Organisation - A Real Big Elephant

Organisational problems are not the same as individual problems. Organisational problems tend to be more challenging. And herein are some challenges:

• The older the organisation, the more systems and processes they have. And some of them have been around for so long that no one is prepared to take the bold step of removing them. So systems pile on top of systems.
• With technology, we see the increase in computer systems. But for two interacting systems to work, they must be able to communicate with each other via ‘interfaces’. Like bringing together two surfaces, there is a need to make sure that the two are glued properly so that they do not come apart at critical times. Now, the ‘glue’ is the interface and the two surfaces are the relevant computer systems. Depending on whether the two surfaces are made of the same materials, the type of ‘interfaces’ might be quite different.
• Some key systems have been in organisations for many years and no one dare to do anything to it. What if someone ‘breaks’ it?
• Business Analysts, when preparing to write a process in a system, fail to consider all business requirements and ask the key questions, effectively having a less-than-optimal solution in the system and that will require subsequent visits later on.
• Cost of upgrading anything within the system is mighty costly. So, no one wants to do anything because it is in a ‘too costly’ and ‘too hard’ basket.
• The bigger the organisation, the more systems, processes and people are involved. Complexities and management increase.
• For big organisations, those who do the job may not want to document the processes because of inconvenience, not having the skill or simply to protect one’s own job. These people handling the process may determine precisely not to do any process documentation.
• Even if these processes are documented, the organisation may go through restructuring over time, be it a retrenchment, merger or demerger (Think of the merger of city councils as a result of political realignment, e.g. the Auckland City Council). All these make documented processes redundant. In addition, unless they are updated, reviewed and managed regularly these will over time become irrelevant.
• Even if they are documented, there are the issues of finding them and making sure that staff are communicated, trained and updated every time a change takes place. Documents maybe kept in different forms in different places. Now, which is the correct version again?
• Then there are the issues of politics and silos. Organisations are made up of people who are structured by departments. People tend to operate comfortably within their own departments but a ‘product process’ is likely to touch several departments. Each department tends to view only to aim for their own benefits, sometimes forgetting the impact that their actions may have on their other business partners. They do not know what the other department is doing.
• Next, there is the issue of ‘process owners’. If the process is handled by two big divisions, e.g. wholesale and retail, then which division is responsible for the process?
• Culture of ‘empowerment’ can complicate things. ‘Empowerment’ to the point of each department looking after their own areas.
• What about the other ‘people’ aspect of staff turnover and promotion? An organisation that has a high staff turnover will face more problems than others. People do move on and they bring along the organisation’s institutional knowledge in their heads.

I hope by now you see where I am going with. Solving organisational problems is likened to untangling a messed up ball of wool; where would you start? 

Sometimes, it is much easier to begin all over again but, with big and entrenched organisations, it is impossible to do so. The ‘best’ least intrusive long-term solution is to make sure that the discipline of governance, documentation, and review is carried out.

Ever been to an old building that has been well maintained regularly and still spick and span? That is exactly where organisations ought to be when we apply the same level of discipline.

Let me know if you need help.