business Archives - 6sigma

Hoshin Kanri Aligns Goals and Unifies Organizations

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:16:15 +0000

The concept of Hoshin Kanri provides clarity and focus to an organization, by aligning strategic goals through all levels of an organization. It creates an organic flow of information which runs through an organization, where goals run down from management, through the mid-level operation to the production floor. In return, the flow reverses and the production floors provides resulting actionable data flowing up through mid-level operations to management, thus providing alignment.

Taking the first step of implementing Hoshin Kanri begins with developing long-range strategic goals for the organization. A good rule of thumb is to limit the strategic goals applied to five or less to be truly effective. It also allows the focus of energy and resources on what efforts are most important to the organization. Remember, if everything is important, then nothing is important. They should also be either evolutionary or revolutionary. Evolutionary is incremental achievements through continuous improvement. Revolutionary is all about taking big strides, making breakthrough changes with dramatic scope. Both types of goals are crucial to the life of an organization.

The next step would be to develop the tactics for implementing the goals identified. This step is the purview of middle management operations. They are the experts at implementing and allocating resources. There should be a respectable period of thoughtful back and forth between management and mid-level management to ensure goals are clearly understood and that there is a strong alignment between tactics and goals. Over time, tactics can be adjusted and should be, as things changes. Results must be measured and calibrated.

In the final stage, production operations at the supervisory and team levels work out the details on strategy and clearly understand the strategic goals. This is where the action takes place and success will be measured. Management and leaders must stay connected with actions being implemented, mainly through Gemba walks and monitoring of production data flowing up from the production floor.

The flow created with Hoshin Kanri closes loops and ensures focus, clarity and highly efficient operations. It allows organizations to be agile and flex to changing situations in an efficient manner.

Learn more about Hoshin Kanri and download a template

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[VIDEO] Building Strength With Key Performance Indicators

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:16:14 +0000

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can shape strategy and fact-based decision making inside businesses, only if those inside the organization act on them. It doesn’t matter how brilliantly you’ve aligned your KPIs to your strategy, or even how brilliantly you have captured and presented the relevant KPIs, if they aren’t used as they were intended. If you aren’t using your KPIs to inform your decisions and drive performance, then you are wasting your time and effort.

Check out this informative video!

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[VIDEO] Collaborative Leadership is a Mindset

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:16:08 +0000

Leading in turbulent times requires a deliberate shift from command-and-control towards a collaborative style of leadership. This may be easier for some than others. It requires a shift in mindset! The idea of collaborative leadership requires individuals at all levels take initiative and act in ways that supports the achievement of the vision, purpose and objectives of the enterprise. The freedom to take risk, to fail, to engage in constructive conflict, to participate in decision making and to experiment, learn and innovate. This is collaborative leadership.

Take the time to watch this informative video!

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Collaborative Leadership Is a Different Skillset

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:16:07 +0000

The concept of collaborative leadership seems foreign to some professionals new to a leadership role. Most newly anointed leaders anticipate an environment where they are streaming orders down the line and their staff are jumping into action. Things are getting done as long as they seem to be in control, barking orders and expecting complete subordination of their authority. It is an idealistic world that truly only can be successful in the most limited environments or in times of life-or-death situations. The practice of collaborative leadership can be crucial in times of uncertainty or turbulence, but is also a driving element in the lean manufacturing environment. Simply put, it creates a collaborative environment where people can unite with purpose, with clear vision and a solid set of values.

Leaders practicing in an environment of collaborative leadership have a purpose and vision, with character and values that are unwavering. These elements blend together and create passion, but that passion must begin with the leader. Others will not follow a leader that lacks passion, simply because they lead by example. This element of passion in leadership creates the spark that drives others to initiate actions independently and step up to the challenge.They are will to take on ambitious responsibilities and accept the risks associated without fear.

The elements of purpose, character and values brings a leader forward in the work environment. One of the hardest lessons learned in that environment is that they are really never in control. It is understood that people comply with authority when the leader is present. The real key to success is what they do in the absence of authority. Collaborative leadership principles demand leaders that can lead without the safety net of a title, position or authority of a superior. This doesn’t mean that you cut deals or accept substandard performance. It simply means that your drive, passion and commitment inspire others to follow your lead.

