We Can't Just Give Orders

One thing that can get frustrating at work.  Sometimes people oversimplify what it takes to change the organization.  They think that, because leadership decides the organization should change, then everybody will follow orders and cooperate.

In reality, this only happens when it is absolutely clear to everyone that the project is a must.  For example, if a project is a multi-million dollar replacement of an entire product line, nobody will stand in front of that train.  But much of my work involves a change in a system or a work process.  There is an existing system or work process.  It may be a poor system or work process, but it's worked well enough for the organization to survive until now.  There is no do-or-die moment when a change is required.  It isn't as obviously urgent as a date when you've promised to deliver a new product to Walmart.

So I have to sell the new system at all levels from the lowest operators on the floor to the high level managers.  For system changes, it is never enough to make a choice at the top.  Instead, you have to persuade enough people at different levels of the organization to create a chain reaction of interest and enthusiasm.  Books such as Leading Change and The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations by John Kotter make this clear, citing case studies of companies that have failed when they've counted on a top-down edict for change versus companies that have succeeded by engaging the organization broadly to solicit input, address concerns, and gain alignment.  There is no way to bypass these steps when you try to engage long standing systems and culture.