THE AUTHOR’S PARABLE FOR CHANGE AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Who Moved My Cheese? is a perennial favourite and oft-cited book dealing with change management and perception. Having just re-read The One Minute Manager – written by the author Spencer Johnson and his co-writer Kenneth Blanchard who supplies a foreword here – picking up this book was of even more interest to me. This book is a short and an easy read given its many images, compact text and larger font.

It is not difficult to understand the many scornful reviews of this book. Change is an important concept and a reality. The book makes valuable points regarding the notion and its inevitability. Much of the parable and its lessons, which are simply put, but are anything but, are true and the stuff that make or break companies and people. Having said that, the writer’s simplification and quite one-sided take on the world of change is shocking and rather insolent.

Yes, change might be (and is) everywhere, but it should not be a self-fulfilling prophecy and a crutch – or metaphor for – irrationally explaining away anything and everything. Companies/societies/families and their respective leaders/politicians/heads have responsibilities and one of those is guidance and disciplined change or, better yet, improvement and pertinence. It is a wonder that the metaphorical characters receive no guidance or signposts. It is as if the author is advocating a free for all laissez-faire regime where anything goes and no responsibility is expected of those whose positions, experience and remuneration is based on management and assistance. Worse, the non-thinking mice are lauded, while the analytical ‘little men’ are derided. While not seeing or expecting change is indeed dire, and not reacting to it is worse, criticizing the thinking men is taking things one step too far. Spencer Johnson suggests Hem And Haw should think less and be more animalistic like Sniff and Scurry when in ‘The Maze.’ It is odd and, to use hyperbole, reminiscent of the behaviour seen in fraud and failures like Global Crossing, Adelphia and Enron where everyone did as they were told and did not give it a single thought. After all, ‘change happens’ these folk probably were thinking (or weren’t). Even the markets know that too much change is bad as evidenced by corporations fleeing revolutions or stock markets plunging in the face of change for its own eternal sake.

Let us be careful, Who Moved My Cheese? has a commonsensical idea and is correct in its insistence that people like their ‘cheese’ and hold on more firmly the more of it they have. This indeed is a recipe for future failure. It is what we would call behaving like a fossil, but there is no guarantee a better cheese is available elsewhere, or contrary to what the book claims, something else will be discovered… just by virtue of a mindless search. It is offensive to say that employees, workers, citizens should not expect any “benefits” as per page thirty-eight. That is both contrary to logic and unfair to people who have built a society or made a company what it is. Without a carrot, no one will bite after all. What does make sense is page forty three’s reminder that that one needs to stay sharp, adapt and not lose his or her edge. Doing the same thing over and over is indeed dangerous in most circumstances. What I certainly liked about the message was that one should not be afraid. What would one do if he were not afraid?

Humans have learnt to analyze and hopefully re-analyze as a learnt behaviour that is conducive to survival. Most of our learned behaviour stems from millennia of adapting to conditions and the instinct to survive. Even mice do the same despite the author’s metaphor to the contrary. It is only after such a process that one can approach change. And one option might be to not go on a search when no supporting evidence exists that setting out would be desultory, contrary to rational thought or the opposite of the lessons of experience. “Movement in a new direction” might fulfil the promise of new cheese or might lead to a drop off the cliff.

Not to belabour the point, but having read the book one remains unconvinced of the absolute supremacy of one option over the other. Remaining static, stationary and unimproved is not fruitful. Making changes for the sake of changing and doing so out of habit or as a way of hiding the actual reasons behind an occurrence is also disingenuous. Change is a fact, will happen and can, and often is, for the better, yet promoting it for its own sake or as a pretext is dishonest and that is where Who Moved My Cheese? goes too far.

The Application Of Six Sigma Concepts To Improve The Customers’ Experience

What Is Six Sigma Process Management? is a relatively quick study at just over 100 pages; however, given a methodical structure, plain language and ample diagrams the authors render the subject as simple to absorb as possible. Being a rookie in the field the book’s methodology was indeed straightforward. How that translates to experienced readers, black belts and consultants in the field is best read in other reviews, but the presence of a concise description of all concepts involved was a plus in this circle. Having said that, a better compilation of definitions and a glossary are missed.

The authors’ definition is that “The Six Sigma Process Management methodology is a practical approach that focuses the tools and rigor of Lean Six Sigma on your critical processes in order to help you identify the most strategic and customer-focused opportunities for Lean Six Sigma projects in your organizations.” The book next relates this topic to what every company has and needs to improve upon, namely products (or services), delivery and value for employees, suppliers and customers. This is where the concept of SIPOC (Suppliers, Input, Process, Output and Customers) is connected to the basic methodology of DMAIC (define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). In the case of the `Customers’ the process must be value-add i.e. customers must be willing to pay for something the company does that can be done correctly for them the first time around that has gone through a transformation before being delivered.
This book defines what it means when it speaks of a process management in Six Sigma (“end-to-end core processes” are those high-level processes that are the primary drivers of value, satisfaction and profit), goes into detail in the implementation and management phase, discusses the tools needed and ends with a snapshot of what a future organization practicing the science would ostensibly look like. One such process is the obvious one, order-to-cash. However, an inordinate amount of emphasis is given to the management of the process. The authors emphasize the needs for constant and consistent executive sponsorship and the imperative that “process governance” be maintained. The authors’ practical experience in the field likely renders the judgment that strong leadership needs to be sustained for any Six Sigma process to succeed. The presence and approval of executive leadership will prevent an emotional and practical disconnect on behalf of the participants and the failure of the project. And here is a simple formulae for measuring the effort: R(esult) = Q(uality of the solution) x A(cceptance of the solution).

As the book admits, Six Sigma Process Management (SSPM) is not for the faint-hearted. The inter-linked process requires detailed self-examination, metrics, analysis and supervision. However, it can be done and needs to be done and the tools are outlined here. Clearly, the message is that variations and detours are possible, and have been successes at companies like GE or Amex, but the hierarchy and the basics are not in doubt for these practitioners. SSPM will help identify the current processes, deducing what needs to be done and mapping a near-future strategy with the vital Voice Of Customer in mind.