| As most leaders know, management is a separate | | | | should understand that a slowdown in Department A |
| entity from leadership. Many organizational leaders | | | | will have an adverse effect on Department B. In |
| have difficulty doing one and continuing to do the | | | | linear terms this is simple, but complex organizations |
| other. And management is sometimes still looked | | | | sometimes have issues that are not apparent at first |
| upon as an operational piece of the organization, so | | | | glance. From the leadership standpoint, you can use |
| leaders believe that they should employ "managers" | | | | this knowledge to cast an empathetic ear on issues; |
| to manage and "leaders" to lead. There are a few | | | | people behind barriers will be pleasantly surprised to |
| basic leadership principles that you can use to look at | | | | know that you understand their problems. |
| the organization's operations differently - and pass on | | | | Again, here is further knowledge that you can use to |
| to the other leaders and managers down the line. | | | | truly move forward. Leaders should break barriers, so |
| First, you must take a different view of the | | | | you can show the overall strategy to everyone in |
| organization's operations. As people progress up the | | | | the organization and create a team spirit that moves |
| ladder, moving from line to management and then to | | | | each process forward. |
| more senior levels, they may begin to see operations | | | | Third, and again elementary, you must learn to solve |
| as someone else's responsibility. This is a leadership | | | | problems. The wrinkle in problem solving is that |
| failure, so you should always see the understanding | | | | you've got to solve those problems from the |
| of operations as part of your job. | | | | systems view, not from the organization chart. One |
| There are two different views of operations: | | | | common problem solving technique from the |
| conventional and systems. The conventional view | | | | operations standpoint is the "Ishikawa Diagram", or |
| sees the organization chart and job details. The | | | | the "5 Whys" technique. To use this in the systems |
| systems view, which should be the leader's view, is | | | | view, you must first identify the issues. GE used the |
| an understanding of how the organization's goals get | | | | "Work Out" program to break down barriers and |
| accomplished. What processes occur to allow higher | | | | identify organizational problems. You don't have to |
| income, new products, customer service, and | | | | use a formalized program like "Work Out", but you |
| industry leadership? To see your organization in this | | | | can model something after it to bring issues to the |
| view, you should look at your systems as links in a | | | | forefront. |
| chain, with one piece dependent on the next. Take | | | | Once the issues are identified, the "5 Whys" |
| the time to understand how each process fits with | | | | technique requires that you ask "why" at least five |
| the next and how the whole structure fits together | | | | times. For example, if you determine that customers |
| as a whole. On top of that, leaders should be able to | | | | are not getting their products in a timely manner, the |
| find the chain's "weak link" to make improvements. | | | | first question to ask is, "why is this happening?". |
| Second, you must obtain cooperation across systems | | | | When you answer the question again, you'll begin to |
| lines. This can be very difficult to do, especially in | | | | drill down to the causative roots. |
| organizations that are rooted in the "org chart" view. | | | | Finally, to apply leadership principles to operations |
| People can be apathetic, angry, or unwilling to share | | | | management, you must harvest and manage |
| information and processes with other departments. | | | | knowledge. In many organizations, operational |
| But just how can leaders facilitate a change from an | | | | associates typically have various forms of "tacit" |
| organization with very strict boundaries to one | | | | knowledge, that is, knowledge that they can take |
| without boundaries? | | | | with them if they go. This knowledge may be written |
| It is important to know what all of the organization's | | | | or mental, but it is your duty to begin a process of |
| departments do. This may seem elementary, but | | | | documenting and imparting knowledge throughout the |
| some high-level leaders do not concern themselves | | | | organization. This process starts through |
| with an understanding of each component. If you're | | | | well-developed and documented policies and |
| new to an organization, take the time to visit, ask | | | | procedures and continues through exceptional training |
| questions, and interview the managers of each area | | | | for cross-organization moves and new hire |
| to determine their responsibilities, issues, and | | | | employees. |
| processes. Once you've done this, you will begin to | | | | These four concepts can help you apply your |
| see a big picture emerging, an idea of how those | | | | leadership skill to the operations of your organization. |
| links in the chain fit together. | | | | Once you've started this process, you'll be amazed at |
| Armed with your big picture knowledge, learn what | | | | how much ground you can cover. |
| impacts whom - and vice versa. This means that you | | | | |