Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

Register Log in
  • Congratulations TugboatEng on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Malicious Intent/Sabotage 11

Status
Not open for further replies.
controlnovice

controlnovice

Electrical
Joined
Jul 28, 2004
Messages
976
Location
US
I'm trying to make a 'sale' of a new philosophy in operations. I have 'buy-in' by management, but I haven't made the sale yet to operations, but have passed it by several other engineers. One in particular, disagrees strongly and has already talked with the operators about how bad of an idea he thinks it is. Not just one shift in passing, but all shifts, all units. I know because operators are already complaining about it, without knowing the reason behind the recommendation.

Would this be considered malicious intent or sabotage by the other engineer and is this anything to go to HR about?

Or do I just need to make the sale/grow thicker skin?

_________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

The innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.



Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Why does the engineer in question have a problem with the new philosophy? Does he have some valid concerns? Will it increase his workload. Does he stand to lose something?

Forget HR, just mention to management that said engineer has been "bad-mouthing" and undermining the philosophy.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Or it could just be a personal thing. He may not like seeing you with a sucessful idea.

Tact is the ability to sell your idea to someone as there idea.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Do NOT even THINK about involving HR.

They live in a Bizzarro universe, where YOU will be perceived, and persecuted, as a troublemaker.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Very difficult.
You need a way to try and resolve this that doesn't immediately escalate it to an official complaint or make the situation worse, or put yourself up as a "troublemaker".

Any new proposal requires a sequence of actions that includes "consultation". You float the idea and solicit comment. You must expect some will be adverse. Adverse comments are always valuable because they need to be dealt with by providing a solution in the proposal not as part of a fire fighting exercise after the fact.

So if you say "we are all going to jump off a high building" it is absolutely no good if everyone says what a good idea it is. You need someone to object and say that you'll all be killed (not find it out on the way down). This problem requires a solution and you then can propose abseiling or parachutes, for example.

So what the objector needs to do is address these comments to you, the proposer, not to the operators. He does need to be asked for feedback and may welcome the opportunity. If no feedback mechanism has been provided some people may find a propaganda campaign the only option.

Ergo, you need to request everyone concerned should submit and response to the proposal and specifically request comments on any adverse aspects. You can send this to everyone (not to single anyone out).
Making his comments to you ought to be the proper response so that his objections can be seriously considered. You never know, asking him directly for his comments may make him feel included rather than an observer and may help bring him onside. It is especially important to deal with objections in a positive way and to show appreciation to those who make the objections because they can be a very valuable part of helping everyone "buy in" to the scheme. Sometimes the very people who raise objections are the ones with the solutions.

You might mention your proposal to formally request comments to your own manager and advise that you have heard there have been some objections and you need to have them formally submitted for consideration.

You don't need to volunteer what you've heard about one person, but if your manager asks (as he ought if you are suitably vague)then you can provide all the evidence as being asked for not volunteered.

Having come up with a course of action designed to solicit and consider any and all negative views, it may now put this engineer on the spot. He can either not submit a report or he can submit one that is totally negative and it is then he who will be demonstrating his negativity.



JMW
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
In my own experience with similar situations, Greg is spot-on and gets a star for eloquence and good advice.

When the supertanker of mediocrity is finally up to speed, it's impossible to change course quickly.

Of course we all think that we have a brilliant idea for change or the benefits of implementing the "improvement philosophy du jour" are so obvious that everyone would want to join in willingly. The sad truth is usually not so, and for a variety of valid reasons. Older guys have been hit with those radical improvement schemes every few years with typically diastrous results. My experience is managers (and not a few ambitious engineers), looking to advance to the next rung on the ladder, jump on an improvement bandwagon strictly for the advancement potential, not for the company benefits. So it usually fails, and the folks remaining are reluctant to be dragged down that path again. That's why all of those gurus' implementation plans start with "get Company Management Buy-In" in order to force a behavioral change in a company personality. Ha. Easier said than done, and still not always successful. Motorola was deeply into Shainin Six Sigma philosophy, and they STILL imploded.

My advice from my experience: start slowly, start small. Do a no- or low-risk pilot project to demonstrate the utility of the idea. Prototype it, so to speak. If it fails, you wont' be too embarrassed and your career may survive intact. If it flies, then build off of that success and sell the idea of attempting a little bit bigger implementation. And on, and on. But for certain, it will be a long, arduous road.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Good idea or not, you are probably doomed by the apparent failure to start with the grass roots.

