Team Building Tips

Globally we are in an economic downturn. Budgets are drying up, projects are on hold, sales are down in many cases, and layoff is a commonly discussed term. However, this is the environment where lean thinking must prevail. In times like these with reduced cash flow and limited resources, it becomes even more important to focus on what adds value to your organization. Rather than becoming discouraged about what cannot be done, why not focus on what can be done with your current resources or the things you currently have within your control?

If you need encouragement and you feel as though your hands are tied, let us offer three (3) key items to focus on that will begin to drive the right thinking and behavior.

1. Focus On The "Vital Few"

Look at your short term actions as they relate to your longer term plan. Are they congruent and viable? Have you determined the "vital few" that will determine your success? If so, are the actions that need to drive those strategies being linked to all parts of the organization where they apply? Oh, you don't have a strategic plan that meets those criteria? Get busy! A recent survey found that only a little over half of US manufacturers with 500 or more associates have a strategic plan and the smaller your organization is the less likely you are to have a strategic plan.

Action: Identify your "vital few" and link your actions to it.

2. Focus on the Value Stream

Dust off that total systems value stream map and the attached implementation plan. Are the items current? Is the value stream map current? Maybe it is time to revitalize that effort. Often times the value stream mapping activity results in the right identified activities to drive the organization in the right direction however, performance goals are often linked to something else. If this is the case, look at the organizational alignment.

Action: Maximize your value added operations by updating your Value Stream Plan.

3. Be Creative (Process and Results)

Processes are designed perfectly. They always yield the results they were designed to give you. If a process is inconsistent, it will always give you inconsistent results. The converse is true as well. Consistent processes yield consistent results. If your processes are not giving you what you expect then maybe it is time to look at the standard. Is there a recognized and followed standard? If so how can it be improved? If not, make a standard! Are you circumventing the process? If the business, service, or manufacturing process has a required labor to perform the task or project requirements and we ask our associate to double output or make do then the process result will suffer. The Process and Results principle is a perfect principle and it does not change. Be creative! Projects and work must still be done even though there are layoffs, hiring freezes, etc. Be creative! Why not outsource the labor until the hiring freeze is lifted. Outsource the entire project and the project management. Look for third and forth opportunities and support. Be creative and look for solutions outside of your normal environment. Interdependent (we) thinking is what we need in these times. It is not a bad thing to ask for help!

Action: Establish a problem solving process that engages your most valuable resource; your people.

Ronnie Daughtry is Manager of Project Operations and a Senior Lean Consultant with The ACCESS Group http://www.tag.bz. He has over seventeen years of experience in various leadership & managerial roles in lean and continuous improvement. Kevin Saunders is Vice President of Client Services and Business Development with The ACCESS Group http://www.tag.bz. Kevin has over 25 years of experience in management, marketing and program development.