Finally, collaborative leadership focuses on developing people and other leaders at all levels. It instills the concept that everyone is a leader. Everyone has voice that is respected and that they are expected to take the responsibility for their actions. This means that mistakes are no longer there to be documented and considered as punishable infractions. They become opportunities for learning and development. You must take your people outside of their comfort zones and encourage them to succeed.

There are many elements involved in collaborative leadership. They require a leader to give up their authoritative tendencies, get out of their office and join the work environment they are responsible for. It requires character, passion and the establishment of trust. It is truly the foundation of a successful team and the collaborative process. It is all about the people.

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Lean Leadership and the Competitive Edge in Manufacturing

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:15:58 +0000

“Men stumble over the truth from time to time, but most pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.” ~Sir Winston Churchill

There has been much made about America losing its competitive edge in manufacturing overseas. Depending on who you ask, you will hear a variety of reasons on why we are losing our competitive edge. You will hear about productivity, pricing, environment and tariffs that have impacted our manufacturing industries. No doubt, those are some of the factors that have impacted our competitiveness. When you look at things without the filters, you will see that things just are not as bad as they appear, and America can easily retake the role of leader.

The U.S. has lost five million manufacturing jobs since 2000, and those losses have reverberated across the country. The scale of those losses has overshadowed areas of growth. For example, the number of workers employed manufacturing medical equipment and supplies has grown eight percent over the last two decades, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even as overall manufacturing employment has fallen 28 percent over that same time period. Manufacturing job losses have been concentrated in lower pay, lower skill jobs. Since 2000, jobs in manufacturing for people with graduate degrees have grown by 32 percent. While manufacturing jobs for people with less than a high school education fell 44 percent between 2000 and 2013, those for people with an associate degree in academic fields rose 17 percent.

Manufacturing and Innovation

The fact is, we can get right back in the game with the right approaches. We can now profitably get back into manufacturing through the cost advantages of automation and the ability to have skilled workers manage the outputs that previously were assigned to more than one person. It is a matter of transforming our most valuable resource ¦ the human worker. Gone are the days of the unskilled and uneducated factory worker. The jobs that demand that type of labor will be lost to Mexico and China. The new American factory worker will be skilled and educated. It must become a national priority to dedicate the resources required to enhance the skills of our workforce so they align with the innovative practices that will further accelerate the modernization of America.

Manufacturing must start partnering with universities to provide manufacturers with opportunities to find creative solutions to existing problems and scout upcoming talent. Universities bring bigger talent pools and give manufacturers a closer look at candidates outside of a formal hiring process, allowing them to tap into the creativity of the next generation. Community colleges and trade schools provide resources for current staffers to take a few classes that will help their on-the-job performance. Many instructors in such programs create real-life scenarios that provide hands-on training and feedback that are essential for success in a manufacturing environment.

Finally, this includes a new approach from the C-Suite. Leaders must incorporate innovative, automated solutions to their manufacturing process that is supported by a skilled and educated workforce. This will require not only recruiting new talent, but retraining the experienced worker in their organizations to meet the more skilled demands of the future.

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Thoughts for Success in 2018

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:14:11 +0000

Savvy business leaders understand that during the month of December, there just isn’t the same focus on success. There are too many distractions. Now that the holidays are over, the clock is ticking on 2018 and it is time to get refocused and back to work! For some, that is going to be much easier said than done. Let’s take the thoughts and ideas on successful leadership and bring them down to the basics. Here are a few tips for getting 2018 off to a strong start.

Get Up and Get Going – Get an early start on your day! The most successful are up before 5 am and focusing on success. It is their time to sharpen their minds and be super productive on what matters, without the distractions of the office environment. Journal, read and send out those crucial first emails of the day.
Journal Your Thoughts – Write in a journal twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The act of journaling clears the mind and sets in stone your thoughts, goals and inspirations. The action of writing your goals sets a solid foundation.
Read A Book – The most successful business leaders are voracious readers. Dig into books that inspire and motivate. You can get into the minds of successful people and understand their thoughts and practices.
Self-Development – Training and self-development are crucial to your success in 2018. Get out of the office and take a class, attend a seminar or enroll in live webinars. Successful leaders invest, on the average, of $10k a year on self-development and training. Stay sharp for success!
Get Control of Your Email – Time is the most valuable commodity you have. Own and control it! Stop being reactive and get proactive. Schedule time during the day to deal with email and close it out otherwise. The first emails of the day should be from you, not to you. Get your expectations out first. Control your time.

