FMF #20 - Don't Change Anything For 6-Months

It's No Secret with Dr T.

For the past three years, and this year will be my fourth, I’ve attended a 3-Day event in Tempe, Arizona, run by Success Technologies and Dave Frees. Each year the event alternates its theme. One year it will be 3-Days To Success and the other year Business Black Ops, both fantastic events.

Last year, or it could have been the year before someone commented on how new employees or new members joining your team, where a pain in the butt and as soon as they arrive they want to start changing our systems. You’ll have systems in place that have worked exceptionally well for years, but from day one they come to you with ideas and suggestions on how they can be improved.

Initiative Is Good

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the initiative and also like knowing the employee cares enough about my business to think about how things can be improved…However, it can be frustrating when it happens every single day.

Anyway, Dave Frees shared how he handles this in his law firm, which I think is absolute gold and why I thought it was important to share in this weeks episode of Five Minute Friday.

Employment Contract

In Dave’s employment contract it says that the new team member agrees that they will not change a system, nor will they present any new ideas to him, or any of his senior management, on how things can be changed or improved until they have been working at his firm for a full 6-months.

So if they have any ideas in the meantime, they need to write them down and keep it to themselves until 6-months is up. After 6-months they can let rip, but what Dave found is the vast majority of the time the new team member has nothing to share and no suggestions on how the already well-run systems can be improved.

This 6-month ‘grace-period’ has almost eliminated this problem.

But why does this work?

What happens initially is the new employee sees a system or process and only really sees it at surface value. Almost like looking at an iceberg. What they don’t understand is how this one particular system integrates with other systems within the business.

The longer they worked at his law firm and the more experience they obtained, they more often they witnessed how systems that once seemed odd or even out-dated made sense in the big scheme of things and the efficient running of his law practice.

It Works

I took this idea and used it in my own business a few times, and it worked just as Dave described. When I asked for suggestions after the 6-month period, two things happened. The employee was silence, or they presented me with some good ideas, which had been well thought out over time, instead of spare of the moment thoughts which had not been thought through properly.

Having a good idea presented to you the right way is what you want from your team.

If you have a lot of new employees joining your team, it’s even more important to have a No Change Policy for 6-Months in place, because as I discussed last week, small system changes, made by multiple people over an extended period can be damaging to your business.

Danger Of Inexperience

And if a new team member is being trained by someone who hasn’t got that much more experience, then it’s easy for them to agree that a current system needs changing, but if there’s a No Change Policy for 6-Months in place this can be prevented.

Another benefit for the business owner for having a No Change Policy for 6-months is it allows the business owner to take time off, and while he or she is away they know nothing will change because this was the agreement.

If you have any questions from this episode please email me at [e-mail]

It's No Secret Business Conference

17th and 18th August 2018. I will be holding a 2-Day It's No Secret Business Conference in Cairns and this year's theme is 'Communication, Persuasion and Influence'. My Keynote Speaker is David M Frees from Pennsylvania, who was also my guest on Podcast Episode 2. For booking details please visit my EVENTS page.

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