Is Your Corporate Culture Promoting D.A.W.L. Syndrome?

Submitted By: Hilda Miller Cadenas

OBSERVATION:
Lack of accountability at Key Management levels, is costing companies their “bottom line”. This comes about when there is no definition of where the buck stops or who is responsible for the outcome. Innocent bystanders, are forced to work outside of their areas of expertise and authority,  have to do what they are told and are often scapegoats. Their Key Managers have become adept at (CYA), as they have learned the skills of survival in the corporate American Jungle, from their predecessors. This insidious corporate problem has almost become the “norm” in our workplace today, and it’s eating us alive. A friend called it, “D.A.W.L.”, (Denying Accountability Without Lying). This mode of operating is becoming popular and eroding our corporate culture. Employers are losing valuable resources and don’t even know what hit them, as they believe what the D.A.W.L.ers are telling them. I believe that its’ even spreading into the high schools……………….How is this possible? Can it be stopped?

BACKGROUND:
Episodes, such as power outages in the Northeast, oil spills, the Enron Scandal and Fires in the various nightclubs in Chicago and Rhode Island, impacted the lives of many Americans and have potential of reoccurring, if something is not learned from what leads to these incidents. Does anyone know who is ultimately responsible or accountable for letting these problems get out of hand? How does an organization determine the best course of action to take to avoid making these same mistakes in the future? How does yesterday’s news, effect positive change in the future? Where does on begin to make the changes?

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Implement Management Procedures that include the following:

1. Create a “functional organizational chart” clearly delineate the reporting relationships.
2. Adapt and promote “how can we learn from this?” and discourage the “how can we deny accountability and blame someone else” approach. Incorporate this attitude into a management training program.
3. Prepare detailed “functional” job descriptions, for Key management positions.
4. Implement an employee evaluation program.
5. Create a company-wide “performance based” incentive plan.
6. Train management on how to communicate “effectively” and create an employee suggestion program, (ongoing).

COST/BENEFIT:
COST:  The time to design the management structure and train personnel on the new procedures.

BENEFIT: The future of your “Great” company will be “Built to Last” – Jim Collins

For more information on how to implement improvements in your organization: email: hilda.miller@ymail.com or call (786) 252-4134

NOTE: It is my intention in this article, to bring a sense of urgency to managers and business owners in our community to pay close attention to the Business Culture that they are promoting within their organizations. The following is a recommendation, in the format of a “cost/benefit” analysis; the key to any successful organizational changes comes from the “implementation” of the management procedures that support the respective recommendation(s).

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