Transformation...

Here is a link to a podcast on the buzzword "Transformation", from a website that publishes podcasts on Change Implementation:

http://www.implementchangenow.com/concepts/transformation-new-buzzword-old-twist

Regards,

Ranga

Managing Change...

Following is an article which appeared in June’09 edition of Aviation today. It brings out factors of resistance for any change and how to manage them (Sourced by Ajay):

Analysis of several failed ERP implementation projects show that, general resistance to any type of change and specific end-user resistance to the ERP implementation efforts are some of the most significant roadblocks that are encountered in the road to success. There are three major reasons why people resist a change. They don't get it (Level 1), they don't like it (Level 2), or they don't like you (Level 3). Any one of those can stop the ERP dead in its tracks. And what you need is the opposite of all three: people need to get what it's all about, they need to like it and be willing to take part in making sure it is a success, and they need to have confidence in you.

Attached article explains some thoughts in change management w.r.t. aviation maintenance. Lengthy article, takes time to read it. Enjoy reading.

Change Happens: Resistance is Futile

By William Maly

In aviation, one thing is for sure — things change. New technologies, equipment and even shift changes can cause consternation. The best employees are flexible and adapt, but it’s not always so easy. As Franklin Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Politicians and corporate officers have used the powerful word "change" in recent months to convince voters and lenders to support their causes. The word demands action from those involved and certainly comes with a fair share of risk with everyone concerned.

For years, aviation technicians have encountered their own challenges with change in technology advancement, procedural requirements, administrative laws and a host of other practices. While mechanics normally possess excellent troubleshooting skills and are very resourceful with an excellent mechanical aptitude, some lack the skill of coping with change. Whether it is a new tool to help ease a difficult job or a manager asking for a shift in their schedule time, some technicians develop a resistance and have no desire to try the change.

Fears

When change is initiated, fears develop; we feel we are losing control of our environment, worry about our self-interests and are skeptical that the change is even necessary. In discovering some of the underlying reasons that technicians oppose change, and develop skills to cope with it, we become better within our career and also in our personal lives.

Next-generation aircraft have capabilities and resources far beyond that of aircraft from past years. Onboard computers can pinpoint problems and generate solutions. Engine diagnostic information develops fan balancing without extended engine runs in a remote location.

Computer-generated displays provide tire pressure, engine parameter exceedance, hydraulic, pneumatic, fuel and cabin temperature readings at a touch of a button. These new technologies are tremendous tools when utilized, but are useless when they intimidate the technician attempting to use them.

Gaining Trust

While completing an overnight check and running the diagnostic onboard computer test on the Boeing 777, a mechanic finds a problem. The computer indicates that an engine fan-air modulating valve isn’t working properly.

Trusting the new technology and replacing the valve would be the sensible action. But instead he spends a significant amount of time attempting to reset the latched indication because of past erroneous signals he has chased through the airplane. It is only after he reluctantly tries a new valve that he trusts what the computer already knows; the valve is malfunctioning.

When I asked aircraft mechanics about this predicament, their input explains some of the problems that can be encountered when trusting new technological information.

Arnie Cardenas, a 20-year mechanic, states that "to dismiss a ghost (faulty) message, a technician has to aggressively troubleshoot the system. Randomly replacing expensive parts to repair a chronic problem at times is futile and benefits neither the company nor the technician."

Learning Curve

Gary Lakie, also a mechanic, believes that trusting the computer and not peeling away the layers diminishes the technician’s troubleshooting abilities. "Technicians have lost that edge to troubleshoot problems. It becomes a factory setting in which you just remove and replace the part to see if it corrects the problem," Lakie says.

Jerald Jellison, professor of psychology at the University of Southern California, believes that time may factor in this situation. The mechanic may have more time to diagnose the problem and not immediately trust the computer because of his/her historic experience with the information. What Jellison would find unproductive is if the technician doesn’t change his judgment after the occurrence. "I guess the only fault would be if you didn’t revise your opinion of the computer afterwards. You would have to conclude that you were wrong about that and the next time you’ll trust it more," he says.

