Just like in the Premier League, you have two rows in every organization.
– The left row. That is the work that must be done. The management is personally involved, there are performance indicators linked to it, if this work is not done, you have a problem.
– The right row. Work that is worthwhile, but the responsibility lies with a supporting department, such as HR or communications, you are not assessed for it and there is no deadline.
I like to ask myself these two questions.
1. Which list am I in?
2. If I am standing on the right and think I belong on the left, how do I get there?
Question 1: which list am I in?
When you start a job, it is good to know where you stand. For example, I would like to know this when I give a seminar in an organization. Here are three indicators that tell you whether you are in the left or right row.
– How specific is the goal? Is the aim being a measurable outcome, is there a deadline, a serious budget? Or is it about well-intentioned vagueness (‘connection’) that will be exchanged for something else next year (‘ownership’)?
– Who’s participating? If the management itself is involved, then it is probably important. In my work, I know that I am in the right row if I only have contact with the HR manager or an external project leader during a project.
– What is the approach? Suppose you are working on a project in the field of diversity and inclusion. Or burnout prevention. Does the responsibility for implementation then lie with individual employees? For example, are there training courses organized where you learn how you can contribute to this topic? Or is there actual intervention in the systems? Are work processes adjusted, are there quotas, or is there an upper limit on the number of working hours?
Behavioral scientists call this a i-frame and a s frame. The individual frame is typically something for the right row. A system frame can only be found for topics at the top of the left row.
Question 2: how do I get from right to left?
Finding out where you stand is usually possible. But how do you move from the right to the left row? Three pieces of advice.
– Link your plan to the highest priorities. Which goals are at the top of the left row of your organization? And what are important bottlenecks with those goals? Are there any technical, procedural or personnel problems? If your plan seriously contributes to solving such a problem, a place in the left list is within reach.
Example: you work in human resources and want to offer people with a migration background a fair chance. To ensure that your efforts are not just seen as ‘commendable’, but are taken seriously, provide insight into how the company’s staff shortage can be solved through broader and more creative recruitment.
– Connect to what decision makers want. What hobbyhorses does the management have besides the daily work? Is that sustainability, being at the forefront of technology or, for example, a good reputation among the public? Can you make a link with that?
Tips: connect to current opportunities and problems in the company or society; make the short-term benefits clear; make it easy and safe to make a decision.
Example: As an IT professional, you are concerned about digital security. To get on the agenda of your management, do not talk about the technical aspects, but describe the commercial, legal and advertising risks of a cyber attack. You are not proposing a total solution, but a manageable first step.
– Manage yourself. Sometimes you have to plan tweak [aanpassen] to move up the priority list. That can feel like a loss. The original, elegant idea that was all yours is adapted and given co-owners. On the other hand, research into ‘minority influence’ shows that consistency can also work. Anyone who makes one sound heard for a long time can eventually get their subject on the agenda. Think of the success – after years – of the doctors and researchers who battled the tobacco industry.
In either case, reminding yourself of your goal and tracking your progress (right to left) will help motivate you. For example, have you recruited additional supporters this month?
Example: you work at a municipality and want more attention to be paid to loneliness among the elderly. You join a project in the field of neighborhood-oriented work. You will further develop your plan together with district officials and citizens. After a while, it’s no longer your plan, it’s their plan. That sometimes feels annoying, but every month you see the chance of implementation increasing.
Practical
It really matters whether your work is in the left or right row. Working for a long time on something that is not a priority for your colleagues leads to frustration, anger and exhaustion. And the more connected you feel to an idea or project, the harder it will be when others do not see the value.
There are strategies for shifting from right to left. But sometimes you just have to accept that what you consider important has no chance with your current employer. Then it is time to consider a transfer to another club where you do get the chance to score.
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