> I believe we are finally beginning to realize the extent this rule plays
> into our organizations. Our executives are recognizing the need to
> educate everyone on the principles of business which includes
> cash flow, cost management, and customer focus. They realize
> that we have been withholding a lot of information from the
> general populace because we believed they did not needto know.
> But when we try and explain cost reduction impacts, e.g., organization
> flattening, centralization of activities, and downsizing, it is obvious
> that our people just don't get the message. How can they? They don't
> have the necessary information and make the connection.
How true it is. I have been attempting to communicate this exact thing
within my organization. It's nearly impossible to support something
you don't understand. In the last year, as business-related issues
became clearer to me, I felt the need to "chip-in" even more in the
improvement process. When one understands something better, even
if it's not directly related to the work they do, it makes it easier to
take on some ownership.
As a vehicle designer (structures), I began visiting the shops where
the tools were being cut with the math data that I generated. I also
visited the prototype assembly area where the parts I designed were
being assembled to other parts. I have been told by peers that, "it's
not your job to do these things." I learned so many valuable things
from taking initiative to understand "what comes next." This not only
enabled me to enhance my abilities to design parts that could be
machined without additional and unnecessary sanding, but also
my ability to design parts that comprehend the assembly process
better. I also developed a network of people in these areas. When
they were puzzled about something, they did not simply proceed with
what they felt needed to be done, they called me to help clarify. In
the end, the parts were in on time and in good condition.
Too often, we get stuck in our own little world and don't care about the
overall "system". I don't feel that it is my job to just design parts. My
job is to participate in the process of designing quality parts that meet
timing needs and quality standards. It goes beyond "connecting the
dots" as we say in my business. To do this, I need to understand how
much I really can influence by understanding the overall process, from
design to assembly.
-- Diane Korzeniewski ToCOLLABR8@aol.com