I scored the “Keys to Success” list that Gary Kucera made for the wrap-up session (unedited):
Canadian Pacific Railway (Jeff Adams): Cultivate Business Relationships:
- Create a 2010 “Relationship” strategy plan to build relationships with the “right” people who will help advocate and drive Process Improvement results
- Target “thought” leaders to cultivate process improvement influence
- Hand out free books
- People will only “trust” you when they have a positive relationship with you
Direct Energy (David During/Shiraz Bajwa): Create a Change Management / Influence Strategy to improve engagement of key people:
- Y = f (x)
- Ability to influence = function (role, adaptability, coverage, status)
- Focus on people with political clout who influence people behavior
- Impact the “Inner Circle” people by spending more time with them or have your “agents” perform this function
- “Become a relationship Expert” to be an effective change-agent
- Key Takeaway: Build an Influence Strategy “UPFRONT”
- Alternative tool: Stakeholders Analysis tool
Bantrel (Chris Sandink): Engage your Customer/Client
- Use a data based approach to improve KPIs to successfully influence customers/clients
- Build a process improvement plan by determining what measures can be improved which will result in improving a KPI
- Get customer/client engaged in building the business case to increase acceptance
- Key Takeaway: Use data to make business cases to influence change and get stakeholder engagement as early as possible in this process
Create a Crisis (Multiple Speakers):
- Process Improvement change is accelerated when a crisis occurs
- Either “Create” a crisis or escalate an existing crisis to facilitate change
- Top leaders will “Rethink” business strategies
- Obtain dialogue among selected “thought leaders” to discuss what should be done “different”
Alignment of Goals within a business:
- From CEO to associate, goals need to be aligned to improve the probability of success
- Finance and Human Resources are key members to make this alignment occur
- Finance should pay bonuses and merit increases based on an aligned goal structure
People:
- Identify the skill sets needed to be successful for your team and try not to compromise with lower standards
- Before hiring a person, perform succession planning to build your exit strategy for each person on your team
- Best Practice Idea: Have a person sign at the time of being hired a personal commitment to stay at least 2 years to reduce turnover
Project Success:
- Keep project scopes small and get many “small wins” versus one “big win” as it improves engagement and long term project success
- Make sure there is strong engagement, resources and commitment of Champion/Sponsor/Line Mgr prior to starting a project. Planning upfront is critical to ensure project success.
- All projects should be signed off by a Finance and Operations Mgr to avoid future “fighting”.
Leadership Behavior (multiple speakers):
- Encourage leadership to change their behaviors to become more “advocates and teachers” to help motivate, encourage, and share their knowledge.
- When teaching leaders Six Sigma education, take it slow and make sure they fully understand to avoid potential future adversity.
- Need Leadership’s commitment to sustain long-term process improvement
Finance & Process Improvement Team:
- For Xerox, and Kaplan Higher Education, it has worked very well for Process Improvement team to be aligned under Finance.
- It has accelerated Process Improvement acceptance within the business since Finance controls the purse for the business and it improves Process Improvement’s accountability since Finance wants “Proof” of project savings.
- Align project savings with department budgets.
- A finance person is always recommended to sign off on project savings.
RBC Bank (Jennifer Thompson): Continuous Certified Greenbelt/Champion Engagement
- Goal: Increase Effectiveness of Process Improvement Program by keeping people engaged
- E = f (Quality of change, acceptance of change)
Continuous Engagement Strategies:
- Bi-Annual Internal LSS Conference for GB’s
- Education
- Networking
- Celebration Certification
- Monthly Lunch and Learns
- Education
- Continuous Encouragement
- Champion Roundtable
- Program Tracking
- Continuous Feedback
- Continuous Encouragement
CLG (Annemarie Michaud) Improving Behavior Effectiveness To Drive Business Results
- Approximately 80% of behavior is driven by consequences
- Create positive and negative reinforcements to increase desired behavior
- Align desired behavior with desired goals
- Put in place consequences to drive behavior
- Behavior change environment will create long-term change