![\"processes\"](\"https:\/\/b-spoke.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/processes.png?w=300\")
<\/a>Munoz. (I\u2019m no one special, it was blasted to every Mileage Plus member; plus, it was sent from their press relations account.) This is the overdue apology for one of his employees summoning armed law enforcement to beat the living daylights out of one his paying customers who wouldn\u2019t give up his seat to a flight attendant late for work.<\/p>\nThe subject line of the email is \u201cActions Speak Louder than [sic] Words\u201d.<\/p>\n
They sure do! Just ask David Dao!<\/p>\n
Oscar Munoz is No Man of Action<\/h4>\n
Perhaps this is the CEO\u2019s mea culpa for his actions immediately following this incident, a cocktail of doing absolutely nothing garnished with insulting statements (words) that only added to the volatility. Perhaps he was scared he would do the wrong thing, so he listened to those who told him to do nothing. (Perhaps the worst thing to do).<\/p>\n
He likely didn\u2019t become CEO by demonstrating timidity and indecisiveness; this, however, is classic Man of Excuses behavior (not knowing what his customers value or how to show them respect, lacking empathy, waiting until conditions are perfect to act).<\/p>\n
Munoz (or his marketing department) writes that \u201cit\u201d (the Dao Incident) \u201chappened because our corporate policies were placed ahead of our shared values.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s bullshit.<\/p>\n
Values<\/em> trump policy<\/em>, every time. That\u2019s what makes them values<\/em>. Otherwise, they\u2019re just words.<\/p>\n The email never defines which values were ignored.<\/p>\n Calling them \u201cshared\u201d values is only more asinine, because if they were truly shared, no one in the organization would stand for such \u201ccorporate policy\u201d.<\/p>\n Values are more than words. Values are demonstrated by actions that, no matter the circumstances, remain consistent. (Let\u2019s say you oversleep, and don\u2019t want to be late for work. You may skip breakfast, you might not brush your teeth or shower, you could possibly break the speed limit, but you will always put on pants before leaving the house. You would never even conceive of heading to work dressed like Donald Duck.)<\/p>\n \u201cOur procedures got in the way of our employees doing what they know is right.\u201d Everyone This line of reasoning underscores why \u201cbusiness process <\/em>management\u201d is a complex and nuanced endeavor, as opposed to crafting policy. Policies \u2013 \u201cour procedures\u201d \u2013 are bureaucratic, depersonalized, binary, and require little discretion. Processes \u2013 at least, well-designed ones \u2013 are effective, efficient, and adaptable<\/em>. That is, process management recognizes that meeting customer needs requires active thought, real situational awareness.<\/p>\n Every process needs clear, measurable objectives of what it is trying to accomplish; its subprocesses should, as well. Six-Sigmen advocate \u201cSIPOC\u201d analysis of processes \u2013 that is, documenting who Supplies what Inputs to the Process, and what Outputs are expected by Customers.<\/p>\n That would be a great start for Munoz and his team but traditional SIPOC analysis can ignore the desired goals at each step. A good process (or subprocess) needs to define:<\/p>\n Knowing what to accomplish, and being able to balance against constraints, opens the decision-making process. So, instead of \u201cI need to get my coworker to Kentucky; I should get someone to bang a customer\u2019s face against his tray table until he gives up his seat\u201d, the gate agent can explore alternatives, such as \u201cMaybe I can put my coworker on an American or a Delta flight\u201d, or \u201cMaybe it would be cheaper and easier to hire a shuttle van\u201d or \u201cMaybe I can increase the incentive for passengers until someone bites.\u201d<\/p>\n (In the email, Munoz \u2013 or his PR flack \u2013 describes some fixes to \u201cprocedures getting in the way\u201d. By describing new procedures.)<\/p>\n Nothing in the email mentions that United\u2019s official after-action report<\/a> was,coincidentally, also released today (nor does it acknowledge Dao\u2019s settlement was paid today). Recommendation Six calls for \u201cadditional annual training\u201d.<\/p>\nProcedures, Not Process<\/h4>\n
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at some point in their career makes that trade\u2013 they follow the rules, even the \u201cdumb ones\u201d\u2013 but rarely do people follow a rule so blindly that they ask for armed backup to do a solid for a coworker.<\/p>\n\n
Not a Training Problem<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Training is important; there are tricks of the trade to defuse difficult situations and learnable techniques to maintaining a calm demeanor. But what exactly is the training deficiency here? If we stipulate \u2013 as Munoz\u2019 ghost writer does \u2013 employees should be doing \u201cwhat they know is right\u201d, then they already know the important stuff.<\/p>\n