Eliminate Fake Work in Your Organization

By Gaylan W. Nielson and Brent D. Peterson

Almost everyone who hears about Fake Work seems to know what it is—immediately. And, Fake Work is what people think it is—the endless meetings, the deluge of e-mails, and unending conference calls.

So, while a weekly meeting can be pretty fake, what are the consequences of a whole marketing department that develops hundreds of marketing materials for products that are being discontinued? We observed a $10 million marketing meltdown where leaders were not aligned to strategy. What is the cost of doing the wrong dosage studies on a drug so the research has to be canceled? In one case, a pharmaceutical company buried approximately $180 million due to poorly expressed goals and careless communication.

Fake Work Is More Serious Than Office Distractions

Fake Work is an insidious problem dwelling in almost every organization—large or small. We define it as work that is not linked directly to the strategies of the organization. Simply, Fake Work is any work that is not aligned with and directly linked to organizational strategy. It’s the wasted effort, wasted energy of hardworking, dedicated people who couldhave been executing work of value and helping get results that truly matter.

The Statistics Are Shocking

The issue is simply the focus on work: Do people come to work every day and know what is expected of them and do it—or not? First of all, we found that more than 50 percent of all work is Fake Work,but consider our other findings:

• 73 percent of workers say their organizations’ strategies and goals are not translated into specific work tasks they can execute.
• 70 percent of workers do not know what to do to support their organizations’ strategies and goals.
• 81 percent of workers do not feel a strong level of commitment to their organizations’ strategies.
• 74 percent of U.S. government employees cannot name a single goal of their agency or department.

Aligning to Strategy to Execute Real Work

Real Work requires a carefully managed chain of events that is posed by the following model:

Strategy>>>Alignment>>>Execution

When any part of this chain is broken, Fake Work occurs.

For any organization to be successful it has to:

• Create a clear strategy that shows clear intent.
• Ensure that every employee is aligned to the strategy so they are prioritizing work tasks through the lens of the team.
• Execute on the strategy by ensuring that every person understands how to turn the strategy into action every day.

1. Strategy must be driven through the organization. Organizations are careless about getting strategic intent out of the executive offices and into the daily work of employees. While companies, in particular, spend lots of time developing strategy, they often make three big mistakes that ensure their strategy doesn’t get implemented. To have a clear strategy, organizations must A.C.T. on three critical strategic success factors:

• Articulation. Strategies must be clearly, effectively, and simply articulated so they can be read and understood.
• Communication. Strategies must be communicated effectively and the messages must be carefully managed to help leaders, at all levels, become advocates and translators of the strategies and help every employee understand the strategies in terms that make sense to them.
• Translation. Every person in that organization must translate strategy into priorities and tasks they do every day.

2. Alignment fills the “execution gap” in almost all organizations. Alignment is a critical and often missing piece. The big problem is that leaders at all levels assumethat alignment is happening. They assume that people heard about strategy. And, they assume they understood it. However, because 73 percent of workers say their organizations’ strategies and goals are NOT translated into specific work tasks they can execute, we know the problem is vast.

Alignment isn’t just about aligning systems, structures, and processes. Alignment is about bringing people into a cohesive force—focused in the same direction, adjusting work to serve the best interests of the team, and finding ways to help and support each other’s success.

Alignment is a collaborative process that helps build teams by establishing common purpose and focus and clear direction.

3. Execution is the team’s work. Most books talking about execution focus on leaders. We know that leaders set the stage, motivate, and drive execution. They are the gatekeepers and conduits for change. Without leaders on board, Fake Work will thrive. However, leaders need to empower their employees to own the strateg ies, to create priorities with all their team, and to commit to Real Work tasks. Then, they must hold each other accountable.

Conclusion: Do Real Work. We have one overarching bias: People hate Fake Work and love to contribute, be valuable and valued, and to do Real Work they can be proud of. Organizations must do a better job of identifying Fake Work projects, processes, and systems, as well as pockets of Fake Work that are demeaning the value of their people. Real Work is the saving grace of every organization trying to stay alive in a challenging and competitive world.

Gaylan Nielson is the co-author of “Fake Work,” along with Brent Peterson. Nielson is the CEO of The Work Itself Group, Inc., which he co-founded with Peterson. Nielson has spent more than 22 years consulting on a multitude of issues, including strategic planning, alignment, and execution. He also has facilitated more than 1,500 workshops and led 100-plus large projects for clients.

Peterson has written 20 books, consulted for more than 25 years, and has facilitated over 2,000-plus workshops and seminars. For more information, visit www.fakework.com.