Keeping an Open Mind

Accepting something new requires faith and an open mind. Technology is normally developed for problems in our industry. The goal of the new devise is an easier path for better production, safety and efficiency. Many remember a time when ATA manuals were in book form. There was also a time when the manuals were on microfiche. Then CD-Rom made the process easier through a computer and now most aviation maintenance resources are accessible through a database computer system, which provides updated information quickly to the source.

Resistance to change is not exclusive to technology. Your manager decides that your start time would work better if moved forward by an hour. He explains to you the reasoning, but your belief is it doesn’t address the true problem they are attempting to solve. Because of the disruption in your personal schedule your self-interest is harmed. You reluctantly start your new hours but uncommitted and disinterested. The spiral begins, and as you lose your dedication to the job, the manager loses confidence in you, and so it goes.

Lakie believes that not fully understanding the problem creates reason for doubt. "I think the change is never understood by anyone as a whole; the reasoning they’re implementing it and not taking into account the technician’s who have to rearrange their lives to accomplish it," he says.

These failures provide one common denominator; resistance to the new technology or the idea that change doesn’t work. While the old way will get the job done, the ability to work smarter, safer and quicker is lost if we immediately reject the change.

Why We Fight Change

There are a number of reasons why we resist change. It is important to recognize these negative behaviors to change and develop the skills to correct our immediate resistance to the new process.

Experts consider our self-interest the primary concern when change is announced. Cardenas believes that self-interest also benefits our work atmosphere. "A person who maintains his self interests makes it better for all. It develops a happy workplace as opposed to a miserable one," he says.

"Self interest is the root cause," Jellison adds. "What we don’t always realize about ourselves is the thought of going through a change, because we do become frightened, and we think it (the change) will have a negative impact on our self-interest, we’re going to lose control in a situation, we’re going to make mistakes and look foolish, and at times we may even think we could lose our jobs," he says. "What we do is we exaggerate the consequences of what failure would mean. That’s what I call going over an emotional cliff in that, when we anticipate what’s going to happen, we just inflate it."

Attitude Adjustment

Understanding that going through change is a team activity and a way of developing a healthy attitude for the new process. Mechanics have a vast wealth of knowledge and skills that each can draw from. When taking on that new task we use the internal support system looking for someone who has done this or something comparable. It gives us confidence in doing the job and provides a new skill we can pass on to the next person. During change we can use the same support method. One person can mentor the next until the team is proficient at the new change or technology. Support is more than just management providing resources. It is at the ground level when we assist each other through the difficult or unknown.

When asked how he deals with change, mechanic Phil Wyka says, "I approach my co-workers and ask their opinions of the change and develop my personal approach from that point and if the change is something I have insight on, I will certainly provide guidance if asked." Most importantly, when facing a change at your job, your attitude is the essential factor of your acceptance. The act of closing off and becoming immediately negative to the change does not benefit anyone and only interferes with business and professional goals.

More Than Communication

Managers hastily point to communication as the prime persuasion tool to inspire doubtful employees. Professional consultants agree to an extent, but do advise caution when relying on only this particular resource.

Communication is an open system that allows the manager to explain the change, the reason for the change, benchmark goals, and expected obstacles. It should provide the management and employees a path to discover the difficulty and develop a new technology together. Valuable feedback to management and other departments can assist the change for adjustments when necessary.

Sherrie Campbell, a business professional counselor and host of a statewide PBS special Good News, believes that validating the employee’s fear is critical for a manager trying to implement change.

When asked about resources for managers and employees to tap into for change assistance, Campbell points out, "There are tons of coaching books about change. But the biggest tip — know your employee and you’ll know which resource to use. If you hand an employee a book on how to accept change and haven’t validated their fears, you may have just driven a bigger wedge."

