Recycled Bullsh-IT

The Times They Are A Changin’, droned Bob Dylan ungrammatically over 50 years ago, with 2020 foresight. The problem is that no-one likes change; real people prefer a simple life with few surprises, except on birthdays. 

We’re all going through some painful changes this year, for which the large management con-sultants will be rubbing their hands in glee. You’ll be bombarded with offers for doing Change to you as Digital Transformation or Continuous Improvement, using Lean Management and/or Six Sigma techniques. What they don’t tell you is how unappealing the whole idea of Change is to staff, who will hear:

•  You are no good at your job, so we need to make you more effective (work harder) and efficient (sack you)
• We are going to change what you do because you are doing it wrong. Then we are going to keep changing it forever as we don’t think you’ll ever get it right
• Your life will be run by a spreadsheet made up by an inexperienced young suit who claims to be using AI (probably Artificial Insemination) but who has never done what you do (i.e. Type 1s)
• We’re going to replace you with a robot because the computer (HAL9000? Skynet?) says so

Ask anyone you know in the NHS and ask them how they like ‘Continuous Improvement’. (Best strap yourself into some thick padding first and put some earplugs in.)

Perhaps what we should be considering is an approach that gives Sustainable Improvement. Maybe not the whole Extinction Rebellion riot but let’s look at how performance (individual, team, departmental and company) can be improved by finding ways to make change work for real people. And for this change to continue to work after the consultants have gone off to cash their fat cheques and the managers have been promoted to their level of incompetence. Sustainable Improvement works on the following principles:

•  People have to want or accept the change as something that benefits them personally
• If you understand the context of the work you do and what impact your actions or inactions have on other people you will take more care in what you do
• Ask staff what issues stop them doing their tasks to their own satisfaction AND then help them fix the issues will make them feel very positively about the change
• You can’t force people to change their ways of working; change that comes from within will endure longer than enforced change
• Sustainable Change isn’t continuous – it is more effective if change is tried, tweaked, bedded down and becomes second nature before another potential improvement is tried
• Use both revolution and evolution judiciously: if your organisation is broken you need radical change, if it’s not, don’t throw away your accumulated wisdom for some snake oil

Oh, and FIX THE CRAPPY SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES THAT STOP THEM DOING IT PROPERLY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

 I’m not saying that this approach is easy. What is certain is that this approach will give lasting benefits for all involved. Don’t be seen as the one who’s the c*nt in continuous.

John ‘I’m Only Dancing’ Moe