Stealing other people’s ideas…

I often explain to people that I don’t really have any good ideas myself. I just steal other people’s best practices and share them with the rest of the organization. In fact my work often involves getting the opportunity to ascertain what is working and what is not for almost every development group in the organization. Often I find myself promoting techniques that I know have worked well in one group. Obviously if it works in one group then it is easier to sell in another group. That does not mean that my job is easy. Too often I am up against significant resistance to change and I have to reassess when I should push hard and when I must accept what I am not able to change.

Resistance to Change…

IT professionals are often very opinionated and it is often the case that we like to have control over the factors that are likely to affect us on a daily basis. This means that many IT professionals are often very resistant to change, particularly when they fear a loss of control. At these times conflict can result with some significant threats to workplace stability and productivity. Often we are being asked to review a situation because a problem has occurred which only makes the potential for challenges even greater. Throw in a few professional egos and it can be very difficult to bring about change indeed. It is at these times when the CM practitioner has the very best opportunity for adding value and helping to promote best practices. We also have a significant risk of failure and even being blamed for the problems at hand.

Cognitive Processes at work…

Psychologists often talk about interpersonal conflicts. Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries was bold enough to suggest that some organizations could be described in terms of psychoanalytic (Freudian) processes (contact me if you would some references on their work). In my Industrial Psychology studies I met doctoral students who were enraged at this approach. Yet there is certainly considerable value in understanding the work environment in terms of cognitive processes. Intra-group conflict is considerably relevant to the efforts of the CM practitioner trying to ascertain and promote best practices. Tom Tyler and Steven Blader published an interesting analysis of Cooperation in Groups. Their work emphasized the importance of Perceived procedural justice and motivation of behavior engagement. I have already allowed myself too much psychobabble in this article so let me summarize by explaining that groups need to feel that proposed changes are fair and reasonable or they will be very creative in opposing any change at all. Motivating these professionals to change and adopt change is both necessary and challenging.

Sorting through the noise…

CM Practitioners are most often engaged when there is a problem that needs to be addressed. This is often when there has been a significant problem or even a disaster that has occurred. Frequently, we get called when senior management has changed (usually not by the managers own choice!) and the new leadership is searching for solutions. Obviously this is a time of significant uncertainty and challenge for the group. It is often the ONLY time when we can really being about significant change including promoting best practices. In psychological terms we call this the point in the environment has become unfrozen. It is often a time when there is a lot of noise and confusion in the environment as well.

Being self aware…

The stress of working in these situations can be very challenging for the CM practitioner. Self awareness and a willingness to change are core competencies that are essential for success. I personally find that when someone really irks me it is often because I see myself (or my former self) in that person’s behavior. Being honest, open and self aware are essential for successfully navigating these challenging environments. Obstacles are often the greatest opportunity for self awareness and self improvement.

Change not needed here…

One of the worst practices is suggesting best practices that address problems that are not relevant to a particular group. It is always important to ask about the goals and challenges being experienced by the team that you are trying to help. Some best practices may REALLY not be needed in some groups and the credibility of the CM practitioner will be (rightfully) questioned if he/she suggests solutions to problems that are not being confronted by the development team itself. I always ask the question, “what does your group do best and what do they have problems dealing with?”

Asking the right questions…

I usually ask if the development team can rebuild any release that is in production. I am careful to ask about capabilities that are perceived as fair and reasonable. Best practices can be shared across an organization and across companies – often competitors! By joining us here at CM Crossroads you are helping to promote CM and SCM best practices worldwide. Always stay aware of the relevance of suggested best practices to the development team that you are working for and with. Focus on the goals and problems as perceived by the group and then steal as many great ideas as you can and share them with everyone else!!!

Most of all please share your best practices as well as the cognitive processes that you go through when confronting and overcoming challenges in your environment. Promoting CM and SCM best practices is both exciting and rewarding!

Bob Aiello is a Senior Editor for Crossroads News and an Associate Director at a major financial services firm in NYC, where he has company wide responsibility for Software Configuration 

You can reach Mr. Aiello by email at raiello@acm.org

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