Thanks for the comment. Part of the total systems model I use as a basis for my work includes clarifying accountabilities and authorities.

Employees are accountable to give their best effort, to give their managers their best advice, and to stay within policy.

The model also has specific accountabilities for not only managers but managers-once-removed. Managers-once-removed are accountable to see that the managers working for them are exercising appropriate managerial leadership, which also has specific components. So when I say fix the system, it includes a boatload of components beyond organization design.

If a mid-level manager is leading ineffectively, it is the accountability of his/her manager to deal with it.

We really don’t have any business telling employees what to value, but we can expect them to follow an organization’s policies and use its systems which should be rooted in the organization’s values. When they take a role, they must commit to the behaviors necessary to carry out the role. If they don’t value the behaviors, they won’t be able to sustain their interest and likely won’t give full commitment.

But I still resist the notion that we need to fix employees. Clarifying accountabilties and authorities and then holding people accountable for acting in accordance with them is an appropriate corporate means for seeing values are adhered to.

Regards,

Michelle