Sabotage Pattern #12: Use Old or Inappropriate Tools
If you happen to be a manager, don’t just allow your teams to use any tools they want, or any new and modern tools. Stick to the old ones you have been using for ages. Do you really need that new virtual chatting tool? Good old phones have always worked for you, so why change that?
Also, make renewals of licences for the tools used as slow as possible. Preferably so slow that people spend days or weeks waiting for the new licences and they either cannot work at all or have to use some other inappropriate tools.
When you have some tools, use them for everything. Try to solve every problem your team, organization or customers have by that tool, regardless of whether it makes sense or not. In order to do this, you need to schedule many demonstrations and spend a lot of time customizing the tool — that will be inappropriate regardless of what you do.
If you work in a team, use old tools that require you to do lots of manual steps. If there is a possibility of a new tool being considered, advocate caution, point to what tremendous effort would the switch to that new tool be.
Another way you can try is to make your own tools. Every one of us is unique, so why should you be satsfied with mass-produced tools. Build some of your own. When asked about this, point to the very specific context of your situation and how this tool you’re building will in the end make everyting work much better.
Using old or inappropriate tools slows down progress. If others have to use inappropriate tools it also creates frustration and peoples attention moves from doing work to talking about how bad the tools are. Building tools of your own does the same thing — instead of you delivering value to your users and customers, you usually end in playing with technology or trying to find a magical “will-do-all” solution simply does not exist.
Recognition
- Are you using outdated tools because “this is the way we have been doing it for 10 years”?
- Are you often hitting troubles with acquiring licences for the tools you are using?
- Are you trying to use a particular tool for all situations, without focusing on the needs in that particular situation?
- Do you spend lots of time just fiddling around with the tools you are using or are you building your own instead of using what is available and focus on value of your products?
- Are you building a “universal”, “will-do-everything” tool or solution?
Removal
- Always look for the best tool available for the given job. Watch out for new trends and use them where appropriate, but don’t use new tools just for the sake of using new tools.
- Either allow everyone to deal with their licences or, if you need to have a central mechanism for that, make it smooth.
- Instead of building your own tools, do a little bit of investigation and chances are you will find out such a tool already exists.
- Beware of “will-do-everything” tools and never even consider building them. If you really need to build a tool of your own, start small, get feedback on that small piece and continue only if necessary.
Call for action! Many sabotage techniques rely on or incorporate bulshtt*ng. Do something about it! Join the #NoBullshit network and promote values to stop BS!