Success is about habits. Developing strong habits are key to becoming an effective leader. Learn to practice these habits until they become an engrained response that is never compromised. Look forward to a productive and successful 2018.

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[VIDEO] Lean Principles – Apply the Practice to Sales

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:14:11 +0000

To achieve increased productivity, competitive advantage, and profitability, high value-creating businesses around the world have consistently turned to lean thinking principles for solutions. Manufacturing processes have widely adopted lean principles to gain improved operational effectiveness and lower costs. Most recently, lean principles have been advanced to better identify and understand the expectations of consumers and the sales process.

Check out this informative video on applying lean principles to the process of sales and marketing.

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TED Talks: Here Are Ten That Will Make an Impact

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:07:34 +0000

TED is a global community. It welcomes people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. TED believes passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives, and ultimately the world. Through the website, they are building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers and innovators.

Most professionals have found TED to be a wealth of spirit, knowledge and thought. Here is a collection of TED Talks videos that will inspire and provoke!

Ten Thought Provoking TED Talks You Must See

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Value: How Do You Measure Innovation?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:07:16 +0000

How do you measure the value of innovation? That is a tough question! Asking the definition of value’ becomes a loaded question. It doesn’t matter where scientific discoveries and breakthrough technologies originate”for national prosperity, the important thing is who commercializes them. Innovation involves the development of new products or processes and the know-how that begets them. New products can take the form of high-level building blocks or raw materials.

Measuring the Value of Innovation

Creating value from innovation is a crucial step for your organization. Value, actual or perceived, creates buy-in. If they believe, they will follow! Of course, when launching an innovation initiative, a tangible value will not be realized right away. It takes time, focus and perseverance. Start out with measures that go beyond efficiency gains. It takes vision to strike a spark. Innovation is a fire that burns deep in the heart of an organization. Measurement is crucial to the process. Measure every step of progress. Compare quarter to quarter and benchmark against accepted performance standards. Over time, as you grow in the initiative, results will go from being perceived to tangible. Tangible results will inspire and fan the flame of innovation. The energy created during this innovation process will inspire more creativity and innovation.

Building Value With Innovation

Your innovation project is gaining momentum. You are seeing tangible, measurable results which are producing true value. As momentum builds, always screen and evaluate innovation initiatives. Find, fund and launch initiatives that align squarely with the values and mission of your organization. Give them time to build, strengthen and gain traction. Finding ways to grow and build your business is solely based on innovation. The hidden result will be that the culture of the organization will change. Encourage the idea of intrapreneurship in building and changing an organization. This will create a forward momentum in the organization that is hard to beat. Gain a competitive edge through innovation and creativity.

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Leader Standard Work: Are You Making White Space for What Is Important?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:47 +0000

Making time for what is important. That is the trick we all struggle with in our professional schedules. Many find that the demands on their time outpace the time available on the calendar. There are so many professionals out there that truly have a scheduling problem. If you look at their calendars, you will find, more often than not, double and triple bookings of their time. The premise being that when that block of time comes up, they will just have to make a choice on what meeting is the most important at the time. Now, that may be the best solution, but what happens to the other meetings scheduled during that time? How do you get the monster under control and make white space’ for what is important? There are some straightforward strategies to get your time under control and make a priority for important tasks. The first thing is to understand how things get messy.

Making White Space for What’s Important

Operating under the premise is that you have a 40-hour work week and meetings take up a large portion or percentage of that week. Now the question is, is your job to attend those meetings and provide valued input? If you’re a consultant or advisor, then it seems you are on track. However, if your job is to produce things or supervise the production of things, you are not spending time on what is important, which is, to produce things. There is where the rub occurs.

The biggest problem starts with scheduling your work time. Get your schedule consistently lined out with the tasks you are required to do for work, which is, producing things. Block that time out and fiercely protect it. As you schedule the time to do work, then you also must add white space to address problems and issue. As a supervisor, manager, or executive, you will encounter problems or issues that require your attention. These events are either dealt with quickly or they go on a follow-up list and put on the back burner. If they go on the back burner, your business and customers can suffer when those problems are not addressed. When you have saved some white space, you will have time to deal with problems and issues in a timely manner. Problems and issues get fixed, and employees or customers feel their problems are heard and being dealt with.

