This article describes an approach that leaders of manufacturing plants can take to prevent more jobs from leaving the US.
Leaders need to drive aggressive change and do so by involving all employees in the change process. Having all employees focused on doing what they can do to ensure long range success for the plant can produce radical improvements.
I have developed a model for Managing Change that is very effective with assisting leadership to drive change. This model provides a very structured approach to determine the small number of the most important changes needed to be successful and then how to drive those to completion. The plant leadership team would follow the steps in the model and the following is a brief description of each step:
Vision: Develop a Mission. Values and a Vivid Image describing what the plant could look like in three years.
Strategies: Identify high level guides to assist with achieving the Vision
Measurement: Select 4-7 Key Performance Indicators and goals for each that can be use to measure progress toward the Vision
Initiatives: Identify the three most important changes to focus on at this time
Implementation: Form teams for each Initiative and assigned them the task of accomplish their Initiative
Monitoring: Meeting monthly the leadership /team guides the entire process
Next, I would like to describe how all employees can become involved in the Managing Change Process. The model referenced above can be what I call “rolled out”. Employees throughout the plant can be organized as teams around processes for the purpose of Managing Change to their process in order to save jobs. Manufacturing processes are usually easy to see as production units (a press, furnace, assembly line, etc.). These teams would be made up of the people that actually do that work and with representatives from each shift. A member of the team would be selected to lead the team and it would not be the traditional supervisor. The model also works for all staff groups enabling everyone to be involved.
The model referenced with a couple of modifications works for these teams:
Vision: Their only document would be a Mission and it is typically built around working as teams to save jobs by lowering cost, improving quality, reducing injuries, etc.).
Strategies: None needed; only the Leadership Team needs to develop strategies for the plant.
Measurement: Same as above; all must “align” with those of the plant leadership team
Initiatives: Same as above
Implementation: Same as above
Monitoring: Same as above
This model has been in place for up to ten years at plants which indicates the process has withstood the test of time.
The team process is a very powerful means for improving performance. However, it is not simple or easy. I strongly suggest that anyone considering this approach start by finding an experienced resource to assist and this is typically a consultant. The consultant should be able to provide references that can verify their capabilities of utilizing the team approach to improve plant performance.
Jim Rose
EQ Consulting Services
Saving Manufacturing Jobs - To learn more about this author, visit Jim Rose's Website.
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Jim Rose
(Visit Jim's Website)
Jim Rose has been a management consultant
with EQ Consulting Services for more than
ten years. Before becoming a constant he
worked for thirty years with the Aluminum
Company of America serving primarily in
various line management positions. Jim
works with organizations ranging from
large to small and does not specialize in
any specific type of business. He
provides a wide range of services both
strategic and tactical in nature.
Strategic examples include: Strategic
Planning, Managing Change and Building the
High Performance Organization. Tactical
examples include: improving customer
satisfaction, quality, employee morale,
process control, meeting effectiveness and
teamwork at all levels both within and
between groups. He has worked throughout
the US and has spent extensive time
working internationally thus experiencing
many cultures.
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