The Bias Field Guide: A Roadmap for Success P. 38
P. 14
P. 18
P. 5 4
Data Regulations: Power to
Discovering the Artist Within:
How to Avoid the Dark Side
the People
Conveying Critical Business
of Agile
Messages Through Pictures
FALL 2018
Sometimes the best answers come from somewhere unexpected—usually hiding in plain sight.
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Letter From the Founders
Most people spend a considerable amount of time focused on helping other people, whether that’s a project at work or shuttling your child around to Little League. Many times, we are so focused on the task at hand that we don’t stop to check in with ourselves and make sure we’re still grounded in the principles we believe in or strive towards. That’s not to say you shouldn’t take your child to baseball practice, or be a team player at work, but if you find yourself never having time for your personal interest projects at work, you might need Chris Reinking
some self-reflection. Many of the articles in this edition of The Jabian Journal can be traced back to the idea of positive self-reflection as a tool to improve performance, happiness, and confidence. In “Autonomy and Engagement” on page 24, the third article in a nine-part series, the authors discuss the importance of giving employees more autonomy in their roles to increase both engagement and performance. Allowing an employee to find within themselves the power to perform is a recipe for sustained success.
Brian Betkowski
“The Value of Compassion” on page 68 examines how companies can utilize their customer experiences to boost the bottom line. Understanding what customers want by putting yourself in their shoes can yield revenue-boosting results. Our feature section discusses the many kinds of biases we deal with on a daily basis. We make hundreds of decisions every day. Some are simple, such as whether to get out of bed in the morning, and others are hard, such as how to invest resources for optimal results.
Nigel Zelcer
Each of these decisions are made with some level of bias associated with them, but bias doesn’t always make it bad. In this feature section starting on page 38, the authors revisit what it means to be biased and take the next step to help us understand how to identify and maximize those biases to our benefit. Whether you find yourself shuttling between kids’ activities or shuttling between projects, take a moment to ground yourself in the ‘why’ of what you’re doing, and then think about the ‘how.’ Sometimes the best answers come from somewhere unexpected—usually hiding in plain sight. We hope you enjoy this edition of The Jabian Journal, and we welcome your feedback.
Thanks, Chris, Brian, and Nigel—The Jabian Founding Partners
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CONTENTS
3 Letter From the Founders
8 Contributors
54 Jabian Interview Cameron Farah of Cox Automotive discusses the pros along with the “Dark Side” of going Agile.
72 The Final Word Patrick Borg of The Airoom Group of Companies on what makes Chicago ripe for business.
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The Bias Field Guide: A Roadmap for Success
F E AT U R E S E C T I O N
BY J I M M Y M I TC H E L L , DA N A L S L AY, AND ANDREW THOMPSON
38
Bias is all around us. It creeps into our thoughts and infiltrates our decision-making. Sometimes we’re aware of it and sometimes we aren’t. In our feature section, we identify the many biases built into everyday life, how to spot them, and how to use them to your advantage for business success.
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CONTENTS
10
10
18
Assessing the Maturity of Your Finance Organization
Discovering the Artist Within: Conveying Critical Business Messages Through Pictures
$$$$$$$$$$$
By Jeremy Miles Why it’s important to identify strengths and weaknesses in your organization through an assessment, and the benefits it can provide.
By Sarah Lynn Davis and Allison Stunja Why closing our laptops and picking up crayons to illustrate a message is a powerful tool for communication and collaboration.
24 Autonomy and Engagement By Fred Jewell and Tracy Reznik In this third piece of a nine-part series, we look at the next section of the Jabian Engagement Framework: How autonomy increases employees’ engagement.
68
14 Data Regulations: Power to the People By Adam C. Johnson What business leaders should know about GDPR, the sweeping statement on consumer data rights that went into effect on May 25, 2018, carrying stunning enforcement power.
28 Strategic Maintenance: Is Your Strategy Still Realistic? By Will Funderburg and Keeley Wikle Why companies must invest in the tools and metrics to make sure projects in their strategic plan remain aligned as times change.
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JUNE
18
60
REQUEST
Badass Brands (and How You Can Have One) 50
50 Agile and Demand Management: Giving Everyone a Seat at the Table By Dwayne Foster and Jackie Gildea Moving your organization toward Agile may not be as scary as you originally thought, once you understand how to map Agile concepts with traditional Waterfall delivery methods.
By Tara Sconzo and Elizabeth Cheney How (and why) you should challenge yourself to think outside of the box, get feedback, and take risks so you can become a superhero in the workplace.
64 Back to Basics: Creating Strong Processes as a Foundation for Scalable Growth By Lauren Abraham Mahoney, Katie Misel, and Jeff Siegel
58 32 Does Your Company Culture Measure Up to Your People’s Needs? By Lubna Memon Strategies to help an organization focus on work-life balance, employee recognition, compensation, and a people-first environment to create a strong corporate culture.
Managing the “Big Rock” Projects By Mimi Hall Many of the typical principles of program management apply when facing a crossfunctional effort. Consider a few ideas for how to modify your approach in an Agile organization.
Make operations scalable by improving your processes—by becoming more effective, efficient, and value-driven.
68 The Value of Compassion By Michael Ojo, Ph.D. Consider how your firm’s customer experience journey can improve interactions with your brand and boost the company’s reputation and bottom line.
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CONTRIBUTORS
Lauren Abraham Mahoney
Sarah Lynn Davis
Mimi Hall
sarahlynn.davis@jabian.com
mimi.hall@jabian.com
lauren.mahoney@jabian.com
Sarah Lynn is a manager
Mimi is a manager at
Lauren is a director at
at Jabian with experience
Jabian with a passion for
Jabian with extensive
in program and project
engaging and developing
experience in creating and
management as well as
teams while exploring the
large-scale software implementations.
implementing strategic
human capital elements of technology
business solutions across a variety
transformations. A Georgia Tech MBA,
of industries. Her work is primarily
Dwayne Foster
Mimi is a certified SAFe Program
focused on taking a process approach
dwayne.foster@jabian.com
Consultant (SPC4) and a leader of
to operational improvements, bridging
Dwayne is a manager
Jabian’s Agile software development
business and IT to manage projects,
at Jabian with a passion
offering.
and driving sustainable change. In other words – making things better,
for solving clients’ most pressing issues through strategy and operational optimization.
making sure work gets done, and
Fred Jewell fred.jewell@jabian.com
making change stick.
His expertise lies in strategic
Fred is a senior strategic
planning, demand management, and
advisor at Jabian. He
Lubna Memon
process improvement.
spends most of his time
lubna.memon@jabian.com
working with his clients
Lubna is a senior
Will Funderburg
on strategy, transformation, culture,
manager at Jabian who is
will.funderburg@jabian.com
communication, change management,
passionate about leading and driving strategic
Will is a director at Jabian.
and organization design. He is an
He is an experienced
executive coach, author, and speaker,
results. She helps clients achieve
strategist, project
and his new book, “We Can’t Do It
efficiency and growth by leveraging
manager, and business
Alone: Building Influence with
her experience in business strategy,
analyst. His expertise lies in leading
Simple Strategies,” was released in
business process improvement,
program management, demand
December 2017.
business transformation, program management, and change
management, business process analysis, strategic planning, and
Adam C. Johnson
change management efforts, as well
adam.johnson@jabian.com
management.
as assessing and implementing those
Adam is a manager at
Jeremy Miles
capabilities at client organizations.
Jabian who specializes
jeremy.miles@jabian.com
Jackie Gildea jackie.gildea@jabian.com
in business strategy
Jeremy is a manager at
development and
Jabian with a wide range
implementation. He has broad
of experience in providing operational improvement
Jackie is a manager at
experience helping retail and
Jabian and certified
pharmaceutical clients address
for finance and accounting
SAFe 4 Agilist as well
business- and technology-related
organizations across a variety of
as Project Manager
opportunities.
industries. He specializes in process
Professional (PMP), with expertise
development, organizational design,
in Agile delivery and enterprise
and systems implementation to assist
technology transformations. She has
companies through strategic execution
broad experience across the health
in resolving complex issues.
care, high-tech, and public-sector industries and is passionate about helping organizations operate more efficiently.
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Katie Misel
Tara Sconzo
Andrew Thompson
katie.misel@jabian.com
tara.sconzo@jabian.com
andrew.thompson@jabian.com
Katie is a director at
Tara is a senior manager
Andrew is a director at
Jabian with expertise in
at Jabian with a passion
Jabian with extensive
applying process-centric
for integrating people and
experience in process
methodologies to solve
processes. She has broad
improvement, decision
the most strategic initiatives. She
experience across the hospitality,
analysis, and data analytics. He is
specializes in process engineering and
media and communications, utilities,
passionate about helping clients solve
optimization, business and process
and health care industries. Her areas
strategic and process-based problems
analysis, and product management.
of expertise include human capital
using a data-driven approach.
management, communications, and Jimmy Mitchell
business process design.
jimmy.mitchell@jabian.com
keeley.wikle@jabian.com
Jimmy is a director at
Jeff Siegel
Jabian with a passion
jeff.siegel@jabian.com
Keeley is a senior manager
for problem-solving. He
Jeff is a senior manager
is focused on solving
at Jabian with expertise
clients’ most strategic problems by leveraging his background in process improvement and analytics. Michael Ojo, Ph.D.
Keeley Wikle
at Jabian with over 10 years of experience helping her clients succeed by
in process engineering
implementing solutions to solve
and optimization. He has
their most complex problems. Her
broad experience in business analysis,
areas of expertise include strategic
change management, process analysis,
planning, human capital, business
and requirements analysis.
process improvement, and technology
michael.ojo@jabian.com
adoption.
Michael is a manager
Danal Slay
at Jabian who holds a
danal.slay@jabian.com
Ph.D. in Leadership for
Danal is a manager at
the Advancement of
Jabian with expertise
Learning and Service from Cardinal
in process engineering
Stritch University and MBA and
and optimization. He has
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
Elizabeth Cheney Elizabeth is a marketing
computer engineering degrees from
broad industry experience across
and communications
Missouri S&T. He has a wide range
the retail, manufacturing, utilities,
professional in the health
of industry experiences via his work
aerospace and defense, and automotive
in finance transformation solutions
industries. He is known to be a results-
passionate about youth and female
and customer experience strategy.
driven, customer-focused professional
mentorship and the development
Michael is passionate about the
with a passion for operations strategy
of young people as they embark on
evolution and influence of technology
and product management.
their careers.
care industry. She is
on customer experiences. Allison Stunja Tracy Reznik tracy.reznik@jabian.com
allison.stunja@jabian.com Allison is a senior
Tracy is a director at Jabian
manager at Jabian who is
with extensive experience
passionate about people
in progressive people strategies, including
and process. She has expertise in business and process
change management, leadership
analysis and product management.
development, and organizational
She supports her clients in defining
development at the organizational,
and managing their most complex
team, and individual levels. She
transformational projects.
is passionate about coaching and mentoring and bringing out the best in people.
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Assessing the Maturity of Your Finance Organization
By Jeremy Miles
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
$$$$$$$$$$$
It is important to use assessments to identify strengths and weaknesses within your organization.
be encountering, or help you to take a proactive approach to addressing risks. Why Finance and not other parts of the organization, or the whole company? The answer lies in the relative size of Finance organizations, the importance of the role they provide for the whole company, and the tendency for finance resources to get stuck in the past and not leverage new technologies, even if they are available.
WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL MATURITY AND HOW DO YOU ASSESS IT? e are all faced with challenges. Some of these challenges may be common,
The maturity of an organization
repeated issues we have faced many
ranges from immature, or non-
times before. Or they may be life-alter-
existent, to fully mature, established,
ing trials that affect us greatly. How we
and industry-leading. This is by no
conduct ourselves in dealing with these
means in relation to actual age or time
challenges is highly dependent on our
of existence. This may be the case most
maturity. The way one person reacts to
of the time in relation to people, but
a difficult situation most likely differs
for businesses, younger companies
from how they would have handled it in
may be just as, or more, mature in
years prior. Additionally, the way two
operations and efficiencies than older
people handle the same situation can
ones. Additionally, the move from one
vary drastically, based on experience.
level of maturity to the next may seem
The same rules apply to how
subtle or simple, but effectively mov-
companies, or even divisions within
ing the entirety of the organization
a company, address risks and chal-
along the scale is quite complex.
lenges. This can be especially true for the office of the CFO. Due to their
Maturity of an organization
position within the enterprise, they
Nonexistent: The organization is
will naturally be an early identifier
very immature in how it operates.
of challenges across the company.
This could be the result of a newly
They may not be directly accountable
formed department within a newer
for addressing these issues, but the
company or a maturing company with
ability to proactively respond can be
lagging investment or focus on the
largely driven by their groups’ ability
organization.
to identify challenges and put the first pieces of the resolution plan in place.
Developing: The organization is
Assessing the maturity of your
growing and a need for some form
Finance organization can provide
of organized governance has been
valuable insight into those areas in
identified and addressed. It may mean
which you may be performing above,
that policies, procedures, and resource
at, or below recommended standards.
responsibilities have been defined and
This review can provide telling
documented but are out of date or not
information about root causes you may
consistently followed. FA L L 2 018
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Leading: Regarded as a world-class
person does not have the adequate
an alarming rate. When your people
organization utilizing leading
tools to efficiently perform a task, they
are free of redundant, suboptimal,
practices. Policies and procedures are
may lose control over whether
and unnecessarily complex processes,
clearly defined and documented. In
the activity is completed on time or
costs stop growing as well. There may
turn, this documentation is centrally
accurately. Likewise, resources are
have been a time when your firm was
available, easy to access, and regularly
often tasked with responsibilities they
smaller, and you could rely on a few
updated as necessary so that everyone
do not have the skills for. The desire to
key people to smooth out any issue.
is aware of their responsibilities,
reduce costs, or at least control them,
However, as your firm grows, you
work is performed consistently, and
can put undue burden on resources by
need standard, repeatable processes
technology is an enabler.
asking too much of employees. Two
just to provide a minimum level of
questions the leaders of a Finance
service. It would seem easy to throw
organization should think through
more bodies at a situation that
thoroughly are: “How does your
requires mass amounts of manual
organization approach assignment
intervention, but this could also
To truly assess the full maturity of a
of new responsibilities and tasks to
lead to an increased risk of error or
Finance organization, or any corporate
resources?” and “Do you look at the
lack of motivation in highly skilled
department for that matter, it is neces-
skills necessary to effectively complete
employees performing work of little
sary to take a holistic approach and
a job or do you look at who has the most
value in comparison to their core
assess three very important dimen-
time available to take on additional
knowledge base. This is not to say
sions; the responsibility, the activities,
work?” Something else to consider is
that every process that builds the
and the tools.
that the one responsible may not be a
operations of your organization should
person at all, but a robot.
be automated. This is simply not
WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR?
feasible for any company. However, all
The Responsibility When an issue has been identified
The Activities
processes should be documented and
within an organization or business
The activities performed by your
standardized in a way that they can be
unit, it’s easy to automatically assume
organization to complete daily tasks
easily repeated, should there be a need
someone has performed poorly or
are the next dimension to consider.
for the responsibility of the process to
missed an assignment. However, if that
Inefficient processes drain capital at
transition between resources.
LEADING
DEVELOPING Roles and responsibilities are somewhat defined, but require further alignment and adjustment to fit the organization
NONEXISTENT
Processes are documented but not consistently followed
Unclear responsibilities leading to duplicative efforts or incomplete/ delayed work
Systems are in place, but fragmented and still require manual intervention
No documented processes
Poor master data management strategies
Appropriate systems do not exist
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Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and the organization utilizes centers of excellence for specialized tasks Processes are clearly documented, consistently followed, and updated as necessary Systems provide automation into repeatable processes and are efficiently integrated to provide standardization across the enterprise
The Tools Similar to inefficient processes,
“How does the maturity of your technologies affect your bottom line?”
inefficient technology can also be a
Not only can you expect various
drain on capital. Systems working
levels of maturity within each dimen-
independently from one another, with
sion of your organization, but each
no communication, cause difficulty in
dimension could also be driven down
reporting, data accuracy, and master
to various levels of detail. For instance,
data management, and directly affect
the processes of your Finance orga-
processes. This can also apply to aging
nization, as a whole, may seem very
technologies used by your business.
mature or developing. But this may be
Although the cost of managing mul-
that your budgeting and forecasting
tiple systems applies more directly to
processes utilize industry-leading
the IT organization, these costs trickle
practices, whereas those related to
down to the Finance organization.
order-to-cash are lagging far behind.
Systems that require work-around
By assessing your organization
processes or manipulation of data
at an appropriate level, you can
to view results, become a burden on
more directly identify those highest-
your people and lead to potential
priority issues.
errors requiring additional oversight
Once you’ve assessed the current
on the work performed. Again, this
state of your finance organization,
is not to say that every system or tool
what value and insight have you
utilized by your company should be
gained? To start, you have a high-level
integrated, top of the line, industry-
view of your organization, with identi-
leading systems. However, assessing
fied strengths and weaknesses in daily
those systems most impactful to your
or monthly operations. In addition, you
organization, people, and process
now have a starting point to address
should be seen as a priority in making
the weaknesses, or proactively address
improvements.
potential weaknesses, and build upon the strengths that make your organization thrive to get the job done.
