2.02 - Executive Alignment
Leadership to Achieve Change
Effective business change requires a top-down commitment and direction from the business executive. This requires a shared understanding of best practice, need for change and business vision. One way for a management team to consolidate such knowledge is through an executive workshop.
What is an executive workshop?
A carefully constructed appreciation programme combining best practice training, case study presentations, diagnostic feedback and team syndicate work. This provides the dual function of team building and detailed aware-ness development. A well run executive workshop can very quickly help a management team understand new methodologies and technologies. It also gives them a structured approach to help each other through the difficult process of initiating and implementing change project programmes.
The Process
Firstly a short diagnostic study, usually with external input, to evaluate the opportunities for improvements should be undertaken, where senior staffs work closely with external consultants. The benefits of using external consultants at this stage are impartiality, and experience in running successful workshops.
Duration
Typically two days to one week depending on subject area covered.
The Next Step
The next step after a workshop is usually for management teams to set up work force projects to design and implement changes targeted at clearly on the achievement of business objectives. Regular management reviews and full time project management are necessary, as well as a good communication structure to keep staff informed. Team training prior to project activity is the best way to make change happen quickly and professionally.
Audits
Audits can then follow to focus actions in specific areas. For example:
- Effectiveness audit of installed computer systems
- Audit of project management structures
- Manufacturing Strategy audit
- True product group cost audit
Typical Workshop Topics
- Benchmarking, Gap Analysis and Visioning
- Supply Chain Management
- Change Management
- Operations Design Process
- Introducing Simultaneous (or Concurrent) Engineering
- Designing an IT/IS Strategy matched to business process
- Supplier Development, supplies organisation simplification and cost reduction
- Materials Flow Analysis
- Design for Manufacture and Assembly
- Installing effective project management systems supervised by programme management
- Using quality development tools
- Integrated maintenance
- Process Capability
- Logistics and Distribution
- Customer Interface
- Target Cost Management
- Material & Process Selection Systems Design
- Product Life-cycle Management (PLM)
- Design for Six Sigma
- etc.