HABITS, PROCESSES AND
ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Organisations run on processes and habits, not just a few
but hundreds and thousands of them put in place by the managers for smooth
functioning at some time. These could be
referred to and has come to be recognised as the corporate culture. Habits form
a large form of corporate culture but the entirety cannot be defined by it.
However, the habits, routines are in fact processes in practice, outnumbering
the actual no. of processes. Therefore, if we talk about improvement, then it
should be our endeavour to bring in continuous improvement by changing both the
habits as well as processes. Gradual and continuous improvement and bringing
about change in both the processes and habits is what pertains to LEAN
Movement. Lean implies continuous improvement.
Lean Process Improvement is the process of continually reviewing
a process identifying waste or areas in a process map that can be improved. It
is an on-going feedback process of loop that over time improves the business
through better processes. It is a systematic method to identify and eliminate
waste within a process to bring about smooth flow in the velocity of outputs.
The insights by
Duhigg in this book can be applied within the dynamic sphere of Organisational
change also. This can be achieved by:
1.
ANALYSIS
AND REFLECTION
Going by the book, a habit is a repeated activity that is
performed automatically in similar situations using ‘cue, routine and reward’
formula. Therefore, the first step would be obviously to analyse and reflect
the reasons behind the habit. Identify the cue, when and where it manifests as
action and the reward associated with the action. People aren’t very good at
finding the root cause.
2.
IDENTIFYING
WHAT MATTERS THE MOST
It might seem an insurmountable ordeal to change innumerable
processes, habits and routines that need to be changed and improved. Everything
can’t be changed over -night, therefore it would be viable to prioritize. The
key here lies in accepting the fact that one can’t bring about change for quite
some time, it’s so very gradual. One can’t possibly change multiple things at
once, however, prioritization also could be a tricky prospect. It’s only by
practice that one can identify issues/ areas that need to be driven by change
urgently in the business sphere. There
could be a likelihood of ripple effects.
When an issue/ area is understood by everyone as important, and there is
just enough sense of urgency created, then it becomes understood by everyone as
being important. There is less
difficulty in the communication and rationalization of change and drive for
change becomes people’s priority. If this gets reflected in positive results on
the business as a whole, people start believing in the change thus, creating a
self- fulfilling prophecy.
3.
THE RIPPLE
EFFECT
It also needs to be understood that if and only if the areas
picked will also drive in change in the other parts of the business, it could
end up driving positive change throughout the organisation and create a culture
of continuous improvement leading to a succession of positive change.
This is well showcased in the case of Alcoa. The new CEO
Paul O’Neil started by focussing on just one component, job safety, seemingly
irrelevant in terms of financial gains for the company. This made a great
impact on the conditions and with a ripple effect impact on the morale of the
employees in a positive manner. The goals were set high, ‘stupidity’ was done
away with. Faulty processes and routines were identified and corrected, it
started as a bottoms up as a result of the initiative and quintupled profits
within a span of a decade.
4. CHANGE TAKES TIME AND ALWAYS INVOLVES
FAILURE
Striking out things not aligned with our core values in our
personal lives or in organisations, takes time. Harmful habits are not born out
of a single action and can’t disappear overnight. Stanford University Psychologist,
Kelly McGonigal says one can achieve consistent long term goals by taking small
steps. The transformation will be more successful if one outsources their
willpower one by one as opposed to all at once. He further says, “Every time
you take an action that engages the muscles of willpower, they get
stronger.” Learning usually takes time
and a lot of practice and repetition. In business time is essence. Humans learn
from failure either their own or others’. If the endeavour is complex and
challenging, the more effort and trials it would require getting it right.
Tony Dungy’s coaching philosophy was his belief that the key
to winning was changing players’ habits. He wanted to get players to stop
making so many decisions during a game. He wanted them to react automatically,
habitually. If he could instil the right habits, his team would win.
His strategy was to shift the team’s behaviours until their
performances were automatic. He didn’t
think they had to memorize hundreds of formations. They just had to learn a few
key moves and get them right every time. .. Slowly, they began to improve.
Eventually, the patterns became so familiar to players that they unfolded
automatically when the team took the field… the Bucs won the division
championship.’
5.
CHANGE
SHOULD BEGIN AT GRASSROOT LEVEL
Change is usually initiated at the top level but it needs to
first strike the grassroots levels. This is because improvement needs to be
ingrained in everyone. More people driving change means more results. If
development process is taken care of at the lower levels then the leaders get
the opportunity to focus on the larger issues. If every single employee is
rooted in change, the change that comes in is unbelievable and together they
can make anything is possible. If employees feel they are in control and are
treated with respect they’ll have more willpower and energy to focus on job
increase radically.
As was the case in Alcoa, when employees were encouraged to
tell about the accidents and dangers in the working environment to the
executives, change gradually started. With time, the communication improved and
employees actually started to contact their superiors not just about safety
issues but also to tell about their ideas and suggestions to improve
efficiency. Needless to say, the company underwent a great changeover
revolution.
6.
THE
COMPOUND EFFECT OF GOOD HABITS
If people consistently feel no desire for change and are
consistent in their behaviour, the success also would be insignificant
overtime. However, if people show slow but gradual improvement, they could end
up with a significant result. Small, smart decisions made consistently lead to
incomprehensible and incredible results later. At the same time it would also
be wise to keep a focus on aligning core values within work ethics. Within the
corporate culture if there is a process of ‘instants’ ; habitual , unconscious
work culture without any desire of improvement or even the desire to eliminate
thee unconscious, unfruitful actions or reactions, the result would be
stagnation and loss. It would be wise to
focus on percent gains and not on net gain.
There’s a saying “Compound interest is the most powerful
force in the universe”, as often attributed to Albert Einstein. It still
continues to be a powerful lesson to be learnt. The traditional take on this is
that by investing early on, but consistently in something, the effect of the
interest will dwarf the original amount given some time. One has to build the
systems, processes and the culture for creating that compound effect to improve
one’s business, just like Alcoa did. Starting early could make change happen!
CONCLUSION
”It seems ridiculously simple, but once you’re aware of how
your habit works, once you recognize the cues and rewards, you’re halfway to
changing it,” said Nathan Azrin, one of the developers of habit reversal
training. “It seems like it should be more complex. The truth is, the brain can
be reprogrammed. You just have to be deliberate about it.”
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