WHEN YOUR PEOPLE ARE FREE OF REDUNDANT, SUBOPTIMAL, AND UNNECESSARILY COMPLEX PROCESSES, COSTS STOP GROWING.
THE BENEFITS THIS WILL BRING
However, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and not all issues will be
At first glance, this may seem a simple
immediately identified. The benefits
task that answers one simple question,
of this viewpoint will vary within
“Is my finance organization mature
each dimension of your organization
enough to support the daily operations
(responsibilities, activities, tools)
it is responsible for?”. However,
and among companies. Those com-
this is not one simple answer, nor is
panies that start to think about their
it a simple question. What you may
organization as a whole, and not the
really need to know is how you can
individual problems at hand, are those
improve upon the current state of
that can start to learn from mistakes
your organization.
and mature into industry-leading
“If you were able to free up the time
icons of performance.
of your most valued resources to focus on tasks more aligned to their skillset
Jeremy Miles
and interests, would they become
jeremy.miles@jabian.com
more productive?” “If repeatable, mundane processes were automated or required little to no manual intervention, could you improve the accuracy of the output the process provides?”
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By Adam C. Johnson
Data Regulations: Power to the People When was the last time you read the
If you’re like most people, you have
terms and conditions on a website or
little regard for who’s collecting your
took a minute to learn how your data is
data and how they’re using it.
being used and by whom? Chances are,
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
In recent months, you were
you ignore the pre-opt-in checkboxes
probably inundated with emails
during e-commerce checkouts or you
about “changes to privacy policies”
quickly scroll through the disclosures
or “updates to terms and conditions.”
when you create a new account.
Did you read any of those changes?
What business leaders should know about GDPR, the sweeping regulation on consumer data rights that went into effect May 25, 2018, carrying stunning enforcement power.
Regardless, GDPR requires companies to provide consumers (aka data subjects) the following R I G H T S :
RIGHT TO BE INFORMED
Consumers have the right to know how their data is being used. This right often occurs at the time of consent, and the details of how consumer data is obtained, processed, stored, and transferred is typically relayed through a privacy policy near a call-toaction, in plain language.
Probably not; consumers have been
which went into effect on May 25, 2018.
conditioned to be apathetic toward
It’s considered the most comprehensive
most things data, at least until recently.
data regulation to date. GDPR requires
RIGHT TO ACCESS
businesses based in the EU and those
Consumers have the right to view their
devices capturing an increasing amount
outside the EU that offer services to
data. GDPR provides provisions for
of data, regulation has struggled to
EU citizens to treat data in a way that
what data a company should disclose.
remain ahead of emerging technol-
empowers consumers.
Generally, the provisions apply to
With smart, Wi-Fi-connected
ogy—or to even remain current with it. There’s always been a tacit agreement about consumer privacy and free services from companies. If there’s
So, if data is the lifeblood of a com-
specific consumer. As a rule of thumb,
laboratory test of it.
companies aren’t required to disclose
The intent of GDPR, at its most
a free product or service (e.g., Gmail,
granular level, is to increase transpar-
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat), it’s
ency in how companies use consumer
likely that the company is collecting
data. Transparency, as some policy-
and using data from consumers who
makers assert, allows consumers the
use their products.
option to control their data and make
Up until this point, however, consumers had only one option if they policy or practice of the company: Quit
items are required for compliance, but
using their services.
not how to meet those requirements,
GDPR is the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation,
to their business models.
The regulation is somewhat ambiguous because it relays what
era of privacy regulation called GDPR.
data that is proprietary or is essential
more informed decisions about it.
didn’t like or agree with an existing
That’s changed. We’ve entered a new
any data that can be associated with a
pany, then GDPR is a doctor-prescribed
RIGHT TO PORT
which was the unintentional result
Consumers have the right to download
of four years of debate and a litany of
their data. This allows consumers the
compromises among EU policymakers.
option of taking their data and using it
These debates continue.
with a different product or service. FA L L 2 018
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RIGHT TO ERASE
RIGHT TO RESTRICT
Consumers have the right to delete
Consumers have the right to restrict
their data, formerly known as the
how data is used by the company.
“Right to be Forgotten.” Because
Like the Right to Object, this right
companies store and back up consumer
is difficult to put into action and may
data in multiple locations, the timing
require in-depth discussions with
and type of deletion can be challenging
legal counsel prior to developing
for business leaders to work through,
functionality. It also may coincide
especially considering data localiza-
with objections, rectifications,
tion laws.
and erasures.
CONSUMERS HAD ONLY ONE OPTION IF THEY DIDN’T LIKE OR AGREE WITH AN EXISTING POLICY OR PRACTICE OF THE COMPANY: QUIT USING THEIR SERVICES.
companies collect, store, process, and share data—all items that are integral to GDPR compliance. In doing so, most leaders will find it necessary to reevaluate their data governance processes, legal disclaimers, incident response, and data breach RIGHTS RELATING TO
notification practices. And, in some
Consumers have the right to object
AUTOMATED DECISION-MAKING
instances, they may find it necessary
to the way a company uses their data
AND PROFILING
to adjust their business practices.
RIGHT TO OBJECT
For example, they might stop using
or contest data processing practices.
Consumers have the right to know
GDPR provides guidance on certain
whether a company uses their data
default opt-ins for marketing sub-
objections that require “compelling
for automated decision-making,
scription preferences or stop guerilla
legitimate grounds,” which legal
profiling, and how, if desired, to
marketing campaigns altogether.
counsel may be required to help
request human intervention.
Neither is considered GDPR compliant. Finally, U.S.-based companies with
business leaders navigate.
a physical or web presence in the EU The cost of compliance and providing
are required to treat data collected in
consumers these rights varies by
the EU according to GDPR standards.
company, but the penalties of viola-
But having realized that public
tions can be severe. A GDPR violation
sentiment toward data privacy is
could result in a fine up to 4 percent
changing, companies should consider
of annual global sales or around $24
treating all consumer data according
million, whichever is greater.
to this standard—regardless of where
It’s evident that GDPR is forcing
or whose data is collected—providing
Consumers have the right to correct
business leaders to have a conversation
the same functionality of GDPR to all
incorrect or incomplete data. Often,
about digital privacy. In that conversa-
“in spirit.”
this is actioned through consumer-
tion, business leaders should discuss
facing pages with self-editing
how their companies obtain consent
Adam C. Johnson
functionality.
from consumers as well as how their
adam.johnson@jabian.com
RIGHT TO RECTIFY
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
THE DIFFERENCE IS
real face time.
My clients love my ideas on the strategic use of technology to keep them connected. My family shouldn’t have to. FaceTime™ isn’t face time. We believe in being home every night. For more information, visit jabian.com/careers.
THE DIFFERENCE IS
18
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Discovering the Artist Within: Conveying Critical Business Messages Through Pictures
By Sarah Lynn Davis
Allison Stunja
Pictures are a valuable medium for communicating ideas, but we often default to words and technology to articulate our message. When we close our laptops and pick up our crayons to illustrate a message, we unleash our inner artists to create a powerful tool for communication and collaboration.
FA L L 2 018
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WHAT SHOULD I DRAW?
starts, pictures can be
up.” It’s true that many of
You’ve got a blank piece
and gaining consensus.
us lose touch with our artis-
of paper and crayon in
For example, project leaders
tic side as we get older. As
hand—but what should you
can mitigate the typical
we progress from primary
draw? Let’s consider some
difficulties in managing
school through college and
situations where drawing a
requirements by using
enter the workforce, we are
picture can be helpful. Some
pictures to ensure up front
trained to communicate our
examples come to mind
that the business problem
ideas with words, whether
immediately in the context
is clearly defined and
through email, white
of a project, including:
understood by all affected
icasso famously stated, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once [s]he grows
Even before a project extremely useful in communicating concepts
papers, bulleted lists, or
stakeholders. Visual tools
lengthy slide decks.
such as a business process framework and flow chart
While these methods are highly effective in
are commonly used to
capturing details, they risk
achieve this outcome.
losing the key message to TL;DR Syndrome: Too Long;
Scope: the key components
Didn’t Read. In contrast, the
included in the project (and
audience can easily con-
sometimes more impor-
sume a well-constructed
tantly, what’s not included).
picture and use it as a
Do you ever find yourself in
springboard for driving to
an unproductive meeting
additional detail.
with several attendees
While there is undeni-
approaching a topic from
ably a need for text-heavy
different perspectives,
documents in the business
unable to see eye to eye?
world, going back to our
Design/Architecture: the
That’s a perfect time to
kindergarten roots and
systems that will be used,
draw a picture.
picking up the proverbial
along with how they will
crayon (or its grown-up
communicate with each
attendee to look at the same
equivalent, the dry-erase
other and what they will
concept at the same time,
marker) to draw a picture
communicate.
focus on the area of their
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Visuals allow each
is a highly effective tool
choice, and see it in the
in communicating critical
context of someone else’s
messages, stimulating
perspective. This feature is
discussions, and aligning
particularly helpful when
stakeholders.
broad communication is
Let’s identify when a
20
WHEN SHOULD I START?
required. Participants can
picture is most useful, how
Schedule/Timelines: when
pass the crayon back and
to get started, and what to
key milestones will be
forth until they’ve come
do with your picture once
completed and the depen-
to a shared image they can
it’s complete.
dencies among the tasks.
move forward with.
visual concepts before the
If a group brainstorm
verbal or textual details,
isn’t right for your
which can even shorten
situation—and often, the
meetings since the team
number of participants, the
spends less time trying to
level of the audience, or the
describe the situation and
stage of the project may rule
can get on the same page
it out—just start drawing!
more quickly.
This approach is called “acceleration.” The
VISUALS ALLOW EACH ATTENDEE TO LOOK AT THE SAME CONCEPT AT THE SAME
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
meaning is simple: Draw
Now that we’ve identified
right. The idea is to improve
situations where a picture
the chance of a successful
may be helpful, it’s simply
collaboration by creating
a matter of bringing
enough of a picture to start
crayons and blank paper to
a dialogue. In fact, doing too
a meeting of the minds—or
much before getting a group
is it?
together increases the
In some cases, this approach may be appropriate, such as the
something to start from. It doesn’t need to be elegant. It doesn’t need to be exactly
likelihood of wasted effort and low participation. Don’t get stuck think-
early planning stages of a
ing you’re right, from the
project or brainstorming
start. Be open to input
departmental strategy.
and changes. It’s OK to be
In those cases, a small
wrong. In fact, it won’t be
group of leaders will set
right if you’re the only one
accomplished.” Often,
the direction for a larger
who has worked on it. The
too late: Pictures are
shared understanding
group. When planning your
benefit of this approach
often created when words
documented in emails (or
work session where you will
is that other people have
fail, typically after many
worse, agreed upon orally)
create a visual from scratch,
something that they can
(and sometimes pain-
can erode quickly. If you
you’ll want to allow plenty
react to and work from.
ful) attempts. While the
are thinking, “wait, wasn’t
of time and establish a
An accelerated visual can
English language is easily
everyone in that same
collaborative atmosphere.
immediately start a discus-
understood on the surface,
meeting?” then it’s time to
Additionally, setting
sion of substance and build
it’s often imprecise. People
eliminate the confusion by
some basic ground rules
can interpret the same
putting crayon to paper and
and gaining commitment
sentence differently based
starting to draw.
from all participants will
you’ve accelerated a visual,
Don’t wait until it’s
momentum. Next, show it off. Once
help ensure the session is
it’s time to walk it around.
ests, or past experiences.
lenges can be alleviated
productive. Ground rules
Allowing your team and
As George Bernard Shaw
with a proactive approach
might include “one person
other affected stakeholders
said, “The biggest problem
by helping teams to avoid
speaks at a time,” “no bad
to provide their input early
with communication is the
diving into details too early.
ideas,” “everyone partici-
is a very effective means to
illusion that it has been
It forces teams to focus on
pates (draws),” etc.
gain buy-in. Give them a
on their expertise, inter-
Many of these chal-
FA L L 2 018
21
crayon of their own so they
collection of everyone’s
stakeholders to refine
Consider creating more
can provide their feedback.
thoughts and ideas. Think
and finalize your picture.
than one picture. You may
You can share the first draft
about it this way: If five
Although you are the facili-
require separate pictures
virtually, but an in-person
people make changes to the
tator of this masterpiece,
to successfully tailor
conversation is best.
picture, it has buy-in from
the goal is not to sign your
your message to different
five unique perspectives.
name in the bottom corner.
audiences. These pictures
look at a picture through a
The value of that picture has
The best pictures effectively
may even require different
different lens. After several
dramatically increased.
have small signatures
owners. For example, a
all over them.
large project schedule may
Every person tends to
reviews and updates, your picture will represent a
Continue to gather
have multiple layers:
input from all relevant
EXECUTIVE LEVEL: One-slide,
high-level schedule with As you draw, keep these
key milestones.
principles in mind: MIDDLE TIER: Program-level
THE BEST PICTURES EFFECTIVELY HAVE SMALL SIGNATURES ALL OVER. 22
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Leave your computer
Visio file showing the key
behind. Don’t rely on tools
activities and dependencies
and technology to convey
across the project.
an idea. Shut down Excel and leave the computer
DETAILED LEVEL: Detailed
behind. If crayons and
project plan built in MS
paper are not stocked in
Project, owned by one
your supply closet, find the
person who is a project
nearest whiteboard.
expert such as the project manager.
Embrace the mess. Artists construct their works by
For early project phases,
layering paint on the canvas
it may be helpful to start
in stages to build depth
with a high-level picture to
and contrast. Similarly,
grasp the complexity of a
your masterpiece will
project and use it to build a
take shape as additional
detailed plan. Conversely,
layers are added through
if leadership is asking for
revisions. The final version
an update on an in-flight
of your picture will likely
effort, you can use the
look very different from
detailed plan to roll up the
the first draft, but it will
“need to know” informa-
benefit from the marks of
tion into an effective
the changes and input from
picture. A picture should be
all your collaborators along
able to flex appropriately for
the way.
each purpose.
CREATE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH ROOM ON A PIECE OF WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?
One of the best things about
a skilled artist. Look for
a good picture is that it is
opportunities to use your
typically hung on walls
drawing skills and invite
where it can be referenced
others to join the process.
For one thing, don’t
often and used to com-
We all benefit by taking an
stop after the picture is
municate effectively.
artistic approach. Now leave
complete, and has been
Although it is an excel-
your computer behind and go get some crayons
approved by the right
lent communication tool,
stakeholders. A picture is
if it falls out of sync with
meant to visually depict
reality, a picture can cause
Sarah Lynn Davis
and communicate an idea.
confusion. It’s best to man-
sarahlynn.davis@jabian.com
While it’s commonly said
age an important picture
that “a picture is worth
like this centrally, on a team
Allison Stunja
a thousand words,” it is
site, where everyone can see
allison.stunja@jabian.com
usually not intended to
the latest version. It’s even a
stand alone. As a summary
good idea to print out a new
of more granular details,
version regularly and tape it
it may require supporting
on top of the previous one if
materials.
there have been changes.
For example, a high-
This may seem obvious,
level picture to represent
but revisions are most
project scope is a great way
important during periods
to ensure everyone agrees
of rapid change. One way to
on what is (and is not)
ensure pictures and docu-
included in a project, but
ments are revisited is to add
there is only so much room
this review to the agenda of
on a piece of paper. Create
major project checkpoints.
supporting documents,
The process of creating
such as the project charter,
a good picture takes time.
to house all the details
Remove any expectation
around the project’s scope
that your drawing will be
at a more granular level.
finished overnight. After
Revisiting the picture
all, you want it to be a
is important to ensure it
masterpiece. It also takes
accurately reflects reality.
time and practice to become
FA L L 2 018
23
Autonomy and Engagement
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
In this third piece of a nine-part series, we look at the next section of the Jabian Engagement Framework: How autonomy increases employees’ engagement.
By Fred Jewell and Tracy Reznik
Micromanagement. Tedium.
the team. Good luck!,” you’d probably
tasks as soon as they are assigned and
Constraints. Restraints.
feel pretty uncomfortable. Conversely,
beat deadlines by weeks—but they
Incarceration. Policies and rules
we often don’t know how much we
can’t work at home because there are
that restrict our freedom.
appreciate the autonomy we have until
just too many distractions. Sometimes,
it’s taken away.
it takes someone else to point out that
Those are not very engaging words
How do we decide how much is too
we’re not productive when we have too much autonomy.
or ideas, are they? We recoil from
much? One trigger that indicates that
most of them because they restrict
you have too much autonomy is when
our autonomy. Having the right
you start to feel “out of sight, out of
amount of autonomy is a key driver
mind” with your home team, including
What If the Level of Autonomy is
of engagement. Autonomy covers
your boss, peers, direct reports, and
Not Enough?
several different concepts, including
boundary partners. If you are not being
When there’s too little autonomy,
flexibility, freedom, the ability to make
tapped as often for ad hoc assign-
it may be because there’s too much
choices, and a lack of tedium.
ments, projects, or even brainstorming
direction or micromanagement of the
sessions, you may be experiencing
work. The ability and willingness to
we tend to think about autonomy as
too much autonomy and will need to
do and think independently decreases.
the amount of freedom people have
reconnect with your colleagues.
