Movements, not champions

I posted on this a fair while ago, but I thought it was worth while revisiting as it is such a vital part of the reliability and maintenance area of work.

There is a myth out there that reliability projects fail because of a "lack of management support". I have a different view. My view comes from my own implementation experience, and through discussions with industry leaders like John Moubray.

So personally, I find that the main reason for failure of reliability projects is not a lack of support (we will deal with that later) but when the champion leaves.

Looking back I cannot recall how many times an initiative, or an engagement has come to a sudden halt because the "champion" did very well out of it and was promoted.

This brings me to my pet hobby horse. We do not need any more champions, what we need are movements.

In a champions world one, or a few, people are charged with championing an initiative. They are everywhere, speaking to everyone, rambling and ranting and espousing the virtues of whatever it is they are championing.

And following them is often the shadow of their sponsor, looking threatening, and only the slightest hint of something good happening if people are compliant.

It just simply doesn't work. I am not talking about brave people, I love brave people - they make my work as a consultant so much more enjoyable.

Champions leave, the project stops, champions are not effective, the project stops, champions are not supported, the project fails and the poor old champion gets to be the fall guy.

What we need are movements spurred by viral ideas. An  idea that is so infectious, and so powerful that it has people running towards it - rather than having to be pushed out there at every opportunity. Movements have leaders, but they don't need them to keep moving forward.

Sounds hard but it actually isn't. We give ourselves away here a bit....

Maintainers in general, and Engineering people specifically - Love machinery! They have a true and very real interest in how things work, and they quickly tap into new concepts and ideas that they are able to understand easily.

I have taught people RCM and watched them almost immediately take a right turn ion their careers, blasting off into new roles, new positions and following what they now see as their passion. I have taught Reliability Modelling to people and watched them also fall under its spell.

Why? It works, it "clicks" and it helps them do what they do best.

Some things I have used to create a movement in the past...

1) Needed. One good idea. 

An idea that will infect people who hear it, help them get more out of their work and career, and help the company they work for. (Here are some clues - RCM, RAM Analysis, CBM, Defect Elimination.)

2) Prove it. (You don't get to tell the boss yet) 

Get a small group of co-conspirators together and start to pilot the approach. Warning: This part could cost you money. I sent myself on my first RCM course because I thought it would change the world. I love pilots. Not just the proof of concept pilots that you do when engaging consulting firms, but any pilots. Exciting stuff.

3) Tell others about it. 

With the pilot done, start to tell other people all about it. Tell them what you did, what the results were, use the value quadrant to talk about benefits, get them excited too.

4) More pilots. (The boss still doesn't know)

With your newly formed group of converts to whatever cause it is you are doing, start to run an additional pilot or two. All small scale, all very tightly focused, all very aimed at making step changes in performance.

5) Tell more people...

Starting to get the picture yet?

Think of it, prove it, tell everyone about it, prove it again, tell more people... and so on.

The biggest roadblock to creating a movement is authority. The people who got to where they are by being conservative, and are not about to get radical now just because "times are a changing."

Creating a movement is about inspiring people to action, not hounding them into it.