Call it a gift or a curse, but everywhere I go I see things that could be done better. It is a way of looking at things and thinking that I cannot switch off. Recently I was in the queue at a supermarket. It was a giant queue as only two tills were open. When I looked around why no one was going to open an extra till, I saw some boys filling the shelves, without any care about the waiting customers. They kept on carrying out their own job and seemed to have no clue as to what was going on around them. Do you recognise situations like this in your own organisation?
Lately many organisations have done the self-scan Performance enhancement on our website to get more insight in their current level of continuous improvement of their organisation. Also they got insight in the possible follow-up steps to improve this. I am happy to share the findings.
Remarkable
One of the questions in the self-scan is about the way the level of my process optimisation is shaped. The outcome of the scan acknowledges my experience that the majority of organisations have implemented the improvements on a departmental level.
Recently I had a discussion with a proud manager about the fact that there was hardly any waste in his department. He has things really sorted out, however, only together with his colleague of the department he internally delivers to, any subsequent improvements were not on his radar yet. That is what amuses me. Give a compliment and then immediately challenge people to take a next step. It is my conviction that this is always possible. Taking a next step. With cross-functional improvement teams.
How appropriate is the cooperation within your organisation between the various departments? In my supermarket there are still some defects!
Remuneration system
The level of process optimisation, in my opinion, is also closely linked with the remuneration system. If people are merely assessed for their own performance, then cross-functional and cross-departmental improvement of conduct is hardly ever realised. I suppose you are familiar with the term:
“If you assess me on this, then this is what I will do”
What are people rewarded for in your organisation?
I am not surprised that the division of the level of process optimisation is virtually the same as that of the remuneration system. The shelf stacker does not get paid to assist customers, but only for the number of shelves he filled that day and to make them look neat. The till is not part of his job?
How are things like these arranged within your organisation? At what level have you shaped your process optimisation? And which remuneration system is being used? Are you curious about the outcome? Then carry out the self-scan Performance enhancement here.
Would you like to react to this blog or discuss something, please email to hans.spitsbaard@hillfive.nl
Have a great time today!