Thanks for the free advice, but I've been senior enough in enough organizations, both within and outside a the military, to have a pretty good sense of what works and what doesn't.
I would agree that words alone are almost never enough to achieve rapid changes in conduct in a dysfunctional organization. General Kelly would agree with that as well- words are rarely enough. Just ask Joe Dowdy. And for that matter, Anthony Scaramucci.
If Anthony Scaramucci's fate isn't enough to get the attention of others on the staff, then you keep firing the problem people until the problem people have either 1) been replaced, or 2) figured out they need to change their behaviors. Frankly, in those situations, the fewer words said, the better. Announce the standards, fire anyone who doesn't comply.
Personally, I've never had to do more than two firings before the listening skills of those remaining improve remarkably. Generally, one is enough. Knowing General Kelly's people skills, I think the firing of Mooch may do the trick. If not, there are plenty of well-qualified people to replace these. These are not unique skill sets.
The General can better “end that shit” in the way I described above — by getting to know the staff as well as possible. Save the speeches for your kids.
"Getting to know" people takes time this Administration does not have. Announce the way things will be, fire anyone who objects, then move forward with those willing to put their own agendas aside and all pull in the same direction.
As for the speeches...all you need is the first one.
>>I’ve been senior enough in enough organizations, both within and outside a the military, to have a pretty good sense of what works and what doesn’t.
So have all my clients! They still want input on what is/is not working for others.
>>Announce the standards, fire anyone who doesn’t comply.
You REALLY believe that Kelly is the first person who did or said something very close to this? Hell, POTUS is a guy who’s known by the younger generation for firing people. I am in agreement with making the standards clear (I use slightly different terms, but for this discussion, this is fine). But why were they not clear before?
How do you know that the tactics you are suggesting haven’t been tried and failed in THIS WH? I know for a fact they fail just about everywhere else. The days of leaning on people to get them to be effective in ANY organization — to the extent they ever existed — are over. It is way too easy to find another job, to start a business, to contract, to do whatever else than work in a situation where the new guy, even if he has skins on the wall, comes in and starts demanding things. Look at all of the people that were successful CEOs or leaders of organizations that came into another one and failed miserably. Gil Amelio at Apple, for example. There are others. I’m not saying these guys failed because they did what Kelly did. But what I am saying is that past success is no guarantee of future success — in investing or in organizational management. And starting off on the wrong foot is always a bad thing.
>>I’ve never had to do more than two firings before the listening skills of those remaining improve remarkably.
I’ve only fired people for dishonesty or unprofessional interpersonal behavior (i.e. workplace disputes that got out of hand). Even then only a few. Firing people is expensive and potentially dangerous to your organization. I don’t want my team to live in fear — I want them so busy being effective, they don’t have time for anything else. They aren’t going to bust their ass for someone they don’t like.
>>takes time this Administration does not have
He doesn’t have time NOT to do it right. He can’t run this office like a military post or branch of service. Plus, if it were this easy, why didn’t Trump pay everyone on staff a visit and say virtually the same thing? 5 minute speech and Trump is well known for firing people.
I’m telling you, this stuff just does not work. You’re telling me that the people at the WH that have been problematic — leaking, lack of attention to the agenda, whatever — were clever enough to get away with it for 6 months and didn’t fear getting caught. OK, so maybe they didn’t fear getting fired when Priebus was in there. Fine — I’ll grant you that. But their arrogance isn’t going to respond well to a “get your ass in line” speech, especially when they STILL believe they’ll get away with whatever it is they’re doing.
>>all you need is the first one
I wish! Again, you know this speech was the first one, how?? If it wasn’t, it didn’t work then. If it was, then the staff just ignored it.
Think what you want; believe what you want. I’m speaking as much in a vacuum as I am in this particular situation. I’m telling you what I tell clients and those that do my training programs. I keep getting phone calls!