The best approach you can take is to stop being the only decision maker. You have made yourself into the constraint, since there is only so many hours in a day. One of the key concepts of Lean is to empower employees to make their own decisions, so you don’t have to be involved in every meeting and decision. With proper coaching and mentoring on problem solving, you can raise the skill level of your employees to handle the day-to-day “fires,” so you can spend more time thinking strategically and long-term, which will free up your schedule. This also leads to better decisions by your employees, as they are closer to the problem than you.

Changing the Culture of Scheduling

So, first thing, take control of your schedule. Do not allow others to make your schedule. Block out your work time and put in enough white space to resolve the challenges of business. Protect those blocks of time with a passion, and delegate attendance to your staff who can better make the decisions. If they make the wrong decision (in your mind), then coach them for next time.

When you are aligning your work process with company goals, things will become easier and more efficient. Remember, a goal-oriented calendar with white space for problem resolution (that only you can decide upon) is the most effective tool you have available, and aligns perfectly with Lean quality management processes.

Learn more about the Management for Daily Improvement program, a curriculum that will show you exactly how Toyota practices Lean (Toyota Production System).

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Lean Farming: Lean Manufacturing Grows Bigger Profits For Farmers

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:05:45 +0000

Lean thinking has quickly found its way across multitudes of businesses in recent years. It is no longer in the exclusive realm of manufacturing.

It’s getting hard to find an industry where people aren’t using lean methodologies
Mark Graban, Lean Consultant and Author

Over the years, we have modeled farms after our factory production. This has resulted in a shift to feedlots, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO’s) and monocultures. We have taken a sensitive industry and converted it into a business focused on volume, without consideration of customer needs or health. Can we now change that dynamic back to the ways of the original farming model, where the focus is on customer needs and health?

Applying the Practices to Lean Farming

Recently, small farmers have started to change their ways. They can no longer operate and compete with large scale farming operations, even though the demand of the consumer is changing to a more healthy approach to our food chain. Small farmers are quickly going out of business and generations of farm families are lost in rural America.

On a small farm in rural Indiana, a farmer and a lean manufacturing expert from a nearby manufacturing operation joined forces to try a different approach. They applied lean manufacturing to farming. The results have been phenomenal. Every aspect of the farm operation was scrutinized, then optimized to create a lean farming model that has produced results! They have changed the focus of the farmer from growing the same specific crops year after year, to growing what the consumer in their regional actually wanted. No longer did they have to go to great lengths to seek out buyers for their crops. With a little marketing effort and word of mouth, the consumers were drawn to this lean farming operation, because they had the produce that they wanted. It all began with understanding the needs of the customer and producing to those needs. They have reduced waste in the lean farming operation and significantly increased profits. The operation continues to grow and build their operation with a renewed customer focus.

The Future of Lean Farming

For decades, farmers have operated under basic practices. They have been told that to succeed they must Get Big’ or Get Out’ because of the competition from the corporate farming operations. It drove them out. Now, with a focus on lean farming, farmers have found a better way ¦ which is sustainable and tailored to the needs of their consumers.
If you want to learn more about Lean Farming and the work by Ben Hartman, check out the book, “The Lean Farm: How to Minimize Waste, Increase Efficiency, and Maximize Value and Profits with Less Work” or watch the video below

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Food Service: Serving Up Six Sigma Quality Daily

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:04:48 +0000

The food service industry is tough. The challenges of the industry range from food costs and quality, to customer service and effectively using labor. To create the perfect experience, owners must find a delicate balance with these challenges. But to add to those challenges, in today’s digital environment, customers are engaging with social media, which has its own challenges. As an example, the industry estimates customers add approximately 45 minutes to their dining experience through the use of their smartphone. Waitstaff are delayed taking orders because customers are answering emails or texts. The meal time after being served is extended because customers like to take and share images of their meals on social media. Then after the meal, there is another round of texting, emailing and interacting on social media. These delays are expected to increase.

