Introduction
We offer the following workshop either as a companion (add-on) event or a standalone event. The duration of this unique workshop can be tailored to be delivered in 4 hours, 1 day or 2 days.
The ways and means of businesses operating around the world have been increasingly optimized over time, even while supply chains and finance have become more complex and stretch further around the globe—in pace with advances in transportation and technology. But what has really changed in business—and even in our own lives—is the incremental, relentless compression of time. More specifically, that we and our companies need to accomplish more in order to remain competitive and relevant—even viable—in a continually decreasing amount of time.
How does a company accomplish more in less time and not spin out of control? The challenge is increasing efficiency while also increasing effectiveness. We have to manage multiple (often competing) priorities. We need to recognize opportunities and threats to our strategies, and we must formulate and deploy effective countermeasures to maintain control over our own narrative. We need to make sound decisions quickly. And we need to do all of this in real time.
This is the nature of operational excellence and the essence of its importance: The organizations that pursue operational excellence will achieve a state of readiness to quickly identify and decisively engage opportunities and threats and more rapidly develop and execute their strategies. In doing so, they will become a high-performance organization.
Part-1: Operational Excellence
The Operational Excellence Maturity Model
Review a definition of Operational Excellence. Discuss the three stages of Operational Excellence maturity, from Logistical, through Tactical to Strategic; the characteristics and expectations of each level, how to evolve from one level to the next, and the necessity of mastering one level before progressing to the next.
Lean and Six Sigma, Reality or Myth?
What is the history of Lean and Six Sigma. A basic compare and contrast of the two disciplines; Are they the competitive advantage today as they once were? Have they reached a ceiling? Have they delivered on the expectations? Is there more hype than substance? How can an organization leverage all that is good and break through to the next level?
Decisions, Decisions
Progress does not come until a decision is made. How and when do we make that decision? Is accelerated decision making the competitive differentiator for the 21stCentury company as Lean and Six Sigma were the competitive differentiators for the 20th Century company?
Part-2: Leading Change
A Culture of Leadership is Essential
Discuss the basics of leadership. What are the characteristics of an effective leader and the characteristics of an ineffective leader. Discuss how culture and customs, whether corporate or of people, matter; the impact of differences in culture and customs; and how to face these challenges.
Effective Communication
Effective communication is critical to being an effective leader and creating alignment. Discuss the importance of being clear and concise. Debate and argument is healthy, even necessary – but how do we engage in a constructive manner? How do we master the art of persuasion? What are logical fallacies and how do we avoid using them? How do we recognize when they are being used on us and the countermeasures that should be considered?
Stewardship
The Captain on the Ship is the advocate of the mission, getting the ship and all souls safely to their destination. And the Ship’s Crew are advocates of their respective duties within their functional smokestacks. But the Ship’s Steward is the advocate of the Ship. Discuss the roles, responsibilities, and benefits of stewardship within an operational excellence program.
Part-3: Preparing for Change
Lessons from Mt. Stupid
Experience is the hardest teacher, for first she gives us the test, then teaches us the lesson. Change often fails because we set expectations based upon what we do not know. The more arrogant in our ignorance we become, the greater the height of Mt. Stupid – inevitably, we will either roll down a gentle slope or fall off a cliff. How do we recognize the peril? How do we avoid the peril? What does it look like?
Assessments: The Rally Point of the Journey
Discuss requisites for success; where are you going, where are you now, and what will you need (and when will you need it) as you move from where you are to where you are going. As insiders, do we really have the ability to see the details? Do we assume to much or not ask enough questions? Every battle is won or lost before it is fought.
Guerrilla Transformation
We can’t do this alone, we will need the support of the entire organization – but we won’t have it when we start. How are the various ways that we can cause people to defect from one set of beliefs to another? Where do we start? How do we avoid failure? What is the pace we should set? What are the challenges and how do we recognize them and overcome?
The Best Way to Build Capacity and Capability
Discuss the various approaches to building capacity and capability across the enterprise, comparing and contrasting each for investment requirements and benefit. When the training and education is more comprehensive and intense, how do we ensure the knowledge gained is retained and promptly put to use?
Part-4: Strategy Execution
A State of Readiness
We live in a world of disruption – whether technology, competition, globalization, and geopolitical – that is occurring at an accelerated pace from just a few years ago. It will not be the company facing disruption or causing disruption that will prevail, but rather the company that is in the better state of readiness that will prevail. In this session, we will explore the importance of building an organization that is nimble, understands its capabilities and limitations, and is proficient in accelerating the decision-making process as a strategic advantage.
The Operational Excellence Enterprise Readiness Model
In this session, and building on what we have learned to this point. We will learn about the importance of red-teaming and debriefing. And we will discuss an organizational development model for building capacity and capability across the enterprise as we evolve our organizational readiness from process excellence through systems excellence to operational excellence.
Changing and Initiative into a Global Program
In this session, we conclude the series. We understand that building a high-performance organization will take a lot of investment in time, effort, and resources – that we should prepare for a marathon and not a sprint (and set the expectations accordingly). We review all that has been learned and understand for the designing and constructing of an Operational Excellence Program that will have your company in a state of readiness to see further beyond the horizon than it presently does so that it can better react to the challenges it faces and the opportunities that exist.
Should you or your company be interested in hosting this workshop as a companion event, or if you would like to attend a stand alone event, contact us today…