Frivolous and brief look at how incorrect resourcing can cause problems in the organisational environment

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Guerrillas in the Midst
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za
February, 2014

2. The Workplace Guerrilla is Difficult to Detect
• A workplace guerrilla appears like a standard employee - but beneath their
normal façade beats a heart of a Che Guevara
• They will behave in a disciplined manner – on the surface - but will ensure
that initiatives (projects, opportunities etc.) do not reach a successful
fruition, by the most devious means possible.
Guerrillas show no physical differences to everyday employees
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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3. ‘Guerrilla by Proxy’ is as destructive as the Original
Some workers inadvertently behave like workplace guerrillas without
realising it e.g.:
 Are not passionate about winning
 Do not give their 100%
 Behave like 9 to 5 office workers
 Spread rumours
 Do not share valuable information
 etc.
Commodity
Salesperson
Selling on
Price
No Account
Plan
Irrelevant
Strategy
Unfocused
Teamwork
Individual
Unskilled
Reviewers
NonInnovative
No Capture
Plan
Dated
Concepts
Manager not
Leader
Bureaucratic
Rumour
Spreading
Protective of
Information
Unhappy
Worker
Insular
Personality
Guerrillas show no physical differences to everyday employees
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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4. Guerrillas can become Pervasive in a Chaotic Business Jungle
…and reign supreme
Confused
Organisation
No Sales
Plan
Weak Recruitment
Processes
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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ill-Defined
Strategy
No Strategic
Marketing
Weak Brand
Strategy
Stakeholder
Confusion
Dictatorial
Management
Irrelevant
Solutions
Irrelevant
Solutions
High Staff
Turnover

5. Blamestorming enables the ‘Dirty Tricks’ of Guerrillas
1. Blamestorming: Combination of blaming and brainstorming. Used when coworkers sit around trying to figure out who is at fault for a missed deadline
or botched project
2. Blaming (or witch hunting) is where a person (or persons) is actively hunted
down when something goes wrong within the organisation. This may even
result in disciplinary measures against the ‘victims’
3. It goes without saying that such a pursuit is totally negative to an
organisation. Such activities also ensure a workforce that become secretive,
demoralised and negative towards management.
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6. Resourcing is a Major Factor in the formation of Guerrilla Troops
The Peak of Positive Positioning
X
Creating an
environment for
Guerrillas
Productivity
The Trajectory of Hopelessness
Correct selection
criteria
Increased nepotism/cronyism
Incorrect resources outnumber correct
resources
Ratio of ‘Positive’ to ‘Negative’ Resources
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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7. How does Company Politics Nurture Guerrillas?
• Company politics is typically defined as back-stabbing,
taking credit for other people’s work and progressing
upwards in an organisation on personality rather than
merit
• It is evident in all organisations and - even more so - in
ones where senior management are adamant that they
will not allow it to occur
• If senior management have to constantly mention the
fact that they will not be allowing it, or they’re stamping
it out, then it is so prevalent that it is practically
impossible to get rid of
• Senior management need to ensure that the recruitment
process filters out those individuals that don’t ‘fit’ the
company culture
• In a company where people feel that they belong (i.e. fit)
company politics is drastically diminished.
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Rumour mill easy to
initiate:
• Management
acquiesce to
destructive activities
• Reward system not
structured correctly
• Acceptance of
company politics
• White anting
• No company culture
• Etc.

8. Guerrilla Spotting in Bid Teams is an Essential Exercise
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Disregard for Governance
Hidden agendas
Activity rather than productivity
Side conversations
Weak/Poor input
Support of Governance
Loyalty
Commitment
Teamwork
Openness
Where is
your centre
of gravity?
Low Success Rate
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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Potential Outcome/s
High Success Rate

9. National Management feel Pressure from a Number of Sources
‘Global’ Management
Head Office
Breeding ground for Guerrillas
•
Regional Offices
‘Regional’ Management
•
•
National Offices
‘National’ Management
Time zone trouble
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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•
•
•
Global does not
always translate
into Local
Top
down
directives
Additional
reporting
Culture clash
Receptive gap
No
empathy
[Global to Local]

10. Create a Business Framework that allows identification of Guerrillas
Executive
Management
• Ensure that the Strategic Market Development initiatives
support business aspirations
Growing a Business is not a spectator sport
Leadership
Structure
Processes
•
•
•
•
Delivery of revenue to the business
Mitigation of identified risks
Delivery of profit (value) to the client
Identification of any variations
Robust Reporting Infrastructure
Governance must permeate an organisation
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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