In situations of crisis, it is important to have a plan of action to address both the situation and the causes surrounding it. NASA has been a public figure for over 80 years and when tragic events take place such as the Columbia, it was critical that NASA take a proactive step in addressing some of their weaknesses. In the NASA video, O’Keefe states that the organization as a whole works together as a team but managerial interactions are low which can be a macro issue effecting many departments and ultimately uncover large gaps and weaknesses in the organizational structure (2004). In this video blog analysis I will be answering and addressing the following four (4) questions below:
Why did NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe address NASA employees to describe the plan to bring about proposed changes to NASA's culture?
Sean O’Keefe addressed the employees of NASA because he wanted to gain their support for the changes that were to be implanted after the Columbia tragedy. Successful leaders do not go into a meeting and say “We are making changes and this is what they are going to be” and then walk out. Instead successful leaders create a town hall type of meeting where question and answers can be addressed and where upper management has the opportunity to gain supports for the changes that are coming. I have found that it is important to gain the respect and commitment from other employees before jumping in and making substantial changes.
Was he believable? Is it important whether he appeared to be believable?
Sean O’Keefe is believable but also very dry. I have found that when leaders are enthusiastic about organizational change and rally everyone together the results tend to be slightly better than with a leader who is monotone. The message is clear in that he wants to see the changes take place that will help to maintain team work and boost managerial/employee interactions. In dealing with a large and dispersed organization such as NASA, it is very important for their leadership team to present themselves as believable. You want your staff to get behind the changes and help to move things forward for the better but if the top leaders do not connect and or come off as unbelievable then the organization will struggle through times of change and often can have negative results.
Why did he talk about NASA values?
Connecting with your audience can make or break the message being presented by the speaker. Due to the extensive changes being proposed, it was critical that O’Keefe reached his audience by connecting with them via NASA’s values. In the Tips on How to Prepare Your Audience for a Big Change at your Company, leaders should take “baby steps” in order to connect with everyone and part of those steps is creating the connection and bond between employees values and those of the organization they are affiliated with. O’Keefe was also setting a tone with the audience in that he was taking the situation and presenting in such a way that all employees felt as though they could help to make a difference. When employees feel as though what they do does not affect the organization as a whole nor makes a difference they are less likely to put forth their efforts to evoke and promote positive changes within the organization.
What can you take away from this exercise to immediately use in your career?
The Columbia tragedy is something everyone can learn from because it shows how little areas of disconnect within an organization can have lasting results that trickle down to other areas/departments within an organization. Communication is a key element in any organization and when employees feel as though they cannot communicate with others and or management there is an immediate red flag arises. I am fortunate to work in an organization where we an open door policy meaning that we can communicate with anyone at any time making the work environment less tense and at times more collaborative. The biggest lesson I learned in the video is that it is important to not wait until the last minute to say something but when problems arise they should be handled in order to prevent a domino effect.
References
C-span video library . (2004, April 13). Retrieved from http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SACu
Tips on how to prepare your audience for a big change at your company. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/tips-on-how-to-prepare-your-audience-for-a-big-change-at-your-company/
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