For more than four decades, The Ken Blanchard Companies, the management training and consulting firm, has helped inspire leaders at Fortune 500 companies to take their organizations to the next level.
We were thrilled to be joined by Ken Blanchard, co-founder and chief spiritual officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, and Scott Blanchard, the firm’s president, for episode 86 of our HR Break Room® podcast. Our focus was the hot topic of weathering unexpected business disruptions.
A huge opportunity
Moments of unprecedented change come with the potential to take businesses in one of two directions: up or down.
But what makes the difference? For Scott Blanchard, much of it boils down to the ability of leadership to:
- address the situation honestly (including negative aspects)
- identify a clear-cut purpose or “guiding light” to focus on
- provide employees with things they can do in the present
Leaders who adhere to these principles earn the trust of their employees. And leaders who earn trust have a solid foundation not just to build upon, but also to weather the storm of challenging times. When leadership is truthful, purposeful and engaged in the task at hand, an organization is better equipped to emerge stronger than ever from moments of adversity.
The role of technology
Crucial though it might be, the human element — trustworthy leaders, engaged employees, dedicated customers and so on — isn’t the whole picture. Organizations must also invest in the right technology to navigate the exigencies of a world in flux.
Consider e-learning as an example. An effective digital learning platform replaces the stuffy old classroom with easy-to-absorb content that can be delivered straight to computer (or smartphone) screens and watched (or rewatched) at the learner’s convenience. This makes it easier than ever for organizations to teach their employees new skills at a rate that meets an ever-evolving marketplace head-on.
But pursuing a technologically savvy strategy doesn’t have to mean losing the human touch, as Ken Blanchard is quick to point out.
“Technology needs to always be paired with abilities for people to test, try out and kind of build their skills in a real environment,” he said.
For more of the Blanchards’ thoughts, don’t miss episode 86 of HR Break Room!