Management Focus

All too often in our careers we witness management speaking at us, but not with us. The manager is divided between accomplishing his goals and satisfying the employee’s needs. When these obstacles appear, it is important for managers to understand that employees are the solution to the problems and have valuable input that can provide answers.

Leaders will find that employees are very persistent in continuing the old way of doing things. Campbell believes that words carry very powerful meaning; using the term "the old way" implies the wrong significance. "Why not go through the current way and all of the aspects that work. Then ask what aspects may not be working as well. Then brainstorm. Give your ideas and changes along with hearing their ideas. You may be surprised," Campbell says.

Jellison has authored a number of books providing guidance on organizational resistance to change and has developed a program for leader direction during change implementation. Most managers believe they can win over the biggest resistors through persuasion. Persuasion is a silver bullet solution with the concept that influencing employees will alter their behavior. While this course changes a few employees’ minds, more often than not, it does little to motivate a person.

Activation

Jellison advocates a process called activation. This is a bottom up approach designed to get employees to take action even when they have doubt or fear of the change.

Jellison outlines basic concepts that help manage employees through change. Communication, while not emphasized, is necessary between managers and employees. "The key to communicating down at the ground level is to be very specific about what you want the employee to do," he says.

Clarification of the business goals with those initiating the change counters resistance. This step will also present an opportunity to understand the end objective and provide input in the change development while also dispelling rumors. This leaves no ambiguity and provides a definitive leader when employees need it most. "Remove the barriers," he continues. Find the obstacles that will bog down your change implementation and get rid of them. This process will remove footholds that resisters will dig into and defend their assumptions. Front-load the rewards, praise your employees early and often and if incentives are an option provide them immediately. "Praise your employees just for trying the new process, whether they are successful or not, it keeps them going," he says.

Although activation is more time-consuming than persuasion, management gets a tremendous return on their effort. Through the added energy, managers have the ability to include employees in the change while assuring the goals of the company are acquired. It provides ground level understanding of what is working and what isn’t and it establishes ownership in the business.

Technology Transformation

Today’s maintenance problems are more complex and involved compared to airplane issues of the past. Aircraft like the Boeing 777 and the "next generation" 787 come with the standard equipment to fly but also provide useful tools that can improve a technician’s chance at making a quality repair on the first try. It is our responsibility to not only be a quality technician but also develop skills to interpret and use some of these new technologies and resources to help us do our job.

Better technicians realize it is essential to overcome our fear of change to move us forward in our careers. The cliché "thinking outside the box" certainly applies to this situation. As mechanics in today’s complex technical aviation industry, it is in our best interest to understand our struggle with change and adapt to it.

PS:

Continual Improvement

An airline I worked for purchased a new Panasonic Toughbook computer for technical maintenance data improvement. The laptop allowed for maintenance manuals, illustrated parts catalogs, company part ordering and technical information, and a collection of other resources carried directly to the aircraft problem. It was a valuable tool for better efficiency, providing needed resources to the fingertips. Very versatile, it was extremely useful on trips when recovering incapacitated aircraft or use at a station in remote areas. During a training class discussing the computer’s operation it was revealed that the Toughbook was scarcely used for unknown reasons. It was later discovered that a few bad experiences by mechanics spread through word of mouth and the computers went ignored. The Internet speed was slow and connecting to the resources was next to impossible in many areas. Unreported, this developed two problems, the first being that a valuable time-saving tool was not utilized to repair airplanes. The other problem was that those who provided this computer were unaware of the networking issues and did not get the opportunity to fix it. The digital age is moving information faster than ever and only assists us in our jobs. As a technical crew chief I am able to send a digital photo of aircraft damage to the engineering department, technical department and management in milliseconds. Five years ago we were taking pencil rubbings of the damage and faxing them to these decision makers and 20 years ago we were trying to give our best definition of the problem over the phone. There is nothing wrong with a fear of the unknown, allowing it to intimidate you is where we begin to lose our edge. University of Southern California Psychologist Jerald Jellison says that, "there are no promises of ‘try it and you will like it,’ but what can be promised is if you do try it, you will learn and grow." Moving our profession forward requires technicians to understand change is continual and unstoppable. When the computer problems were eventually addressed it gave the airline mechanics a beneficial resource to fix aircraft. The mechanic’s responsibility goes much further than repairing airplanes. We have to develop skills to cope with the new change, give feedback to those who require it and stay positive while implementing it.