Employees can develop a “why should
In Jabian’s Engagement Framework,
in choosing how they work, who they
We’re all comfortable operating
I?” attitude and become complacent.
work with, what they work on, and
within a framework. Even when we
Teams start to look like, act like,
when and where they work.
manage ourselves, we put guidelines
and think like the leader because
and constraints on ourselves to ensure
only the leader’s decisions are
your own organization, it’s rare to find
we are fit, healthy, and otherwise
implemented. Fewer promotions are
a role in any organization that allows
engaged with the world. Stress comes
granted out of a team with lower levels
complete autonomy on all of those
from a lack of purpose, goals that
of autonomy because new skills are
fronts. And that’s a good thing for most
guide our actions, and norms we use
not being developed and there’s less
people. Growth and relationships,
to work with our coworkers, family,
growth overall.
the two engagement drivers we last
and friends.
Short of being your own boss in
wrote about, have unlimited upside.
If we have too much autonomy,
So, the sweet spot for autonomy is highly individualistic. As a manager,
Autonomy, though, has a sweet spot
we’re often frustrated by the lack of
it’s important to understand the
for everyone.
structure and guidance, or we get lost,
level of autonomy each of your team
become distracted, and lose focus on
members desires and can manage.
what’s important to ourselves and the How Much Autonomy Is Too Much?
business. Some of us need constraints
Too much autonomy can stress us out.
to get things done, such as a deadline,
Autonomy and Policy
If you started in a new role and your
say, to write an article for your com-
Some of the most contentious and
new boss said simply, “Welcome to
pany’s publication. Others might tackle
challenging policy decisions we see FA L L 2 018
25
companies struggle with have to
mission, vision, purpose, and values.
find ways to tailor autonomy to the
do with autonomy. Policies around
If an organization:
individual. That requires trust, strong
teleworking, flexible hours, and paid time off are great examples. Again, everyone has a sweet spot when it
• has achieved strong alignment around its values;
For example, we’ve seen companies with thick policy manuals defining exactly when teleworking is allowed. They outline to the nth degree the specific setups and situations employees must have at home (or other remote
well-adopted values. Employees who build trust with their supervisors will
• fosters strong relationships across
comes to maximizing autonomy.
relationships, and deeply felt and
all levels of the workforce; • and has a workforce that treats colleagues, company, and customers fairly…
find themselves gaining more and more autonomy, but those who violate that trust will usually see their leadership finding ways to put constraints in place. In a “do the right thing” policy environment, communication is key.
…then a “do the right thing” kind
Employees and their supervisors may
office locations). Some people prefer
of policy around telework, flexible
perceive “the right thing” differently
that kind of specificity. They want to
hours, and even unlimited paid time
unless there’s a direct conversation
know what it takes to avoid breaking
off can work.
about “the right thing.” The employees
the rules or facing a difficult conversa-
Lack of alignment across those
may perceive that their boss expects
tenets usually spurs leadership
them to be at their desks all day, every
to apply strict policy and strong
day, but rather, their boss is happy to
and prefer a policy that simply says,
governance. The problem with strict
allow them flexibility to work at home
“work it out with your supervisor and
policy and strong governance is that it
occasionally. Having those individual
do the right thing.”
tends to treat everyone the same, and
conversations around autonomy is key.
tion about expectations. Others want to be unencumbered
Individual conversations are
What’s the right answer? There’s
as we’ve mentioned, the ideal level of
not one because, of course, it depends.
autonomy is highly dependent upon
also key to defining how work is
It depends on how aligned your orga-
the individual.
accomplished. What process should be
nization is around your organizational values, which include tenets such as
The organizations with the most engaged and fulfilled workforces
followed to reach a goal? Who should I work with to achieve that goal? Leaders
Tedium’s Effect on Autonomy Tedium is another aspect that affects engagement. Tasks people find tedious adversely affect autonomy. A quick poll on Facebook and LinkedIn about what tasks people found tedious elicited responses such as:
26
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
• Doing laundry, especially matching socks • Emptying the dishwasher • Sifting through emails, especially ones with large distribution lists • Unfocused conference calls with too many attendees • Answering the same questions over and over again • C omparing multiple documents to find differences • Updating status and availability in multiple places or formats
Most of us would rather spend our time doing something more fun, or at least less tedious, than most of those things. Do your best to eliminate tedium for people through more efficient processes, better technology, and the right level of oversight.
It’s interesting that nobody said “cutting up lettuce” in our informal poll. We suspect that problem was solved with the widespread availability of prewashed and cut bags of salad greens at five times the cost of a head of lettuce. This costly convenience factor should be an indication of how important it is to address tedium (and how much of a business opportunity tedium represents).
who micromanage their employees want to dictate exactly how and with
The Right Level of Autonomy
whom a task must be accomplished.
Finding the sweet spot for autonomy
Sometimes, that makes total sense.
is an ongoing task that requires con-
That may be the best approach when
stant communication and reevaluation
safety or product quality is at stake,
of the current situation. It’s different
or when the leader is certain they know
for every individual. But when you
the best (and only?) way to accomplish
find it, you can integrate work with
a task. In most cases, however, allow-
your personal life in a healthy and
ing employees to choose how they get
guilt-free way.
their work done allows for diversity of
Role clarity increases because
thought and the potential for gaining
teams are aware of decision-making
new and more efficient processes.
rights, expectations, and team respon-
The ability to experiment and
sibilities. Employees are more likely to
try new ways of working is a key to
take on stretch assignments because
innovation. Without the autonomy
their engagement level may be higher.
to try new things, we stifle growth. A
Innovation is encouraged and valued.
strong relationship, good communica-
So how do you do this? Take the
tion, and the right level of autonomy is
time to talk with your team members.
key to efficiency and innovation.
Have a conversation with your boss about his or her expectations. Share your preferences and work through what it would take for your supervisor to comfortably provide you with the autonomy you’d like. And as a leader, figure out what level of autonomy your team can handle. You might find that getting
THE ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE MOST ENGAGED AND FULFILLED WORKFORCES FIND WAYS TO TAILOR AUTONOMY TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
more alignment around purpose, goals, and values allows you to provide more autonomy to your workforce which, in turn, spurs more growth and innovation. Next time, we’ll talk about the security driver, another driver with limited upside, but with a paralyzing downside.
Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.
Fred Jewell fred.jewell@jabian.com Tracy Reznik tracy.reznik@jabian.com
—Daniel H. Pink (author of Drive) FA L L 2 018
27
By Will Funderburg and Keeley Wikle
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Strategic Maintenance: Is Your Strategy Still Realistic?
Companies must invest in tools and metrics to make sure projects in their strategic plans remain aligned as times change.
lack the ability to determine
health of a current set of
benefit of each project and
whether they are making
projects from a traditional
when it will be realized will
the most of their project
project management
help the company decide
choices. In addition,
viewpoint—scope, sched-
how much to spend chasing
leadership teams often dive
ule, budget—leaders must
that benefit.
into the execution of their
understand the original
newly minted plans without
business case behind each
could signal the need for
round this time every
establishing the capability
effort. No matter the format
more attention and funding.
year, companies are in the
of gauging the health of
or polish, knowing how
When leaders set priorities
throes of meticulously
their portfolio over time.
funding was justified gives
for their limited time and
a leadership team context
treasure, this information is critical.
defining and adjusting their
Despite these common
In fact, such a review
strategic plans and Annual
inabilities to estimate the
for decisions, such as which
Operating budgets for the
potential value of strategic
projects should receive
coming year. Chances are,
plans and monitor their
more funding, and which
progressing relative to the
it will consume days or
executions, it is possible
should not.
scope, schedule, and budget
even weeks of dedicated
for you to actively maintain
executive involvement and
strategic portfolios as high-
are reluctant to share
substantial resources will
performing investments by
business cases. The reason,
be reserved for imple-
implementing some of the
often, is because they
cases are in place, leaders
mentation. This recurring,
following concepts.
Too often, project leads
“How is the project
assumptions in the business case?” Once solid business
either aren’t very thorough
can make reasonable
thoughtful effort typically
or the current “working
assessments of each
leads companies to consider
justification” is outdated.
project’s “health.” While
their corporate strategies
In the second scenario, the
project managers report
and strategic roadmaps,
The Value and Timing of
exercise of updating the
scope, schedule, and budget
which are among their most
the Portfolio
business case will likely be
status every week, these
prized assets.
“How was each project’s
insightful.
metrics may be measured
However, even after making such significant investments of time and energy, many companies
funding justified? Has the cost/benefit changed?” Before an organization can determine the
Don’t let this reluctance
against baselines that have
impede a portfolio review.
floated out of context if
Reassure team members
managers do not update the
that knowing the estimated
business case. FA L L 2 018
29
AVOIDING A WATERMELON PROJECT
Capacity to Execute the
For instance, Widget
Portfolio
Co. may have eight sales
For many companies,
directors tasked with
resources are limited—par-
leading the implementation
ticularly capable business
of the Widget Co. sales
leaders and technology
transformation projects.
teams. Understanding an
If the business lead role
organization’s supply of
allocation assumption is 10
project leadership resources
hours per week (two hours
Failing to maintain
For instance, when deciding
lets you assess whether
per workday) and the sales
the link between baseline
whether to replace a project
delivery timing is realistic.
director role is assumed to
metrics and the business
on a roadmap you will have
Late delivery or low quality
have 10 hours available to
case risks additional flawed
to consider potentially more
is nearly guaranteed if key
lead projects, Widget Co.
assessments. For example, a
than 10 variables; this will
resources are overloaded.
has the capacity to execute
project can appear “green”
be just one of them.
ACTUAL INTERNAL ISSUES PERCEIVED HEALTHY VIEW
Asking “how much is too much?” requires an answer
eight projects at once. You may find that
from traditional project
After determining an
management measures,
easily measurable variable
unique to each organiza-
specific groups can become
but in the context of the
that closely aligns with
tion. Start by asking, “what
“bottlenecks,” requiring
original justification for the
your corporate strategy—
are the key resources that
an evaluation of creative
project’s funding, it may be
top line revenue growth, for
would keep a project from
resourcing options. When
“red.” Some refer to these
example—develop a simple
starting if they weren’t
resources are unavailable,
as “watermelon projects”:
scoring system. Simple
available?”
often it is better to delay a
green on the outside, red on
units such as “$100,000s of
the inside.
incremental revenue” work
list to a manageable few.
one knowing progress will
well. In this case, $1 million
Again, this is one of many
be slow or that indecision
in incremental revenue
ways to evaluate a port-
will increase the risk of
While projects com-
would be worth 10 points.
folio’s chance of success,
wasted effort.
monly go through approval
In this way, you can
so aim for simplicity over
“Are we funding the right set of projects?”
Do your best to keep the
project rather than start
Keep in mind that capac-
processes to ensure the
assign each project a
complexity. You might
ity analysis is designed to
investment is reasonable at
score, then total the score
decide that business spon-
inform decisions around
the outset, the current port-
of your current portfolio.
sors and project managers
timing and approval of
folio and backlog of projects
This quantifies the value
are the first two resources
projects. Sometimes,
are often overlooked. Do a
of the roadmap versus
on your list.
internal resources ought to
periodic review to ensure
just the substitution of
ideas that could generate
projects, which is helpful
Determine the number of
temporary resources must
results don’t “die on the
when considering strategic
people serving in each role
be sourced for high-priority
vine” waiting for available
direction.
at your organization—and
projects with a critical
the availability of each role
element of timing to their
so don’t spend too much
(e.g., 40 hours per week).
implementation.
analysis: Score each project
time trying to make it one.
Then, determine how many
based on expected results.
Each probable version of the
hours a week each role
relies on several assump-
It is easy to get carried away
corporate strategy could
should dedicate toward
tions and resource data that
with this analysis, so keep
result in vastly different
leading or contributing
needs to be maintained over
it simple. A good rule of
portfolios. Treat it as
to each effort. With those
time, it is often the most
thumb is to make a scoring
another health indicator in
assumptions, simple math
insightful way to identify
system only as precise as
your company’s portfolio
can determine capacity for
opportunities to success-
the decision it will support.
management tool belt.
each role (i.e., supply).
fully execute a strategy.
resources or budget. One strategy for such
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
It’s not an exact science,
The next step:
be reallocated. Or external,
While capacity analysis
IMPACT SCORE
Consequences (Intended
adoption and a lower-
and Unintended) of
than-expected return on
Implementing Each
investment?”
Project
10
5
0
stakeholder groups at risk for low adoption. Together, these practices will help you
This is important
continuously assess and
A classic change manage-
because poor stakeholder
ment failure is to plan a
adoption can turn a great
perfectly implemented
solution into a waste of
solution with users or
money. The trouble is, we
stakeholders, either
often don’t clearly define
unaware of its benefits
which stakeholders are
or unable to attain the
important or estimate the
strategic plans to reduce the
benefits because they are
effect a project will have
risk of inefficient usage of
not equipped to use the
on those stakeholders.
precious resources.
solution.
Like capacity analysis, the
While this scenario
NONE
optimize your strategic portfolio’s performance.
MODERATE
This will involve difficult trade-offs, but the process
SIGNIFICANT
will align leaders and
While the concepts are simple enough, it is
concept is straightforward,
might be a significant
but requires defining and
include suppliers, corporate
important that companies
risk to only a few projects
maintaining a few simple
account customers,
invest the time and energy
individually, the risk com-
variables.
e-commerce customers,
to incorporate these activi-
and in-store customers.
ties as they implement their
pounds when a single group
First, define which
of stakeholders is impacted
stakeholders are important
Once you’ve defined the
strategies. Taking the time
by multiple new solutions
to analyze. Be sure to
stakeholders, develop a
to invest in tools to monitor
in succession. To identify
include the internal and
measurement of impact—
your company’s strategic
risks to implementation,
external stakeholders most
an “impact score” scale
portfolio will give your
understanding the effect on
critical to your business
(e.g., 0=no impact; 5=mod-
strategy the best chance of
stakeholders is important.
model; they are most
erate impact; 10=significant
being realized.
While it assumes a project
likely to drive the intended
impact).
is executed according to
benefits from each project’s
plan, we must ask, “How
business case.
will each project affect our
A set of internal stake-
Think of “impact” as the amount of change a
Will Funderburg will.funderburg@jabian.com
stakeholder group will
organization’s stakehold-
holders might be leadership
have to adopt to achieve
Keeley Wikle
ers?” and, “How should we
associates (executives,
the intended benefits of
keeley.wikle@jabian.com
schedule each project to
directors, managers);
the project as defined in
minimize the risk of poor
external stakeholders could
the business case. For example, if the project is a full redesign of a retail store experience, the “in-store customer” stakeholder group should be assigned a
Understanding an organization’s supply of project leadership resources lets you assess whether delivery timing is realistic. Late delivery or low quality is nearly guaranteed if key resources are overloaded.
high-impact score. With stakeholder impacts assessed, leaders have the tools to make remediation decisions such as adjusting project rollout timing or investing more in change management for specific timeframes or FA L L 2 018
31
Does Your Company Culture Measure Up to Your People’s Needs? By Lubna Memon
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A focus on work-life balance, employee recognition, compensation, and a people-first environment can create a strong corporate culture. What are the strategies for making it happen?
WO RK- LIFE B A L A N CE C-S U I T E P E R SP E C T I V E
8% n this day and age, nearly everything can be boiled down to a number—company bottom line, performance, sales goal, or target growth rate, to name a few. Has it improved or worsened over the past year? To start with, what is company culture? Some say it is what happens when the supervisor leaves the room. Some say it is the way the company values its people. Some say it
92%
is the flexibility you get to balance your work and life. Some say it is the quality of peers and managers you work with. Some say it is the available growth opportunities. Some say it is the politics—or lack thereof. Some say it is the offer of challenging project opportunities. Some say it is the diversity of people in the organization.
92% Yes 8%
No
A common theme runs through all these definitions: Culture is our perception of how the organization is fulfilling our needs. How we fit into the organization—positively or negatively—can energize us or drain us, inspire us or deter us, nurture us or stifle us.
WO RK- LIFE B A L A N CE S TA F F, M A N AG E R S, DI R E C T OR S
So, what motivates people to love working for a company? We surveyed 100-plus professionals (staff, mid-level, management, director, and C-suite) across small, medium, and large businesses to gauge their ideas of a good culture and their expectations from their companies, leaders, and employees. The top three findings from the survey spanned areas of work-life balance, turnover, and improvement
48%
52%
opportunities. Work-Life Balance We asked C-suite leadership and other professionals whether their companies set good examples for work-life balance. While 92 percent of C-suite leaders thought their employees had the flexibility to achieve their personal goals alongside work, only 52 percent of employees agreed they had such flexibility.
