When Do You Trump The Outcome of a Proven Process?

I was looking back through older posts for inspiration on an issue and came across this post from 2007. I don't even recall what the issue was but the message is about doing what's right and how we (and our processes) can get in the way.

If your HR is anything like my HR, you have processes. If your organization is anything like my organization, you have people. If your people are anything like my people, they have professional opinions, personal opinions and their own views of the world.

When personal opinions and personal views of the world creep into a professional work place process, my mode of operation is to let the process run its course and to keep the personal stuff out of it, especially if the process is a proven one.

So, what if  the proven process runs its course and, in the end, the outcome is called to question. What if the outcome MAY be perceived as detrimental to the integrity of the program? In a perfect world, processes established would always support and honor the integrity of the program but, we are human, we are not perfect and it just doesn't always work that way.

Now what?

At this point, there are two choices: accept the outcome or recommend a trump of the outcome. There are pros and cons to each and neither is without its repercussions. Weigh them out. 

• How did the process produce this outcome?
• Why is there an issue with the outcome? Is the issue valid?
Where does the program value lie - in the process or in the outcome?
• What are the risks in compromising this? What are the benefits?
• Is your organization willing to accept that? Are you?

Hard questions for a hard decision when the answers are not very clear. So, quiet the noise and do what's right.

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