I found the Gallery Furniture case study video to actually
be a heartwarming video. It highlighted their transformational strategies and
how during a time of crisis they were able to turn the company around, but to
me it was more than that. The housing market crashed and sales plummeted.
Additionally, another sad turn of events occurred when they suffered a fire
that caused the company a massive loss of inventory. From the ashes emerged a
leader with a vision to transform and carry the company through the hard times.
My favorite part is how it focused on people. This is my bread and butter,
everything that I yearn for, a company that does not forget that all we really
truly have is each other. They became more customer focused, wanted to provide a
better experience that could build a relationship with their clientele, all the
while focusing on the people that form the organization. Galley Furniture
provided training and incentives, in addition to a wellness program. At the end
of the clip Jim McIngvale likens the process to the American dream. It really
is though! Investing in people, being part of the fabric of the community, or
at least it is what I picture as the American dream.
Also truly American, in a second video that I watched I
found Stanley McChrystal speaking at TED. McChrystal spoke on Army leadership,
a role he has had for many decades. The culture of the Army has captured my
attention in previous years how each of the members are so engrained and in
tune with each aspect of the Army regardless of whether they came up together
in basic training or if they are meeting for the first time, which is a
powerful testament to what they do. McChrystal accounts his triumphs and
tribulations with the biggest call to action in recent history, 9/11 and the post-9/11
world. This unexpected event caused drills and practice to become a reality in
a real-time war. His leadership was tested by distance and technology.
There are several elements in the Brown text (2011) reflect
the information from the videos of Jim McIngvale and Stanley McChrystal. The
Brown text states that “corporate culture is important because of its relation
to organizational effectiveness” (Brown, 2011, p. 403). Both organizations,
Gallery Furniture and the Army, are effective because of the culture in which
they exist.
McIngvale determined that he had to make a quick change for
the company to become profitable. The Brown text (2011) diagrams a strategy
culture matrix to assess the employee’s performance, their strengths and
weaknesses, and how to improve in those areas. He envisioned and cultivated a
new culture through change management. It was of high importance to ensure that
all employees were well trained and would be able to deal with the change. The
video shows the use of touch tablets, like an iPad, where technology training
was also offered. The learning culture McIngvale created when he decided to found
a book on “influencer” training allowed for lasting benefits for the organization,
employees, and customers. McIngvale did not dictate the changes, though he
could have tried that strategy, instead he created shared values and built
consensus versus giving orders. The inclusion of all levels of the organization
helped actualize the importance of their goals and values, which set the
momentum in place to succeed. Though I would not say that many cultures can
touch that of the military in terms of homogeneous culture and strength, I
would group Gallery Furniture, once transformed, into a strong culture that
that falls under the spectrum of “manage the change.”
Similarly, the Army culture is deep and fortified in their
tradition and values. The Army also has a strong culture that easily translates
into organizational effectiveness. McChrystal poignantly discussed the Army Ranger
creed, one of nine parts, “I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the
hands of the enemy”. McChrystal joked
that the vow the Rangers take may be more of a powerful vow than marriage vows.
Every Army Ranger makes this promise to
every other Ranger and receives the same promise in return. From what I could
ascertain from the video, it seems the Army manages around the culture, a
strong culture where there is a strong member commitment to values and a high
number of member share the values. This seems reasonable to me since the Army,
and other branches of the military, are the epitome of strength, so it would be
natural that this is true from the inside out.
References:
Brown, D. R. (2011). An experiential approach to organization
development (8th ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall.
Gallery Furniture: Case Study. (n.d.). Vital Smarts. Retrieved November
23, 2014, from http://www.vitalsmarts.com/casestudies/gallery-furniture/
Stanley McChrystal: Listen, learn ... then lead. (2011). TED: Ideas
worth spreading. Retrieved November 23, 2014, from http://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal.htm
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