Change Request Proritization Grid

I found the following grid from a post by Varun Poddar and it seems to capture the essence of prioritization of Change Requests very well. As the author explains, "I put this grid together as a quick and dirty (but effective) way to assess which CRs a project manager should focus on, and how best to communicate reasons for doing so to senior executives – all on one PowerPoint slide. It is self-explanatory. So diving straight into key takeaways: Try to get the quick win CRs into the product or application as part of the current project – at a low LOE these deliver high CSF. Do some analysis on the difficult CRs to understand whether they are show-stoppers. The light weight and heavy weight CRs are low on the customer’s radar. Monitor them as they can be addressed in a future iteration, release or project."

Overcoming Resistance to Change...

Author: Ahmet Oturgan, Director of Marketing and Sales, IAS [We could use these excellent Tips to advise our clients appropriately on managing Change]

Starting an ERP implementation in your organization may very well be a venture of the highest risk level attempted in the history of your company, as ERP implementations also signify a period of change and transformation for the organization. The undertaking will affect corporate processes, established practices, and organizational structures; in short, the entire culture of the organization will somehow be touched upon. And tampering with company cultures always carry inherent risks.

On the other hand, intense competition forces us to undergo change. In the rapidly changing world of business, change for the better and managing change are now the critical maxims to live by for achieving success, and indeed, for survival. In such a context, an ERP implementation project is really another name for change, one that should be embraced as an excellent opportunity for implementing cultural transformation and for turning your organization into an enterprise that is professionally managed.

However, research shows resistance to change as a threat that you may experience when transforming this opportunity into success for your organization. Analyses of several failed ERP implementation projects show that, general resistance to any type of change and specific end-user resistance to the ERP implementation efforts, are some of the most significant roadblocks that are encountered in the road to success. In summary, successfully managing change and taking the measures to overcome end-user resistance, lead the list for critical success factors relating to ERP implementations projects.

So then, what are some of the appropriate actions that we can undertake to overcome the end-user resistance that poses such a significant threat to our ERP implementation project?

• First and foremost, if you feel that your organization does not need change, and furthermore, if you are happy with your organization's current status and are apprehensive about disrupting it, it is best that you shelve the ERP implementation for now, until you really feel the need for change. Much as it would be a marketing mistake to launch a new product at a time when the consumer is not ready or exhibits no need for such a product, so would embarking on an ERP implementation project be a serious fault, especially when upper management for the organization and the core project team do not display an enthusiastic attitude towards the implementation, possibly jeopardizing project success.
• In an ERP implementation project, you should consider the project team as the sales team, the end-user as the consumer, and the ERP implementation as the product. Once we accept this compelling analogy, we can employ marketing methods, which is an advanced discipline devised to overcome the buyer's (in this case, the end-user's) resistance. In short, for a successful ERP deployment, you need to market the implementation project in the best possible manner to its consumers, who happen to be your end-users.
• To avoid comments of the type "This system does not meet my requirements; I would not have picked this software" half-way into the implementation, you should include your project team and end-users into the product selection process and should obtain their buy-in as well, as secure their active participation.
• You should compose your project team of highly motivated individuals with good communication skills, who possess positive outlooks, and who are disciplined and dedicated.
• Upper management and the project team should maintain their motivation throughout the implementation process, and even at times of crises, should set a positive example for the end-users by sustaining their motivation and their belief in the implementation. (Imagine a ferry in the midst of severe weather and the effects it will have on the passengers observing the captain and the crew running about the ship in panic!)
  
