You cannot build a high-performing company with everybody self-optimizing.” — Robert Glazer
We must always ensure that a process improvement benefits the business as a whole. If an improvement helps a small group but negatively impacts the company overall, it should not be implemented.
The reverse can also occur—sometimes a company makes an improvement that disadvantages an individual or a division.
It becomes especially challenging when the situation is more complex. For example, a change might make my division more productive but harm another department. Even if the change benefits the company overall, it could damage morale, which may hurt the business in the long run.
Process improvements are not always straightforward. Sometimes, certain groups must absorb more of the negative impact because the goal is to optimize the business as a whole—not necessarily to maximize success for each individual or team.