12/19/13...Which is best for a
functional team? Meeting based empowerment, event based empowerment, or project
based empowerment? Factors such as plant culture dictate which one or ones are
most appropriate on the journey. Over the last three years, most of our teams
met (meeting based) on a regular basis with Point Kaizens (event based)
sporadically dotting their journey. Let me spend a moment clarifying what I
mean in regards to each of these empowerment approaches. However, let me first
explain a functional team.
In our organization, empowerment centers on the functional team. A typical functional team can be a department, an area, or a machine. Examples are customer service or in the case of our company, a bag making machine. The thought is harnessing the power of function versus cross-function. With cross-functional groups, the challenge for the team members is carrying back decisions to the rest of the group who had no input into what they are being asked. The challenge with functional groups is coming up with fresh ideas and perspective. Neither is the end all, it is just a matter of intentional choice which most fits within the mission and objectives of the organization. For us, we decided functional teams were most appropriate in addressing low effort/low impact items. For higher effort/higher impact opportunities we would use cross functional Kaizen or Six Sigma teams.
Further, empowerment in our plant culture means the teams are not self-directed, but do exhibit behaviors of a self-directed work team, such as deciding roles like team leader, minute taker or knowledge experts. Now there is more to this, but I think this is enough to move on to this idea of choosing meeting based, event based, or project based empowerment.
Meeting based empowerment means the functional team meets on a regular basis, typically weekly, every other week, or monthly. Frequency depends on the situation. The main benefit I see from meeting based is regular work area communication and promoting working together as a team. Once these teams start meeting, the complaining of shift leaving shift in such an undesirable manner virtually evaporates. However, one of the keys in this approach in a manufacturing environment is support from the maintenance, technical and engineering group.
Event based empowerment means the functional team focuses on a specific area of focus in a Point Kaizen event. Examples are 5S, SOC, JSA, PFMEA, etc. Instead of a meeting lasting 1-2 hours, the team comes together in 1-2 day event. The advantages in this approach are the team rallies around a common goal in a short amount of time. The objectives are usually clear, and the topic focuses more on what the team is in control of. There is also satisfaction in doing the work and seeing the results all within the 1-2 day period. Everyone parts ways feeling good about the time spent working on improvement. In meeting based empowerment, teams sometimes lose sight of what they are accomplishing because activities are spread out over time between meetings.
Project based empowerment is similar to a Kaizen or Six Sigma event. A Kaizen event focuses activity within a week’s time frame. A Six Sigma event focuses activity over the course of typically 6 months and the focus centers mostly around the DMAIC process. Project based events center around a topic and may not be as data driven as a Six Sigma event. Cross functional teams are primarily used in Kaizen and Six Sigma projects because different perspectives bring strengths to the process. Project based typically are cross functional but can be functional. Overall project based empowerment the less used of all the approaches in our business.
So I hope this offers some insight into what I see as the differences between types of empowerment.
In our organization, empowerment centers on the functional team. A typical functional team can be a department, an area, or a machine. Examples are customer service or in the case of our company, a bag making machine. The thought is harnessing the power of function versus cross-function. With cross-functional groups, the challenge for the team members is carrying back decisions to the rest of the group who had no input into what they are being asked. The challenge with functional groups is coming up with fresh ideas and perspective. Neither is the end all, it is just a matter of intentional choice which most fits within the mission and objectives of the organization. For us, we decided functional teams were most appropriate in addressing low effort/low impact items. For higher effort/higher impact opportunities we would use cross functional Kaizen or Six Sigma teams.
Further, empowerment in our plant culture means the teams are not self-directed, but do exhibit behaviors of a self-directed work team, such as deciding roles like team leader, minute taker or knowledge experts. Now there is more to this, but I think this is enough to move on to this idea of choosing meeting based, event based, or project based empowerment.
Meeting based empowerment means the functional team meets on a regular basis, typically weekly, every other week, or monthly. Frequency depends on the situation. The main benefit I see from meeting based is regular work area communication and promoting working together as a team. Once these teams start meeting, the complaining of shift leaving shift in such an undesirable manner virtually evaporates. However, one of the keys in this approach in a manufacturing environment is support from the maintenance, technical and engineering group.
Event based empowerment means the functional team focuses on a specific area of focus in a Point Kaizen event. Examples are 5S, SOC, JSA, PFMEA, etc. Instead of a meeting lasting 1-2 hours, the team comes together in 1-2 day event. The advantages in this approach are the team rallies around a common goal in a short amount of time. The objectives are usually clear, and the topic focuses more on what the team is in control of. There is also satisfaction in doing the work and seeing the results all within the 1-2 day period. Everyone parts ways feeling good about the time spent working on improvement. In meeting based empowerment, teams sometimes lose sight of what they are accomplishing because activities are spread out over time between meetings.
Project based empowerment is similar to a Kaizen or Six Sigma event. A Kaizen event focuses activity within a week’s time frame. A Six Sigma event focuses activity over the course of typically 6 months and the focus centers mostly around the DMAIC process. Project based events center around a topic and may not be as data driven as a Six Sigma event. Cross functional teams are primarily used in Kaizen and Six Sigma projects because different perspectives bring strengths to the process. Project based typically are cross functional but can be functional. Overall project based empowerment the less used of all the approaches in our business.
So I hope this offers some insight into what I see as the differences between types of empowerment.
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