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Forging the empire-building discipline

• 18.10.2023

Maximize your consulting ROI in 7 steps

Have you been spending more time working ON your business as an empire builder or are you stuck working IN your business as a fire fighter? If you answered the second, it's time to change the narrative! In this blog our team has put together a quick 7-step self-assessment to help you better align & articulate your vision to those tasked with helping you achieve it.

After reading this article, you can then ask yourself how your business management consultants support you as you continue pushing your agenda to approach and smash through your breakthrough goals. Are they taking you in the right direction and does every quarter bring a new and exciting adventure or does every new year feel like another version of the prior with only the buzz words changing?

By pinpointing common missteps, you'll be on track to refine your operations, put the right KPIs on the table for the right people, and maximise efficiency.

Maximising your consulting ROI:
7 questions to ask yourself

1. How does your management team define & approach continuous improvement?

Good answer: Continuous improvement is all about standardising our processes and creating a discipline to support ongoing process waste elimination so that they are continuously becoming more efficient with little variance

Bad answer:Continuous improvement is about cost cuts and using automation to eliminate activities and personnel

2. How are processes catalogued and made available to those who need them?

Good answer: Processes are listed in macro/micro format in a central repository for any staff member to access them. Within the archive you will find all supporting documents including procedures, flow charts, checklists, job aids, etc.

Bad answer: There is no central repository. We count on individuals to manage their own processes. When you need to know something, ask Jim, he will send you a spreadsheet he maintains. Or was it Randy?

3. Describe the dashboard you use to review your portfolio of current and future continuous improvement initiatives

Good answer: Our dashboard of process improvement activities is reviewed monthly by senior management. It lists each activity based on what phase it is in in the plan-do-check-act cycle. It also contains a list of acknowledged ideas that are still under analysis. Both activities and the portfolio of improvement ideas that have not yet been approved display the benefits we expect to achieve and the costs associated with implementation.

Bad answer: We do not have a dashboard of improvement opportunities. At best we have a list in a spreadsheet of all commitments that are underway.

4. How is process waste reported, analysed and used to support Continuous Improvement?

Good answer: Our team actively addresses and minimizes process waste through a multifaceted approach. First and foremost, we hold regular workshops and training sessions to educate staff about waste reduction strategies. Additionally, we've implemented a suggestion system that encourages employees to submit their waste reduction ideas. These proposals are carefully evaluated and, when viable, integrated into our operations. We also conduct periodic reviews of our processes to identify areas where waste can be further reduced or eliminated. This collaborative approach ensures that every team member is aware of their role in waste management activities. Although we don't have a visual dashboard dedicated to waste reduction ideas, we maintain open channels of communication to keep everyone informed and engaged in our waste reduction efforts.

Bad answer: We don't put much stock into process waste talk as we've got bigger fish to fry around here. We don't need some flashy visual dashboard to stroke our egos about it. Staff should focus on their jobs leaving big picture stuff to management. We've got other priorities that actually impact the bottom line. We discuss it when it's necessary, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking it's a game-changer. We've been doing just fine without it.

5. How integrated is Human Resources and your L&D team with your continuous improvement program?

Good answer: Our Continuous Improvement program is deeply integrated with both Human Resources (HR) and our Learning & Development (L&D) team. HR plays a pivotal role in ensuring that roles and job descriptions align seamlessly with our business processes. They actively collaborate with operational leaders to understand the intricacies of each role and how it contributes to our processes. L&D, in turn, works closely with HR and operational teams to map out the necessary skills required for each process. This ensures that our staff receives targeted training that directly impacts their ability to excel in their roles. Additionally, operational team leaders are well-supported by HR in reporting staff performance levels. This level of integration ensures that our Continuous Improvement efforts are not only effective but also sustainable in the long run.

Bad answer: HR struggles with aligning job descriptions with business processes, which frankly, shouldn't be rocket science and the L&D team isn't much better! They can't seem to figure out which skills are needed for operational processes leaving our staff floundering. All of this while operational team leaders are practically pulling their hair out trying to report staff performance. It's like everyone's in their own world. Continuous Improvement? More like Continuous Chaos.

6. How efficient is your IT team in supporting your continuous improvement program?

Good answer: Our IT department is actively aligned with business operations. We're currently working on implementing a real-time reporting mechanism for management to gain process-level visibility into essential IT applications. This will greatly enhance our ability to address functional gaps, bugs, and product enhancements promptly and efficiently.

Bad answer: Frankly, our IT department operates in a silo. There's no real-time reporting, which means management lacks visibility into the crucial IT applications supporting business processes. This hampers our ability to handle functional gaps, bugs, and product enhancements in a timely manner.

7. How effective is your KPI capture and review program?

Good answer: We have a robust framework of transparency-focused reports consistently ensuring that indicators of timeliness and quality are maintained at high standards and available in real-time, on demand. Moreover, our team leaders proactively communicate with suppliers, customers, and the management team on a fixed cadence, fostering a collaborative environment. While our program is already strong, we're continuously exploring opportunities for improvement to further elevate our performance.

Bad answer: Team leaders lack a daily non-confrontational report to share with suppliers, customers, and the management team, especially in cases where timeliness and quality are compromised.

In Closing

Embracing a culture of continuous improvement isn't just a checkbox; it's a top-down transformation that starts with senior management. Each of the seven elements discussed here demands sincere attention and commitment. Without a doubt, digital transformation and tools are essential in this journey. They provide the means to streamline processes, enhance communication, and elevate efficiency.

If consulting teams and leadership shy away from these digital aspects, it's crucial to question whether they're truly invested in driving progress. Embracing these tools may require extra effort, but the rewards in terms of efficiency, transparency, and competitiveness are well worth the investment. Remember, a culture of continuous improvement isn't an option in today's fast-paced business environment-it's a necessity for sustained success.