We recently went through an upgrade of one of our systems at work and as usual you always have those that resist it because it might mean they have to change and do some things differently. Some people hate it so much they may even refuse to and that refusal can create havoc with everyone else, even to the point of creating more work for others but as long as they do not have to change, they are OK with that. You will have those that will go with the change but complain about every little thing that is different but not to themselves, out loud so everyone knows they are not happy. And then you have those that realize change is inevitable and just go with it and learn to do it the new way.
This recent upgrade reminded me of a book I read written by Dr. Spencer Johnson called “Who Moved My Cheese?” During this upgrade I decided to reread the book since it was an easy read and just began to identify some of my users with the four characters in the book, Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw and I looked at myself as well. As I read the book with that in mind it began to make sense to me why some people are the way they are. As I was reading the book and identifying Hem, I tried to develop a means in which to communicate the need to change for our company and some listened and some just did not care, “I am not changing, make it work the old way.” Some even using statements like, “This is not a request, this is a demand and I want it done now.”
Now I did not go into this upgrade blind, never do, so I was not surprised that there were Hems and who those Hems would be. While they were indeed few, they were the loudest. You have heard the phrase, “The wheel that squeaks the loudest get the oil first.” Well they had too and for the most part that is their means of operation. They have always been this way and have seen no reason to change. It has got them to where they are thus far, why change now. Unfortunately it will take a retirement to remove some of that. I have been through upgrades where some just left rather than change and often, that is not a bad thing. We can refer to this as weeding.
We had some Sniffs and Scurries and you always appreciate them. And then there are the Haws. They are the ones that resist at first but after some prodding and special attention, eventually they come around and those are the ones that can help pull the Hems over but unfortunately not always.
The fact of the matter is, we all have some of each in our companies and we just have to develop ways of dealing with each of them in their own way. Understanding that their fear is a big part of why they are the way they are. They learned their job from the previous person and it works and they see no need change. They begin to feel they are loosing a sense job security because now their job has been made easier with a new system and that they well no longer be valuable to the company. That mentality however can and often does stand in the way of progress for a company. They forget they do WORK for the company rather than the other way around. They can even make their immediate manager’s life miserable if they are forced to change their process
Personally I would like to think that I am a Sniff and Scurry person but, more times than I not, I am a Haw. I have never been a Hem but, because I realize changes are inevitable, I have learned to work with them. I am not always successful with them, but I give it my best shot.
Let’s do this... 