Bob Whipple loves to work with organizations and management teams to improve performance. Starting with an assessment of the current situation and in-depth interviews with leaders, he crafts custom designed interventions. These programs are laser-focused on the specific needs of an organization so they are efficient, but with obvious and lasting results. (See the Leadership Assessment at right for more information.)
Bob also works with individual leaders or small leadership groups in a coaching mode to facilitate the design of custom improvement programs. The result of this combination of services is a significant impact on business performance with a minimal disruption of current operations and at a reasonable cost.
Bob is able to relate to and speak the language of CEOs because he operated in a senior leadership role for over a decade. The majority of professional consultants have ideas learned from books and theories taught in courses. Bob’s consultations are based on real life experience from sitting in the chair of the senior leader.
In consulting with organizations, Bob takes the time to understand the unique issues with clients. His extensive background in Organization Development and working with teams leads to a customized approach rather than a standard format. Instead, the background is used to craft interventions that foster real change within organizations.
Changing a culture is not something that happens at the snap of a finger. You cannot expect a two hour leadership training class to make a significant cultural difference. Instead, the work toward an improved environment must be focused on building trust and understanding motivation.
An organization where all people are pursuing a common vision in a healthy environment has a sustainable competitive advantage due to high employee motivation. The way to create this is to build a culture of TRUST and affection within the organization. You accomplish this through consistency and by letting people know it is safe to voice their opinion without fear of reprisal. You work to inspire people with a vision of a better existence for them and by really hearing their input. Doing this helps employees become motivated because:
- They feel a part of a winning team and do not want to let the team down. Being a winner is fun.
- They feel both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards when they are doing their best work.
- They appreciate their co-workers and seek ways to help them physically and emotionally.
- They understand the goals of the organization and are personally committed to help as much as they can in the pursuit of the goals.
- They truly enjoy the social interactions with people they work with. They feel that going to work is a little like going bowling, except the physical work is different. They are distributing computers instead of rolling a ball at wooden pins.
- They deeply respect their leaders and want them to be successful.
- They feel like they are part owners of the company and want it to succeed. By doing so, they bring success to themselves and their friends at work.
- They feel recognized for their many contributions and feel wonderful about that. If there is a picnic or a cash bonus, that is just the icing on the cake - not the full meal.
For an organization, “culture” means how people interact, what they believe, and how they create. If you could peel off the roof of an organization, you would see the manifestations of the culture in the physical world. The actual culture is more esoteric because it resides in the hearts and minds of the society, in addition to observable behaviors.
Achieving a state where all people are fully engaged is an exciting undertaking. It requires tremendous focus and leadership to achieve. It cannot be something you do on Tuesday afternoons or when you have special meetings. Describe it as a new way of life rather than a program. You will see evidence of this in every nook and cranny of the organization.
