ProcessOpt Solutions

Nothing is more frustrating than embarking on an improvement project, providing resources to fix the problem and soon after the project concludes, the process quickly returns to a suboptimal state.  What caused the backslide?  What can be done as part of our improvement strategy to ensure solutions implemented are the correct ones?  Is there an explanation as to why a process appears to improve in the short-term even though the root cause of the problem is not implemented?

Short Term Improvement Phenomenon – One Possible Explanation

Much has been written about the Hawthorne Effect, a study suggesting: Workers “modify behavior in response to the awareness of being observed”.  The phenomenon observed during the study is compelling for explaining why improvement goes awry.  Particularly when other behavioral factors such as one’s background and personality are also considered.  Diversity of behaviors and perceptions play a major role in problem solving and can easily derail the project outcome.  Understanding its impact in root cause investigation and implementation of the right solutions result in project success.  Ignoring its impact can result in a derailment.

As improvement leaders, we must recognize the uncertainty and emotions stakeholders feel when an improvement team shows up to help.  An environment must be provided where stakeholders are a part of the improvement solution, with no worry of retribution.  Creating a safe improvement environment is especially important as the team peels back the layers of the onion and deep dives to find problem root causes and alternative solutions.

Since managing stakeholder uncertainty is so important, it’s imperative to leave your biases at the door.  Below are themes (in no particular order) which I’ve used to build a safe improvement environment.  They represent the backbone of how stakeholders are perceived and embraced as part of the team:

• Workers want to do a good job.  Too often in a suboptimal process, a worker is determined to be a poor performer.  Similarly, vocal, frustrated, or perceived disgruntled workers may not be poor performers, but instead may be your biggest improvement advocate.  Under normal work environment conditions, most people would not intentionally come to work to perform poorly.
• Improvement projects are not the precursor for headcount reduction.  Using improvement projects with the goal of headcount reduction can happen.  However, done once, the long-term effect of any organization’s improvement strategy is compromised.  Improvement should never be the precursor for headcount reduction.  Stakeholders need reassurance that reductions are not an outcome of any work done.
• The issue is not with the worker’s performance, it is with the process/system’s performance.  For years workers have been told they are responsible for defects and waste.  In fact, most times the process is at fault.  A fun exercise is to use the Deming Bead Experiment to demonstrate how workers have less control over their performance than the system in which they work.  “Workers” are praised and reprimanded depending on the number of red beads pulled from a bowl.  Truth is: Unless they start tampering with the process – which some do (because no one want to perform poorly) – the number of red beads pulled is a function of the process/system.  Once understood, this fundamental opens the door to heightened trust and collaboration.
• True process variation and performance must be shown, when the process runs well and not so well, without fear of retribution.  That means all data are taken randomly as specified and documented – with no one of the following: pre-sampling, picking samples known to be “good” or process adjustments prior to the official sample.
• We win together or we lose together.  Seems straight forward, however extended team dynamics are fragile and need nurturing continuously. An Us/Them mentality never results in an optimal outcome.
• Commitment, Trust, and Respect.  Essential for team success when interacting with process stakeholders in all levels of the organization.  This includes how we act, communicate, share information, and approach commitments.

Remember: No Two People are Alike

A sound improvement strategy embraces people and celebrates differences in personality, ethnicity, and gender, etc.  Stakeholders have unique experiences and traits.  They perceive/react differently to improvement work being done on their process.  A widely used test for determining personality type is Meyers-Briggs.  Individuals taking the test will identify with one of 16 personality types based on how they perceive the world and make decisions.  Limitations and misuses for the test are also well documented, but it is very useful for self-reflection and to understand the perception of others inside their world of preference.

In addition to personality types, there are differences in nationality, location, culture, gender. . .  –and the complexities associated with people traits and perception.  The world is a wonderful melting pot.  No wonder they call a person an individual!  And individuals are the main ingredient to team problem solving.  Both in identifying alternative solutions and implementing the correct solution to achieve your objective.