52% Yes 48% No
This shows a disconnect between what leaders perceive their organizations offer and what the perception is within the lower ranks.
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RE A S O N S FO R T U RN OV E R C-S U I T E P E R SP E C T I V E
30% 37%
33%
37% Team Dynamics
Culture is our perception of how the organization is fulfilling our needs.
33% Career Advancement 30% Compensation
RE A S O N FO R L E AV IN G L A S T J O B
A RE A S O F D E V E L O PM E N T
S TA F F, M A N AG E R S, DI R E C T OR S
S TA F F, M A N AG E R S, DI R E C T OR S
1% 9% 9%
5
%
30
%
% 5% 4
9%
34%
14
%
21% 17%
34
20%
22%
30% Career Advancement
34% Work-Life Balance
20% Compensation
22% Learning Opportunities
17% Work-Life Balance
21% People Before Profits
14% Opportunities to Learn/Grow
9%
Reduce Peer Competition
9%
Team Dynamics
5%
Better Pay
9%
Others
5%
Others
1%
Diversity
4%
Transparency/Trust
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
50
%
Z A PP O S W EI G H S C U LT U R A L FIT A L M O S T 5 0 PE R CE N T IN IT S HIRIN G D E CIS I O N S .
Turnover and Job Expectations
1.
the necessary work-life balance to
We asked C-suite leaders to name the
Value of People
employees?
top reasons for turnover within their
A company is only as good as its people.
companies. Three common reasons
In yesteryears, a company was valued
family matters? Are employees offered
included team dynamics (37 percent),
by its assets—including its equipment,
the flexibility to telecommute? Do you
lack of career advancement (33 per-
its building, and its technology. Today,
expect employees to be on the road
cent), and compensation (30 percent).
organizations are defined by their
every week? Are employees working
When we asked employees why
people—what expertise they have,
on weekends? Are employees forgoing
they had quit previous jobs, we came
how well they work together, how
vacation days? If you answered “yes”
across two more reasons: work-life
trustworthy they are, their ability to
to any of these questions, you have a
balance (17 percent) and learning/
build long-term relationships, and
problem to address.
training (14 percent). Work-life
their capacity to seize opportunities
balance and continued training need
and work reliably.
to be part of the leadership agenda to address turnover.
Does work take precedence over
With the advent of mobile technology, it is hard to switch off from work.
Successful organizations nurture
Today, more than ever, organiza-
this emphasis on people, training them
tions must support their employees
to be the best versions of themselves.
to achieve a sustainable balance
Areas of Improvement
“
We asked staff, managers, and direc-
between their personal lives and work. Management needs to practice this
tors for ideas on how their companies
Train people well enough so they can
balance and encourage their employ-
can improve in order to attract and
leave. Treat them well enough so they
ees to do so, too.
retain good talent. The top recommen-
don’t have to.
When employees recognize the
dation was for better work-life balance
RI C H A R D B R A N S O N ,
support from their organization to
at 34 percent, followed by providing
Founder, Virgin Group
achieve their personal goals, they become emotionally invested in the
learning opportunities at 22 percent, and prioritizing people before profits
Case in Point: Zappos. Zappos weighs
company. They will enjoy coming to
at 21 percent.
cultural fit almost 50 percent in its hir-
work. That, in turn, will make them
ing decisions. The company offers new
more productive and the organization
employees $2,000 to quit after the first
more successful.
Strategies For Improvement
week of training if they decide the job
“
isn’t for them. Employee earn raises by passing skills tests and exhibiting
When people are financially invested,
increased capability, not from office
they want a return. When people are
As the need for growth is heightened,
politics. Zappos dedicates a portion of
emotionally invested, they want to
it is hard for companies to focus on
its budget to employee team-building
contribute.
people and evolve their internal strat-
and promotion of its culture.
SIMON SINEK,
egies to retain a good organizational
Speaker
culture that meets employees’ needs.
2.
Here are a few ways organizations
Focus on Work-Life Balance
can take small steps toward establish-
Work-life balance topped the list
Case in Point: Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI). REI is one
ing a healthy culture that caters to
of employee recommendations for
example of a company that provides
employees’ needs.
improving company culture. Not
flexible work arrangements. Employees
surprisingly, this was also one of the
do not feel pressure to work evenings
top reasons people left their past jobs.
or weekends. Leaving early for family
How do you know your company offers
reasons is perfectly acceptable.
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A M O N G E M PL OY E E S W H O H A D N O T RE C EI V E D RE C O G NITI O N , O N LY 39 PE R C E N T S A ID T H E Y W E RE S ATIS FIE D AT WO R K .
across businesses and geographies,
Case in Point: Netflix. Netflix’s cul-
policy, REI offers about 12 weeks of
provide critical insights about
ture includes making sure its pay scale
unpaid leave in a year and a month-
where the company should focus its
is at the top of the market. Netflix aims
long sabbatical after 15 years of service.
diversity efforts, and play an impor-
to have only outstanding employees.
The company promotes a paid day
tant part in building internal and
The company cultivates a healthy
off every six months—also called
external networks.
belief that one outstanding employee
In addition to a generous vacation
“Yay Day”—for employees to spend
A few of the company’s affinity
gets more done and costs less than
outdoors. REI also offers financial
groups include Women in Engineering,
two adequate employees. Netflix asks
support for employees who want to
Asians@Amazon, Latinos@
three questions to determine the top of
pursue higher education.
Amazon, Women in Finance, Amazon
market for a person:
Warriors (Military), Glamazon 3.
(LGBTQ), Amazon PWD (People With
Diversity
Disabilities), and the Black Employee
Good ideas come from everywhere.
Network (BEN).
Companies should take a step toward
What could the person get elsewhere? Pay them more than anyone else likely would. What would we pay for a replacement?
inclusiveness by attracting diverse
4.
Pay them as much as a replacement
candidates. That includes candidates
Competitive Compensation
would get.
with varying backgrounds, ideas,
Employees gave compensation the
and points of view; and candidates
second-highest score among reasons
with diverse perspectives, including
for leaving previous jobs. Companies
gender, age, race, sexual orientation,
may have the best cultures, but if they
disability, culture, national origin, and
do not value their employees with fair
life experience.
compensation, they risk losing valu-
Bringing together people of various backgrounds and different life experience can generate ideas or perspectives
able talent, while spending substantial time and money in the hiring process. Keep your compensation strategy
others may not have ever considered or
current and aligned with market
been aware of. Encouraging a diverse
and industry data to ensure bonuses
workplace can alter perspectives, aid
and raises are competitive. Most
acceptance, and reduce discrimination
importantly, take the lead in mak-
and bias.
ing sure there is no compensation
“
discrimination based on gender, race, or age. The factors governing an
The most important thing is to pick
employee’s pay should be restricted
people around you that aren’t like you,
to experience, skill, education, and
that complement you. And so I believe in
performance.
diversity with a capital D.
“
TIM COOK, CEO, Apple
If you pick the right people and give them the opportunity to spread their wings
Case in Point: Amazon. Amazon
and put compensation as a carrier behind
has built affinity groups sponsored
it, you almost don’t have to manage them.
by their senior executives. These
JACK WELCH,
groups bring together people
Business Executive
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
What would we pay to keep that person? Pay them as much as we would pay to keep them if they have a higher offer from elsewhere. 5. Ownership and Recognition Employees thrive in their roles when they are given freedom and ownership of their work. This results in a sense of purpose and pride in their jobs and in their organizations. Instead of telling employees how things need to be done, provide them the opportunity to lead and be creative through the process. This will increase their engagement and lead to better job satisfaction as they see their own ideas in play. Recognition and career advancement was the top reason why people left their past jobs. Senior leaders must recognize work well led and delivered. Past studies have shown that recognition strongly correlates to lower turnover rates, more happiness, and better job satisfaction. A survey
People are the most important asset
indicated that seven out of 10 employ-
6.
ees who received appreciation for their
Revisit Your Hiring Strategy
of your organization. Focusing on your
good work said they were happy with
Hiring practices heavily shape an
people starts with building an accom-
their jobs.
organization’s culture. Before you start
modating workplace that is sensitive
the hiring process, understand your
to their personal needs and provides
had not received recognition, only
organization’s core values. What kind
them with a path to grow. A workplace
39 percent said they were satisfied
of culture defines your company? What
that not only supports the diversity of
at work. Employee appreciation
qualities will lead an employee to be
people and thoughts but also fosters
creates an environment where
successful at your firm? Are you looking
leadership by encouraging good work
employees want to continue making
for collaborators, innovators, or leaders?
through recognition programs. A
However, among employees who
a difference for their companies and
The answer may be a combination.
workplace that revisits compensation
The best way to make sure you hire a
to align with the market and keeps
cultural fit is to engage leadership and
an eye on preserving the culture as
entitled “The State of Employee
employees in the hiring process. Try
the company grows and hires more
Recognition in 2012” found that
to also make the hiring process less
people. It takes years to build a great
organizations scoring in the top 20
formal, allowing you to meet potential
company culture but it takes conscious
percent for building appreciation-rich
candidates outside the formal office
leadership and initiative to preserve
cultures have lower voluntary turnover
settings to get to know their back-
that culture.
than other enterprises.
grounds and experiences.
their colleagues. A study by Bersin & Associates
“
“
There are two things people want more
Hiring people is like making friends.
than money...recognition and praise.
Pick good ones, and they’ll enrich your
M A RY K AY A S H ,
life. Make bad choices, and they’ll bring
Businesswoman
you down.
Lubna Memon lubna.memon@jabian.com
J A S O N F RI E D,
Case in Point: Cloud 9 Living. Cloud
Entrepreneur
9 Living has an employee recognition tactic called “The G Book.” The G Book
Case in Point: Jabian Consulting.
is the book of “Good Stuff” which all
I have not come across another
employees are encouraged to inscribe
company that applies as much rigor to
with recognition for peers and team
its hiring process to ensure candidates
members, writing out accomplish-
are not only a capability fit, but also a
ments—work-related or personal.
cultural fit.
Every week, at an all-company
Those whom Jabian hires are
meeting, employees read aloud G
rewarded with a people-first culture
Book entries to call out employee
where you will collaborate with some
accomplishments that may otherwise
of the smartest people, where you
go unnoticed. It also enables employ-
are encouraged to build your internal
ees to recognize one another instead
and external networks, where you are
of management always providing
expected to give back to the commu-
the recognition.
nity, and where you get to solve some of the most interesting and challenging of business problems.
References: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249174 https://www.amazon.jobs/en/landing_pages/ diversity https://www.slideshare.net/reed2001/ culture-1798664/80-If_you_want_to_build https://www.forbes.com/sites/ joshbersin/2012/06/13/new-research-unlocks-thesecret-of-employee-recognition/#1ac427c55276
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THE BI A S FIELD GUIDE: A ROA DM A P FOR SUCCESS Part 1
Built to be Biased By Jimmy Mitchell and Andrew Thompson
We are programmed to make thousands of decisions a day. How can we know we are being objective about the ones that really matter?
Take a moment to think about the following questions: • Which would you choose: 4 ounces of popcorn for $3, 9 ounces for $6.50, or 10 ounces for $7? • What is more likely: getting killed by a cow or a shark? • Which media channel is less biased: MSNBC or Fox News? • If the roulette wheel has come up red nine of the last ten times, which do you choose: red or black? • When markets are down, do you check your account balance more or less often? And most importantly, what does any of this have to do with day-to-day life and work? You may be surprised that how we answer these questions affects each of us every day. They involve the concept of “decision-making bias.” We’ll look at why decision-making biases exist, provide examples familiar to both your personal and professional lives, and give tips on noticing these biases and mitigating their effects.
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Nearly all decisions are biased. For the most part, it is
Background of Decision-Making Biases Decision-making is the process of selecting a logical choice
good to make subjective decisions. Biased decision-making
from the available options. Many variables affect the
enables you to make many decisions in a day, from choosing
decisions we make every day. Over the past several decades,
what you want for dinner to pressing the brakes when you
there has been a lot of research into decision-making and
approach a red light. We are wired to make these decisions to
the evolution of how humans make decisions. It is con-
save time and, even more importantly, to save our lives. This
sidered a part of psychology, behavioral economics, and
allows us to spend time on our higher priorities. However,
strategy research. While the academic world now offers a
some of the biases inherent to how we developed our
lot of information on what influences decisions, many are
civilization can actually hinder us in the workplace.
unaware of strategies that can improve decision-making. Picture this scenario: You have come into the office early
Love at First Sight: Anchoring Bias
to wrap up a project for your boss that is due first thing this
Imagine you are preparing for a long-awaited interview.
morning. Lo and behold, your boss is also using this morning
As you walk in, you are greeted by the candidate with a hello,
to catch up on other things and is about to walk right by your
a name, a handshake, and a resume. As you sit, your brain
cubicle! You begin to feel overly stressed. Should you hide or
already begins processing information about this person:
run? Should you pop out of the cube and immediately start
“Do I like her? Should I hire her?” How quickly do you think
asking about her weekend to keep her distracted? She is
your brain has made a decision about this candidate through
seconds away; what do you do?
the interview process? When it is over, or maybe even
In a business workplace, we do not have the same stressors and threats people faced in previous centuries.
halfway through? According to studies recalled by Malcolm Gladwell in
Safety and order in our society have improved considerably
his book Blink, you make a hiring decision within the first
and, except for a few extreme occupations, most of us do
two to three seconds of meeting the candidate. That means,
not fear injury or death at work. However, the “fight or
when you shook hands and made eye contact, you already
flight” instinct still exists, as do many inherent biases made
anchored to a decision. If you read her resume or LinkedIn
necessary as humans evolved.
profile, you may have made a decision before she stepped
TYPES OF BIASES AMBIGUITY EFFECT
ANCHORING BIAS
AVAILABILITY BIAS
Tendency to avoid or rule out options
Tendency to fixate on initial
Recent or impactful events weigh
that have missing information
information and devalue subsequent
more heavily on the decision-making
information
process; also, valuing information at hand more than information that may be more difficult to gather
A 1990 study showed that people were
In an experiment run by Dan Ariely (author of
People buy lottery tickets because the media
reluctant to vaccinate a child if the
Predictably Irrational) at MIT, only 32 percent
and commercials so often show the winners.
vaccination could cause death, even if
of students chose a “web only” subscription
Winning the lottery looks more common/
deaths from the vaccination were extremely
to The Economist when two options were
accessible. In fact, the odds of winning any
rare compared to deaths caused by the
given (web only at $59; print and web for
amount in the Mega Millions lottery are less
disease itself. 1
$125). When a third option was introduced
than 7 percent (the odds of winning the
(print only for $125), 84 percent of students
jackpot are 1 in 258,890,850). 3
now chose the print and web option.
2
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We call that initial urge—the comfort to charge ahead
into the room. You will end up spending the remaining time in the interview confirming or disproving your initial
with existing information—availability bias. People often
decision.
overemphasize the value of the information they have and
This is an example of an anchoring bias: overvaluing the
lessen the value or importance of gathering and incorporat-
initial set of information received toward a decision. This
ing information they do not have. In January 1986, NASA
bias explains why you may think you are getting a great deal
had a major decision to make. Launch day at Cape Canaveral
on a new pair of jeans (40 percent off “retail”); why curb
was an unseasonably cold 31 degrees. Flight engineers had
appeal matters for home values more than we would like to
lots of checks and procedures to follow before launch, but
admit; and why many of you probably opted for that huge
none of the information really gave a good sense of what
$7 bucket of popcorn!
would happen at a temperature that cold. Lost in the sea of
In the workplace, one example of anchoring involves proj-
charts, diagrams, and procedures was a readout of the rocket
ect estimation. In general, people are terrible at estimating.
booster’s O-rings—the gaskets between adjoining sections
How often does a project you worked on either deliver less
of the boosters. The data was presented in a way that was
scope than originally expected, run longer than anticipated,
difficult to interpret. The rest is history: 73 seconds into the
or exceed the budget? This often happens because a team
launch, Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing seven
is given a target date to complete the project. Instead of
crew members. Although availability bias does not always
working out sound estimates and giving a realistic depiction
blind us to life-or-death situations, it can lead us to think
of what can be completed within that time frame—or what a
that fatal shark attacks are more common than death by
realistic time line would look like—the team will work to fit
cows because we hear about them in the news more often
the estimates into the time frame given.
(cows do not tend to be nearly as newsworthy).
