Objective

In this article, I will list down and explain the factors that can affect the success of improvement projects. Many of these factors are related to each other. As such, I have grouped them into a few relatable ones here.

Willing and Competent

At the frontline, employees are the ones who will change the processes and products to make them cheaper, faster, and better. Hence, they must be willing and competent to perform these tasks correctly and timely. Willingness is self-explanatory. In competency, there are proven methods and principles of Six Sigma, Lean, Model for Improvement, and others that employees can learn and apply.

Support, Empower, and Recognise

Employees will meet with obstacles in their improvement journey. If they perceived them to be insurmountable, they would lose the motivation to persevere. In these situations, their managers must step in to inspire their employees by supporting, empowering, and recognising them.

Managers can support their employees by providing them with the necessary resources, listening ears, and directions to take. They can also break down barriers hindering their employees.

However, solutions to problems can also come from the employees themselves. In such situations, managers should empower their employees to take the appropriate ownership to make decisions and take actions.

Employees are human. Regardless of the outcome, they want to be recognised. Hence managers should, at the right time, recognise their efforts. It will give them the strength and stamina to progress on the improvement journey.

Teamwork, Communication, Accountability, Customer Focus

No one can work alone in an organisation. Hence good teamwork is critical. To work synergistically in teams and with other teams, timely and effective communication with each other is essential. Otherwise, tasks will be missed, done late, or not done correctly due to misunderstandings. In such a communication breakdown situation, the blame game between employees and teams can slow down or stall the progress of improvement projects. Hence everyone in the organisation must hold themselves accountable for what they deliver to their receiver. Accountability is not just about punishment. It is about the expectations and the actions to take if the expectations are not met.

Finally, the improvement journey is a marathon. Customer demands and expectations and environmental sustainability can and will change over time. Hence everyone in the organisation needs to be focused on the customer. Only then will everyone know what needs to be change and by when to change.

With the above, connect with me to share your thoughts. I am always eager to learn from them.