Continuous Improvement is Top down approach or Convincing others for better results?

I have heard many times from Different Managers that successful Continuous Improvement or Business Excellence people are very good influencers and their interpersonal skills and convincing skills are very good. There is no role of Top Management in building CI culture if good CI people are hired.

What do you feel? 

Before you conclude anything, just read my point of view.

Scene 1: Traffic Lights in Lucknow, India

You are crossing the road when there is red light for vehicles. You see most of the people on bikes without helmet and in cars without wearing seat belts. We all know that how dangerous it is to meet an accident without helmet on bikes and seat belt in cars. Still people don't follow this. There is Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which mandates wearing of helmet on two-wheelers and seat belt for driver and front seat passenger for four-wheeler but due unavailability of traffic police or lack of reinforcement from traffic police, people are not following the rules in the city.

Scene 2: Traffic Lights in Chandigarh, India 

You are crossing the road when there is red light for vehicles. You see all of the people on bikes have worn helmets and all car drivers and front seat passengers wearing seat belt. The traffic police is available on almost all traffic lights in the city and at many traffic lights, cameras are installed. There is a heavy fine for violation of traffic rules. People avoid to violate the law due to fine. 

Now, give it a thought that what is making people following the traffic rules? 

a. Is it their awareness about road safety? 

b. Is it compulsion to follow traffic rules due to heavy fines?

Traffic Police enforcing laws and rules is equivalent to Top Management in a company. The moment, top management wants something, it gets implemented in the company. If Top Management wants to change culture, bring change in systems or go for high impact projects, it is going to be successful. People who cannot handle this will either change or leave the organization. Also, here I do not mean that for implementation of change or culture, Top Management will do policing. But it means that Top Management will ensure the fulfillment of vision & existence of the company and align every employee towards that single goal.

On the other hand, if you have been hired by management and you will identify and execute projects related to improvements at your own, without support from top management, it is going to be failure. Why? Everyone knows what is good or bad but why to follow your advice? Are your KPIs & KPIs of Operations people same? Are they being paid for same outcome? No. That's it. This is the answer.

Everyone knows the value of morning walk and exercise. But even if Doctors try to convince people to follow this regularly, how many of us are interested in getting up early and sweat? On the other side, see Armed forces. How much disciplined they are because of their lifestyle and requirement by their management. 

Finally, I conclude that convincing for changing work method or doing something good can work only when the KPIs are shared. Not otherwise. Your ideas may be too good, but others are paid for doing something else. They are not going to follow your advice because management wants something different from you and from them.

Please do share your point of view and feedback of this article in the comments section.