  In summary, throughout your implementation project you will have a need for project champions and heroes who will be there during turbulent times, and a strong defensive team who knows what it is doing. The best possible composition for your team is an upper management and a project team, in that order, who are composed of project champions who do not easily lose their motivation in times of difficulty.
• You should prevent, at all cost, all ill-intended criticisms, and especially sarcastic remarks, aimed at the implementation project. Most of the time, simple advice and guidance will do the job; when necessary, you should take disciplinary action. At the same time, you should keep in mind that exemplary conduct and a resolute attitude displayed by the upper management and your project team will be the most effective support you will have.
• In ERP implementations, change may come in different flavors. Change will sometimes take place in the organization itself or in its business processes, and at other times, change may be necessary for the ERP system itself. Especially during the early starting stages of your project, modifications to the ERP system and the software may need to be implemented where necessary, to overcome end-user resistance. Such adaptations and customizations, when successfully realized, will help establish end-user trust in both the project team and the software vendor. It will lessen the feelings of uneaseness and apprehension relating to change that are being experienced by the end-users, by enforcing their sense of control over the change that is being introduced.
  
  On the other hand, finding a balance between making modifications to the ERP system versus altering the way your company does business, will have a significant effect on the success of your project. For such customizations stemming from user requests, carrying out sound requirements analyses as well as deciding on what is truly necessary and what is not, are responsibilities that rest with your upper management and your project team.
• Resistance may not always explicitly manifest itself. At times, becoming aware of resistance may be difficult. Sometimes a seeming display of acceptance will actually hide a passive resistance. For example, a group of your users may signal no problems with the system, while in practice they may opt to use alternative applications instead of utilizing the system itself, or generate external processes to achieve their objectives. Upper management and your project team should be as diligent on passive resistance as they are on open resistance, and should take precautions to recognize and resolve passive resistance.
• Upper management (the sponsor for the implementation project), should tackle all individual issues of resistance that are relayed to them by the project manager, and should absolutely not postpone problem resolution, or display indifference towards issues of resistance.
• The transition to live production use is a singularly risky and critical period with respect to the trust associated with the system and the software. Therefore, the quality of the support that is provided to the end-users, as well as responses to possible problems that may arise during this period, is of critical importance. To prevent issues of trust and resistance which may later become chronic occurrences, it is imperative that this period be managed with careful attention from you.
• Indeed, it is not change itself that people are afraid of, but the fear that change will adversely affect them. Fundamentally, people are in favour of change that is positive. We are generally confronted with resistance in the form of a defensive reaction mechanism against the adverse aspects of change. Trust should be established by removing the negative perceptions that may be perpetuated.
• Most of the time, the real risks are much smaller than the perceived risks. That is, it is not all that important whether change itself is positive or not. What is important is how that change is perceived by people. For example, if a user is under the impression that he or she may lose his or her job as a result of the implementation project, it will result in resistance because of the risks it harbors for that user, however positive the results of that change may actually be. As such, you will need to become aware of ill-conceived perceptions about your ERP implementation project, and take the necessary precautions to disseminate accurate information instead.
• In direct contradiction to the above scenario, an overly trusting environment may also cause a roadblock for change. As human beings, we all have a need for security and a sense of control over our immediate environment, as well as for a feeling of certainty. When these needs are fully or exceedingly met, we can be unwelcoming towards change. Therefore, in certain situations, the final resort for "coercing" your team to accept change may really be to somewhat disrupt the atmosphere of trust and certainty, and to cause a tremor of sorts in the organization's foundation.

The literature on the topic of ERP systems is still evolving. Therefore, one cannot point out a results-oriented methodology for use in overcoming possible resistance during project implementations. However, I believe the bullet items I have compiled above, based on actual success stories we have experienced at our own customer implementation projects, as well as input from various reference materials, will hopefully be of guidance to organizations embarking on new ERP implementations.