Changes Ahead

Changes Ahead
Bob the Stunned Manager got into his car and
drove to the office. He slowly walked down the
seemingly endless corridor that led to the Human
Resources Department. All the while, Dave’s last
words rang through his mind: “. . . companies simply
can’t afford to have any last-minute managers in their
ranks.”
I’m a competent manager, Bob thought. I know
this business inside and out. They need me here.
Bob stepped into the HRD offices and waited for
the Director to finish a phone call. He was escorted
into her office and the door was closed.
“I’m sorry to hear that things aren’t going well for
you right now, Bob,” the Director offered. “You’ve
been here for quite some time. We all like you and
would hate to see you go.”
“I thought I’d be here forever,” Bob admitted
candidly.
The Director did what she could to offer
encouragement. “Because Dave cares about people
like you and wants good citizens also to be good
performers, he has hired a new person in a brand-new
position who will be able to help you become on-time
and on-target. It’s our belief that performance can be
improved. In order to achieve that goal, you will have
to go through The Process.”
No mistake about it. Bob distinctly heard the
capital letters in the phrase “The Process.”
“What is ‘The Process,’ if I might ask?”
“Well, you will have to meet several times with
the CEO and go through a certain process designed
to—”
“The CEO?” Bob interrupted. “I have to meet
with Dave? He’s the one who sent me to meet with
you.”
The HR Director smiled. “I’m not talking about
that CEO.”
“Is there any other kind?” Bob wondered aloud.
“There is now. It’s the Chief Effectiveness
Officer.”
Bob was mystified. “Chief Effectiveness Officer?
I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Is Algalon becoming
some kind of cult? he questioned silently.
10 / Changes Ahead
The HR Director continued, “The reason you’ve
never heard of this position is probably because it was
created just a few weeks ago.”
“What exactly does this new kind of CEO do?”
Bob queried.
“Our CEO’s goal is to help good people like you
improve performance by evaluating you in terms of
the Three P’s. Do you understand them? Do you apply
them in your daily life at home and on the job? Are
you willing to work on your performance challenges,
or will you continue to be a last-minute manager?”
Spooky, Bob thought. Dave used those same
words: “last-minute manager.”
The HR Director went on, “You see, at Algalon,
we are clearly seeing that our success is dependent
upon every member of the team thinking and acting
like an owner. If everyone is constantly looking farther
up the hierarchy for decision-making, our customers
will not be well served. So your ability to make key
decisions on your own at crucial moments in time will
be essential to our ongoing success. The Three P
Strategy will empower you to meet that objective.”
“What are the Three P’s?” Bob asked.
“You’ll find out when you meet with the CEO,”
the HR Director answered. “Are you free anytime
tomorrow?”
Changes Ahead / 11
“Yes. Early morning is best for me.”
The HR Director dialed the CEO’s extension and
scheduled a meeting for Bob at 8 A.M. “I think Bob
will benefit from The Process,” the HR Director
added. “He has the right heart but his performance
record here is not up to par. We hope you can get him
on track to being an on-time, on-target manager. That
will probably involve giving him a checkup.”
Bob couldn’t help but wonder what the HR
Director meant by that last comment. When the call
ended, he asked, “Do I have to undergo a physical
exam tomorrow?”
The HR Director chuckled. “No, not at all. It all
has to do with your beliefs. You see, we have come to
the conclusion that beliefs drive behavior, and if
you’re not getting the desired results, it can probably
be traced to a lousy belief. The CEO will help you
look at any flawed beliefs so you can become an ontime,
on-purpose person. If she can do that, the
chances for erasing this probation from your record
will be outstanding.”
Bob pondered her statements for a moment, then
asked, “Do I need to do anything to prepare for the
meeting? Should I bring anything with me?”
“No,” replied the HR Director. “Just be on time.”
12 / Changes Ahead
• • •
When Bob got home, his wife looked at her husband’s
face and immediately sensed that something was
wrong.
“I was put on probation,” Bob confessed.
“You’re not going to lose your job, are you?” she
asked nervously.
“I don’t think so . . . as long as I can become an
on-time, on-target manager—as they refer to it.”
“How do you do that?” Bob’s wife asked.
“My understanding is that I have to schedule
several meetings with the CEO.”
“You’re going to be meeting with Dave
Pederson?”
Bob grinned. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.
The CEO I’ll be meeting with is actually the Chief
Effectiveness Officer.”
“The Chief what?”
“Effectiveness Officer. I know, I know. I’ve never
heard of that either. And I have only a vague
understanding of what she does. It has something to
do with reviewing my thinking—the beliefs I have.”
Bob’s wife was relieved. “It’ll be a piece of cake,
then. That’s why I married you. I love your positive
thinking. You always seem to stay upbeat.”
Changes Ahead / 13
“I hope I can this time, too,” Bob said with a
smile. “But there’s some mystery involved. She’s going
to tell me all about the Three P’s, and I have no idea
what that means.”
“You’ll find out soon enough, I guess.”