The More You Know: Availability Bias
They Are Who We Thought They Were:
You are getting ready to launch into a new market. Your
Confirmation Bias
costs are well within what was estimated and expected,
Tomorrow is the deadline to deliver the operational analysis
the demand exists for the service, and your partners are
for which your business unit lead asked. He had a hunch
ready to distribute as soon as you say “go.” Do you go ahead
there were significant inefficiencies in the upstream sales
with the price that worked well for the last launch, use
organization, but wanted you to validate the hypothesis. He
your current pricing, or wait for your business partners to
sent a note to an analyst to pull some raw data for you and
provide their input from a competitive pricing analysis?
gave you a list of people to interview. Sure enough, the data
Waiting could cost money, but so could setting the
showed sales were at an all-time low. None of the stakehold-
wrong price. Will that pricing analysis really turn up
ers you reached had anything positive to say about the sales
much new information?
team. Analysis completed…or not?
TYPES OF BIASES BLIND SPOT BIAS
CONFIRMATION BIAS
FRAMING EFFECT
Tendency to think you are less
Tendency to look for information that
Presenting the same information
biased than other people in similar
supports a preconceived notion
in different ways to try to get an
situations
audience to have a certain reaction
In a study from 2002, after having
In 2015, fivethirtyeight.com (run by Nate
When presented with meat that was 75
unconscious biases explained,
Silver) published an interactive feature
percent lean and meat with 25 percent fat,
63 percent of participants still rated
called “Science Isn’t Broken.” Depending
participants in a 1988 study were more likely
their self-assessments as accurate
on which variables about the economy
to choose the 75 percent lean meat. 6
and objective.
you choose, you can prove with statistical
4
significance that the Democratic and Republican parties both improve or degrade
the economy while in office. 5
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
This happens all too often in the workplace. Someone has a hunch or hypothesis that something is or should be occurring, then finds the data and people to back up the theory. We call this a confirmation bias. It occurs when someone selectively uses data or information to support a position and downplays information that does not support the case. How easy was it to justify the last impulse purchase you made? It is much easier to build a story and then find the data to support it than it is to allow the objective data to guide you down the right path. Depending on your political stance, MSNBC and Fox News are equally biased and as wrong or right as a media outlet could be! Sixty Percent of the Time, It Works Every Time: Outcome Bias It is two weeks from the next release launch, and today is your go/no-go meeting. Even though you can delay a release if necessary, there is a ton of pressure to get these new features out the door. The focus groups and beta testers loved it. The media is buzzing about it. The new marketing campaign is snazzy, and finance has built some impressive projections for the revenue the launch will bring. However, that QA team always seems to be behind. They estimate another three weeks to test everything, which would delay the product launch a week.
Availability bias can lead us to think that fatal shark attacks are more common than death by cows because we hear about them in the news more often.
Should you delay? You have a top-notch development team. For every release thus far, no major bugs have ever been uncovered during testing—even for releases where they skipped testing and saved a ton of money. Surely that means there will not be any issues this time, right? As you might imagine, skipping tests for a major release is a recipe for disaster. We call this an outcome bias. People tend to think the better idea is the one with the better outcome, regardless of the intent or the likelihood of something happening. The team may not feel testing is needed based on the past. But they are forgetting why testing is part of the process in the first place. Because of outcome bias, gamblers tend to flock to the “hot” blackjack table or bet on red to come up again at the roulette table. In fact, the best investment option is to walk away: Both red and black each have a 47.4 percent chance of winning, no matter what the previous outcomes were.
GAMBLER’S FALLACY
GROUPTHINK
LOSS AVERSION
Thought that future probabilities
The inability of people in a group
The utility lost by giving up an item is
are influenced by past events when,
setting to disagree with the common
greater than the utility gained from
in fact, the probabilities are
thoughts discussed by the group
acquiring the same item
In 1913, gamblers lost millions of francs
Enron, thought at the time to be a very
Investors frequently focus on one investment
betting against a roulette wheel that, for
prosperous and growing company, operated
losing money when the rest of their portfolio
26 times in a row, landed on a black
under a groupthink philosophy. That
is gaining value.
number. Gamblers still often follow this
mentality resulted in one of the largest
mentality today. 7
business failures in U.S. history.
unchanged
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If I Ignore It, It Will Go Away: Ostrich Effect The annual employee survey came out almost a month ago, and there it is, sitting right at the top of your inbox. “My employees love me,” you tell yourself as you continue to ignore the document and move right along into the day’s tasks. As you continue to work through the emails, you see it: One of your best and brightest has put in her two weeks’ notice. You do not understand; how could she leave? You love this company and the work you do; doesn’t your team? Annual surveys, customer feedback, yellow/red status updates, and financial results are just a few things we ignore because of the ostrich effect. Our desire to enjoy life and stay happy can lead to us to impulsively ignore negative information. Have you ever avoided looking at your latest bank statement, but cannot wait to open your child’s report card? We are drawn to positivity, but for things we know either subconsciously or consciously are going to be bad, we often drag our feet.
According to research by Loewenstein and Seppi, investors tend to review their holdings 50–80 percent less often in a down market versus a rising or flat market.
According to research by Loewenstein and Seppi, investors tend to review their holdings 50–80 percent less often in a down market versus a rising or flat market. If you are avoiding your portfolio, you are not alone. Identification and Mitigation Techniques For each of these biases (and many more), there are a few ways to both notice you are succumbing to them and mitigate their effects. Understand the problem you are trying to solve. Take time to reflect on the situation at hand and try not to be reactive. Remember that what you initially see may not always be what it seems. Collect diverse input. Reach out to those who might be able to play devil’s advocate or could provide a different angle than you or your team can. Incorporate that feedback into your decision. Think forward to what consequences a decision will bring. Instead of reacting and focusing on the decision that needs to be made, think forward to the potential consequences of your decision—and whether they’re good or bad. If possible, compare those consequences to those of alternative decisions.
TYPES OF BIASES OSTRICH EFFECT
OUTCOME BIAS
OVERCONFIDENCE
Tendency to avoid negative
Tendency to value a decision based
Tendency to believe you are more
information
solely on its outcome and not by the
certain than you truly are for a given
decision’s quality at the time of the
question
decision
Research by George Loewenstein and
Gamblers continue to play in casinos
Blockbuster was presented with the
Duane Seppi determined that people in
because they think they could win a large
opportunity to buy Netflix for $50 million in
Scandinavia looked up the value of their
sum of money.
2000, but decided not to purchase Netflix
investments 50–80 percent less often
(now with a market cap of greater than
during bad markets.8
$50 billion). The decision was based on the current movie-rental market, without the vision to see the changing landscape. 9
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Be willing to compromise.
recognize and avoid biased decisions. At the least, it is nice
In some cases, there are clear-cut decisions; in others, the
to know the beach is a safer family vacation option than
solutions’ outcomes are not as black and white. Be open
the farm!
to suggestions and modifications to ensure buy-in for the decision.
Jimmy Mitchell jimmy.mitchell@jabian.com
Let multiple hypotheses drive data, not the desired outcome. For the decision at hand, build multiple hypotheses and try
Andrew Thompson
to prove or disprove those with the data available. If conflict-
andrew.thompson@jabian.com
ing hypotheses can be proven, you may not have enough information at hand to make the decision. Embrace curiosity. Do not be afraid to ask questions. The adage, “Better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt” could not be further from the truth when trying to solve a tricky problem.
References: 1 Ritov, I., & Baron, J. (1990). Reluctance to vaccinate: omission bias
Reference and learn from experiences and situations.
and ambiguity. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 3, 263-277
As we mentioned, many biases are good. Leverage your
2 TED Talk, Predictably Irrational, etc.
knowledge and experience to guide you and your team to an
3 http://www.durangobill.com/MegaMillionsOdds.html
effective decision.
4 Pronin et al. (2002)
Individually, none of these mitigation techniques will
5 fivethirtyeight.com
solve your problem. In addition, we often fall victim to
6 Levin and Gaeth (1998)
multiple biases concurrently. Leverage these techniques
7 The Universal Book of Mathematics: From Abracadabra to Zeno’s
in combination with one another to effectively mitigate biases you regularly encounter in the workplace and your personal life. We encounter a great deal of decision-making bias daily. For most, moving forward with a biased decision is
Paradoxes 8 Zweig, Jason (September 13, 2008). “Should You Fear the Ostrich Effect?” The Wall Street Journal. pp. B1 9 http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/ epic-fail-how-blockbuster-could-have-owned-netflix-1200823443/
appropriate. For the small subset of important decisions
10 Greenwald and Banaji (1994)
requiring more objectivity, we should be mindful to
11 http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Delaney+clause
REACTANCE
STEREOTYPING
ZERO-RISK BIAS
Tendency to make a choice opposed to
Basing one’s perception of another
Tendency to prefer complete
the guidance received because of the
on a generalization of that person’s
elimination of smaller risks rather
perceived loss of freedom of choice
gender, ethnicity, personality, etc.,
than an alternative that produces
without having actual information
a much greater risk reduction, but
about that person
doesn’t fully eliminate the risk
Frequently seen with parent/child
Participants from a study by Greenwald and
The Delaney clause, part of the Food
relationships; kids tend to want to go
Banaji were asked to pick out famous names
Additive Amendment, outlaws cancer-causing
to their friends’ houses more when
from a list. In cases where they chose names
additives in foods (regardless of the actual
their parents tell them they are not
that were fictionalized, they chose males
risk and other ingredients that could cause
allowed to go.
names by a 2-to-1 ratio.10
other complications). 11
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THE BI A S FIELD GUIDE: A ROA DM A P FOR SUCCESS Part 2
Planning for Bias By Jimmy Mitchell, Danal Slay, and Andrew Thompson
Understanding the variety of biases that can affect our decision-making in process design.
hink back to the year 2000.
In the spring of 2000, one specific
Its leadership was unable to empathize
Most of us felt good about
startup pitched its revolutionary busi-
with its customers and recognize how
surviving Y2K and entered a
ness model: a delivery subscription
its processes undermined customer
new millennium with a strong
video rental service with no late fees.
loyalty to the Blockbuster brand.
U.S. economy riding the tech bubble.
The startup’s executive team nearly
At the time, if you wanted to watch
got laughed out of the Blockbuster
bias in its processes. Among the many
a movie, you either went to a theater
CEO’s office for proposing a $50 million
biases Blockbuster executives showed
or rented a video tape from a brick-
valuation to integrate with
was overconfidence bias: They thought
and-mortar video rental store—likely
Blockbuster’s enormous footprint
they could do anything their competi-
Blockbuster. As the clear market
and create a “click-and-mortar”
tion could do, but better.
leader in a well-established industry,
video rental model.2 You may have
Blockbuster sat atop the video rental
heard of this startup. It’s called Netflix,
world. It had shaped the future of the
and it now has a market cap of about
industry, as it had for a decade. Or so
$160 billion.3
it thought. In its market-leading position,
Why would Blockbuster’s leader-
A big cause for this oversight is
BIASED? WHO, ME? To set the stage for identifying bias
ship not realize that a better, more
in process design, we must first
Blockbuster benefited from a process
customer-centric model existed?
provide background by defining and
that was not customer-centric—and
As the existing state of business
classifying decision-making biases
did nothing to change it. The video
processes become ingrained in leader-
(lest we fall victim to optimism bias:
rental behemoth profited from late
ship’s thinking, it is easy for them to
thinking each of you has read
fees. The company attributed 15 to
become near-sighted about competi-
our previous article on decision-
20 percent of its revenue to late fees
tion, strategy, and how processes
making biases).
in a given year.1 Feeling invincible,
affect customers.
Blockbuster saw no reason to change
Count this among the many reasons
Nearly every decision we make is biased. In most cases, this is a good
its model or listen to startups pitching
Blockbuster ultimately filed for
thing. Instead of analysis-paralysis,
new business models.
bankruptcy and liquidated its assets:
our instincts and experiences help us
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
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45
narrow down the choices to a manage-
Blockbuster could easily have decided
bigger concern: cost or time? Must
able set of options. What shapes our
to purchase Netflix is an example of
everyone leave and arrive at the same
final set of options or choices are
hindsight bias.
time, or is simply getting there the
cognitive biases. In some cases, biases are helpful.
While the effect of this example is larger than most process decisions in
only concern? Additionally, you must consider
Think about the last time you went
your daily life and business, you never
what to take with you. What’s your
to a networking event. You either
fully know how the bias you use now
destination’s climate that time of
approached or were approached by
will affect future results and outcomes.
year? Does your transportation mode
a stranger, and both of you started
However, employing basic tactics
constrain what you can bring? Can you
to ask general questions: “How are
to avoid as many biases as possible
buy what you need when you get there,
you?” “What do you do?” “Where did
should improve your company’s ability
or does your preparation make or break
you go to school?” Through the small
to operate.
the trip?
talk, you formed an opinion about that person and began to ask leading questions—questions to confirm the
As you can see, there is a process
WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?
assumptions you’ve made about that person. You might also subconsciously start
that you follow each time you take a trip. Next, we break down the stages of process design and discuss how bias
Let’s set the stage with an example
might influence your decision.
we’ll draw upon throughout the
to mirror the language and actions of
article: We want you to imagine that
the other person, even if those traits
you’ve agreed to plan the next family
are not normal for you. These may
trip. Before you and your family get
seem irrational (or you may not even
to departure day, you must consider a
Goal Setting and Scoping
be aware you do this at all), but you
significant number of variables.
As we do with nearly any type of
employ the confirmation bias and
PROCESS DESIGN
The process potentially started
project, we must start with the end
mirroring to improve the chances that
years ago. Where have you been in the
in mind. Too often, we forget to ask
you build a strong social connection
past that you’ve enjoyed? What about
the most important question:
with the other person.
the rest of your family? Are there
Why? We know something can be
places you’ve been that they haven’t
improved, but without a goal, the
gain an acquaintance and potentially
had a chance to experience? Or is your
improvements could actually under-
a business partner or friend in
family a collective creature of habit?
mine the overall process.
the future.
Are you looking for time to just “get
In other words, biases help you
In other cases, biases are unhelpful.
Our first bias crops up here: the
away,” or does the family need to
curse of knowledge. We tend to think
They can limit information or reduce
spend some time together bonding,
others have the same information
options in certain situations, which
outside of the normal routine?
we do when making decisions. This
can lead to terrible results much
Depending on the goal of the trip,
is especially important when setting
further on. Take our introductory
what you do, where you go, and how
goals. Because we think others have
example: Overconfidence bias in
long you stay could vary widely.
the same information, we assume their
Blockbuster’s business model led
You must also think through the
it down a path of irrelevancy and,
logistics of getting there. Are you
ultimately, liquidation. We must
driving, flying, or taking another
acknowledge, however, that assuming
mode of transportation? Which is the
46
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“rational” choice is to have the same goals for a project’s outcome as we do. Also, for whom are we designing the process? Without considering the end
As we do with nearly any type. of project, we must start with. the end in mind. But without. a goal, the improvements. could actually undermine the. overall process.. customer, we could design a process
In our example, we’ve traveled
that’s great for the operator and
enough to know that we do well once
terrible for the customer.
we’re on the plane, en route to our
In our vacation example, we must
destination. We also do really well
set a goal for designing the best
managing our time during the vaca-
process we can: Are we looking for
tion. What stresses us out, however,
efficiency first, or cost savings?
is what happens before we board the
What about enjoyment? Are we able to
plane to our destination.
cope with intense stress throughout
Scoping also allows us to avoid the
the trip, or do we want to enjoy the
analysis-paralysis that inhibits many
ride? Are we traveling with others
improvement or design projects. When
and need to consider them, or are we
scoping, it’s not just important to
going solo?
capture the boundaries of the process
By starting with the outcome we’re trying to achieve, we purposely employ another bias in our favor: outcome bias. Suppose we have a family of four
you’re solving for, but the information you’ll need to solve for it as well. The need for too much information is called information bias, the belief that the more information you have,
and we all agreed that our high-level
the better the decision. Sometimes,
goal is to reduce everyone’s stress as
having too much information
a part of this trip. We’ve agreed we
(especially irrelevant information)
have about a week to get away and that
can slow down your ability to make
flying will be much less stressful than
a decision, or even lead to a sub-
driving to our destination.
optimal decision.
Now that we’ve determined our
When planning for trips (and in
goal, how much process and planning
other situations), we often tend to
should we apply to the details of the
fall victim to this bias. In our example,
trip? Do we want to change how we
we could think that a place that sleeps
plan each day, or do we want to tackle
12 is a better value than the one that
a pain point from the past? We could
sleeps eight, but if we have four, does
go all out, from luggage choices and
it really matter? Why do we care if
security pre-screening needs to
our vacation spot has high-speed
unpacking—and starting to work back
Wi-Fi if we don’t plan on bringing
up afterward.
our computers?
We could also just choose one small
To limit the amount of information
portion of that process. We could easily
we need to make the most optimal
get caught up by including too much
decision, we must determine and
scope—or leaving too much out—but
prioritize the factors that truly influ-
scoping is another important step
ence the outcome we want.
to ensure you and others focus your energy on the critical decisions.
