Observation and studies have found that organizations often manage their processes and technology better than their human capital. In this manner, leadership and management can lose sight of the cultural impacts of the Continuous Improvement System – the resource engagement, skills, collaboration and processes required to effectively manage improved customer satisfaction and realization of benefits. With this in mind, we believe that the same principles used to optimize processes – standardization, simplification, prioritization, and identifying single points of failure – can guide effective strengthening of the Cultural Transformation required to move beyond just the execution of projects. This is accomplished by first “Actively engaging the workforce” to –
• Create an efficient, organized workplace where our most important resource can be productive in a Lean Environment via collaborative Huddles, purposeful Gemba Walks Standard Work Instructions and the ability to complete work based on performance expectations [Ex. Kamishibai, Yokoten]
• Defining and implementing improved resource engagement tactics, planning tools and formalized performance health measures to ensure the right resources are in the right place at the right time doing the right things
• Preparing the organization and front-line management to solve problems, coach the workforce and effectively manage organizational performance
Establishing these parameters optimizes Cultural Transformation by creating a sense of engagement by all and establishes an efficiency “baseline” of operations, productivity, and resources. In turn, Cultural Transformation through workforce engagement is enabled with a means to constantly seek feedback through “Going to Gemba, Huddling….”; leading to optimal process turning and an enhanced, engaged workforce.
Ultimately, the ability to “Move the Needle” is not about the projects, it’s aligning the workforce to all move in the same direction in unison. True Transformation is realized when the culture, processes and management system are in alignment.