| This article relates to the Senior /Top Level | | | | management personnel at our new parent |
| Management competency, designed to measure | | | | company. Full-scale meetings were held, and we |
| satisfaction levels regarding top-level management | | | | were instructed to create this campaign and |
| at your organization. AlphaMeasure defines senior | | | | make it work.The idea presented a multitude of |
| management as the team of individuals at the | | | | problems, but the team soldiered on. We did the |
| highest level of management who have the | | | | best we could, all the while expressing our |
| day-to-day responsibilities of operating the | | | | reservations as to how effective the finished |
| organization. For many employees, this | | | | campaign would be. Senior management |
| competency will target the managers occupying | | | | completely ignored our concerns.The campaign |
| positions above their immediate supervisors. The | | | | was a huge flop, to put it mildly. We were |
| questions included in this competency are written | | | | directed to keep trying to fix it by adjusting |
| to investigate topics such as strategic leadership, | | | | certain elements and eliminating others. Once |
| corporate vision, and corporate direction. This | | | | again, we resisted, to no avail. The campaign died |
| competency is especially useful in understanding | | | | a slow, lengthy, and very painful death.Then the |
| how much your workforce favors the present | | | | blame game began. Everyone from mid level |
| direction of the organization.This short story, The | | | | managers to call center reps was blamed for the |
| Role of Character in Leadership, is part of | | | | failure. Bitterness over the episode found its way |
| AlphaMeasure's compilation, Tales From the | | | | into policy changes, annual reviews and salary |
| Corporate Frontlines. It illustrates the importance | | | | increases.No wonder the employees registered |
| of having a senior management team that has | | | | their disapproval of top management and its |
| the character to abandon unsuccessful strategies, | | | | direction for the company at the first available |
| admit failure, and move on.Anonymous | | | | opportunity! Thinking about it now, the difference |
| SubmissionThe Role of Character in | | | | in character strength between the two |
| LeadershipAfter a recent meeting with the Senior | | | | management teams is obvious.The reality is that |
| Management team at my company, I had the | | | | not all ideas are perfect. Some things you try will |
| chance to consider an issue that I feel is crucial to | | | | not be successful no matter how hard your |
| the successful operation of every organization. | | | | well-meaning employees try. When my current |
| We had just completed an employee satisfaction | | | | company recently encountered a similar situation |
| survey, and the results had come in. Our | | | | to the one described above, it was handled quite |
| employees have an overwhelmingly positive view | | | | differently. We let go and moved on to something |
| of the direction in which we, the top-level | | | | new.One test of managerial wisdom is to know |
| management team, are taking the company.So, | | | | when to admit mistakes and move on, without |
| what, I wondered, was the difference between | | | | passing the blame on to undeserving employees. I |
| my current company and the one I worked for | | | | was happy to be part of a senior management |
| five years ago? The employee satisfaction | | | | team that passed that test with flying |
| survey results reminded me of the scenario back | | | | colors.© 2005 AlphaMeasure, Inc. - All Rights |
| then, only at that time, the results were the | | | | ReservedThis article may be reprinted, provided it |
| exact opposite. Employees were united in | | | | is published in its entirety, includes the author bio |
| disapproval of their top-level management team.I | | | | information, and all links remain active.Measure. |
| am a new member of senior management, so I | | | | Report. Improve your organization with |
| was interested in understanding the reasons for | | | | AlphaMeasure employee satisfaction surveys.Josh |
| the differing results - hoping to avoid repeating | | | | Greenberg is President of AlphaMeasure, |
| that unhappy scenario.What does my current | | | | Inc.AlphaMeasure provides organizations of all sizes |
| management team do differently? After some | | | | a powerful web based method for measuring |
| introspection, I believe I found the answer.At my | | | | employee satisfaction, determining employee |
| former company, I was a marketing manager. | | | | engagement, and increasing employee |
| Senior management had devised an idea for an | | | | retention.Launch your employee satisfaction |
| ad campaign that had been passed down from | | | | surveys with AlphaMeasure. |