If our goal is to reduce everyone’s stress, we may opt to take the time to
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47
interview to get TSA pre-check status,
doing so, we find that getting to the
opportunities. At the higher level, we
take our time with packing, and drive
airport and clearing security are where
cannot change the fact that we have
back roads to the airport.
most of our stress is generated.
to pack our luggage and clear airport
From here, we more thoroughly
If our goal is to minimize the
security (unless we buy everything at
time for packing and going through
define the stress-inducing areas of
our destination or avoid the airport
security, we may stuff everything into
the process. For getting to the airport
altogether—options we ruled out
as few bags as possible and check our
through clearing security, we walk the
during scoping). But we can start to
luggage through to our final destina-
process and find that today, we follow
change things at this level.
tion. If our goal is to reduce stress, the
these steps: Analysis and Design
airline baggage fees may be irrelevant. If the goal is reducing time, who cares
GET TO AIRPORT
how many of our toiletries we can
bring with us?
Get in family car and drive to
Get luggage in family car airport
Now that we’ve added more definition to our process, we should add data to the steps. We know our goal is to reduce stress in the process. Now,
Process Definition
Park at the airport
we want to avoid what is called
Once we’ve determined our goal for the
Leave car and board airport parking
shared information bias, the tendency
overall trip and scoped what we want to improve, the next step of the process design is to define the process. First, we must map out the highlevel process as we, the end customers, experience it. Too often, processes are mapped out with egocentric biases; in other words, the process design and definition is weighted too heavily on the person defining it and not from the point of view of the person at the center of the outcome. In our example, we’re concerned only with reducing stress. What hap-
shuttle Arrive at airport terminal CHECK IN Download airline mobile app Check in before arriving to the airport to reduce steps required once there Use curbside check-in to avoid crowds at check-in area inside airport Ensure baggage reference numbers show up in mobile app Proceed to security
pens with our luggage once we drop it
SECURITY
off is irrelevant for our process design
Stand in line
and outside of our control.
Find ID and boarding pass
For our scope, we start with the high-level steps of:
Present ID/pass to TSA agent Get to security conveyor
to spend more time on information we each know instead of information the whole group does not. We could spend time talking about why we have to go through security at the airport in the first place, but that’s neither new nor relevant to our outcome. After some discussion, we each identify the major stressors in the process at this level: Fitting everything and everyone into the family car The uncertainty about when the airport parking shuttle arrives Having to take off your belt and shoes Having to unpack and repack your toiletries at the security checkpoint
Take off jacket, belt, and shoes
Pack luggage
Unpack toiletries
Now that we’ve identified our major
Get to airport
Load all items on conveyor
stressors, we can just solve for them
Check in
Walk through security checkpoint
one by one, correct? There are four of
Clear security
Retrieve and put on jacket, belt,
us. Suppose one person solves for each
Board plane At this level, we can determine
whether we have enough detail to
and shoes Repack toiletries
to the group. How often are we asked
Leave conveyor and head
in our day-to-day world to divide an
toward gate
issue, solve it, and share our solution with our team members?
determine where we need to focus to improve the process—or whether we
stressor and shares the result back
Building more detail into these
If we go about process analysis and
need more. To avoid information bias,
steps allows us to evaluate more deeply
design in this fashion, we’re bound to
we each assign a value of stress to each
where the stress points of the process
suffer from two more biases: availabil-
step of the high-level process. After
are. It also produces improvement
ity bias and false consensus bias.
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
False consensus bias would. have us think something that. works for us will work for. everyone..
determine the root cause of the issue.
the longevity of a business, such
to focus only on the information
If we do this, we might find we can
as Blockbuster’s decision to spurn
available to you, is problematic when
eliminate two major stressors
Netflix.
teams are asked to divide and conquer.
(packing the car and waiting for the
Instead of creating solutions that are
shuttle) by hiring a rideshare service
Jimmy Mitchell
beneficial to the entire process and
to bring us to the airport (root cause
jimmy.mitchell@jabian.com
outcome, solutions can be localized to
of both issues: using our own car).
the point of irrelevancy. For example,
We could eliminate the other two
Danal Slay
if we’re focused only on solving for
issues by applying for TSA pre-check
danal.slay@jabian.com
the uncertainty of airport parking
(root cause: going through the
shuttle arrivals, we may make a
standard security process).
Availability bias, or the tendency
localized improvement opportunity
As we walked through planning
that routes us to a separate airport
a trip, you can see the number of
parking facility. If we had a broader
decisions required. More importantly,
perspective, we might see solutions
you can see how biases significantly
that weren’t apparent just solving for
affect the efficiency and effectiveness
the shuttle issue.
of the process. We only scratched the
On the other hand, false consensus
Andrew Thompson andrew.thompson@jabian.com
surface with the decision-making
bias would have us think something
biases introduced here. Knowing which
Sources:
that works for us will work for
biases you are susceptible to, and
1 A nderson, Mae and Liedtke, Michael, “Hubris—and
everyone. If we’re tasked with reducing
the impact of each, allows for better
stress over removing belts and shoes,
process design from the beginning and
we may ask everyone to wear gym
less rework on the back end.
clothes and flip-flops to the airport.
that affects our personal lives. The
but may not be acceptable travel attire
same process design framework and
for others.
biases apply to business decisions,
Instead, we should attack each
2010, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/39332696/ ns/business-retail/t/hubris-late-fees-doomedblockbuster/#.WwhI50gvzD4
Our family trip example is a process
That may work for some in the group,
of these issues as a group and
late fees—doomed Blockbuster,” NBC News, 23 Sept.
from small ones that affect only a few people, to large ones that affect
2 Graser, Marc, “Epic Fail: How Blockbuster could have owned Netflix,” Variety, 12 Nov. 2013, https:// variety.com. 3 “Netflix, Inc.” Google Finance, 25 May 2018, https://www.google.com/search...nflx...finance.
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JUNE
18
REQUEST
By Dwayne Foster and Jackie Gildea
50
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
Agile and Demand Management: Giving Everyone a Seat at the Table
Moving your organization toward Agile may not be as scary as you originally thought, once you understand how to map Agile concepts with traditional Waterfall delivery methods.
In the IT world today, if you’re not
Work Intake: A common approach for
already Agile, or at least thinking
engaging an organization’s resources
about “going Agile,” you are behind
(a request).
the curve. However, as organizations embark on their own Agile journeys, we often hear, “What about our
Estimation: A consistent method of
previous investments in processes and
quantifying the resource needs for a
frameworks? Do we throw them away
request.
because Agile doesn’t use them?” Using a specific example of a
traditional Waterfall process, Demand
Resource and Financial Capacity
Management, we will demonstrate
Management: An organization’s
how your defined processes (with some
ability to deliver against the demand
tweaks) can actually fit directly into
for its services (requests).
the Agile framework. Before we go too far in discussing
how Demand Management is adapted
Scheduling: The optimal alignment
for Agile, we should remember how
or allocation of available resources to
it works in a Waterfall environment.
meet the demand for service.
Demand Management is traditionally comprised of four core capability areas:
FA L L 2 018
51
To successfully make the transition, the organization must adapt both its mindset and approach to critical Demand Management activities from the enterprise to the team level.
capital the organization wants to
In most Waterfall organizations, senior leaders are responsible for com-
devote to each of those products (aka
pleting each of these activities during
value streams). While on the surface
annual planning. These activities help
this may sound straightforward and
the organization’s executives under-
similar to how organizations distrib-
stand where to flex resources based on
ute funding today, doing it correctly
project demand during different periods
will feel very different than normal
of the year.
annual planning. For example, these planning sessions should now involve
As we begin to look at Demand Management in an Agile environment,
both business and IT together and
it is critical to understand that the
should extend beyond the Executive
focus shifts from funding and priori-
teams and include individuals from the
tizing individual projects to investing
delivery teams. With the firm’s priorities and its
in the full scope of products and value the organization wants to deliver to its
focus defined for the next six quarters,
customers.
the individual IT delivery (scrum) teams within those value streams
Making the Transition
are now responsible for collaborating
So, when teams want to throw frame-
with the business to define the work
works out the window for Agile, how do leaders hang onto their Waterfall processes like Demand Management? First, it is critical to understand that Agile is not the Wild West. It, too, is a framework in and of itself, with defined processes and methodologies. While most people are familiar with some of the key differences between Agile and Waterfall, including basic nomenclature (e.g., requirements versus user stories), it is important to remember that the approach to delivery, and parties responsible for completing key activities are also changing. This means simply changing the vernacular does not make Demand Management “fit” into an Agile environment. To successfully make the transition, the organization must adapt both its mindset and approach to critical Demand Management activities from the enterprise to the team level. Let’s walk through those shifts in mindset and how to best implement them in your organization.
Enterprise At the enterprise level, instead of traditional annual planning, IT and business leaders will come together to define the organization’s strategic initiatives for the next six quarters. These initiatives should be sufficiently high-level to apply across several business units, but specific enough to be measured for success. At the same time, executives should shift from planning and funding specific, requested projects. Instead, they must focus on defining the value and products they want to continue to deliver to and improve for customers (i.e., value streams).
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
based on available team resources and their average velocity (throughput). However, as the business reviews and revalidates priorities and strategic initiatives every few quarters, it has newfound flexibility to reallocate investments and stay ahead in a competitive environment. These two concepts—funding initiatives over projects and including delivery teams in strategic planning— may seem unorthodox. But bringing those responsible for completing the work to the table earlier in the process improves engagement level, sets expectations, and builds trust between IT and the business.
Now comes the fun part. With funding now viewed as investment potential, executives can focus on answering one question: “Based on the money we have, what products do we want to invest in to provide increased value to our customers?” The answer depends on aligning strategic initiatives with the value streams to determine how much
52
they can commit to completing (epics)
This decentralized approach to Demand Management is a key component to an Agile environment, as it offers individuals completing the work the opportunity to influence it.
owner then prioritizes the next set
business. As the teams and the
of stories the team will tackle (that
organization mature, the firm may
is, he or she “grooms the backlog”).
introduce continuous deployment.
• Estimation becomes story point estimation.
Agile may not be as scary as you
next set of priorities, they will use
originally thought, but will still take
their own estimation technique
time and the right mindset and buy-in
(T-shirt sizing, poker, etc.) to assign
across the organization. Many of the
a certain number of story points to
activities completed under a Waterfall
each of the user stories.
approach continue to occur; while
resource based) becomes previous velocity scores, plus story-point poker, plus the team calendar.
In addition to a new seat at the enterprise table, individual teams that have migrated to an Agile delivery model carry an approach
organization to determine “how not an all or nothing framework and
user stories, the scrum master
can be adapted to fit your organization,
reviews the proposed stories and
but everyone needs to be aligned on
their points against the team’s
what that means. The business and
velocity—the average number of
IT must have strong communication,
points a team completes within
alignment, and participation to gain
a sprint.
the true value of this framework.
the team’s velocity and serves
previously, Demand Management has
as the baseline against which all
four key components: work intake,
sprints are planned and commit-
estimation, capacity management,
ments are made. The scrum master
and scheduling.
can modify the velocity if he or she knows an individual will be out
sprint, the individual scrum teams go
of the office for a week. This helps
through their own set of ceremonies
identify how many stories the team
that align very closely to those key
can safely commit to and further
Demand Management components.
helps set priorities and manage
A s the work is defined during
Next, begin to hold conversations with the appropriate parties in your much” Agile is right for you. Agile is
their own processes. As mentioned
grooming.
ship may change.
requisite points to all the queued
This number effectively represents
• Work intake becomes backlog
frequency, terminology, and owner-
Once the team has assigned the
to Demand Management through to
In an Agile world, during every
First, understand that moving toward
Once the team has agreed on the
• Capacity management (purely
Team
Tying the Two Together
dependencies. • Scheduling equals continuous
Once your organization agrees on what Agile means, begin to transform the way planning occurs at the enterprise level. Move away from funding based on requests or ideas. Transition toward investments based on expected value. Finally, begin to consider what this transition means for your people. How do titles or role expectations change? What resources does the organization need—or no longer need? These conversations will clarify how Agile looks in your organization.
integration.
strategic planning sessions into
Teams should focus on continuous
larger epics, the team works with
integration. This technique regu-
their product owner to break those
larly combines all the work each
larger bodies of work into features
scrum team within the delivery
and even more discrete user stories.
stream has completed to deliver
With an increased understanding of
a full piece of functionality to the
Dwayne Foster dwayne.foster@jabian.com Jackie Gildea jackie.gildea@jabian.com
the business initiatives, the product FA L L 2 018
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JABIAN INTERVIEW:
HOW TO AVOID THE DARK SIDE OF AGILE CAMERON FARAH
Many companies have begun to embrace Agile methodologies within some or all of their IT development teams. As this transition gains traction and yields positive results, companies begin to consider rolling out Agile further across their enterprises, hoping to replicate and capture this success on a broader scale. These decisions may be partly based on herd mentality (keeping up with competition or the latest industry trends) or belief in the pure theory of why Agile is such a great methodology. What many enterprises fail
Cameron Farah is a Vice President of Product Management at Cox Automotive. He has been working with software teams at the enterprise level as well as startups for more than 20 years. Cox Automotive Inc. makes buying, selling, and owning cars easier for everyone. The global company’s 34,000-plus team members and family of brands are passionate about helping millions of car shoppers, 40,000 auto dealer clients across five continents, and many others throughout the automotive industry thrive. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with revenues exceeding $20 billion.
to see, is that if shortcuts are taken and the full organization isn’t fully invested in effectively transitioning and transforming to Agile, there are several pitfalls they could encounter. The intent of this interview is to expose, not only the positives about Agile, but also the “Dark Side,” to help organizations that are either considering adopting enterprise-wide Agile or are currently struggling to do so.
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THE DARK SIDE OF AGILE .
Jabian: As a product person, how
and you have dependencies on other
do you get the business side of
teams to be able to build and deliver
product thinking and performing in
your capabilities so that you can be
a similar way?
successful. Yet other teams function in different ways and on different time
Cameron: I’ve been at places in the past
lines which makes it agonizing to build
where product people were a part of the
enterprise applications.
process, but they were loosely coupled.
Now, at Cox Automotive, we are
In some organizations, product actually
following the Agile methodology as
reports to engineering (IT), but for us,
an enterprise. When we do quarterly
it’s important to have the tie-back to
planning where we’re laying out what
the business. The product manager
we are going to build for the quarter,
being embedded in the engineering
it can get crazy. Crazy because all the
team supplies them with their features
interdependencies start to get passed
and breaks them down to user stories,
around to other teams. So, teams such
and then works with the teams to
as the ones that I manage start with
execute. But that product manager ties
a focus on what we need to build to
back to a more senior level product
deliver on our portfolio investments
leader. The product leader really is
and the initiatives that we’re driving.
driving the strategic roadmap of the product that’s being worked on. At other places, you would see
That’s great. But as the planning starts to get tighter and tighter, or coming closer to an end, you start to
gaps in the deliverable. You could see
hear about integration points or other
aspects of what was coming out of
capabilities that the other teams need
the scrum teams that just didn’t quite
you to deliver in order to help them
line up to where we wanted to go. And
be successful. In these discussions,
when I say “quite line up,” I’ve seen
you have to make trade-offs. That’s
some pretty big misses. This is very
part of the challenge you face as a
different from what is happening at
business, but enterprise-level Agile
Cox. The product manager is tied to
helps give us enough structure to
the product leader who is a part of the
manage that complexity.
product organization. From a leader-
IF YOU’RE NOT EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATING, PEOPLE AREN’T ALIGNED TO WHY YOU’RE BUILDING WHAT YOU’RE BUILDING; THEN YOU’VE GOT A BIG PROBLEM.
So in the end, the intent is to bring a
ship standpoint, we’re constantly
lot of visibility to what has to be done,
trying to communicate our direction,
and then there are decisions as to what
not just within our organization, but
we’re going to do and not do, and then
across the company so that other
communicate back out not just within
teams can hear and understand what
our teams, but to all other dependent
we’re doing and why. At least in the
teams. At the end of the quarter, we
Cox Automotive way, I think we’ve
have a clear alignment on the work
been more successful implementing
that all teams will focus on.
an Agile methodology than in other companies that I’ve been in.
Jabian: What are some of the biggest challenges you have seen when it
Jabian: What are some of the critical
comes to adopting Agile?
lessons you have learned from your experiences with Agile?
Cameron: Everybody has their own definition of adopting Agile. In my
Cameron: I can think of one company
career, I’ve seen what I’ll call “dif-
I worked at where the teams were
ferent levels of adoption.” I’ve seen it
using Agile, but the other parts of
where the term Agile was used, and
the company weren’t. You are doing
work was done in sprints, but little else
your planning and sprint reviews,
was really Agile.
