June 2006 FAQ:

Question: We are “stuck.” We have assigned a change team of three senior managers to make changes in the way we run “the heart of our business.” They keep asking for clarification and clear roles and responsibilities. We keep telling them we don’t want to give any answers and that it’s the team’s job to generate clarity. How can we get “unstuck?”

Answer: I know you are trying to create an innovative environment, to not dominate or stifle the team. Good motives…bad approach.

 People need two kinds of clarity to be both effective and comfortable. They need clarity of direction (goals) and they need boundaries (roles). Failure to supply one or both needs strands your team in ambiguity and can lead to frustration.

 So you might say to the team: “We have assigned you to make changes and none of us knows how that will come out. We don’t know who will be doing what when we get your changes in place. But in the interim, here is precisely how we will work. Your scope is x. Your scope is not y. Your job is to do P and not to do PDQ. You report to me until further notice. Any questions?”

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