Six Sigma Serves Up Quality For Food Service

Now, if you stop and thinking for a moment, these challenges in the food service industry are really no different than any other industry. They all revolve around product costs, labor challenges and customer service. Just like any other industry that has experienced great success with Six Sigma practices, the food service industry can achieve resolution to their buffet of challenges. From kitchen to table, food service is about process and procedures.

Preparing the food revolves around exact recipes and precise skills used to prepare the food. There are food costs involved and they must be precisely managed. They also require precision and accuracy in recipe measurements, oven temperatures, cook times, food temperature, and discipline around hygiene and health standards.

This also applies to the preparation and service of beverages. Getting the right mixtures for alcoholic drinks, and getting the right sugar and cream mixture in coffee can make or break the customer experience.

If you look at the front of the house, from door to table, it is all about customer experience and service. There are processes and procedures involved that impact every second of the customer experience. Forecasting the number of customers that will arrive each hour and day of the week, along with predicting what they will order can make the most experienced Black Belt throw up their hands in frustration.

Just like other Six Sigma industries, food service requires precision and attention to every detail.

Success For The Future

Food service professionals are starting to embrace Six Sigma practices to create a better industry for their customers and employees. Leaders must look at the core practices and understand how easily they can benefit from Six Sigma.

One of the most crucial opportunities for food service in their customer experience is the Voice of the Customer (VOC) programs. Every second a customer spends in a restaurant is an absolute opportunity for success or failure. If they find service, food and the environment exceptional, their digital raving will bring success. If they fail at any point in the customer experience, that digital transmission will cause significant pain to the business.

One of the templates we offer for free is the Customer Journey Map, which helps you capture the process, moments of truth, and emotional dimension of the customer’s journey.

These food service professionals must find ways to deal with their routine challenges of their industry, along with the new environment of the digital age. Six Sigma can bring great relief and success to this industry.

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Executive Leadership: What Is Your Role?

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:04:47 +0000

In today’s environment, executive leadership is in the middle of an identity crisis. Studies tell us that 80% of new CEOs lose their position within 18 months of taking the reigns. That fact alone, tell us there is an executive leadership disconnect. All levels of executive leadership positions are dutifully outlined in job description and other forms of guidance or expectations. Leaders step into their roles and try following long established criteria for their specific roles. It is a taught behavior that all professionals are exposed to. When you look at extremely successful professionals, they possess and practice a core series of skills that directly relate to their success and the success of their organization. The real challenge is how to simplify and teach those crucial skills to the next generation of executive leadership.

Executive Leadership Kept Simple

For all the complexities and challenges leaders face, it can be very difficult trying to keep leaderships skills as simple as possible. Environments, social challenges and business environments tend to add layers of complexity of basic leadership. These layers can be so deeply compounded that leaders can become paralyzed and frozen in time. However, when you peel back those complex layers, you will find some very simple nuggets of truths that all leaders need to habitually practice:

Be an Effective Communicator – There is a direct correlation between a leader’s ability to clearly and succinctly communicate the firm’s vision, mission, and their success. This significance of clear communication cannot be overstated. From a lean perspective, a leader with a clear vision helps steer improvement teams towards the right problems to solve. Otherwise, there are so many problems to solve that teams end up heading in different directions.
Possess Strong Self-Control – No matter how frequent or widespread the crisis, a leader must remain calm, cool and collected. All eyes are on the leader to see how they react to situations. Those eyes will then mimic and repeat the behavior of the leader. You must set the example at all times. Your behavior is constantly measured. A strong lean leader will “walk the talk” and get deeply involved in learning the processes, being deeply involved in improvement activity, and making improvements in their own areas (not just improving the lowest-level workers).
Ethical Character – This element is painfully obvious, but frequently violated. Ethics and integrity must remain above reproach at all times. Those eyes are watching all the time. The first time you make an expectation and allow a character slip, then it becomes a very slippery slope. Success in business is all about flexibility, but the only thing that is pure ‘black & white’ is ethics and integrity. One way to ruin integrity would be to say that no jobs will be lost due to improvement, then laying off people after improvements are made.
Visibility – Leaders must be visible and accessible to those they serve. Forget the typically ‘open door policy.’ It is a sham! You must be accessible and that needs to be a part of daily communication up and down the chain of command. Secondly, you don’t need a written ‘open door policy’ if you are getting out from behind a desk, out of the office and be present. Stop hiding and start leading! Regular trips to the “gemba” show your visibility, and reiterate how important process improvement is to everyone. These gemba walks will also let you see what’s going on with your own eyes, not just seeing the metrics and getting manager updates.

