How Communication Plays a Part in Adaptive Work Management

Quotes

“Essentially what we want to do is take the behaviors we have right now and look at the processes we have right now and see if we can take what we have and make it better.” – Aaron Shultz, (5:35)

“Knowing you have a plan or where you want to go, that’s where you start. Then once they’re out there, what controls can be put in place to ensure the sustainability of it?” – Aaron Shultz, (14:06)

“When you’re working on communication efforts, especially in adaptive work management, the richness of communication often comes in three forms: face-to-face, written documentation, and some other way of broadcasting it to other people or communities.” – Aaron Shultz, (24:53)

“You simply cannot succeed without [executive support]. A lot of projects fail because a lot of the time there’s conflicting priorities that individuals put onto each other or there’s that lack of communication.” – Aaron Shultz, (36:07)

How Communication Plays a Part in Adaptive Work Management

Join us as we introduce you to the next Evolution in our podcast journey. Service Evolution is the premier podcast for service industry professionals, providing insight and advice to help listeners advance in their careers, learn new skills, and make a positive impact. Our podcasts feature interviews with experts, advice from successful leaders, and inspiring stories of success. Whether you’re new or experienced, Service Evolution can help you take the next steps toward success.

Furthering the Service Industry through Education

On this episode of FM Evolution, host Shawn Black sits down with Aaron Shultz, principal consultant at A.W. Shultz Training, a professional consulting service that helps organizations with maintenance work management. With over twenty-five years of experience, Aaron is also the founder of the Maintenance and Reliability Institute and the author of six work management related publications. In this episode, Shawn and Aaron discuss the impact of adaptive work management, the process of communication when implementing change, and how to promote a culture of improvement.

Defining Adaptive Work Management

Adaptive work management is an intentional approach to making decisions in response to new information and changes. It’s a flexible way of thinking that takes into account environmental factors like culture, people, beliefs, and challenges. Adaptive work management is a tool intended to not only change systems but also learn about them. This approach doesn’t change goals, it changes the paths being taken to achieve the goals.

“Essentially what we want to do is take the behaviors we have right now and look at the processes we have right now and see if we can take what we have and make it better.” – Aaron Shultz, (5:35)

Not all businesses and cultures operate the same, therefore, having a course of action that’s adaptive allows for change to happen more seamlessly. The idea of adaptive work management is enabling the company’s framework to manage the side of change that deals with people. Adaptive work management focuses on the ethical leader’s behavior and encourages the open sharing of information needed to make decisions that will benefit the majority.

Navigating Change with Adaptive Work Management

When implementing change, it’s important to determine two things. The first is what direction the company wants to go, and the second is what will keep it going in that direction. Oftentimes, a large part of adaptive work management is validating that there’s a problem and making sure the solution actually meets the demand. If a problem is identified but it isn’t the root cause of conflict, then adaptive work management won’t solve anything.

“Knowing you have a plan or where you want to go, that’s where you start. Then once they’re out there, what controls can be put in place to ensure the sustainability of it?” – Aaron Shultz, (14:06)

To effectively employ adaptive work management, communication is crucial. Leaders have to be open about why change is necessary, how the company intends to enact change, and how that change will affect the future. If employees are personally impacted, they are considered stakeholders in the change and need to be involved. People will be less resistant to change if they feel as if leadership is allowing them to have an opinion on the matter.