There is a system for continual improvement that is simple to execute and encourages complete participation from everyone. It is an uncomplicated design that matures into a highly functional arrangement, and the results are dependable commodities, clients, customers and suppliers. The steady nature of the organization is then realized in the predictable enjoyment gained from doing business with it.
The vitality of a company comes from its vocation and its purpose to its employees. The pursuit of goals to embrace the mission is developed at the top of the organization and impressed upon all employees with the hopes of full buy-in and commitment. The notion that a compact unit of individuals can be highly focused, interdependent and accountable to each other is worthy of dedication to a system that, once established, leads to the sum being greater than its parts.
An organization properly lead from the top will in general require only four basic building blocks to be ingrained into its way of being and repeated in every decision and shift therein. These columns are communication, resources, tools and trust, which together create a strong company culture.
The adage that communication is key is of utmost importance when growing and evolving your company. The first step is to clearly define the vision and ensure company-wide awareness of the aspirations. Once this is established, create the heartbeat of the organization by sharing the evaluation of the company’s strengths, weaknesses and motivation to improve continuously. Providing measurements of performance and achievable goals as follow-up illustrates that management desires incremental improvement and is realistic. Having these obtainable targets allows for many goals to be reached and has a team working closely together aiming in the same direction.
Even though it may seem like it gets in the way sometimes, the next step does make the company hum efficiently and in unison. Having regular documented meetings demonstrates the seamless flow of thoughts, strategies, trials, successes and failures, which conveys the company’s commitment to improve operations. The most important concept with these meetings is to carry forward an open style that welcomes input from everyone yet still has a clear itinerary to ensure that each meeting is purposeful. Creating this pattern and expectation of meeting format prepares group members for the agenda and keeps everyone both accountable for their assigned responsibilities from past meetings and ready to report inputs into the new ones. It is also important to use this format at all levels of the communication system, from company wide meetings and weekly department sessions to one-onone reviews. The objective is to have structure, open flow of sharing, and accountability to the system and each other.
While formalizing the action plan, it is proper to evaluate in detail the company’s state and the resources needed to pursue the course. Assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and perceived threats of what you are currently. Ask if your goal is immediately achievable with the assets on hand or if additional factors such as human, financial, physical and knowledge must be considered? Does the company need to add staff and space or require the services of a consultant, and should that relationship with the bank be massaged? Be honest with the observations to understand the impact on the company and the commitment required.
Now that the strategy is created and the company has been assessed, review the tools your organization possesses.
During these considerations, question if what you have is adequate to support the mechanisms of the new plan. Does the software need an upgrade to the latest revision? Is more machinery required, including office accessories, for an expedient transition? Is the staff sufficiently trained, or are more skills needed? Are third-party suppliers scalable to your growth projections, and do you need to increase the scope of your supplier base? These examinations plus any particular to the organization and industry are fundamental groundwork for anticipated success.
It is essential to grow belief from the staff after gathering all of the data and engineering of the viable plan. The concept of trust is often overlooked in a company; however, this phenomenon is the basic fabric of a fruitful organization. It’s the simple thoughtfulness of wondering if we can accomplish this together — are we assured that our system and commodity are strong; is it the right time; will our leadership guide us; does our team want this; will our strengths and our mission allow us to soar; and what value does it bring to each employee? This attentiveness to the pulse of your group creates a bond that far exceeds a paycheck and a bottom line.
Welcome full participation and idea sharing by everyone. You never know where and how the most practical, simple, abstract, outlandish, “that’s just crazy enough to work” strokes of genius will develop. Establish vision, expectations and communication to create a collective environment of empowerment and role ownership. Cultivate this to increase each member’s value by challenging everyone to look at the whole road, not just an individual lane.
It is exciting to be a part of something bigger, and experiencing positives encourages the desire for more participation. A strong, consistent company culture that is unique to the group grows happy partners internally, and permeates through to the outside.
JOHN HARTNETT, III is the V.P., Global Business Development with Endoscopy Replacement Parts, Inc. and founder of Leo Quality Assurance, LLC., an operations management consultant for your business future. He serves on the Boards of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce Advanced Manufacturing Council and the Florida Chamber Foundation to secure Florida’s future as a global hub for trade and innovation.