Making a Change

These four tips will allow you to peel back the layers of unnecessary complexity and get down to leadership that is clean, simple and straightforward. Executive leadership has been complicated to a point that we have forgotten the basics. The basics are fundamental to any improvement effort as well (organized work areas, standard work processes, daily checks and reviews, etc). Our challenge today, more than ever before, is to quickly identify talent and develop them into the leaders of the future. Take the time to get back to the basics and build your skills.

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Brainstorming: A Powerful Six Sigma Tool

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:04:46 +0000

Brainstorming combines a relaxed, informal approach to problem solving with lateral thinking. It encourages people to come up with thoughts and ideas that can, at first, seem a bit crazy. Some of these ideas can be crafted into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can spark even more ideas. This helps to get people unstuck by “jolting” them out of their normal ways of thinking. This tool can be an extremely powerful and effective tool in the Six Sigma toolbox. It allows things to be stirred up and the layers of complex issues peeled back to expose the truths!

4 Keys to Effective Brainstorming

The ideal situation when things just click is exactly the place brainstorming gets you to. It allows ideas and situations to come together and create the perfect storm for creativity. Some industries are much better at the practice than others. Businesses that are more of a creative environment tend to understand and use the concept more comfortably. Businesses who are more technical ‘rules followers’ are less likely to be comfortable with a brainstorm session. The fact is, using a brainstorm session can be equally successful in any business environment, regardless of the creative structure. To take advantage of this powerful tool, you simply need to set some basic ground rules. The importance of these rules are more focused on respect for others vs. following secured rules. Here are the four basic rules to establish a proper brainstorm:

No Such Thing As A Dumb Idea – All cards are on the table. The group must be able to feel comfortable that their ideas are plausible. Open yourself up to the possibilities.
No Criticism – It’s not a debate about the technical merits. It is about what is possible!
Build on Other’s Ideas – When an idea is put on the table, open your mind and imagine how to build on that. Avoid the technical and see how you can layer a path for improvement.
Avoid Quality vs. Quantity – This presents a challenge for a more structured business. The tool isn’t about the technical aspects, but about the idea. Go for the quantity every time to be successful. The more ideas that are on the table, the more you will be open to possibilities.

The brainstorm tool keeps the wheels of collaboration turning. It can unfreeze the curiosity of many and encourage their ideas to flow. Keep the rules of the tool to basic respect and you will find a goldmine that will flow into your business! There is no such thing as a bad idea.

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Organizing For Success: Design Does Matter

OpEx Learning Team — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 06:04:44 +0000

Breaking Old Habits

Organizing for success with Lean is a interesting proposition. The fact is, most organizational designs are poorly thought out and disappointedly implemented. Lean practices and tools lead us down the path of organization through process design vs. reorganization. Our focus tends to be affecting change through existing processes and refining those to the most efficient point possible. When your Lean tools lead you down a path, we tend to follow faithfully. It cannot be debated that organizational design matters. The question remains … can we organize with Lean practices?

Change Comes Through Organizing

Unfortunately, most organizational redesigns are not defined or outlined by a problem statement. Organizations jump into these endeavors because they can ‘claim’ they are making a change, but in reality, it is being done for the sake of being done. When starting an reorganizational change, be very clear on the purpose and value of making that change. Ensure that everyone in the organization clearly understands the need and purpose for the reorganization. Clarity is the key to success. This leads us to the next challenge, which is considering the people factor. Much discussion can center around whether an organization should focus first on the good of the business or the good of the people. Making a case in every situation will remain fluid, but generally, the organization should be the priority in large organizations, and small organizations should clearly keep their people first and foremost.

Reorganization With Confidence

Be willing to take risks and be creative when exploring the process or reorganization. Some believe that when experimenting with organization, that process becomes disruptive to the organization. The fact is, experimentation can be disruptive, but only for the short term. Determine how to measure the success, define design options and then perform your experiments, as there is no single right answer. Lean practice and tools are perfect for navigating the challenges of organizational change.

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