The ability to keep an organization running smoothly requires talent. But the ability to reverse the fortunes of a flagging institution or department calls for a highly specialized mix of skills. Those who possess them belong to an elite fraternity. If you think you have what it takes to join, here is a list of what your "black bag" will need to contain:
X-ray glasses - The turnaround specialist must have Superman-like vision. You have to be a quick study of both people and circumstances. There is rarely a single cause when an organization reaches "turnaround" status. Wherever you have chaos, you have people who are benefiting from it. So in addition to the obvious challenges, you must be able to identify and then strategically neutralize those within the organization who need you to fail.
Carrots - Even the most talented turnaround specialist can't operate alone indefinitely. You will need allies. The most effective way to win them over is to appeal to the interests of those you seek to recruit. Far from manipulation, this tactic simply acknowledges the truth of the old saying -"you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar." Successful turnaround artists offer inducements that demonstrate how proposed changes will benefit those they seek to enlist or whose support they will need. Even the most noble and worthwhile of crusades require loyal and committed soldiers.
Fire hose - Organizations or departments requiring the touch of a turnaround specialist are usually combating at least one crisis if not several. Putting out these "fires" quickly and efficiently is not only a matter of basic security. They represent quick wins that demonstrate competence and expertise - two qualities that build credibility, which is a currency that you will use early and often.
Whip - When inducements and heroic deeds don't work, you may have to get rough. Sometimes it's a necessary component of establishing the parameters of a new working environment. Organizations that are spiraling out of control are often staffed by individuals who are no longer being held accountable for delivering on expectations. When this is the case, it represents the first and most crucial task that a turnaround specialist will need to address and you will need to do so in swift and unambiguous terms.
Baby Rattle - It only takes one agitated toddler to turn play time into a pint-sized mob scene. To keep tiffs from turning into tantrums, concerns should be addressed expediently but tactfully. It can also be helpful to preserve some familiar (but compatible) elements from the current culture to ease the transition from old to new. These gestures can be used as tactics to soothe and refocus nervous energy until employees feel comfortable with a new way of working.
Megaphone - When change starts to yield positive results, publicize it clearly, widely and loudly. Success breeds success and reassures those who have supported change with caution or who have remained firmly planted on the fence, that the new leader has the group headed in the right direction.
Pompoms - Of the turnaround specialist's many jobs and responsibilities, one of the most important is to be the organization's biggest cheerleader. Because turnarounds can be painful, it is imperative to find ways to also make them fun whenever possible. As the pressure begins to lift there will invariably be something to celebrate. Even if it's a small triumph, celebrate it as a signal of more good things to come.
With black bag firmly in hand, this daring crusader will dive head first into turbulent waters, expected to fix with lightening speed what it took someone else twice as long to break. And he or she must do it all under intense scrutiny. But before you go running off to enroll in the nearest Turnaround Specialist certification course, let me add this. Should you actually navigate these landmines successfully, my last piece of advice would be to take lots of pictures and then pack the photos with your luggage because you probably won't be around long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Turnaround situations require the brash risk-taking character of a person who is willing to blow up the entire structure and start from scratch if that's what the job requires. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes these architects get hit with their own shrapnel. By the time the beauty of their creation has matured enough to be fully appreciated, they will either have bled out or the "bat signal" will be illuminated elsewhere and they will be called away to their next mission.
So why bother you ask? Some do it for the thrill, others for the bragging rights. There is a certain cachet in being able to succeed where others have failed. But the overriding motivation comes from the knowledge that you'll leave a place a little better than you found it. At the risk of sounding disingenuous, it's not all about altruism. Turnaround specialists have industrial strength egos. But in the end, the satisfaction has to come from the work itself because you won't always get to benefit from your results. Successful turnarounds become monuments to themselves and when done right, that's benefit enough.
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