No tenemos que cambiar la empresa para trabajar en la mejor | Manuel Suárez | TEDxUCHILE

TEDx Talks

24 May 202313:03

Summary

TLDRThis script discusses the negative connotations associated with organizational transformation, often linked to layoffs and restructuring. It emphasizes the importance of framing change as a growth opportunity and focusing on people-centric changes. The speaker shares personal experiences and lessons learned from implementing changes in their own company, such as shifting from a vertical to a horizontal structure and promoting employee autonomy. The talk highlights the need for transparency, empowering decision-making, and addressing holistic well-being—financial, physical, and mental health—to foster a culture of commitment and improve business performance.

Takeaways

🧠 The concept of personal transformation is generally seen positively, whereas organizational transformation often brings negative connotations like layoffs and restructuring.
🌟 The key to successful organizational change is presenting it as an opportunity for personal growth, focusing on people-centric changes rather than just structural ones.
🏆 Adaptability is crucial for organizations, as those who adapt best, as shown in blockbuster stories, are the ones who succeed.
🔄 Real transformation requires significant and meaningful changes, not just superficial perks like game rooms or better furniture.
🚫 A cautionary tale is shared about a Chilean bank that copied Google and Facebook's open workspaces and collaboration speeches but failed to meet objectives and started blaming and firing people.
🤔 The realization that working 24/7 is not sustainable and that employees want to enjoy their work throughout the day, not just after hours, is essential for organizational change.
🛏️ The speaker's personal experience of being a workaholic and the negative impact it had on their life led to the decision to change the company's structure.
📈 After trying a vertical structure and delegation, which failed, a horizontal structure that fosters personal growth and development was adopted, leading to better results.
🗳️ Employees overwhelmingly chose to change trivial things like toilet paper rather than significant aspects of the business, highlighting the difficulty in making decisions due to societal conditioning.
💡 The importance of liberating information and empowering people in decision-making was identified as a key step in fostering a culture of decision-making within organizations.
🏦 The company's shift towards transparency by making salaries and financial information public led to better understanding and engagement among employees.

Q & A

What is the main issue with the concept of 'transforming the organization' as perceived by many?
-The concept of 'transforming the organization' is often associated with layoffs and organizational restructuring rather than personal growth, which can be demotivating and cause stress.
How does the speaker suggest presenting changes in an organization?
-The speaker suggests presenting changes as opportunities for personal growth, focusing on how changes can benefit individuals to achieve organizational transformation.
What is the importance of adapting to change according to the speaker?
-Adapting to change is crucial as it is likened to the survival of the fittest in blockbuster stories, emphasizing the need for organizations to adapt to succeed.
What was the outcome of a Chilean bank trying to emulate the work culture of companies like Google and Facebook?
-The bank failed to meet its objectives, started blaming and firing people, and ultimately reverted to strict working hours, showing that merely copying the perks of successful companies without understanding their core values is not effective.
Why did the speaker decide to change his own company's structure?
-The speaker was working excessively long hours and wanted to break free from self-imposed slavery, leading to the decision to change the company's structure to delegate tasks and responsibilities.
What was the unexpected result of the speaker's attempt to delegate and create a vertical structure?
-Despite the speaker's efforts to delegate and create a vertical structure, it resulted in the worst year for the company financially, with a loss of 200 million pesos.
What was the significant realization the speaker had about decision-making in the organization?
-The speaker realized that people are not prepared to make decisions because society does not teach us to decide on many aspects of our lives, which is a significant barrier to fostering a culture of decision-making.
How did the speaker approach liberating information within the organization?
-The speaker led the liberation of information by making salaries public, teaching employees to read and understand financial statements, and promoting total transparency to favor the organization and its people.
What are the three key factors the speaker identified for treating people as integral beings?
-The three key factors are financial health, physical health, and mental health, which are essential for people to make good decisions and contribute effectively to the organization.
How did the speaker's company empower its employees in terms of salaries and budget management?
-The company empowered employees by allowing them to set their own salaries within agreed-upon limits and manage budgets, fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment.
What was the impact of these changes on the company's performance and employee satisfaction?
-The changes led to increased employee commitment and happiness, which in turn improved the company's performance. Sales increased by 20%, and profitability increased by 800% over four years.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Personal vs. Organizational Transformation

The speaker begins by contrasting the positive association people have with personal transformation, such as exercising, spending time with family, reading, and eating healthily, with the negative connotations of organizational transformation, which is often linked to layoffs and restructuring. They emphasize the need to present changes as opportunities for personal growth, rather than focusing on structural changes alone. The speaker shares their own experience of working excessively long hours and the realization that real transformation requires significant and meaningful changes beyond superficial perks like game rooms or better furniture.

05:02

🚀 From Vertical to Horizontal Organizational Structure

The speaker recounts their entrepreneurial journey and the shift from a vertical to a horizontal organizational structure. They initially attempted to delegate tasks and responsibilities to external talent but faced significant financial losses. This led to a radical change in approach, focusing on empowering employees and fostering their growth and development. The speaker highlights the importance of involving employees in decision-making processes and the realization that people are not prepared to make decisions due to societal norms that dictate many aspects of their lives.

