By
Craig Bailey
This is the fourth
article in the series on effectively driving continuous
improvement efforts. In the previous articles, we discussed
several reasons a "change" project might not progress as well as
expected and how to avoid or overcome these obstacles. We also
presented ideas for creating a productive work environment for
the change team. In this article, we will begin to discuss
several proven approaches to effectively facilitate the change
effort.
Dedicated - 4
Days / Week
As stated in
previous articles, a highly effective change effort requires
DEDICATED resources. This cannot be overstated. The reality is,
however, that even though each team member has empowered someone
else within the organization to cover his or her “day” job, some
level of work is still piling up. If completely unattended, this
can cause stress for the team members and/or may have impact on
your company. Team members may try to stay on top of things
during breaks, or at night, so that things don’t fall between
the cracks. To avoid this, we have found it to be very effective
to schedule the team members to be 100% dedicated to the project
for only four days per week, allowing them to return to their
“day” jobs on the fifth day. This dramatically reduces team
stress and minimizes disruption to the business while at the
same time ensuring that a significant portion of the week is
allocated to the change effort.
Daily agenda
A daily agenda is
a critical project management tool, serving to focus and direct
the efforts of the team members, to achieve the desired project
outcome. This well-thought-out agenda should include reviewing
what was accomplished since the last time the team was together,
where the team is relative to the overall plan, the objectives
to be accomplished for the day, and the upcoming milestones.
This ensures that the team remains in-synch with what has been
completed and what still needs to be done.
No hidden
agendas
If it is
determined that a team member is operating with a hidden agenda,
it is the responsibility of the project manager/facilitator to
discuss this with the person, in private. The objective is to
determine what is at the heart of the matter, and how it can be
either addressed in the overall project or dismissed as
something that is out of scope (will not be impacted). If
confronting the individual team member does not resolve the
issue, the team member may have to be replaced. Leaving the
situation unresolved will hinder progress of the project.
Obtain
3rd-party input
As part of
defining the new business methods and processes of your change
effort and the approach for achieving its goals and objectives,
it can be highly beneficial to obtain input from people external
to your company. This should include customers and/or partners,
both of whom have a vested interest in your success. You can do
this by conducting a simple 20-minute interview with these
3rd-parties, asking leading questions within the scope of your
change effort, such as: What is working well in your
interactions with our firm; What isn’t working to the level of
your expectations; and, If you were in charge what would you do
differently. These leading questions will open the door for a
deluge of useful input that can serve to guide your change
effort.
In the next
article, we will cover more elements of effective project
management: case-study, break-outs, company-wide communications,
and time allocation. If you would like to learn more about how
Customer Centricity can help you successfully achieve the goals
and objectives of your continuous improvement effort, please
give us a call.
Previous articles in the series can be viewed
here.
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