A632.8.3.RB - Reflections on the Cynefin Framework

The Cynefin Framework is a valuable tool for any leader, as it provides a solid foundation for decision-making in almost any setting and scenario. I have used it before in my current organization without even knowing it, and I have observed many benefits from it. For one, it gives clear and concise instructions to the decision maker in a variety of scenarios and takes the guesswork out of determining what future action looks like. Secondly, it prevents the leader from knowingly acting inappropriately and taking the wrong course of action, which could have severe impacts on the outcome. Thirdly, it provides a list of danger signals that can be used to prepare for what’s next.

On one of the busier days our distribution center has seen this year, our carton sorter that drops cartons down into individual trailers completely shut down. This resulted in nearly fifty team members coming to a complete stop because they relied on this piece of equipment to run to keep them productive. This situation was chaotic, as I had to immediately find work for these fifty team members spread throughout four different departments. I partnered up with all of the department managers and communicated a plan to them. We quickly took action and made several adjustments to our original production plan to keep them productive while meeting our level of service goals. We realized that our plan was good because we planned for the worst and the sorter ended up being down for about two hours. Once the sorter started again, we made more adjustments and worked seamlessly the rest of the shift. Our communication was key to our success, along with effectively acting first and then determining if it was good or not, rather than waiting around.

In another example using the Cynefin Framework, I made a decision in a complicated environment. One of our events that we were having in the distribution center, which was forecasted for so many cartons to be processed, came in much heavier than expected. We had limited resources because we planned for the forecast amount of cartons, so me and another department manager sat down that morning during planning to determine the best possible plan for the day. We analyzed the information we had and matched it with the workload and available resources. We created an unusual plan that had never been done before, with the expected outcome of keeping our level of service within threshold and maxing out available resources. Our plan turned out being successful, which came as somewhat of a surprise being that we tried a new process and were unsure of the outcome. We took the appropriate steps by first gathering data, analyzing it, than responding with a plan of action. This may not have been the only right answer, but it was ours and it worked.

There are several ways in which the Cynefin Framework can improve decision-making skills. It offers a framework that can be used for almost any situation, whether it be a routine or chaotic environment. This framework takes the guess work out of action steps and decisions. It also forces a partnership with others depending on the environment, which could improve the overall decision by adding outside perspective. This could improve teamwork and collaboration skills for some leaders. The framework also challenges leaders to think critically in different situations. Because there may be times where there are no cause and effect relationships, or even a known response, it forces leaders to think outside the box for a solution on their own. The framework may also help organizations form best practices for simple situations, making decision-making more predictable and less stressful. These best practices could establish rotuines and processes for the leader to follow in each instance. 

A632.7.4.RB - Collaborative Decision-Making

Stakeholders can help you make better decisions for all of the people involved because they allow you to think through a multitude of scenarios and factors in a decision. They often consider almost every possible detail of the decision and the impacts of the decision if made a certain way. To help bring this to life, I had to make a decision about a process I was trying to improve at work. I thought of the improvements myself and never lobbied them to the team they were affecting before officially starting the new process. The improvements were good, but they could have been better had I partnered with some of the team members first, being that they were considered experts in that department and it was affecting them, not me. I was trying to get them bought in to the new process, but this was not possible without first using their ideas and opinions in the improvements.

Stakeholder involvement in decision-making can benefit me in 5 ways. First, it ensures fairness in my decision-making by making sure that everyone is involved in the process and gets a shot at contributing. Secondly, it ensures that all viewpoints and critical areas are considered when making the decision. Thirdly, the stakeholders will more than likely provide challenging arguments and questions that ensure the best decision is being made for everyone, not just one individual. The fourth benefit is building the relationships with the stakeholders through involvement and collaboration. By allowing them to be involved in the process, respect and trust will improve. The fifth benefit is accountability. If everyone takes part in a decision, then everyone will share the consequences associated with that decision, whether they be good or bad.

I achieved my objective in this case, but it took longer than expected because I refrained from bringing the group into the decision-making process. There was not one individual that would have made this decision process better, but rather the entire group as they all have had different experiences and bring something unique to the table in terms of decision-making.

