In this brief video, E.piphany founder Steve Blank describes the company’s culture of late nights at work, and the epiphany he had after leaving at 7:00 one evening for a meeting outside the office. His realization, upon seeing employees leaving—starting with his direct reports and cascading down—once he was gone, was not surprising. He had fostered a culture that valued time worked rather than results. He concludes by saying, “If you’re there at 11:00 at night, either we’re giving you too much to do, or you’re not very good at your job, so which one is it?”
As change practitioners, there are a few important messages here. First, what is the culture that leaders and sponsors—right down to first-level managers—are fostering? Is it one of work, or one of results? Related to that question, what are they telling others about the importance of the change we are supporting? How they spend their time, the questions they ask, the conversations they hold, the non-verbal messages they send, are often more telling than the words they say. What are they doing to show their commitment to the outcome of the change, or are they? Finally, what is the message that we are conveying? Is it about how hard we work, or the results we are producing?
Brian Gorman is the Managing Editor of Change Management Review™. In this capacity he regularly curates articles of importance to our readership; contributes original writing; hosts podcasts; and works with guest authors.
For more than five decades Brian has been engaged in—and a student of—change at the personal, organizational, and societal levels. During this time, he has worked with both individuals and organizations (ranging from solo practitioners to Fortune 100 businesses), guiding them through a wide array of challenges. Decades of experience have given him a deep appreciation of the universal patterns that underlie successfully navigating even the most difficult changes.
In addition to his work as our Managing Editor, Brian is a transformation coach, supporting both individual and organizational change. Brian is committed to passing his “lessons learned” on to others, so that their change journeys can advance more smoothly. He is a frequent workshop facilitator and public speaker. Brian is the author of “The Hero and the Sherpa,” a chapter in the online Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation (Springer Publishing; Judi Neal, Editor). He also has an extensive library of blog posts, articles, and videos on the change journey, including “The Ten Most Important Lessons I Have Learned Over 50 Years of Engaging Change.”
Mr. Gorman’s formal education includes a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Syracuse University, an MA in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas, San Antonio and an MA in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.
Brian is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified coach, and is an active member in the New York City chapter. Brian is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and the Gay Coaches Alliance.