Mission-Directed Work Teams

Introduction

The “Mission-Directed Work Teams” program is a company-wide lean work system aimed at transforming the organization into a World-Class performer. This is accomplished by introducing proven “best practices” combined with high employee involvement; creating a lean, efficient team based organization.

Overview

World-class competitiveness is the result of an organization’s ability to provide quality products or services, faster and more cost effectively than competitors. According to research world-wide on industrial productivity, world-class organizations across the globe apply the following key strategies, they:

  • Focus on simultaneous improvement of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.
  • Establish close links with customers and suppliers. Drive both linear, continuous improvement (Kaizen) as well as non-linear break-through improvements in the work place.
  • Eliminate all forms of waste and make value flow, as pulled by the customer.
  • Apply leadership practices that promote teamwork, continuous learning, participation and flexibility.

The Mission-directed Work Team program is designed to translate these key strategies and principles into meaningful practices that can be implemented throughout an organization.

The program is line-driven and provides leaders and their teams with skills to benchmark themselves against recognised world-best practices thereby identifying and exploiting opportunities for improvement.

The program transforms the front-line of an organization into a productive, participative environment, thereby providing a sense of purpose for people in their place of work. This is achieved by first introducing management to the program in order to ensure that a supportive environment exist in the organization. Management has a critical role to play both as coach and as master coach.

This is followed by team leader training in the tools and techniques needed to transform the workplace.

The team leader is the leader of a “mini-business”, it is here where the success of a workplace transformation initiative is determined.

Aims

To provide leaders and their teams with skills to:

  • Achieve world-class competitiveness through innovation and continuous improvement of Quality, Speed, Cost-effectiveness, Safety and People.
  • Establishing business focus, goal alignment and full employee engagement throughout the organization.
  • Simplify the management of business objectives through the creation of a visual workplace.
  • Create a work climate characterised by teamwork, participation and continuous learning.
  • Develop a world-class organization which is also a great place to work.

Benefits

This practical, modular program delivers the following results:

  • Improved competitiveness through innovation and continuous improvement of quality, speed, cost-effectiveness, safety and people development.
  • Immediate, visible improvements in the workplace.
  • Leaders and teams equipped with tools and skills to implement world-best practices.
  • Fully engaged teams focused on business objectives, aligned throughout the organization.
  • Enhanced teamwork, participation and continuous learning.
  • Seamless integration with existing continuous improvement activities.

MDW Product: Method of Implementation

  • A practical, experiential approach to learning is adopted, introducing all leaders to the concepts and tools relating to the program.
  • Trainers are trained to introduce team members to the program in a modular manner.
  • Application of the principles and practices is enhanced through on-site, monthly, coaching reviews involving front-line teams.