Ashley Goodall: Life in the Blender, Surviving the Chaos of Modern Workplaces
Jul 30, 2024
auto_awesome
Ashley Goodall, a leadership expert and former SVP at Cisco, dives into the chaotic world of modern workplaces. He challenges the myth that constant change equals effective leadership, advocating for stability instead. They discuss the psychological toll of layoffs and the human resistance to change, emphasizing the critical role of HR in bridging gaps between leaders and employees. Goodall also critiques outdated performance management practices, arguing for a more meaningful, human-centered approach to improve workplace dynamics.
Constant workplace change can lead to cognitive and emotional burdens on employees, fostering feelings of uncertainty and learned helplessness.
The cultural norm of relentless disruption is often a misconception, with leaders misunderstanding the original intent of fostering innovation through stability.
HR's role as a bridge between leadership and employees is crucial, necessitating a shift towards advocating for employee needs and insights.
Deep dives
Life in the Blender
The concept of 'Life in the Blender' describes the overwhelming state of constant change and disruption that many organizations face today. Changes in strategies, team structures, leadership, and technology occur almost simultaneously, leading to employee fatigue and frustration. This constant upheaval hampers people's ability to perform effectively, as they often feel unprepared for the myriad of transformations they did not request or consent to. Understanding and naming this phenomenon is crucial, as it helps leaders recognize the detrimental effects of incessant change on their workforce.
The Cult of Disruption
The idea that constant change is essential in business is explored as a product of a so-called 'cult of disruption.' This mentality suggests that leaders are primarily tasked with instigating change, stemming from misconceptions about innovation that arose since the publication of Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovator's Dilemma.' The original message of creating small, autonomous groups to foster innovation has been misunderstood, leading to an organizational culture that equates leadership with relentless disruption. Acknowledging this misinterpretation can prompt a reassessment of change practices in favor of creating more stable environments for employees.
Challenges Posed by Change
Constant change creates significant cognitive and emotional burdens on employees, leading to feelings of uncertainty and lack of control. Such stress can facilitate a detrimental state of 'learned helplessness,' where the workforce feels powerless and disengaged. The disruption of established social groups further exacerbates feelings of unbelonging, diminishing individuals' capacities to collaborate effectively. It is essential to recognize that these psychological effects can severely undermine productivity and morale, pushing leaders to consider diminishing unnecessary changes.
The Role of HR in Change Management
Human Resources (HR) has the potential to act as a bridge between leadership and employees, yet often falls short of meeting this role effectively. HR should advocate for employee needs, emphasizing the importance of gathering frontline insights to inform decision-making processes. By fostering a culture of listening and understanding, HR can equip leaders with essential intelligence about the impacts of their initiatives and facilitate smoother transitions through change. Rethinking HR's position as an employee advocate rather than merely a managerial tool can enhance overall workplace wellness and engagement.
Improving Organizational Dynamics
Organizations can foster a healthier work environment by prioritizing stability, even in the presence of necessary change. Implementing practices that promote belonging, control, and meaningful work can help employees navigate change more effectively. Leadership can introduce regular check-ins, provide clear expectations, and uphold ritualistic elements of the workplace to strengthen employees’ sense of predictability and agency. Ultimately, focusing on enhancing the human experience at work leads not only to higher morale but reinforces organizational resilience amid inevitable changes.
In the modern workplace, constant change is the norm. One week, teams are navigating a new project management system; the next, they need to adapt to a new organizational chart. Even office layouts seem to change overnight to match the company’s latest pivot. While change may be the new normal, leadership expert Ashley Goodall questions its true benefits. In his latest book, The Problem with Change, he highlights the pitfalls of constant change and advocates for the pursuit of stability instead.
Ashley Goodall is a leadership expert, consultant, and author who has spent his career exploring large organizations from the inside out. He is the former Senior Vice President at Cisco and former Director and Chief Learning Officer at Deloitte.
In this episode, Dart and Ashley discuss: - Cognitive and emotional effects of constant workplace change - Consultants’ role in creating change - The unique world of an executive - Improving something versus changing everything - Differences between fear and anxiety at work - The psychological impacts of layoffs - The fundamental task of leadership - HR’s role as the bridge between leaders and the frontline - Measuring performance without ratings - And other topics…
Ashley Goodall is a leadership expert, consultant, and author who has spent his career exploring large organizations from the inside out. Ashley most recently served as former Senior Vice President at Cisco, where he led organizations focused on leadership, teams, and research. Prior to Cisco, he also served as Director and Chief Learning Officer at Deloitte.
Ashley’s books include Nine Lies About Work and The Problem with Change, the former of which was selected as one of Amazon’s best business and leadership books during its release year. Ashley has also written for Harvard Business Review, including the most popular article of 2019, “The Feedback Fallacy.” He holds his BA in Music from the University of Oxford and his MBA from the Columbia Business School.
Work with Dart: Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode