Changing behaviors at scale

Published date09 November 2015
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-09-2015-0079
Date09 November 2015
Pages230-233
AuthorDavid Swanson
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour
Changing behaviors at scale
David Swanson
David Swanson is
Executive Vice President
of Human Resources at
SAP, Palo Alto, California,
USA.
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share how SAP recently tackled the problem of changing
behaviors at a large scale.
Design/methodology/approach The objectives were achieved through evaluating popular
methodologies, i.e. Six Sigma, Quality Circles, Lean, etc., and identifying a new process that had
greater potential for innovative thinking to become reality.
Findings SAP discovered that Design Thinking allowed the company to connect multidisciplinary
teams using “radical collaboration” to tackle big projects using prototyping to discover new solutions.
Originality/value This new method of thinking is explored and transferable benefits for other
corporations are shared for those interested in exploring new approaches to problem-solving.
Keywords Change management, Transformation
Paper type Viewpoint
Perhaps the single biggest challenge a leadership team faces, particularly in large
established organizations, is to get their people to approach work differently or
significantly change their behavior in a way that is sustainable. It can be relatively
easy to make minor changes, learn a new skill or implement a new program or process, but
to have these changes become part of the fabric of people’s behavior is very daunting. In
addition, people can rally around a topic that has an urgent and immediate attraction.
Remember the days of Six Sigma, Quality Circles or Lean Methodology? They all were
embraced by many with a vengeance and a focus not often found, but after the initial six
to nine months passed, they became just a slogan and in many organizations failed to
materially change behavior.
There are however organizations that have made significant changes in response to
fluctuations in the market, competitive pressures or the desire to move into new markets.
Some have even been able to drive the change beyond the “honeymoon” period. For
example, IBM, GE and my own company SAP, all well-established companies with market
leading products that faced a crisis, realized that they had to significantly change their
strategy or perish. More importantly, they had to win over their employees by having them
change how they showed up at work every day, worked with each other and delighted the
customer to successfully sustain the change.
At SAP, there were certainly strong executives, in fact there were Co-CEOs, who were
instrumental in affecting change. SAP had developed a strong reputation for consistency,
trust and predictability. All of these were key elements of any organization that produced a
product that others relied on to run their businesses. Unfortunately, they were also traits of
an organization which was very difficult to change, slow to recognize market trends and at
times assumptive about what the customer needed versus actually listening to the
customer.
PAGE 230 STRATEGIC HR REVIEW VOL. 14 NO. 6 2015, pp. 230-233, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 DOI 10.1108/SHR-09-2015-0079

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