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.JABIAN INTERVIEW
of the company that really shapes what
alignment. We start with a portfolio
you are really committing to execute
gets communicated and what doesn’t.
investment. We are going to take a
using Agile as a Methodology. I’ll give
One of the core tenets that Sandy
chunk of money and sit there and say,
an example from another point in my
Schwartz, the CEO of Cox Automotive,
we need to build certain capabilities.
career where we did “Agile.” I had to
communicates to all of us is to be open,
These are the expected outcomes
take one of my project managers and
honest, and direct. In some companies,
when we complete this investment.
throw them onto a scrum team. They
that may be a statement, but it really
The investment then gets reviewed
were participating in ceremonies and
is culturally ingrained here. I think
by architecture and engineering to
stand-ups, but they were not solely
anybody who’s been in any business
give shape to the work required to
committed to the team or solving
environment understands you have
complete it. The documentation really
The main challenge is whether
problems in real time. This led to the team not having a really strong understanding of why they’re building what they’re building, and sometimes that reflects in the final output in the sprint review. The translation from a business-level epic to the user stories engineers were creating against would not align. Jabian: How do you think the teams can best leverage their leadership in an Agile environment? Cameron: I think you have to be committed to communicating what you’re doing, and more importantly in an Agile environment, what you’re not doing. This is a time investment that senior executives are committing
STANDING UP THE TEAM STRUCTURES IS GOING TO BE HARD AND PAINFUL. MOST ENTERPRISES DON’T LIKE CHANGE.
to. They’re saying it is important that we build these capabilities and deliver
limited resources on what you can
kicks off at this point and is reviewed
on the value proposition. This is built
execute and deliver. You have to make
by senior leadership for them to say
into what we do, and helps bring that
trade-offs. That’s one of the challenges
it is useful and will deliver value to
visibility up to the Sr. VP level. At the
that you face as a business.
the business.
back up with executives on what we
Jabian: Documentation tends to be
pared down to the capabilities
are delivering. It’s hard to imagine
much lighter when it comes to Agile,
needing to be built, and then you start
not giving that visibility back into the
and there have often been misconcep-
getting into more traditional Agile
business at an executive level, because
tions that there is no documentation
elements of epics, features, and user
at some point, the question will arise
needed as part of Agile. What are your
stories. On top of that, we also build
as to what we are building and why.
thoughts on creating documentation
roadmaps for the product so we have a
as part of Agile delivery, and then,
view of where we’re going and can tie
Jabian: How do you feel that impacts
what documentation, if any, is still
back to the portfolio.
transparency? Do you feel like there’s
critical to success?
After this, that document gets
end of every quarter, we’re syncing
From my standpoint, the word “documentation” can get a bad rap,
an impact to what they’re willing to share, or do you feel like it’s a little bit
Cameron: We definitely do a fair
but it’s as simple as what I said earlier.
more of an open environment in an
amount of documentation at Cox
It boils down to communication.
Agile world?
Automotive. It isn’t excessive and
If you’re not effectively communicat-
I don’t find that it slows us down.
ing, people aren’t aligned to why you’re
Cameron: I don’t know if it’s Agile that
Documentation isn’t just about
building what you’re building; then
really shapes that, or if it’s the culture
communication, it’s really about
you’ve got a big problem.
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
THE DARK SIDE OF AGILE .
Jabian: What is your perspective on
here at Cox, and they vary from some
know what’s going to be delivered.
business testing in an Agile world?
of the other places where I’ve worked
An effective planning process will
Does it differ from a Waterfall
that had not really committed to Agile.
eliminate that; but you need to fully
approach? And if so, how?
The lack of commitment of resources
commit to Agile and the resources in
and lack of communication are the two
order to accomplish it. The Agile Methodology has evolved
Cameron: We’re building things that
areas that I felt most impacted delivery
touch all solutions within our business.
and made it exceptionally hard to get
to support enterprise product delivery
And if we are not doing a thorough
work done.
in the last 15 years. Because of that,
and complete job of understanding,
Standing up the team structures
when you shortchange the process
or testing our integration points, and
is going to be hard and painful. Most
and/or resources, it has an effect
closely working with our partners
enterprises don’t like change. The
which you are going to feel sooner or
who are being affected by our code,
culture can be very different, and
later. My recommendation is: spend
that’s going to have bad repercussions.
change can oftentimes be viewed as
the time, understand your resources,
To avoid this, we work diligently to
bad or negative. If the culture is averse
understand the methodology if you’re
notify affected solutions and internal
to change, you’re going to have to
going to adopt it, and then commit to
customers what is going to be released,
invest time and effort on education,
implementing them. You will probably
and we discuss the potential impacts
as well as getting the right people in
do your own shifting as we’ve done at
of those. The misinterpretation of
place, and build a roll-out plan that
Cox Automotive, but it’s not shifting
what might be a more traditional Agile
implements Agile starting with one
away from Agile, it’s introducing new
approach to testing can be dangerous
part of your business. You’ll learn
things that didn’t necessarily hit the
in an enterprise environment.
invaluable lessons from that first
mark on level of engagement or level of
implementation that can be used to
communication that we felt needed to
Jabian: In your experience, how have
make additional implementations
be done. But, that’s not a criticism, we
you seen Agile best executed? What are
more efficient and effective in other
just had to evolve for our own needs as
some of the keys to successful Agile
parts of your business.
to what we were doing.
implementation? And then, what are
Understand the pitfalls and don’t
Those are the key elements that
some of the pitfalls to avoid the quote-
be afraid of them, but take them on
I feel will help, but how do you avoid
unquote dark side of Agile?
knowing there is a need to shift to this
the dark side? I think it is that commit-
new approach that is more iterative,
ment to resources, it’s understanding
Cameron: The best implementation
that gets products into the market-
why you’re taking on this methodol-
I’ve seen is at Cox, and what does that
place on a more regular basis faster,
ogy, and being wholly committed
mean? It means you’re committed—at
has a faster time to market, and gets
to it.
all levels. It means you have product
more feedback on your product so that
managers and UX teams who are
you can iterate more on that offering,
embedded with engineering teams,
and evolve it to suit customer needs.
continuously evaluating customer and competitive needs while working to
Jabian: What are some of the specific
build what customers and the market-
pitfalls to avoid, in order to stay away
place value. You constantly monitor
from the dark side of Agile?
and track the work in process using tools like Rally. You maintain flexibil-
Cameron: Not committing resources,
ity to shift priorities during the quarter
like I mentioned earlier. Not funding
due to changing business priorities.
specific roles on the team, such as
In an enterprise environment,
Nimesh Shah nimesh.shah@jabian.com Taarna Hopkins taarna.hopkins@jabian.com
scrum masters, and not committing
communication is paramount. How
product managers and UX to be
teams that have interdependencies
embedded with teams are just a few.
share information and communicate
You really need to commit to hiring the
is the basis of being able to build these
right people. Otherwise, you’re going
cross-team capabilities.
to have poor alignment of your product
These are some of the core tenets
INTERVIEWERS:
as far as what you wanted to build and
for really complex, hard, enterprise
what ended up being built. Another
Agile products that I’ve been delivering
compliant I hear is that people don’t
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Managing the “Big Rock” Projects By Mimi Hall
Many of the typical principles of program management apply when you’re facing a major, cross-functional effort—the “big rocks” that you must move. Let’s consider a few ideas for how to modify your approach in an Agile organization.
In Agile organizations, the ideal
we don’t typically see “normal”
train and value stream engineers at
is that teams sprint to deliver new
project management processes. We
higher levels of the organization,
or enhanced functionality. They
don’t assemble teams on demand.
generally focus on getting those
do this iteratively, getting quick
We don’t attempt to capture all
“little rocks” through the system,
feedback from the market and
requirements at the start of an effort.
while managing dependencies on
ultimately enabling a product vision. Time-bound, scope-constricted,
We’re kidding ourselves, though, if we think businesses will
other teams or teams of teams. So, what happens when you
and resource-constrained “projects”
stop having discrete needs to be
have a “big rock” that you want to
and “programs” (or really big
managed by at least some project
build? Who pays attention as that
projects) are terms of the past for
or program manager type roles.
goes through the “system”?
Agile evangelists, and often have the connotation of a four-letter word.
Typical Agile roles (see sidebar)
Adept program managers can
focus on priority, value, and
serve this role. They can mind the “big
productivity of the team. Let’s call
rocks.” A few “big rock” circumstances
standing and organized to deliver on
these focus areas “little rocks.”
may require your organization to
specific product value propositions,
Coordination roles, such as release
adopt program management:
In Agile teams that are long-
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Agile Team Roles in Brief An Agile or scrum team is comprised of: A scrum master focused on team
Product owners representing the
Team members doing the
productivity and optimizing
voice of the customer on the team,
work, showcasing it, learning from
throughput of work through
and prioritizing work based on the
it, and adjusting to user and market
the team (i.e., the “system”).
most value delivered.
feedback.
• When you require a large, time-bound upgrade across
• Providing consistent documentation across teams and work streams.
• When changes in the regulatory environment demand compliance across products, with a centralized group across teams responsible for managing the details and providing progress updates.
speaking the same language. You can serve as a key translator to business
platforms—and it must happen while the regular work continues.
working with and ensure everyone is
What Changes in an Agile Organization?
partners and executive stakeholders to
While some aspects of traditional
the work at hand.
understand the size and complexity of
program management apply to the “big rocks,” Agile program managers will
Level of documentation (and possibly
likely need to make a few adjustments
where it’s stored): Negotiate the “right
to succeed with those efforts.
level of documentation” for your program. Ensure you have the visibility
Pace of requirements and software
you need into work that is in progress
development: Gone are the siloed days
or completed. This may not be in your
important customer demands a
of the typical software development
typical intranet or application life
special team to deliver the results.
life cycle. Work with your sponsors
cycle management tool. Instead, it may
A note about this, however: If it
to define the success metrics at the
look like a virtual whiteboard of sticky
happens often and the exception
highest level of the program. Defer
notes moving across. If you are truly
becomes the norm, you may
lower-level decision-making to
empowered to successfully manage
consider reorganizing teams
those who have the information
the program at hand, you will have
to deliver on specific customer
about how best to deliver on those
the power, access, and influence you
value statements.
desired outcomes.
need to ensure consistent data across
• When a custom request from an
teams so you can track the “big rock”
What in Program Management Stays the Same from Waterfall to Agile?
Frequency of cross-team and stakeholder
When serving as an Agile program
sprint demos (typically every two
ment is required when a big effort
manager, many traditional
to four weeks), challenge yourself
crosses workstreams. When capable
program management principles
and your team to integrate across
coordination across workstreams,
still apply, including:
workstreams. How often can those
and vertical and horizontal com-
integrations result in demos to end-
munication are vital for your success,
users to solicit feedback and update
consider Agile program management.
• A ligning program management practices with organizational culture, while balancing program deadlines and objectives. • Defining success metrics;
to completion.
interaction: While it may not be at the same cadence of development team
The bottom line: Program manage-
your backlog(s) of work accordingly? Mimi Hall Vocabulary: Work items may be called
mimi.hall@jabian.com
“stories, features, and epics.” And the
establishing processes to measure
change requests of yesterday are now
progress toward the desired busi-
called “enhancements.” Learn the
ness outcomes.
vocabulary of the Agile teams you’re FA L L 2 018
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Badass Brands (and How You Can Have One)
I
n June 2017, a new power shook the box office. She was someone we were familiar with, a name we had heard and read about in the past. But she landed with a fury. Wonder Woman was back—and this time she was the star and heroine. Similarly, the following February, King T’Challa led the 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After 17 other films, Marvel released something different: a film featuring a predominantly black cast, helmed by an African-American director. Black Panther became the highest grossing film of 2018 at that point—the 11th-highest-grossing film of all
By Tara Sconzo and Elizabeth Cheney
time—and was lauded as “one of the best films set in the MCU.” These superheroes were unique. They high-
How (and why) you should challenge yourself to think outside the box, get feedback, and take risks so you can become a superhero in the workplace.
lighted women and African-Americans by putting them front-and-center, which is rarely the case. How were these two characters—neither fitting the traditional superhero stereotype—able to bust through the ceiling of our cultural norms? How do we, unique and dynamic in our own ways, create personal brands that break through the monotony and shatter expectations? First, think about who you are and what makes you different. How do you stand out among the crowd? Perhaps you’re someone who provides a unique, creative perspective on a team. Or your stand out quality may be as simple
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Leveraging your unique strength at the right time, under the right spotlight, can be what takes your personal brand to the top.
as having a reputation for meeting
superhero Wonder Woman exists, was
deadlines and delivering—that is,
attempting to catch up to what the
you make sure the work gets done.
MCU had done for 10 years. Marvel took
Your unique qualities may or may not be revolutionary, but they are skills or strengths you possess that others
Although Marvel had toyed with its assassin, Black Widow, and its tough-
you a team builder? Do you think big?
exterior Gamora, the studio never put
Are you strategic?
these heroines at the centers of their
Superheroes such as Wonder
own story. Wonder Woman, unique and
Woman and Black Panther are
feminine, was what the DCU needed to
obviously unique in principle (they’re
put itself back on the map.
definitely not like the rest of us!), but
To stand out, you must take risks,
they still have human strengths and
just as Warner Brothers did with Patty
qualities. King T’Challa, while physi-
Jenkins’ Wonder Woman. Regardless of
cally exhibiting superhuman strength
potential rejection by the masses, the
and speed, was also compassionate,
DCU brand took the lead by showcasing
with an extreme desire to protect and
an underrepresented demographic,
serve the people of Wakanda and right
to prove females could lead the way
the wrongs of his father.
and be just as popular as their male
Black Panther is Shuri, the younger
counterparts. Though Wonder Woman in the past
sister of King T’Challa. Shuri’s
may have been mocked for lacking the
personal, non-superhuman, strength
strength of male superheroes, the 2017
is in her creativity and intellect as she
film earned worldwide acclaim and
manages the technology of Wakanda.
became one of the biggest blockbusters
Her uniqueness is obvious in her
of the summer movie season. Wonder
innovative spirit as she designs new
Woman took a risk and highlighted its
and exciting technologies.
lead character’s femininity and that
In what ways do you, like King T’Challa and Shuri, offer something
risk paid-off. Third, leveraging your unique
different? If you struggle with under-
strength at the right time, under the
standing how you may be unique, take
right spotlight, can be what takes your
a self-assessment to determine your
personal brand to the top. Have the
strengths and how you can apply them
self-confidence to support your unique
to your professional and personal life.
strengths. Understand your strengths,
Second, once you’ve familiarized
leverage them to “wow” the crowds
yourself with your strengths and how
(just as Patty Jenkins did with Wonder
you add value, think about how to
Woman), and be willing to take the risk
leverage those strengths to stand out
to grow.
from the crowd. How do you find ways
As the DCU demonstrated in the
to stand out or step up, rather than
case of Wonder Woman, sometimes
follow those around you?
risking failure can bring out your
In a world of Batman remakes, the
THE JABIAN JOURNAL
made household names out of them.
may not. Are you compassionate? Are
Another standout character from
62
unfamiliar heroes such as T’Challa and
best work. Taking a risk can lead you
cinematic world never offered a solo
to think outside the box and bring
heroine who did all the saving. Patty
something unique to the table (and
Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman,
perhaps break a few records while
eagerly agreed to change that trend.
you’re at it). When we take risks and
She made a heroine the lead and
fail fast, we can often learn more
star character. At the time of Wonder
about our strengths—even improving
Woman’s release, the DC Cinematic
upon them—and can overcome our
Universe (DCU), under which the
weaknesses.
really did was to bring his roots and
in this intersection where we can truly
blockbuster to commit to a female
upbringing as an African-American
add value in the workplace, highlight-
superhero. By investing in that idea,
to the screen, providing cultural
ing our personal “superpowers” to fill
DC/Warner Brothers stood out among
representation. Diversity brings
a need in the workplace.
the competition. By standing out and
different ideas and changing view-
sharing value with the current political
points to corporate structure, teams,
Our strengths and interests today may
movement toward empowering
and individuals. In today’s changing
not be the same in the future. It may
women, Wonder Woman became a
climate, your brand should include
have taken Wonder Woman years to
new pillar for DCU.
some aspect of diversity and reinven-
finally make it to the big screen and
tion that provides a closer connection
few could have imagined Black Panther
to your audience.
breaking the records it did, but these
It was long overdue for a
Fourth, gaining a following can lead to a successful brand, but listening to your audience and understanding how
In hiring and enabling Patty
How will this change over time?
films helped advance and reinvent their labels.
your “superpower” serves your team,
Jenkins and Ryan Coogler, two
your leadership, or your customers can
cinematic directors who believed in
take you to the top.
something unique and different, both
of your company will shift over time,
As with Marvel and DC, the needs
Marvel and DC reinvented themselves.
providing new opportunities. Through
power with Wonder Woman and created
While their strengths had been classic
continuous personal growth—under-
a new strength for itself in a female
superheroes in the past, both labels
standing our strengths and interests,
brand. Although Marvel has yet to
saw a need to highlight new, modern,
challenging ourselves by taking risks,
release a solo female-hero film, they
unique films over time to connect with
and learning from our mistakes—we
found their strength in something
an ever-changing audience of movie-
can continue to add value and build our
equally (some might argue more so)
goers and comic fans.
personal brand.
DC lifted its portfolio of superhero
powerful—Black Panther.
