”The importance of embedding” – lessons learned at SKF

In this podcast, Johan Human, Manager Global Project Management SKF, describes the difference between embedding and implementing. His view is that embedding is basically changing behaviour and culture.

Transcript

Now, two questions: we talked earlier about the importance to embed and the importance of choosing the right training partner. You chose Wenell for this. So what’s your take on embedding and your skill set within your organisation, and how was that work done together with Wenell?

The answer on the first question is that there’s a difference between embedding and implementing but embedding is basically changing behaviour and culture, and that we did with this way of working so we took away a lot more the description of how you do things in a way you put down forty four tasks and you have to follow them and tick everything.

Just ticking the box…

Just ticking the box and taking that away and get people to start thinking.How do I act, how do I think, how do I behave in different situations — and that is then very much more embedding than implementing.

Right. So then, why Wenell in that situation?

Well, if you look at it, Wenell has always been with us, even before I took over at SKF. They’ve been our training partner, and it was quite natural for them to take on that responsibility. To be our training partner. But saying that, we also saw it as a partner that can take on a non-biased role, where they notare not looking at SKF, they’re not looking at their own interest, but they’re looking at the overall results. How do we change this way of working in SKF? And for us that was the benefit that they didn’t have somebody like you would do in the old historical way, that you’d get someone in the company to train and that would always come with legacy. Whereas Wenell doesn’t have any legacy. So for us that was always an important decision to make. Is that somebody that’s non-biased and comes without any legacy.