Explain the ‘why’
When Alexander first went out in the field as CEO, he got a sense from the line crews that the company’s fleet of vehicles needed to be replaced.
As a result, he set up teams of union and non-union employees and management to discuss what the new fleet would look like and what equipment they would need with it. After that, Alexander laid out a plan that the company would purchase a certain number of trucks over a certain number of years.
While the suggestions for the trucks had been incorporated into company plans, it was also important to let people know what was going on and why.
“Well, when I first told them we were going to do this, nobody saw a truck come into their line shop for a year because it takes a year to get them built.”
Alexander explained the trucks take some time to build, and they eventually began to flow in. Once employees saw that happen, they just wanted to know when the trucks would get to their department. Without an explanation of the process, employees will be left in the dark without answers.
“Now, when I go to the field, I am not hearing any questions about trucks anymore,” he says. “They saw the action, they understood, and they saw that their comments meant something, and that helped.”
While involving employees in the decision-making process is a great way to create buy-in, you also have to explain the reasons why something is or isn’t happening.
“It’s important for people to understand why they are doing things,” he says. “We spent a lot of time, not just saying, ‘This is what we have to do,’ but saying, ‘Not only is this what we have to do, but this is why we have to do it.’
“Sometimes, the answer is, ‘We have to do it this way because we just don’t h
ave enough money.’ But at least if you can sit down and explain it to them, they can understand that.”
Explaining the “why” also gives each person’s job a connection to a greater overall purpose in the company.
“All you can do is try to increase the level of communications so people can begin to connect how all these pieces and parts fit together,” he says. “Every job in this company is important. It all plays a role.”
When you motivate employees to give you input, you might be thrown many different ideas. Some of them may not fit the direction you want the company to go in, so you have to bring them back to the overall strategy of the company so they can get a sense of what you are trying to accomplish.
“I spend a lot of time with them on this because we make so many decisions,” he says. “At the end of the day, if the employees understand the direction you are trying to go in, it’s much easier for them to understand an action that you’ve taken and put it into context of where you are driving the organization.
“They might not agree with you, but they understand. That’s more important because they understand.”
It’s true that actions speak louder than words, but words still do play an important role.
“As you begin to lay out a strategy and you want your employees to buy in to it, they must see the implementation of it and they must understand how their role fits in it,” he says.
“If you are successful in those two components, you’ve gone a long way of engaging your employees. That’s really what you are trying to accomplish.”
How to reach: FirstEnergy Corp., (330) 384-5783 or
www.firstenergycorp.com
