, but an internal sales vs. operations one. Ever heard of it?
Many companies deal with the following:
- What area is most important sales or ops.
- Areas (sales, ops., customer service, etc.) that create their own fiefdoms.
- Top management that is unable or unwilling to be clear.
- Conflict avoidance.
- No programs for people development.
The above is not an exhaustive list, but covers some key areas of stress. In many cases the organization has allowed the weeds to overtake the garden. Meaning; there is one vision and all must serve that vision. Anything less results in a culture full of dysfunction.
I recommend the following:
- Change the culture or change the culture.
See this article on how Apple values their culture. As you may have guessed, taking responsibility for your culture is paramount.