There will always be opposition to a "new guy" coming in and saying "we're going to change everything".

You should have started with what your opposition is doing now. Talking to the operators. Asking questions. Planting seeds. "I know that you've done it like this for a long time, but what do you think about....?"

Good luck.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Very good advice from all and I appreciate it from both sides. I realize I have to work on myself as well.

The change in philosophy is something that is being driven by industry best practices (Abnormal Situation Management), so it's not just another organizational program of the month.

I went to fellow engineers and my immediate management first for ideas and best way to proceed. The person who is pro-actively sabotaging the idea was previously in my position and the one who created the existing system in which I am recommending change. I realize this is one of those, "This is how we've always done it!" complacency issues.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
this is something that can be handled with good public involvement. For planning projects, we often hire a special consultant solely to "facilitate" this. Type A personality and very good interpersonal skills are required. Workshops, brainstorming and partnering sessions are organized and conducted and everyone is invited. Everyone gets a project t-shirt, holds hands and sings kum-baya. At the end, the nay-sayers generally are quiet. This is usually not a good job for the typical engineer to tackle.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah, I know a guy who does that on a global scale.
I've never seen anyone sell a project better.
I've not been real happy with some of the projects he's chosen to sell. It was possible to kill some of them with lifecycle cost economic arguments. Emotional arguments never worked.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
How long has it been since you took over from Mr. Previous?

Good luck,
Latexman
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's been about two years.

I've already been in conversation about getting a facilitator from the ASM consortium to review with operations the reason behind this philosophy change. It's a good idea to bring someone else into the fold so people realize I'm not doing this for my own good, but for everyone's.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
"You should have started with what your opposition is doing now. Talking to the operators. Asking questions. Planting seeds. "I know that you've done it like this for a long time, but what do you think about....?""

A star for Mint for that one. It is surprising what can be accomplished, and how fast minds changed at all levels of management, when the shop techs are on your side...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote

If Machiavelli can be quoted as an elegant description of the situation, then I'll quote Sun-Tsu (Chinese General and military strategist)

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. The best victory is won without fighting."

controlnovice, you need to enlist the help of Mr. Previous. Go to him not to convince him of the superiority of the New Order, but to enlist his help in solving problems in implementing the New Order. If Mr. Previous is vested in the plan, he won't feel compelled to recruit his mutineers to prevent your plan from going forward. Begin by telling him that his order was great, but there are new philosophies, etc.

"Gorgeous hair is the best revenge." Ivana Trump
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
NO. Begin by inducing Mr. Previous to explain what problems existed before the old order, and which ones of those the old order solved, in excruciating detail.

Along the way, _he_ will start to discuss ways in which the proposed/mandated new order might help with the still unresolved issues.

He will first of course start by explaining why it can't work, but your questions will start him exercising his brain.
... unless you start _telling_ him something, or anything; that will close his inlet valve immediately.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
What Mike said. Like it or not, Mr. Previous can be one of your best resources. It's a shame he poisoned the waters versus coming to you. Maybe it can be salvaged.

Good luck,
Latexman
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The objective is to get Mr previous to put his comments in writing. That is the point behind my original post.
This is a put up or shut up strategy.
He will realise his written submission will be reviewed by others and will moderate his comments.

Whether he likes it or not, it now brings him into the process as a player and not an observer.

He cannot refuse and especially he cannot refuse and carry on carping.

(This is a variant on one of those techniques used to defuse objections, especially handy at conference)
If you know some or all of the objections he has raised, you might include them as part of the areas for which you need feedback.
Chances are some of what he has been saying is BS and won't be repeated.
He now has a further problem that if he has made one set of comments in writing, he has no credibility of he raises other (spurious or not) verbally.
Once he has commented in writing, these problems can be addressed. He can be tasked with solving them. As can others. He won't want to be the only one who can't solve any one problem that others can.
Of course, if he doesn't come to heel, everything is now well documented.
If he doesn't respond to the request, he has shot himself in the foot, especially as he is vocal about it to the operators and if he does respond, he is committed to being a part of the team. You just reel him in step by step. He'll either come round or he'll expose himself to management with no need for you to complain.

JMW
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top