“I work for a large railroad, and we have BBS from one of the top ‘big name’ BBS consultants. I am an agreement employee and have coordinated the process for over two years. It has flat-lined, and we are now looking to go back and motivate our teams–or try to. I am not convinced the ‘same ‘ole materials’ will do the trick. I’m looking for fresh ideas. I am afraid we have too many so-called experts within who don’t understand the design of BBS, but I am only one voice. I know I don’t have all the answers, but I understand I know just enough to get me into problems. Management has invested big $$$, and they did put up some good numbers—which, in my opinion, were more the result of luck than the BBS process. Now they want to move in and manage in hopes of a repeat. We made all the classic mistakes–didn’t get union buy-in, no management involvement starting up, etc. They put the process in our ‘rank & file’ hands, which was a big mistake. I am afraid we are on a crash course……

…Can you help us Bill?”  –anonymous BBS coordinator

If I had a nickel for every email like this I’ve received over the years, I’d be starring in my own permanent Corona Beer commercial.

Over my 25+ year history I’ve seen thousands of big-name, consultant-driven BBS systems thrive, strive, and then die.   I’ve learned there are a couple of signs that tell you when your BBS program is sucking wind….

……do any of these sound familiar to you?

If you have observers who pencil whip and fake the observational data…… you may have BBS on Life Support…

If your BBS process started with lots of passion and fire but now it’s like shoveling out the barn to get participation…… you may have BBS on Life Support…

 If you ask permission to do an observation of an employee and he tells you NO…… you may have BBS on Life Support…

If you have a hard time getting people to do observations…… you may have BBS on Life Support…

If you collect tons of data but never process, analyze, or communicate it back to your workers…….. you may have BBS on Life Support…

 If you are struggling as a BBS coordinator to find ways that will positively reinforce achievements and you are sick and tired of t-shirts and bbq dinners…..you may have BBS on Life Support…

If your company just downsized half the workforce and you just lost your BBS coordinator…. you may have BBS on Life Support…

If your performance has flat-lined…… you may have BBS on Life Support…

 If you have BBS on Life Support, it’s time to put the FUN back in your process!

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