I’m kind of 50/50 on this. Some days I want to work alone, not be bothered at all, do the work and go home. But sometimes I actually do want to be collaborative and offer up ideas and solutions.
However I’m also one of those people who internally groans when the company starts some new “goal” that is buzzword bullshit, wastes a bunch of time in meetings, and ends up only making processes worse.
Do you keep your head down, or do you actively engage in your workplace?
Yes, I do suggest improvements, and it’s how I got promoted to my current role as a manufacturing project manager (Yes, ugh, project manager. At least I’m technical).
I think the approach matters a lot. Nobody appreciates some corporate jagoff like me coming in and saying that everything is being done wrong and I have a better way. The people who engage in a given process every day are the experts in that process. Regardless of what I think could be improved, they have to buy in and agree that the changes I proposed are actually useful, which they won’t do unless they feel some ownership over or stake in the change.
If I have ideas on how to improve, I start by asking about the current process and why things are done that way. It’s easy as an outsider to think that there are opportunities to improve something, especially when I don’t have a lot of insight into that process.
Sometimes, the answer to why we do things in a certain manner is “we’ve always done it that way,” which indicates to me that either:
The second option doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t room for improvement, as technology and capabilities evolve over time, but it may not be worth further exploration.
Often times, in asking those questions, I learn about some nuance or technicality that totally invalidates my idea or changes how I would approach it. Sometimes we accept inferior ways of doing things because they make something else more efficient or easy.
It’s important to pick your battles when proposing improvements. Not everything will bring the same degree of cost savings, efficiencies, or whatever other benefits to the table. Choose the ones that will have the biggest impact with the least amount of effort/cost to implement, and you have a formula for success.
Great comment. I’d also add that you have to know your audience, and when to suggest solutions to “human problems” and when to suggest solutions to “business problems.” You can get really far and gain great rapport by striking a balance.
Totally agree! Although, I often find that people issues are business issues in disguise- In my fairly limited experience (I’m only a few years into this career), most people want to do their job well. A failure to provide folks with the appropriate resources and support to do their jobs effectively often makes it look like people not doing their jobs, when really they’re wearing multiple hats and trying to balance too much work.