Assumptions can be Wrong

?There is an old adage that says there is a fallacy to making assumptions. When we make assumptions, we are more than likely going to be wrong. I must confess that I assumed a fact and I am finding that I was wrong.

The world has been full of events that makes one stop and consider just where we are going. Beginning with the horrific situation in the middle east, the shooting of law enforcement officers, and public officials who think they are above the law, we see examples of situations where we as a global community we see our problems, but we do not take it to the next step – we don’t feel the problem. Do not take the above statements incorrectly. I am not condoning the actions of any individual. What I am saying is that we have a tendency in the global marketplace to jump to level blame without thinking it completely through. If a process is broken, it is the fault of the operator. If our children don’t learn it is the fault of the teacher. We think in terms of functional silos. My error was to assume that if I showed the new path to my peers on how to resolve the issues, they would be equipped to resolve any issue. I was wrong.

We need to understand that the change process involves three interdependent steps. First, we need to see the problem, but we need to do so in a manner that is rooted in evidence-based proof. We need to see the problem from the basis of what is occurring not what we think is occurring.? We feel something is not right. We see the problem is in front of us. The downside of this discussion is that that is far as we take it. We complain bitterly about this problem or that, but we don’t take action to correct the situation.

To take action, we must feel the problem.? We cannot respond by saying it someone else’s problem to deal with. If the process is not working, why is it not working. What is the customer asking for we are not delivering. If the student is not learning what in the learning process is broken. We must learn how to understand the effects of the problem on the stakeholders of the process. If this is a problem, then what is the direct result of the current method that we are using? Both Chip and Dan Heath in their book Decisive and Josh Berger in his book Contagious, refer to the factory manager who discovered that the factory used 42 different gloves from several vendors and varying prices. He saw the problem. Management did not see the problem, nor did they feel it.? The manager accumulated 42 pairs of gloves from the factory floor, labeled each with the price and then piled them on the boardroom conference table. He then asked upper management to meet him in the boardroom. When they walked in, they saw this pile of gloves and saw the problem in that they were ordering gloves from multiple vendors with multiple prices. They felt that problem in seeing its effects on the cost of doing business. Once we resolve the clash point, we can begin to make the necessary problems to remove the problems.

I have taken human capital management professionals and provided them a concentrated 21 hours of training in the TLS Continuum to demonstrate how they can begin to speak the language of business. We presented how to apply the tools to the various components of what we call human resources. We provided them with the interactive experience of utilizing those tools on their organization. We explained how to begin to standardize the processes and remove non-value-added-activities Apparently, it was not enough.

The wrong assumption

Since 2009, I have been trying to show my fellow human capital management professionals how to speak the language of business through our writings and our six-sigma yellow belt training. The purpose is to show them the way to speak the language of business and relate to the other levels of the organization. The course outcomes have shown I have done a good job in that direction. Where my assumption has been wrong is that I assumed that with this knowledge the human capital professional could be a valuable asset to the organization. What I am finding is that there is a disconnect between the course training, our writings, and reality. One attendee said to me that she learned a lot during the course but when it came to other issues she did not know or understand how to resolve the problems. The answer is simple.

Our training presented a clearly defined problem-solving process with specific steps to be undertaken. It showed how to see the problem and feel the problem. What we failed to do is to demonstrate that the same tools apply universally within in your organization. If a problem arises in finance, you can take the same problem resolution steps you did in human capital management and resolve the issue. We understand that we are in a sequence of inquiry very much like using the scientific method to resolve a problem in a laboratory, we take the same steps as we did on the last experiment.

Where we went wrong was thinking (assuming) that the human capital management professional would catch on that the same steps can be used in any process. We abhor silos so we are trying to facilitate the inclusiveness of HR into the organization as a valuable partner. They need to understand that the TLS Continuum is the same methodology whether we are in HR, Finance or Marketing. The result should be if you can resolve an issue in human capital management you can solve a problem anywhere within the organization.

Your new role is that of being the organizational scientist and we resolve our inquiries using the scientific methods to speak the language of business. You all can do it and do it exceptionally well with a little practice. Make yourself a cheat sheet with the steps of the scientific method and apply it to the process improvement efforts. This is not something that you have an option to do, it Is something that is necessary but not sufficient to do to become a true organizational partner.

In my mind I see the ability to see the problem, feel the problem and create a new solution. With practice so can you. Join me on this incredible journey that has taken up the better part of my life for the past 15 years. It is a journey loaded with challenges and excitement as we achieve phenomenal outcomes.

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Looking for the perfect model for improving your organizational processes? Pre-order your copy of the TLS Continuum Field Guide - How the Theory of Constraints, Lean and Six Sigma will transform your operations and Program flow to be released in February of 2024

About the author:?Daniel Bloom?knows HR and Change Management. He’s a speaker on transformational HR, a strategic HR consultant and trainer. Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter. The best strategy that I ever undertook was earning my SPHR and the Six Sigma Black Belt. You can take the same path with our Road to Organizational Excellence Seminar. For more information visit https://netorg5223078-my.sharepoint.com/:w:/g/personal/dan_dbaiconsulting_com/ETY_Nur5SptJmboTeh04ijUBb39pq5bXzhFAIOJmSOK6Dg?e=EVVhmg or email us at [email protected]

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