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Why Are You Doing This to Me?!

Leading causes of cultural resistance and other things end users ask during a Business Process Management engagement -

Over the last few years working with end users during BPM projects, I have probably heard question phrased 100 different ways.  Emotions run high, typically paired with uncertainty, fear, resistance to change, and a general lack of enthusiasm.  Why do BPM projects inevitably inspire such emotionally charge reactions?  Because inevitably, things are indeed going to change.  What follows are a half dozen of the more common themes I have encountered in the course of BPM engagements, and how we have navigated around them.

“Why do we need to change?  Things around here work just fine.”

Who doesn’t feel that the work they are doing is at an acceptable standard?  Who isn’t worried that these types of efforts won’t uncover inefficiencies in the way they work.  It is critical that any process-centered change be depersonalized.  Reassure stakeholders (in particular end users) that this now about them, nor is going to make their lives any more difficult.  Get their buy-in by starting with questions along the lines of “What would help the most to do your job?” and “What are you waiting for most often?”

“I’m worried about losing my job if they automate the work I do.”

I have never attempted to portray myself as an efficiency expert, yet anyone coming to deploy BPM is going to be viewed like those two guys in the movie Office Space.  As a BPM practitioner it is not my job to reduce staff or otherwise advise on who stays and who goes.  In fact I’ve never seen an organization where there was not enough work to support the headcount (granted my customers are typically government agencies!)  In my experience, it is critical that all stakeholders understand this.  Most BPM initiatives will (certainly all should) offer measurable improvement, but not sea-change transformation.   At least not through BPM alone.  Change such as allowing the same staff can now offer a one week turnaround what might have taken two weeks to do previously.  Or it may allow for more focus on high-value work and least time on tedious administrivia.

“You don’t know anything about our business or how we operate.”

For the most part, that’s true.   As it should be.  If I came in as a consultant with too much information, it wouldn’t allow me to be objective.  As BPM practitioners we have to see past the fuzzy layer of information that is on the surface and look at the root of the process.  If we are doing our job properly, we are asking the organization the right questions and the tough questions.  I personally like to separate the employees and the managers when doing process interviews.  The point of view is very different. 

“You better watch out for Susan!” (or Tom, Jane, Dick, whomever.)  “They built the current Access Database/Excel Spreadsheet/HTML form that we are currently using.”

There is nothing like inspiring fear and maintaining control to ensure job security.  At least that appears to be the strategy of many/most legacy application owners.  And of course if people kept doing it the way it’s been done, the current regime will never change.  As a BPM practitioner, my job is to work with Susan/Tom/Jane/Dick/Harry because usually they have the most current knowledge of how things work.  If I do a really good job of befriending them, in almost all cases they will tell me what the pain points are and what THEY wish could be done differently.  If you can win over those people by giving them a special role in the engineering effort or ownership of some part of the process, you might have just found your biggest ally.

“These projects always start and always fail.  I have no reason to believe why this will be any different.”

Can’t really argue with you there.  In many cases they do fail.  In almost all of those cases there were some common factors that caused that failure.  Lack of management support, not engaging end users early enough in the process, poorly defined requirements.  We’ve seen it all before.  We’ve been to any number of webinars, conferences, and seminars where experts tell us to watch out for these things but in some cases they happen.  They key to overcoming this objection is to always show progress. Always show that things are moving forward.  BPM allows us to do that, to constantly demonstrate new features or show that changes from the last weekly meeting were implemented.  Progress sells in any organization.  It’s much harder to stop a fast moving train then one sputtering along. 

“Who are YOU and why should we trust you?”

I will close on this point.  Arrogance has no place in BPM efforts.  Being humble, showing understanding, and keeping an open mind are not lost on your customers.  If they believe that you are being sincere and that you are there to help make things better, they will warm up to you.  If they view you as their adversary, the battle is already over. First impressions are important, truly think about the thoughts and feelings that go through the minds of your customers BEFORE YOU GET THERE.  You will have a much higher chance of getting early acceptance that way.

About the Author

Jason Adolf is currently the Business Process Practice Area Manager for Serco North America.  You can find him on twitter @jase700 or on linkedin