This document discusses how to add value in the workplace. It identifies two main issues that commonly arise: 1) rumors and gossip that waste time and damage morale, and 2) underutilizing employees' talents by giving them tasks below their abilities. These issues lead to inefficiencies like late payments and unsatisfying customer service. The document argues that companies should separate problems from people to minimize wasted time. It also stresses the importance of creating a psychologically safe environment where employees feel their work has impact and meaning. By addressing issues and empowering employees, companies can transition from ineffectiveness to adding greater value.

1. What is the Recipe
for
Adding Value
By Felix Surjadjaja
Date: June 6th, 2016

2. Many years ago when I started my career
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3. I had the opportunity to
witness the big rights and
wrongs in various workplaces.
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4. The big rights were well-respected.
But what were the big wrongs?
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5. First, a lot of rumors & gossips were whispered around the
company. Rather than facts, too many guessworks filled the
stories. Much time was wasted, reputations were damaged,
divisiveness was promoted, anxiety was created, and morale
was destroyed.
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6. Second, employees talents were under-utilized as they were
over-qualified to perform the regularly assigned tasks. Thus
by the end of the day they were felt unhappy and less
productive. Some resigned.
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7. The aforementioned two points
were enough to create
operational inefficiencies
and ineffectiveness that
affected the external
stakeholders. For example,
they resulted in late or
not-in-full payments to
vendors and creditors;
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8. Customers were presented
with unsatisfying
products and services;
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9. And the company was
unable to expand beyond
providing its service to
helping find sustainable
solutions to world
issues (such as the ones
listed here).
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10. The company was slow to adapt to changes, various
stakeholders began moving away from the company, and it was
one step away from bankruptcy.
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11. These business trends need to be stopped. So what is
the solution?
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12. Imagine that you have two pieces of jigsaw puzzle.
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13. The first piece is the PROBLEM
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14. What is a problem?
It is the difference
between what you
have and what you
want/need.
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15. According to Edward de Bono,
there are four types of problems.
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16. ● A known problem with a
solution which requires
just action.
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17. ● A known problem with a solution which requires
additional expertise, knowledge, skills, techniques or
different attitude.
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18. ● A known problem
with a solution
which requires new
approaches,
reframing and
creative thinking.
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19. ● An unknown problem which needs to be identified by challenging
assumptions, asking why and what-if questions, benchmarking to
other problems, and cross-pollination of ideas.
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20. Face these problems by optimally
utilizing the skills of your team
because problems are permanent and
objective. Solving these problems
will impact stakeholders
positively.
Never leave problems unattended!
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21. Who should drive these changes? And what is the second
puzzle piece?
The PEOPLE who drive all of the changes.
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22. Within the company, create a sense of community and passion
by hiring people whose natural interests align with your
organization’s objectives. Create a workplace where your
team can stay focused by engaging in the things they love
and inspire, rather than with rumors and gossips.
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23. According to Google researchers, there are five
characteristics to an environment that nurtures a
successful team.
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24. ● Psychology safety: Create an
environment that allows for team
members to feel safe, be vulnerable in
front of one another, and take risks.
Show authentic behavior and
continuously encourage communication
and transparency. Nurture the
willingness to take risks, and place a
greater emphasis on collaboration.
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25. ● Dependability: Team members
should submit high quality
works, get things done on
time, keep employees
informed of what is going
in the organization, and
meet the vision and mission
of the company.
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26. ● Clear structure: Team members should have clear roles, plans, and goals,
and understand the vision, mission and the objectives of the company.
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27. ● Meaning: Team
members should feel
a sense of
ownership and
meaning in their
work.
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28. ● Impact: Team
members should
believe that their
work creates
changes and adds
value
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29. You should deal with your teammates softly
because people are emotional beings and can be
delicate. They bring meaning to a part of your
life as you work with them everyday. Everyone
should try to treat each other with the utmost
respect.
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30. What is the outcome of separating the
problem from the people?
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31. You help to minimize the time wasted in during the work day
for your team mates, but also, ultimately, for the company’s
overall stakeholders.
- Thinking (T): analyzing about our problems and goals.
- Doing (D): working on our goals.
- Relaxing (R): exercising, exploring, spending time with friends, etc.
- Interrupting (I): dealing with things that creep into our lives unexpectedly. These are the things that
shows up in our lives that can send us back.
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32. Setting aside the people from the problems, and focusing
solely on finding a solution to the problem will save a lot
of time — and again, anything that saves time adds value.
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33. You can use this time and energy to focus on the needs of
your customers, generate more revenue and reduce expenses.
The ways in which you can redirect the time and energy
towards adding value are limitless.
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34. And when you combine the two jigsaw pieces together...
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35. everyone will be able to transition the world from ...
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36. this...
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37. into this.
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38. Thank you for reading.
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39. Inspired by:
- Roger Fisher, William Ury and Bruce Patton, authors of
Getting to Say Yes;
- Google bloggers at re:Work;
- Gary Erickson and Kevin Cleary, Leaders of Clifbar;
- Edward de Bono, Author of Six Thinking Hats;
- Tim Horie, author of Reduce Stress with Three Operational
Modes;
- And friends
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