The first thing I learned from this process was to involve the group before the process even started. I should have shared with them my vision, as illustrated in the second step of the resolution cycle, so that we could formulate a plan around my vision, if they all agreed with it. The second learning for me was keeping them involved throughout the process and ensuring that they get input. This ensures that all topics are being covered and they feel like part of the improvement process. Thirdly, I could have recognized them for their efforts and tracked the success of the improvement after it was implemented to show how their collaboration was a success. When doing this in the future, I’m going to ensure that each affected team member is involved in the process, from the beginning to the end. 

A632.6.3.RB - The High Cost of Conflict

Just recently I had a conflict with one of my co-workers over several issues. Our building was going through a very busy period where additional warehouse worker hours were required, mostly in the form of overtime. My job was to approve the overtime hours and include them in my plans. This is tricky because you want to make sure there is enough overtime to accomplish our goals, but not too much to where we run out of work. This is all based on forecasts and how many warehouse workers are signed up. I approved it for one department and realized the next day after 8 additional team members showed up that staffing was entered wrong in the tracking file. I called this manager on her day off and let her know that the staffing was not only wrong, but that the forecasts were lower than expected so we did not have enough work for the overtime team members. The next week her staffing was wrong again and we ended up not meeting our daily plans for that department because of it. I ended talking to her about it again and what the impact of her missing her staffing was. I also followed up with her manager because this was a negative trend that was beginning to start.

The cost of conflict was higher than I was comfortable with. The miss in staffing that one day led me to create production plans with resources that were not even available that day. This caused the building to lose the level of service on priority cartons that the stores needed. It also gave me a negative feeling toward the manager because I felt like she didn’t value her job, nor did she value mine, being that staffing was so important. This affected our relationship as it created tension between us.

After looking at the ten principles of new thinking, I could have followed some of the beginning steps in more detail, as this may have preserved the relationship part of this conflict. Creating partnerships earlier in the process could have prevented the second occurrence from happening. However, I feel that this manager did not possess the qualities to be able to deal with the conflict in a more effective way. She did not take accountability for the staffing misses, nor did she commit to making it better going forward. I used my feelings after the first time and thought that she was going to improve, but I was wrong and she failed to meet her commitments.

This exercise helped me realize what types of costs are associated with conflicts of all types; even those at work that you feel are minor. When this conflict was happening I did not think of the impact it would have on our relationship. These conflicts have impacts greater than you would imagine, especially in a high speed, fast pace work environment where small mistakes have big effects.

A632.5.5.RB - Protected Values in Decision-Making

My three protected values include my marriage, my health and well-being, and the education of myself and my family. I value much more than these three that I have listed, but I protect these values the most and they coincide with one another, along with all revolving around my family.

My marriage is the most important of all protected values. My wife and I make time for one another each week, and make it a point to invest in our marriage by continually improving it. This value is non-negotiable, and only in extreme cases do we make plans to refrain from spending time together. We recognize the importance of building our relationship, so we make every effort possible to carve out time during my days off to participate in activities that involve the two of us. This is why I protect this value the most.

My second value, which is my health, is something that I have to make concessions for, even though it is one of my protected values. Our family buys only organic, natural, and fresh foods, primarily from local farmers and organic food stores. We feel this maximizes our health and gives us more energy to exercise and spend time outside. I thoroughly enjoy the outdoors, so exercising and playing sports is common for me. There are times when I cannot eat the way I want to, like when I travel, so I have to eat whatever is available. Also, there are times when I cannot exercise due to long weeks at work, so I will take a few days off to help my body recover. This is something that is negotiable, depending on the situation.

Education is my third value, and I feel rather strongly about this one as well. I participate in higher learning studies to set a good example for my children and to have a good career. I will, however, sacrifice my education for my children’s if I had to. I feel that they need a strong foundation and educational background to be successful, and with my wife starting homeschooling this year, the costs associated with good programs are very high. Therefore, I may have to push back my education so they can get theirs.

My decision-making is all centered my values, which entails my family. I make all of my decisions in my personal life around my family and their well-being, health, and happiness. We are very tight-knit and enjoy spending time with one another, so I am now in a routine to where it’s common practice for me to involve them in the choices I make. I feel strongly about each of these values, so it’s not hard to include these in my personal decision-making process.