How do you handle skepticism to process improvement?

Handling skepticism to process improvement can be challenging but crucial for continuous improvement and innovation. In the pharmaceutical industry, where safety, quality, and compliance are paramount, it's crucial to balance innovation with skepticism. Addressing skepticism when implementing process improvements requires a combination of data-driven decision-making, clear/transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to ongoing learning and adaptation. By demonstrating the benefits and involving employees at all levels, you can increase acceptance and support for changes that lead to better pharmaceutical processes and outcomes.

For me, focus on the why, spend energy on ensuring the reasons why the new process is better. If you do a good job on this and communicate it well, skepticism will reduce significantly.

Listen first, second and third, then discuss. Too much process improvement activity is driven by "experts" or CPI professionals that are very skilled in finding a solution. Unfortunately their ideas won't work, and it's not to do with skepticism or fear of change. It's simply that they are not as smart as they think. Too many contributions to this topic are about "convincing" people. The wrong place to start. People living a process mostly know how it can be improved. Start with that. Help them tweak their ideas so their workflow becomes easier. Most of all focus on what characterises quality at every process step. Then you have a chance.

It's quite natural to face skepticism in a process improvement scenario. Before venturing out to convince everyone on why the introduced process is better, it is important to have already involved key stakeholders in defining the process improvement. This would already mitigate the chances that your key stakeholders find a new or improved process as alien. Afterward, identifying and addressing the remaining skepticism on a case by case basis helps winning over the majority of nay sayers. Your key stakeholders would ideally act as 'Change Partners' and help get the message across your organization.

Process Design is not like Mechanical design where certain things can be proved by visual facts before implementation. Process Design needs to be connected well with logical ability to convince the team involved for a change. Putting together the argument with logical sequence helps to persuade the difficult ones also. The arguments have to convince us first since self might be the strongest person to know about the issues and how this change will bring benefits.

A key concern I frequently come across is the fear that improvements only threaten job security. The key way to overcome this is to show how it helps reduce costs for our end customers, which in turn makes our product or service more appealing leading to greater volume and continued job security.

Before stepping up for the process improvement, one must have the domain knowledge and calculative decision making approach. Process improvement requires a good interdepartmental coordination, engagement of multiple stakeholders and a continuous effort to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, overall efficiency and consistent quality.

O envolvimento das partes interessadas é fundamental para que a melhoria do processo aconteça, uma abordagem clara e de escuta ativa, entendendo os principais gap's e dores das pessoas envolvida no processo, é uma forma de buscar soluções para mitigar as falhas ou melhorar o processo. No meu ponto de vista este trabalho em conjunto é uma maneira também de diminuir o ceticismo com relação a melhoria contínua nos processos.

Aligning stakeholders with end results of the process improvement, and how this improvement could benefit them can lead to better engagement and build trust long term. Using a stakeholder aligning tool can ensure that they understand , and support the process improvement decision and its rationale and benefits. You can also use a stakeholder buy-in or a commitment plan to secure their endorsement and cooperation for the implementation and transition.

Targeted Solutions: By precisely diagnosing the problem and its root, you can craft solutions that directly address the issue. No more throwing darts in the dark, wasting resources on initiatives that miss the mark. Reduced Skepticism: A clear understanding of the problem fosters trust and buy-in from stakeholders. When they see a laser-focused plan based on concrete evidence, the fog of doubt begins to dissipate.

Where possible, running a "test" with the new process and measuring it against the old one (even if only subjectively with the users who are resisting the change) gives you a low-pressure, non-committal environment to experiment with process change. Users are usually reticent to change processes when they've been burned in the past with bad processes being jammed down their throats. Build trust with testing and resistance will diminish.

Use statistical data and trends to illustrate the need for improvement. Matrics and statistical data is a better way to convey importance of the change and convince team to act on their part to welcome the change. Simply being a boss of someone or neglecting the power of a team is not going to help in the big and important projects.

In a technical environment we focus chiefly on measurables and numbers. It's easy to fixate on the quantifiable because it's comfortable to do so. That said, the value of the qualitative improvements may also carry equal or even more weight than the quantitative values. This is particularly important in the case of a reluctant skeptic who may require considerable persuasion. Make the best case you can, using all available benefits.

