Organizational Culture and

Process Improvement

Glyn Davies

SCAMPI High Maturity Lead

Appraiser

It’s a Tough Job…

Source: http://plpnetwork.com/2010/04/08/educator-as-change-agent/

http://www.litscape.com/word_tools/contains_only.php

• Key Success Factors

• Sponsorship

• Trust

• Awareness

• Tools

• Expectations

• Data

…especially If you don’t have sponsorship

Recognize the Challenge

“We’re not interested in process, we want results.” - George W. Bush

August 14, 2006

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Never sell the product. Sell the results.

“Process improvement is like diet and exercise. Almost

everyone wants to be fit, but few want to put in the

necessary effort.”

Just another way of saying…

“Most want to go to heaven, but few want to die to get there.”

Related to the principle of least effort…

Attempting to get the most out of life for the least effort is

simply human nature.

The Spirit is Willing, but the Flesh is Weak

Success in Challenging Environments

“Process is the enemy of innovation.”

Risks aren’t Always Apparent

“You’ll always be too something to someone.”

Taking the 1st Step

Average leaders blame others. Exceptional leaders take responsibility.

The 5 Orders of Ignorance

0th Order Ignorance – Lack of Ignorance i.e. I know how to do something and can display by lack of ignorance with some sort of output

1st Order Ignorance – Lack of Knowledge i.e. I don’t know something but I know that I don’t know how to do it and I know what I need to learn in order to be able to do it.

2nd Order Ignorance – Lack of Awareness i.e. I don’t know that I don’t know something.

3rd Order Ignorance – Lack of Process i.e. I don’t know a suitability efficient way to find out I don’t know that I don’t know something

4th Order Ignorance – Meta Ignorance i.e. I don’t know about the five orders of ignorance

http://www-plan.cs.colorado.edu/diwan/3308-07/p17-armour.pdf

You have options

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection,

which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest;

and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

- Confucius

Take advantage of what is at your fingertips.

Where are You on the Influence Totem Pole?

Mechanical

Electrical

Software

Systems

Test

Quality

Process

3 Basic Types of Trust

• Strategic Trust

• Confidence in Mission, Vision, Competence

• Personal Trust

• How we treat each other

• Organizational Trust

• Consistency, Fairness

REF: https://hbr.org/2003/02/the-enemies-of-trust

Enemies of Trust

• Inconsistent Messages

• Inconsistent Standards

• Misplaced Benevolence

• False Feedback

• Failure to Trust Others

• The Elephant in the Room

• Rumors in a Vacuum

• Consistent Corporate Underperformance

REF: https://hbr.org/2003/02/the-enemies-of-trust

Same Thing Goes for Process, too…

Why Cultures are So Resilient

• People are loyal to culture, not strategy

• Cultures generally survive tough times

• Culture is more efficient than strategy

• Culture is a differentiator

• Culture is a contrarian business strategy

• A brittle culture can doom an organization

• Cultural missteps are more costly than strategic ones

• Cultures can’t be easily copied

• Culture is very disciplined

http://www.slideshare.net/joetye/12-reasons-culture-eats-strategy-for-lunch-25988674/

Know Your Culture

http://artsfwd.org/4-types-org-culture/ Quinn, Cameron University of Michigan

• Clan oriented cultures are family-like,

with a focus on mentoring, nurturing, and

“doing things together.”

• Adhocracy oriented cultures are dynamic

and entrepreneurial, with a focus on risk-

taking, innovation, and “doing things

first.”

• Market oriented cultures are results

oriented, with a focus on competition,

achievement, and “getting the job done.”

• Hierarchy oriented cultures are

structured and controlled, with a focus on

efficiency, stability and “doing things

right.”

Understand Behavioral Styles

http://lewishowes.com/podcast/build-relationships-chris-lee-personality-matrix/#comments

http://www.slideshare.net/michellevillalobos/get-connected-stay-connected

Finding the Right Approach

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynefin_Framework

http://weblog.tetradian.com/2008/06/19/cynefin-again/

One size doesn’t fit all

Science

Scientists apply the scientific method to

explore the natural world.

Engineering

Engineers apply scientific principles to

solve problems and design processes and

products.

Technology

Technicians draw from scientific

discoveries and engineering designs to

make products that are needed or wanted

by society.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/branchesofchemistry/ss/Relationship-Among-Science-Engineering-And-Technology.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIZ

No Silver Bullets, but with the Right Tools…

https://versionone.com/pdf/VersionOne-10th-Annual-State-of-Agile-Report.pdf

Managing Expectations

• Don’t oversell!

• Communicate!

• You’re in this for the long-haul

• “Change Small, change often.”

Handle Data/Metrics with Great Care

‘Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so.”

- Galileo Galilei

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.“

- Benjamin Disraeli

“…the most important figures that one needs for management are

unknown or unknowable, but successful management must

nevertheless take account of them.” – Lloyd S. Nelson

“…not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that

counts can be counted.” – William Bruce Cameron

Ascending the Knowledge Pyramid

REF: http://blogs.gartner.com/rob-addy/2012/11/25/the-ascent-of-knowledge-mountain/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIKW_Pyramid

Success isn’t Easy, but the Rewards are Great

REF: http://blogs.gartner.com/rob-addy/2012/11/25/the-ascent-of-knowledge-mountain/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIKW_Pyramid

Choosing a Successful Path

“To lead people, walk beside them.

As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their

existence.

The next best, the people honor and praise.

The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate.

When the best leader's work is done the people say,

‘We did it ourselves!’ ”

― Lao Tzu

• Sponsorship

• Trust

• Awareness • Competence

• Culture

• Behavior styles

• Tools

• Expectations managed

• Data used effectively

Remember the S-T-A-T-E-D Elements

References

– Robert D. Austin – Measuring and Managing Performance in Organizations,

Dorset House Publishing (June 1996) ISBN-13: 978-0-932-63336-1

– David J. Hand – Measurement Theory and Practice: The World Through

Quantification, Wiley (August 2009) ISBN-13: 978-0-470-68567-9

– Glenn J. Myatt – Making Sense of Data: A practical guide to exploratory data

analysis and data mining, Wiley and Sons (2007) ISBN-13: 978-1-118-407417

– Glenn J. Myatt, Wayne P. Johnson – Making Sense of Data II: A practical guide

to data visualization, advanced data mining methods, and applications, Wiley

and Sons (2009) ISBN-13: 978-0-470-22280-5

– Much more at:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B04ObK4PlMRPdllqN0pzdV9TTlk

• http://tinyurl.com/jb22lcq

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Questions