Abominations Part 2

The 2nd of this 4-part series discusses how both the choice and timing of one improvement initiative may affect the feasibility and success of subsequent initiatives.

5/19/20222 min read

Money is no longer created the same way as before. Cryptos, NFTs and digital currencies are proof of how much easier it has become, with the right channels, platforms and ideas, to gain access to funds, and with it, the ability to buy time, technology and talent. Is it correct then to assume with enough resources, that all conceivable challenges have been addressed?

I used to own a modest manufacturing business, when the term “easy credit” was both a punchline and an oxymoron. I can relate to employers, who experience some degree of indecision brought about by limited resources. I also used to work for business owners, who, despite having ready access to funds, found it challenging to acquire the clarity needed to avoid needless waste. In some instances, more resources simply added more confusion about what to prioritize.

Growing businesses find parallels with construction projects that involve just one building, or a mega-project relocating an entire city. Surely, the best results come from the right blend of money, materials, machines, methods, men (and women), and often, the right mindset.

The one difference between construction of new buildings/cities versus businesses in their next phases of growth, is that the latter do not typically get to start out on a clean slate, as employers and employees would have already grown into whatever culture and processes had been in place. This is frequently observed in family-run businesses looking at the 2nd generation to take the reins and in companies that grew their businesses faster than they could adequately hold their people accountable.

We can ask professionals who implement improvement programs like LeanSixSigma, Agile, InvestorsinPeople, performance management, in quality certification programs like ISO, and in process automation solutions such as HRIS, ERP and CRM. Too often business owners have complained: “Too expensive. Taking too long.”, and even more often employees muttered amongst themselves: “Too much extra work.”. As for those involved with ERP and CRM, they would hear vendors and clients politely give feedback that sounded something like: “Too bureaucratic.”. Realization sets in that resistance is only the tip of the iceberg as soon as initial attempts to establish baselines are made, finding either a lack of useful data, or an excess of useless ones that took up a lot of time, energy and focus.

Growth will make improvement initiatives, quality certification and process automation necessary at some point. Businesses typically scale this way. Depending on access to resources, some businesses get only one shot; while others make concurrent attempts on multiple fronts. But none succeed without monetary costs, and certainly not without immeasurable impact on company morale and culture. Given any number of attempts, it has to be said that money, by comparison, is easier to earn back than trust, goodwill and enthusiasm.

(End of Part 2)