A forma mais simples de diminuir o ceticismo é demonstrando valor na possível melhoria aplicada. É importante mensurar o quanto está melhoria trará de valor para a Companhia, por este motivo é fundamental que o cenário atual do processo esteja bem mapeado e com seus indicadores bem definidos, para assim compará-lo com o cenário futuro com a melhoria aplicada, assim é possivel testar e comparar os dois cenários e tangebilizar o quanto esta melhoria irá trazer de resultados.

The key driver that I always use to demonstrate value to stakeholders is WIIFM - What's In It For Me. For some a process change can improve motivation. For others, it could be upskilling or monetary. What does need to be communicated is the value of not changing. In my training sessions, I talk about Relevance, Competitiveness, and Visibility. If the changes aren't made then the business may no longer be relevant in the marketplace due to poor customer service levels, lead times, quality, and supply. Without change the business may not be able to compete on price, forcing customers to look elsewhere. And if there are no customers the business disappears. The value then becomes job security and better working conditions.

Expect challenge and work on possibilities of how to handle upfront. Assuming that the ideas will not go through easily and needs defense with facts will make the preparation strong and solve major hurdles when implemented or presented.

Um bom exemplo para superar os desafios, principalmente por fatores cultural da organização e falta de recursos, é demonstrar o progresso da melhoria contínua nos processos de uma maneira a qual seja acessível a todos os níveis da organização, para um nivel executivo é importante que está informação esteja atrelado ao desafio estratégico da empresa e à resultados quantitativos, de forma que demonstre valor ao trabalho realizado na melhoria de processos.

It's great if you can manage the challenges on your own. However, don't be shy to ask for help if you need it. When facing hurdles, ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?". If the answer is not clear, the overall journey could be harder than you thought. If there's a clear answer, communicate with your stakeholders as per your strategic map. The ones with Power & Influence will surely be able to assist. Remember: Help & get help.

In addition to being proactive, flexible, and resilient, it also helps to be humble. Ask for help and be open to incorporating feedback - you will be increasing not only the probability of implementation, but also the chances that the impact will be sustained long after you were involved.

Risks to the process change should have been addressed in the beginning process flow mapping where change points were identified and mitigation actions anticipated by a core team of people who will be affected. Excuse my French for 7P's but Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

O mais difícil já foi superado, agora nesta fase é apresentar o resultado conquistado, isso pode acontecer em um evento específico ou aproveitar um evento corporativo de apresentação de resultados, o mais importante é reconhecer os envolvidos no trabalho e apresentar como foi importante a melhoria aplicada, deixando as portas abertas para que mais clientes internos tenham intereses no trabalhonde melhoria contínua.

This is critical; everyone loves to be part of a good success story. Send an email, write it in your newsletter - however you want to do it - but sing the team's praises and directly connect effort to outcome.

A small celebration of maybe a pizza or ice cream party goes a long way for the team to remember the success and their willingness to change in the future. Much more than a certificate.

Address skepticism in process improvement: listen to concerns, show quick results, communicate benefits, involve the team, offer training, share success stories, maintain transparency, establish metrics, be flexible, celebrate achievements. Create an environment conducive to acceptance.

Associating process improvement with a good change management plan helps a lot to reduce resistance and gain the support of key stakeholders.

O ceticismo em relação a melhoria contínua é muito comum em empresas que não praticam esta cultura com rotina, naquelas que já praticam pode encontrar desafios por alguns fatores, seja de falta de conhecimento dos gestores ou por recursos a serem investidos. O desafio é grande, mas com tecnicas, claresa no objetivo, envolvimento da alta gestão e uma boa comunicação é certo que aplicação da melhoria contínua será um sucesso.

The overall topic of managing such a skepticism is part of Change Management. There are a lot of courses and online information available on it. Hope that helps!

-Testing concept / new process with select few or if possible with the one most influencing decision maker in one to one an open platform to challenge and persuade. -Prior to even launching a test, on boarding and involving key stakeholders/ key users at 'development stage ' will do wonders to change management