In my last blog, I wrote about how Standard Work can assist organisations in sustaining improvements. Following on from conversations I have had since then, I am staying with the Standard Work theme. This time, I am focusing on Leader Standard Work. In particular, I will outline how it ensures leaders are more likely to achieve success. Then, I will discuss the impact of Leader Standard Work on the culture of Continuous Improvement and overall business performance.
Apart from the fact that I firmly believe that Leader Standard Work is an essential component of continuous improvement. Why? Because it drives business performance to new heights. My decision to write this piece also comes from comments such as ‘I gave that piece to my team’, or ‘it is not really relevant to me as the Manager’. Frequently, I have heard the classic ‘’sure, I am the CFO and too busy for Standard Work’. Such comments demonstrate the myth that Standard Work is not for managers or leaders.
4 Elements of Lean Culture
In his book “Creating a Lean Culture,” David Mann asserts that there are four essential elements of Lean culture. These are as follows:
Leader Standard Work
Visual control boards
Daily accountability process
Discipline
In essence, Mann compares leader standard work to the engine of a car. It is a vital for the running of the organisation. Furthermore, it is critical for an effective lean management system because it supports and demonstrates successful leadership behaviours in a continuous improvement environment.
In this blog post, I will explore what constitutes leader standard work, how this impacts their success and the culture of continuous improvement and contributes to the business performance.
What is Leader Standard Work?
Leader Standard Work (LSW) is a set of guidelines and expectations that leaders follow to ensure that they are providing the necessary support and resources for continuous improvement. It is an essential element of Lean management. LSW involves identifying key processes, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing routines to ensure that processes are executed consistently and effectively.
While the proportion of standardised work as a percentage of total time reduces higher up the corporate ladder, LSW is applicable to leaders at all levels in organisations, supervisors, managers, directors, and executives.
Objectives of Leader Standard Work
Broadly the objectives of Leader Standard Work are as follows:
- To attain a high degree of organisation in their own work.
- To free up time to be creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial.
- To ensure excellent results of their team.
At LeanTeams, we believe that when Leaders accomplish these three clear objectives, they will succeed in their own roles and enhance their organisation’s business performance.
They will have standardised the repetitive aspects of their work, the activities they should be doing on a daily, weekly, monthly, or even quarterly basis. They will schedule times for routine tasks, for example approvals. As a result, this gives clarity when anything requiring approval should be submitted. In addition, it is a more effective use of time, with less chance of interruptions.
Manager’s meetings will be relevant, organised, and effective. They will have standard agendas and minutes, typically an A3, concise record of decisions and actions required.
Leader standard work will vary depending on the level of the organisation, but it typically includes the following elements:
Gemba Walks
Leaders should regularly visit the workplace to observe processes and identify opportunities for improvement. Gemba walks allow leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the work being done and to identify potential areas for improvement.
Metrics and Data Analysis
Leaders must track and analyse data to monitor progress, identify trends, and make informed decisions. This requires establishing clear performance metrics and data collection systems to track progress and identify areas that require improvement.
Visible Management Systems
Without visibility of metrics, Leader Standard Work deteriorates into vague, general discussions about ‘how things are going.’ When you cannot see and track trends over time, conversations lose focus and Gemba walks also tend to lose value.
Coaching and Development
Leaders must provide support and resources to their team members to help them develop their skills and knowledge. This requires identifying the training and development needs of team members and providing them with the necessary resources to improve their performance.
Continuous Improvement
Leaders must actively participate in continuous improvement efforts. This involves identifying opportunities for improvement as well as implementing changes to improve processes, products, and services and systems to sustain these improvements.
How Leader Standard Work Impacts Continuous Improvement
Leader Standard Work is a critical component of continuous improvement. Why? Because it ensures that leaders are actively engaged in the improvement process. LSW can impact continuous improvement in several ways:
Ensuring Consistency
Leader standard work establishes clear expectations and guidelines for how processes should be consistent across the organisation. This consistency is essential as it allows organisations to identify areas that require improvement and implement changes more efficiently.
Compliance with Regulatory Requirements and Industry Standards
By documenting and following standard processes and procedures, organisations can demonstrate that they are operating in a compliant and responsible manner. This not only protects the business from legal and financial risks, it also enhances its reputation and credibility in the eyes of customers and stakeholders.
Fostering Accountability
LSW creates a culture of accountability by establishing clear roles and responsibilities for leaders and team members. This culture of accountability encourages team members to take ownership of their work and to actively participate in continuous improvement efforts.
Encouraging Engagement
Leader Standard Work ensures that leaders are actively involved in the improvement process. Critically, this sends a message to team members that improvement is a top priority and that everyone must work together to achieve it.
Driving Innovation
LSW encourages leaders to identify and implement new ideas and solutions. By regularly visiting the workplace and engaging with team members, leaders can identify new opportunities for improvement and implement innovative solutions to address them.
How Leader Standard Work Impacts Business Performance
Just as Leader Standard Work embeds a culture of Continuous Improvement in organisations, it also drives business performance.
Enhanced Employee Engagement
Providing team members with the necessary support and resources to improve their performance enhances levels of engagement and increases motivation. Similarly, when leaders demonstrate clear understanding of their responsibilities and tasks, they can communicate these effectively to their teams. This ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals and objectives. Furthermore, there is clarity around what needs to be done.
Improved Quality
LSW ensures that processes are executed consistently and that team members are adequately trained and supported. This improved quality leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Increased Efficiency
Leader Standard Work ensures that processes are executed consistently and effectively. As a result, this leads to increased efficiency and productivity. This increased efficiency can help companies to achieve better cost structures and improved bottom lines.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a commitment to Leader Standard Work is fundamental to the development of world-class operations. Leader Standard Work is a critical tool for any business that is committed to continuous improvement and to achieving sustainable business performance.
By documenting and standardising the work of leaders, organisations can improve communication and collaboration, establish a culture of accountability, drive continuous improvement, achieve greater efficiency and productivity, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.
Leaders who are disciplined in their Standard Work will attain a high degree of organisation in their own work, which allows them more time for creativity and innovation. Their discipline in adhering to Standard Work enables leaders at all levels to be successful, which in turn guarantees excellent results for their teams.
As such, companies that invest in Leader Standard Work are better positioned to achieve their strategic objectives and to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive business environment.
This blog post was written by Martina Murphy, Lean Business Trainer & Mentor. On her profile page, you can also watch a video of Martina talking about Lean. If you need help implementing Leader Standard Work in your organisation, please contact us https://leanteams.com/contact/
We hope you enjoyed reading about how Leader Standard Work drives continuous improvement and boosts business performance. You may also be interested in reading our articles on how Standard Work can help you to sustain improvements and how to easily identify the 10 wastes of lean. All our blogs are available to read on our website. Please connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter
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