Can You Change an Organization?
Abstract
Chris and Fred discuss if it is possible to change any organization? Which is a topical issue for reliability engineers who feel that no one takes it seriously.
Key Points
Join Chris and Fred as they discuss
Topics include:
- What are the key barriers? Lots. It starts with organizations that have been doing ‘the same thing’ for so long, that people’s ability to do the ‘same things’ is now a valued character trait and is now so embedded in the culture that it is hard to change. And then there is the perception that the challenge is insurmountable (which is a leadership issue). And then there are organizations that worship bureaucracy and process (not critical thinking). Sometimes people stop listening to the key players (and consultants with the same message are taken way more seriously).
- Leadership needs to be invested and supportive. And that means knowing when to get out of the way. In reality, if leadership is not interested, the scope for change is limited. For example, Western militaries have struggled with reliability since World War II. Western militaries have lost virtually every ‘war’ since World War II (Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, … ) Western Military Leaders have never been accountable for these losses. The same leaders are not accountable for poor reliability. And so if failure is not a thing, success is not worth pursuing.
- ‘Industrial tourists’ or ‘take a turn leaders’ never result in long-term commitment. Many leaders are ‘fast-tracked’ or part of the chosen few who spend short stints of time leading a vast array of groups within an organization for the purpose of giving them ‘exposure’ or ‘experience’ or make them become ‘well-rounded’ en route to being part of the highest leadership group (generals, admirals, directors, chief ‘X’ officer …). This means the high-performers are pre-selected before they have a chance to perform. And instead of leading the engineering, supply chain, or manufacturing organizations, they are then advised from the bottom up to help them get ‘well-rounded.’ But there is no long-term commitment, nor genuinely inspiring leadership … because they don’t know what they are doing. So the talent leaves, because they can’t get the jobs that the ‘industrial tourists’ get.
- You do need to try. You do need to run at that brick wall. You might be surprised how making cogent arguments for reliability engineering to happen can take you. But if you sustain multiple concussions from hitting that wall … its up to you to find another organization with a less insurmountable brick wall.
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This was such a crucial topic and something hard to teach. Its usually only is learned through the school of hard knocks. Some of the key learnings through my career aligned with some of the recommendations provided.
A) you have to try,
B) don’t confuse emotion with passion. Passion is best represented in the corporate world with persistence. Keep trying.
C) layout a plan/strategy and reframe success. Too often goal is laid out as achieving a nirvanna state where all engineers will be fully versed in reliability engineering and all failure modes will have validated prediction models and this will all be done in 12 months. While thats a noble goal, you have to recognize its most likely to never come to fruition. Reframe success as what can be done this year/quarter/month to move in the ideal state.
D) Find those small wins and build momentum. This may allow you to gain credibility and improve your influence allowing a little bigger step next time. But keep moving forward. How about a goal of building a model for your top 3 failure modes, how about ensuring at least 1 engineer from each program attends a reliability engineering overview class, maybe adding a reliability slide to the required design review deck (even if done poorly at least you’re getting people to think/talk about it). Find the small wins and build momentum.
Great podcast, keep up the great work to all the Speaking of Reliability contributors!!
Thanks for your feedback Mitch … you raise some really good points. Perhaps the first one is that you ‘have to try.’ And the last one is really good as well. Psychologists have shown that having one big goal (i.e. reward) after years of effort is demotivating, while lots of smaller mini-goals (i.e. mini-rewards) is inherently motivating. Please keep the comments coming!
It is all about building coalitions and supporting team efforts. Any thoughts? Many times ego gets in the way. Just go out there and do good and enjoy what you do. Any thoughts?
Whatever we do we need to do our best. Any thoughts?
Think of an organization as a car. The coalition you talk about might include the mechanics, the tire guys, the cleaners, the refuellers and everyone else who needs to work together to make the car driveable. But unless the driver (leader) is driving the vehicle in the right direction, it is all for nothing. And leaders who do nothing are like drivers with their hands off the wheel.