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LEADING
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TEAMING
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SELLING
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TEAM DEVELOPMENT
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CASE STUDIES
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A Case Study in Teaming - Quality and Teamwork
PROBLEM
A leading commercial offset printing house -- a 'union shop' which includes the supervisors as union members -- had to redo 40% of its projects due to poor quality. In addition, the company foresaw that to maintain its leadership in the industry, it would have to completely computerize and automate its printing operations -- a process that would collapse union-standard job definitions, reduce overall staff, and require significant retraining. If this could not be accomplished, the company's competitors would substantially erode its market share.
WHAT WE DID
We undertook a series of interviews with management and shop stewards, completed an internal survey focused mainly on the quality of interpersonal and interdepartmental communication, and then took the supervisors and management off-site for a three-day workshop. There, the focus was on clarifying expectations, providing constructive feedback, recognizing and rewarding high performance, dealing effectively with non-performance, and creating a sense of shared responsibility for the plant's success. We followed up this workshop up with monthly meetings where quality issues were brainstormed and new programs were set in motion. The project continued for eight months.
THE RESULTS
Within four months, the 'redo' rate dropped to less than 10%, and after six months it was 5%, where it remains to this day. A comprehensive program included a chart of the redo rate conspicuously posted in the plant for all plant employees, as well as giving recognition for "The Job of the Week". These measures contributed to employees cooperating to improve standards and taking unprecedented pride in their accomplishments.
Today the plant is transformed -- a "high-tech" environment that supplies the highest standard, most economically produced commercial printing in North America, staffed by motivated, retrained craftspeople and supervisors.
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Integrating Cultures
PROBLEM
Our client had acquired another pharmaceutical company, and after several years of operating the two companies separately, had realized that they represented two very different 'cultures', with differing values and habits in the ways they organized, managed, promoted, delegated and treated their sales forces. Efficiency required that the two operations be merged, that overall sales be increased, and that the tensions and disrespect apparent between the two divisions be reduced or eliminated.
WHAT WE DID
Following a series of meetings with various members of management, two surveys were undertaken, one to identify the management styles of all the regional and divisional managers and the other to assess communication norms(i.e. how clearly did each respondent understand the purpose of his or her role; what was expected from division personnel; the quantity and usefulness of feedback regarding progress toward organizational and personal goals; the extent to which people felt they were equitably recognized and rewarded for their achievements; and, the quality of support they were given when problems occurred.)
A five-day, off-site workshop was held, at which the significance and results of the surveys were discussed, and new skills, practices, and organizational norms were introduced. Task Forces and individual Action Plans were created, and quarterly follow-up meetings were set-up to monitor progress and develop ongoing innovations to improve the norms now shared by management throughout the company.
THE RESULTS
A second survey of communication norms within the organization indicated that management had changed their habits, were more cooperative and focused, and demonstrated greater mutual respect and commitment to healthier management practices. Moreover, sales increased by an unprecedented 15% over the following twelve month period, a result attributed by management to the changes we had introduced.
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Continuous Quality Improvement through High Performance Teams
PROBLEM
Years of formal, traditional management practices had molded the habits and thinking of thissuccessful manufacturer, relegating decision-making to senior managers. Workers were rarely encouraged to take initiative or offer suggestions about improvements.
Meanwhile, high levels of spoilage, returned products, and poor quality were tolerated as routine, with only occasional success at lowering the frequency of occurrence.
WHAT WE DID
As part of this company's new quality assurance program, we conducted a tailored program, "Creating High Performance Teams", in which we examined the importance of quality and how to achieve it through Shared Responsibility, Participative Leadership, Creative Problem Solving, and specific techniques to engage all workers in quality issues.
As a result of this work, the team was able to develop and implement a unique team reward system in the form of a work unit "Mutual Performance Fund" (MPF) which operates as follows: the company deposits funds into a special account held in trust for members of the work unit, each of whom is given an equal share in the work unit's "MPF". Through setting specific, measurable, quality and performance objectives, additional deposits (or withdrawals) are made to the fund as progress toward (or regression from) these new goals is achieved by the work unit. Individual contributions to the work unit's success are also recognized by the award of additional shares to any individual whose ideas or efforts are deemed to be of exceptional value. A special "MPF Board of Directors", including representatives from all levels of the work unit, meet regularly to assess progress, re-evaluate the fund's share price, and award additional shares if appropriate. Members of other departments who help improve work unit performance can also be awarded shares, giving them a vested interest in the success of the work unit.
THE RESULTS
Change has been gradual, steady, and building in momentum. Work units embracing these concepts are experiencing unprecedented levels of improved performance, quality of work life, and substantial savings and efficiencies. Together, they now brainstorm ways to improve quality and performance.
NEXT
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