Drive with experience, energize and inspire
When one of the vital ingredients, or components, is missing - OPEX will most likely fail. Experience is a key component to ensuring OPEX across an organization, meaning that we learn from past events, difficult and complex situations, and leaders and people who have influenced both our successful and unsuccessful endeavors.
A manager never manages alone, just as a chef never cooks alone. It’s about balance, structure and discovering the best way to delegate and work together as a team. Investing time in communication will ultimately lead to more team connections, commitment, chemistry and better overall performance.
Design the right structure
No business or company is successful without an organized and detailed structure. OPEX is unattainable without a strong structural backbone to guide the organization and drive processes within. Project Management and Lean Six Sigma Tactics can deliver this structure, while also adding precious value to your project. Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Don’t underestimate the power of Lean Thinking - but don’t use it blindfolded. Work with and select the right tools to support your goals. Indeed, every improvement project requires a unique approach. My preference? The daily “stand up," as I call it - where employees share current status updates on projects and such. For our team, it is the ideal communication platform to energize the group and increase involvement. Through this informal setting, we can realize quick wins, but also develop additional projects and conversations.
How to convince non-believers? As a black belt, I can tell that the Six Sigma approach for sure is a powerful tool to combine efficiency with effectiveness. It’s crucial to find and strive for a good balance. Data might reveal things you didn’t expect and guide you in the right direction to improve, but the results need to be effective and have the right kind of influence on the organization.