The same can be said for our
Lastly, in order to stay relevant,
personal brands. Where do your
whether helming a comic book movie
of what Black Panther has achieved in
personal strengths and interests
or grabbing a “win” in the office, you
detail, but what director Ryan Coogler
overlap with professional needs? It is
must understand:
You could discuss the magnitude
• yourself and your strengths; • how and when to take risks; • today’s environment and the needs of your profession, your peers, and your marketplace; • and your flexibility for growth. There will always be changes around the corner, so challenge yourself to think outside the box, get feedback, and take risks like Wonder Woman and Black Panther. The more you understand yourself and work to build your brand, the more likely you are to shatter box office records (or at least have a better day at work). Tara Sconzo tara.sconzo@jabian.com Elizabeth Cheney e.n.cheney@gmail.com
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Back to Basics: Creating Strong Processes as a Foundation for Scalable Growth
By Lauren Abraham Mahoney, Katie Misel, and Jeff Siegel
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Make operations scalable by improving your processes—by becoming more effective, efficient, and value-driven.
Streamlining operations is an
EFFICIENT: As I worked through the
important part of the path toward
season, was I able to cut the same
sustainable and scalable growth.
amount of grass faster? Was I able
Honing those operations to become
to cut more grass in the same length
faster, cheaper, and better is an ongo-
of time?
ing pursuit for most organizations. However, sometimes process
CREATE VALUE: Did I mow well
improvement efforts, to document,
enough that I can now bring my child
analyze, and redefine a process,
outside to play ball without worrying
feel like change for the sake of
about knee-high weeds? Does the yard
change. How can you be sure the
have the curb appeal for the coveted
new process is stronger, and not just
yard-of-the-month award?
different? Let’s get back to basics and use the principles of “process excellence” to ensure changes lead to
Create Effective Operations
improved results. A simple definition of process
An effective process is robust, and
excellence is a process designed to be
one that will continue to operate
effective and efficient, and one that
despite changing external factors.
creates value. To understand these
This means most business scenarios,
principles, we can apply them to an
or activities, that are a part of running
everyday task like mowing the lawn.
the business are accounted for during
80%
process design. EFFECTIVE: Did I put enough gas in
Consider the Pareto principle—also
the mower to complete cutting the
known as the “80/20 rule”—which
whole yard? How well am I cutting
states that 80 percent of the effects
the grass? Are all the grass blades cut
come from 20 percent of the causes.
evenly? Did I miss any sections?
Focusing on the scenarios that drive
20% EFFORT
RESULTS
Pareto principle
80%
20% EFFORT
RESULTS
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80 percent of the results will ensure
practices to communicate the change
the process is robust enough to be
effectively. This ensures stakeholders
sustainable, without becoming overly
understand their changing roles and
complex. Using the facts to prioritize
responsibilities, drives adoption of the
reduces “noise” caused by anecdotal
new process, and ultimately delivers
pain points and prevents additional
greater value for the customer.
change to accommodate exceptions. A process must be repeatable and standardized to be truly effective.
Be As Efficient As Possible
Documenting your process clarifies roles and responsibilities and helps
Being efficient means “achieving
ensure activities are consistently
maximum productivity with minimum
executed. Process documentation
wasted effort or expense.” Applying
standardizes the operation and
that definition to a process means
encourages an organization to define
keeping things lean and mean. When
how to repeat success.
designing a process, limit complexity
When teams understand
so it is easy to follow and control. It is
what is expected of them, they
much easier to repeat and manage a
understand what they are aiming
simple process than a complex one.
for. Documentation is typically a process flow diagram, but may include
Keeping a process simple means
anything that is useful or helps
limiting waste. Common acronyms can
enhance the consistency of the process
help identify and eliminate the eight
(e.g., spaghetti diagrams, checklists,
different types of waste to simplify a
Standard Operating Procedures, etc.).
process. Consider these:
The process owner is responsible for ensuring the process is documented,
TIM WOODS (transportation, inven-
executed, and governed successfully.
tory, motion, waiting, over-processing,
Documentation also enables
overproduction, defects, and staff) and
communication, which is an important part of making a process effective.
DOWNTIME (defects, overproduction,
Communication is key to ensuring
waiting, not using talent, transporta-
stakeholders understand what is
tion, inventory, motion, excess
expected for the inputs, execution,
processing).1
and outputs of a process. Metrics and reporting are also forms of
A form of waste that deserves
communication, providing feedback
particular attention is defects—or
on the process to help sustain and
errors—which cause unnecessary
optimize results. These become your
variation and possibly additional work
quality measurements. It is important
to make corrections. Error-proof your
to update process documentation as
process by designing it to prevent or
the business evolves. Stale process
limit mistakes.
documentation that becomes
A good example of error-proofing
“shelf-ware” does nothing to make
is using a drop-down menu instead
the process repeatable, let alone
of an open text field. Or using a text
effective. As process updates are made,
mask that requires 10 numbers if you
follow change management best
are looking for a phone number. For
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A process must be repeatable and standardized to be truly effective.
processes that are not so black and
• Survey your customers to deter-
Using the concepts of process
white, a risk assessment can identify
mine what is most important to
excellence in this everyday example,
the process areas that are most likely
them and what they are willing to
we can see how a strong process is
to produce errors.
pay for. Remember, these may not
easier to execute and manage. This
always be the same things.
reduces the need for “heroic” efforts
Tools such as a Failure Mode Effects
and accomplishes more with existing
Analysis (FMEA) can help prioritize where errors are mostly likely to
• If you can’t survey your customers,
resources, so organizations can scale
occur, based on their impact. With
engage internal customer advocates
to a larger footprint, greater output, or
this information, you can determine
(e.g., sales or marketing) who are
bigger impact. Take a back-to-basics
a mitigation plan and incorporate it
best suited to represent the external
approach with these concepts to enable
into the process design or create an
perspective. Or analyze existing
growth with strong processes that
exception path with checkpoints, such
customer data as a proxy for direct
make you more effective and efficient,
as governance or reporting. A strong,
customer input.
and enable you to drive more value.
Establish metrics and controls
Lauren Abraham Mahoney
error-proofed process is highly repeatable and predictable, which limits the risk of wasted efforts.
to monitor whether processes are
lauren.mahoney@jabian.com
creating value and meeting customer Focus on Creating Value
expectations. By tracking outcomes
Katie Misel
and responding to exceptions, you can
katie.misel@jabian.com
ensure the process will consistently The third element of process excellence
deliver expected results. This also
Jeff Siegel
is ensuring the process creates value.
forces accountability to keep the
jeff.siegel@jabian.com
To determine whether your process
process in control over time.
creates value, we must define value and
Metrics can be defined to identify
consider multiple perspectives, includ-
past successes (lagging metrics)
ing internal and external customers.
or indicate future success (leading
Some activities may be required for
metrics). Determining the right
regulatory or compliance reasons, and
metrics will depend on the needs of the
some have inherent value as a com-
organization and your customers, as
petitive advantage. These activities
well as the level of acceptable risk for
are considered to have business value.
defects and exceptions.
Customer value depends on the end customer’s expectations and needs. One way to evaluate customer value is
How Does Process Excellence Help?
to determine whether or not it is worth paying for. Consider these techniques to help
Operations that are effective and efficient, and create value positively
determine the customer value of
impact an organization and lay a
your process:
foundation for growth. Returning to the example of mowing the grass, I can mow
• Follow the customer experience by
the grass in a shorter length of time by
tracking their journey throughout
walking a grid to remove extra steps
the end-to-end process. What
and simplify the process, set the blade to
are the key touchpoints when the
automatically cut the grass at the right
process impacts the customer
height ensuring quality and consistency,
experience (e.g., ordering, invoic-
and ultimately have more time available
ing, payment, pickup/delivery)?
to enjoy the yard with my family.
Sources: 1 https://www.processexcellencenetwork. com/business-transformation/articles/ the-8-deadly-lean-wastes-downtime 2 http://www.industryweek.com/ continuous-improvement/six-easy-criteriatargeting-good-process “Six Easy Criteria Targeting Good Process”, by Jason Piatt, Industry Week: Aug 21, 2012.
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The Value of Compassion By Michael Ojo, Ph.D.
Consider how your firm’s customer experience journey can improve interactions with your brand—particularly during a consumer crisis—and boost the company’s reputation and bottom line.
When people experience extreme
with general strategies for transfor-
defining customer personas are critical
floods of emotions, they tend to not
mative customer experiences:
for assessing the current state of your
think or behave rationally. It could
research and understand the pain
CX program.
be a parent visiting a doctor’s office
points of the customer journey, design
for a sick child, a person checking
a strategy that leverages feedback
creates tangible assets for teams to
their online bank account only to find
from the customer, then develop and
conceptualize distressing touchpoints,
money missing, or someone getting
implement a plan that addresses your
redundant or wasteful activities,
into a car accident and not knowing
customers’ needs.
and critical moments of truth that
Moreover, the assessment process
shape customers’ long-term company
exactly what to do next.
perceptions. When you can see a
Scenarios such as these elicit
consolidated view of the challenging
great emotional distress, which in turn, can cause people to make poor,
Recognize the Need
touchpoints your customers face, you
and often irrational, choices that
When you’re considering how to
can begin to recognize their needs and
make their experiences even more
be compassionate in designing CX
expose gaps in the journey.
challenging. When the people in the
strategies, you must first notice that
scenario are customers of a business,
the current experience is not meeting
these experiences can lead them to
your customers’ needs. Even worse, it
negatively perceive the company and
may be directly or implicitly causing
In the Customer’s Shoes
its ability to provide a worthwhile
harm. At the beginning of any CX
What is it like to be a customer of your
experience.
transformation, you must provide an
brand? Have you been a customer of
honest and thorough assessment of
your company’s product or service?
your customers’ experiences.
Next, imagine being a customer in
So, what can be done? This is where compassion for the customer comes into play as a vital link in the
Appreciate what people go through
the midst of an emergency or major
relationship between the brand and
when they engage with your brand,
life event. How does that experience
the consumer.
products, and services. What are the
change? How does that feel?
Compassion is a multidimensional
pain points? Who are the key players
Of course, the form and magnitude
concept that involves recognizing a
in the process? Is your organization
of customer sentiment will change
need, or the suffering of a group or
even capable of meeting your custom-
from industry to industry. It’s easy to
individual, empathetically feeling that
ers’ needs?
imagine customers experiencing
group’s or individual’s distress, and
Being compassionate in the design
a crisis while dealing with a health
taking deliberate action to relieve
of a customer experience means con-
care service provider. The complexities
the problem.1,2
tending with the possibility that the
of obtaining and paying for health
current customer journey may do more
care services bring a wide array of
harm than good. Journey mapping and
emotions.
The framework for understanding compassion, in some respects, lines up
FA L L 2 018
69
customer (VoC) data is the product
attempt at resolving their problems,
of a structured and purposeful
and your business will be better off
approach to capturing customer feed-
with a more refined CX program.
back, requirements, and sentiments around a brand, product, or service.3 It provides an important lens into the
experience may be a turnoff for leader-
perceptions and feelings people have
ship. It’s not that senior leaders want to
around a subject.
be less compassionate; it’s because the
That said, VoC data also lends itself
Appreciate what people go through when they engage with your brand, products, and services. What are the pain points? However, other equally hair-raising scenarios can elicit emotional distress.
Understandably, proposing a compassionate approach to customer
value position of compassion may be
well to learning about the emotional
difficult for some to correlate to higher
effect of current journeys on your cus-
revenue and an increase in brand value.
tomers. This data can direct businesses
It’s possible discussing feelings
toward opportunities for improve-
and emotions leads people to think
ment. Moreover, the way in which you
it’s a simple problem of efficiency
define and characterize your customer
and lack of service—a quick fix to an
personas can expose nuances of their
issue. Nevertheless, compassion can
experiences, and subsequently, their
differentiate your brand in the market,
feedback. Are they a “customer,” or
distinguishing it from others.
a “single parent”? Should they be
Compassion reveals a lot about
labeled as a “patient,” or does “cancer
our moral and ethical beliefs. It can
survivor” provide more context?
serve as the foundation of your moral
If you envision a “patient’s” journey
purpose, be the key driver of your
to identify a new health care provider,
company’s culture, or be the means by
you will certainly find opportunities
which you serve your customers. Being
for improvement. But if you explore a
compassionate inherently betters
“cancer survivor’s” similar journey,
people’s lives.
might you feel something different?
Applying a compassionate frame-
Does it expose more pain points in
work to your organization’s customer
the customer journey? Is your level of
experience principles can transform
empathy deeper?
your customers’ journeys, providing
They can be as complex as identity
profound and deeply impactful experi-
theft or a private data leak, or as rela-
ences in their lives.
tively simple as the theft of a mobile phone. Any of these situations can
Take the Necessary Action
Michael Ojo, Ph.D.
make a customer’s journey profoundly
The last component of compassionate
michael.ojo@jabian.com
more difficult, which in turn can leave
CX design is taking deliberate steps
your customer with negative feelings
toward improving the experience of
toward your brand.
those in need. What separates empathy
Sources:
Recreating the feelings of your
from compassion is action—specifi-
1 Jason M. Kanov et al., “Compassion in
customers in order to put yourself in
cally, making purposeful attempts to
their shoes can be difficult without
alleviate a person’s suffering.
actually creating an issue for yourself.
To that end, take what you have
Organizational Life,” American Behavioral Scientist 47, no. 6 (2004): 808–827. 2 Clara Strauss et al., “What Is Compassion and
So, what do you do? How do you learn
learned, and the empathy you have
How Can We Measure It? A Review of Definitions
and begin to empathize with your
built for your customers, develop an
and Measures,” Clinical Psychology Review 47
customers?
action plan that satisfies their needs
One of the most powerful resources
and expectations, then formally
in customer experience design is the
execute that plan. Your customers will
voice of the customer. Voice of the
value the thoughtful and considerate
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
(July 2016): 15–27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j. cpr.2016.05.004. 3 A bbie Griffin and John R. Hauser, “The Voice of the Customer,” Marketing Science 12, no. 1 (1993): 1–27.
THE DIFFERENCE IS
a strategy that works.
I love that my work directly impacts the organization in meaningful ways, and isn’t just put on a shelf. At Jabian, we advise our clients on effective business strategy, and then help them achieve it. For more information, visit jabian.com/careers.
THE DIFFERENCE IS FA L L 2 018
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The Final Word
Conversations with Business and Technology Leaders
If you want to know the rising stars in the Chicago business world, you need to know Patrick Borg. He is a Project Designer Manager with The Airoom Group of Companies, the largest and leading residential Design, Renovate, and Build company in Illinois.
PATRICK BORG
Patrick grew up in Toronto, and after moving to Chicago, he quickly became the Chapter Chairman of the Chicago Gold Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO-Gold). Chicago Gold Chapter is the largest member Chapter in the world (450+ Chapters) with roughly 380 members in YPO-G Chicago alone, all of whom are business or organization leaders. There are 25,000+ YPO’ers in the World. We spoke with Patrick about the current Chicago business climate, what makes the city tick, and how businesspeople can be successful in their careers.
What was your first impression
Lake Shore Drive and the redevelop-
What’s something people don’t know
of Chicago?
ment of the river walk is just stunning.
about Chicago?
In addition to the construction, we’re I moved to Chicago from Toronto about
seeing more and more businesses move
For as large and diverse a city as
11 years ago because of business. I was
into the city from the suburbs and sur-
Chicago is, it’s a very personally
a business manager all my life, and
rounding states. Google, McDonalds,
welcoming city. As a Midwest city,
later became an entrepreneur. After
and others all just opened amazing
you get some of that honest, friendly
8+ years, I sold my business and again
properties right by the Loop. And this
environment that some other major
became a business manager. Chicago is
is largely because of the availability of
cities lack. When people in Chicago
such a fantastic town. I went through
great personnel talent and where they
ask, “How are you?” they really want
the USA citizenship process because
want to live. Chicago has all the theater,
to know.
I knew this is where I wanted to be. It
sports, world-class restaurants, and
took 10 years to go all the way through
entertainment you could ever want so
What’s been the best piece of advice
the process, but I ended up a USA
it’s a compelling major city.
you’ve received?
How about the startup scene?
I think it’s this: Don’t treat people like
citizen. I enjoyed living in Toronto the majority of my life, but I really, really love living in Chicago.
you want to be treated. Treat them It really has great support for startups.
the way they want to be treated. It’s a
Is this a good time to be doing
From the genesis at a place like 1871
subtle difference, but an important one.
business in Chicago?
in Merchandise Mart where you just
You can’t do that unless you get to know
start out, to mHUB after you’ve proven
someone and put yourself in his or
I really think it is. Anecdotally I always
concept, to the Hatchery for complete
her shoes. Don’t just assume everyone
measure growth in a city by the number
build out and sale. Many of those people
wants what you want.
of cranes in the air, and there are just
like to network with the folks at YPO.
an unprecedented number right now in
You get to rub elbows with a lot of the
Chicago. Along the city’s riverfront on
business and political crowd.
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THE JABIAN JOURNAL
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