MonkeyMinds — The fear of change in the logistics sector (From talent to roundabouts)

In this article, we'll talk about what roundabouts and organizations have in common.. Let me start with the obvious differences:

• Un roundabout is a road construction designed to facilitate traffic flow at intersections that cross roads.
• Una organization is an administrative structure and administrative systems created to achieve goals or objectives with the support of people themselves, or with the support of human talent or other similar characteristics.

The question is:

What do a roundabout and an organization share?

Before we can answer that question, we need to understand its use. In Europe, the use of roundabouts is widespread (25,000 in the United Kingdom, 50,000 in France, etc.). In recent decades, its implementation has grown a lot. The reasons are obvious: They reduce the number of accidents, improve the speed of passage, reduce pollution and are cheaper to maintain.

Different scientific studies have demonstrated the benefits and benefits of Roundabouts front traffic lights (traffic lights go...). The question that one can ask is why a country like the United States has barely 7,000 roundabouts, when in terms of surface area and inhabitants it far exceeds all European countries?

The answer lies in the fear of change. Everyone knows how a traffic light works (even my 4-year-old daughter knows when it can pass). Our decisions behind the wheel in front of a traffic light are automatic, requiring no mental effort. On the other hand, venturing into a roundabout requires maximum concentration to avoid a collision. I still remember learning to drive and having to go through the big and dreaded Plaça Espanya Barcelona, it was almost like going into hell... and I think it still is for many drivers.

Fear of change usually causes an opinion contrary to a new proposal (no matter how many studies say that the change will improve some aspect). This reasoning sometimes reminds me of our sector, logistics. Not infrequently do we encounter people within organizations who, because of this fear of change, are unable to see the potential for improvement of a new tool or process.

Oddly enough, the opinion of the population regarding the construction of a roundabout and the use of route optimization tools are very similar. The percentage of people against building a roundabout ranges from 60%-80%. A number similar to the number of companies that decide that they are not interested in saving logistics costs by 30% through a route optimization solution such as Routal.

Imagine getting through the first call, convincing the management team and the head of operations. Queda the difficult task of convincing the end user. The one who may view your solution with suspicion and disbelief. The question that person usually asks is the following: “A tool that will make my life easier, make my work 30% more efficient than me and save me an hour a day on something as complicated as route planning? I know who will be the next to go to the strike lists...

The fear of change, combined with a fear of losing a job, generates a very high aversion to change. I don't blame them, it's natural and it perfectly fulfills the saying of “Little Virgin, little virgin, let me stay as I am”, or what is usually said in the world Tech,”If it works, don't touch it”.

In any case, I think that in a world as changing as the current one, with competition always on our heels, doing things the same way, because it has always been that way, is much more dangerous than starting to improve processes and use new tools and technologies. With clear common sense, but in the Long Run, I think or do organizations evolve and adapt or die out.

I think that is one of the main risks for organizations: The lack of talent in their teams that leads companies to not know how to adapt to new changes and condemns them to extinction. Xavier Marcet explains very well in just a minute.

In conclusion, companies able to adapt to changes, manage the talent of their teams and know how to manage change are much more likely to survive in an environment as changing and uncertain as the current one.

Xavier Ruiz — CEO

Post inspired by Freakonomics Ep 454 Roundabouts