Handling an Egotist Auditor

The term egotist auditor can not be viewed as an oxymoron.

An auditor cannot but be an egotist.

And like any egotist will do, any auditor doesn't like to be challenged.

If you challenge an egotist he will dig his heels deeper.

He will be more adamant.

Also, like any egotist will do, any auditor would demand to be respected by those that are audited.

Auditors may have richer experience due to the fact that they visit different set-ups but then the other fact is also there that the concepts and basic principles remain same whichever organization it might be.

Auditors need to justify their worth.

So if they fail to find any gaps in an audit it, in their view. might reflect poorly upon their competency.

So at times they end up highlighting issues which may really be non-issues.

Some examples:

• Something was missed five years back but after that that process continued to be followed. Is such a gap worth highlighting? Ideally, no. But auditors may take vicarious pleasure in doing so. And what action would be required to close this issue? Nothing, since its already happening.
• The reference model or standard may not require it but the auditor may have his quirks and idiosyncrasies and demand certain things to be done for reasons best known to him. How can a "good to do" thing be a requirement? It can't be and shouldn't be but an egotist would not care to bother.
• The auditor would raise illogical, unnecessary and meaningless findings that would be technically feasible and would need to be logically closed by saying this was analyzed and found to be technically not feasible. If that point is brought up to the auditor's notice he would refuse to even have a discussion on it. He might say, "is it urgent"and sweep the need for a discussion under the carpet. Or say "leave that to me". Basically wherever he is on weak ground he will refuse to listen. 

The above examples show what kind of idiotic things can happen when you have to handle an egotist auditor.

What else can be expected from an egotist?

Anyone full of lot of conceit and needlessly high sense of self-importance would do precisely that.

Also, such an auditor may take affront for trivial reasons.

This shows the fact that the egotist auditor has a short fuse which is always in a ready state to blow up.

The slightest of challenge or provocation can result in the auditor loosing his cool.

He may throw unnecessary tantrums too.

An auditee may fall sick and there's not much that can be done to help that.

Why, even the auditor may also fall sick.

If someone is not available for medical emergency, the audit process should have provision to handle such a situation.

So how to handle an egotist auditor?

This involves a very simple trick.

Pamper his ego. Keep him in good humour. Tolerate his tantrums.

Showing respect (fake or otherwise) for the ego of an egotist is all that is needed.

That's all. Nothing beyond that.

CMMI V2.0 Appraisals - Part 2

An earlier post titled CMMI V2.0 Appraisals - Some Important Points (https://business-process-improvement-blog.blogspot.in/2018/04/cmmi-v20-appraisals-some-important.html) elaborated upon some important and interesting points related to CMMI V2.0 appraisals.

Here are some more interesting observations regarding CMMI V2.0 appraisals.

• The cost of CMMI appraisal and implementation preceding that will become substantially higher.
• This starts with the CMMI model itself. It now comes at a price, and that too a steep one.
• Not only that, the price is for one copy and tied to the individual on whose name it is purchased.
• This is amusing, the organization will pay the money but the employee will own the copy of the CMMI model.
• So what happens when an employee with a purchased CMMI model on his name leaves the organization?

• The cost and stakes to become an appraisal team member will also go up.
• An organization would need to pay a significantly higher amount for every appraisal team member who is a part of the CMMI model-based appraisal conducted in the organization
• Not only that, those who want to become an appraisal team member will need to pass an exam on CMMI model proficiency also.
• If you are in the process or excellence or quality group, this would still make some sense.
• But if you are in the operations or delivery or development, it is any body's guess as to how much sense it would make.

• Though the appraisal method now offers something called a sustainment appraisal, it will not make practical sense in most situations to go with that.
• In today's business world, organizations are in a state of constant churn and change. 
• The reality of business climate is such that organic and inorganic growth or de-growth, merger/de-merger or reverse merger, acquisitions or takeovers, spin-offs or sell-outs are too frequent and too many.

• Also, the appraisal method and the model as well is still written with a view of a large defense software supplier developing a long-duration large-sized software-based system or product.
• What about appraisals for other scenarios that are all too common these days:
• software start-ups?
• mobile apps development?
• short-releases?
• truncated SDLC work?
• project teams working in an integrated mode with the customer and largely using customer processes/tools?
• CMMI appraisals should be tailored to the above scenarios and the model should provide meaningful interpretations of the various practises in the above contexts.
• Without that organizations that go for CMMI appraisal may need to do certain things only for the purpose of appraisal.
• Model guidance should ensure practises are meaningful in different contexts and provide useful value and hence happen irrespective of whether appraisal happens or doesn't. 

Till and unless the CMMI model and its appraisal method takes a practical view of the above considerations and addresses them in a meaningful manner it will be a long and hard way for it to remain really useful.