10:02

🌱 Fostering a Culture of Decision-Making

The speaker discusses the importance of liberating information and empowering individuals in decision-making within organizations. They implemented a policy of total transparency, making salary information and financial data accessible to everyone. This transparency aimed to build trust and encourage employees to manage budgets and set their own salaries. The speaker also emphasizes the need to consider employees as whole beings, addressing their financial, physical, and mental health to enable them to make better decisions. The result was a more committed and happier workforce, which led to increased sales and profitability.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Transformation

Transformation in the context of the video refers to the process of changing or altering an organization's structure, culture, or practices to improve its performance and adapt to new challenges. It is central to the video's theme as the speaker discusses how organizations should approach transformation not as a negative or fearful experience but as an opportunity for growth. An example from the script is the speaker's own company, which initially struggled with transformation efforts but eventually found success by focusing on empowering individuals.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation is the ability to adjust or modify oneself or an organization to new conditions or challenges. The video emphasizes that the most successful entities are not necessarily the strongest or smartest but those that adapt best to change. An example is the reference to blockbuster stories where survival is not about brute strength or intelligence but about the capacity to adapt.

💡Growth

Growth in the video is discussed as a positive outcome of transformation, focusing on personal development and the expansion of an organization's capabilities. The speaker argues that changes in an organization should be centered around fostering growth in individuals to achieve broader organizational change. The script illustrates this with the contrast between superficial changes like adding a PlayStation and meaningful changes that affect the core of the organization.

💡Delegation

Delegation is the act of entrusting tasks or decisions to others. The video discusses how the speaker initially attempted to delegate tasks to external talent in a vertical structure but found more success by empowering individuals within the organization in a horizontal structure. This concept is crucial as it highlights the importance of trust and autonomy in driving transformation.

💡Transparency

Transparency is the quality of being open, communicative, and accountable. The video describes how the speaker's company implemented a policy of total information transparency, making salaries and financial information public to everyone within and outside the company. This approach was part of their strategy to build trust and encourage informed decision-making among employees.

💡Empowerment

Empowerment is about giving individuals the authority and responsibility to make decisions. The video emphasizes the importance of empowering employees to take ownership of their work and the company's direction. An example is the company's decision to allow employees to set their own salaries, which was a significant step in fostering a culture of responsibility and self-management.

💡Health

Health in the video is discussed in a holistic sense, encompassing financial, physical, and mental well-being. The speaker argues that organizations must address these aspects to support employees in making good decisions and being productive. For instance, the company focused on financial literacy, physical activities, and mental health support to ensure employees could perform at their best.

💡Self-Management

Self-Management refers to the ability of individuals to regulate and control their own behavior and decisions. The video describes how the company transitioned to a model where employees managed their budgets and salaries, leading to more responsible and committed behavior. This approach is highlighted as a key factor in the company's turnaround from financial losses to profitability.

💡Committed

Committed in the video refers to the level of dedication and loyalty employees have towards their work and the organization. The speaker suggests that when employees are committed, they perform better and contribute more positively to the organization's success. The company's transformation efforts aimed to foster a more committed workforce, which eventually led to increased sales and profitability.

💡Profitability

Profitability is a measure of a company's financial success. In the video, the speaker discusses how the company's transformation efforts led to an 800% increase in profitability over four years, despite only a modest increase in sales. This demonstrates the impact of a committed and self-managed workforce on the bottom line of the business.

💡Person-Centered

Person-Centered is an approach that prioritizes the needs, interests, and well-being of individuals. The video emphasizes the importance of placing people at the center of organizational transformation. The speaker shares that by focusing on the holistic development of individuals, the company was able to create a healthier, more committed, and higher-performing organization.

Highlights

The concept of personal transformation is viewed positively in the brain, whereas organizational transformation often triggers negative reactions.

Organizational transformation is commonly associated with layoffs and structural changes rather than personal growth.

Adapting to change is crucial for organizations, as depicted by blockbuster stories where survival depends on adaptability.

Changes should be presented as growth opportunities for individuals to effectively transform organizations.

Cultural shifts are necessary for real transformation, not just superficial perks like game rooms or better furniture.

A Chilean bank's attempt to imitate Google and Facebook's work culture failed because it didn't address the core issues.

The bank's failure to meet objectives led to a blame culture and layoffs, highlighting the importance of genuine transformation.

The speaker's personal experience of being a workaholic and the realization of the need for change in their own company.

Delegation of tasks and decisions was attempted but initially failed, leading to significant financial losses.

Switching to a horizontal structure and focusing on personal growth and development led to a cultural shift.

Employees were given the freedom to make significant decisions, but surprisingly chose to change trivial things like toilet paper first.

People are not prepared to make decisions due to societal norms that dictate many life choices, leading to avoidance of responsibility.

Information liberation and empowerment in decision-making are identified as key to fostering a culture of decision-making.

Making salaries and financial information public was a step towards transparency and empowering employees.

The realization that employees should be treated as whole beings with personal and professional growth in mind.

Three key factors for treating employees as whole beings: financial health, physical health, and mental health.

Employees were given the autonomy to hire, evaluate, and if necessary, fire new team members.

The team was entrusted with managing budgets, leading to more responsible financial behavior.

Employees were allowed to set their own salaries, fostering a sense of fairness and self-regulation.

Despite fears of financial mismanagement, the policy of self-management led to increased employee commitment and happiness.

The company's transformation led to a decrease in negative numbers and a 20% increase in sales over four years.

Profitability increased by 800% during the same period, proving the value of committed and empowered employees.

Placing people at the center of organizational transformation leads to healthier, more committed, and profitable companies.

The talk concludes with a humorous note on the importance of toilet paper in the transformation process.