The Culture of Operational Excellence: More Than Just Free Coffee and Ping Pong Tables

SUMMARY

Culture is not only a conduit of Operational Excellence, it’s also the reflector of an operationally excellent organisation in place. But upfront, just to debunk some of the myths around culture that I am sure you must have realised by now.

1.?Having free tea/coffee and breakfasts in your office has nothing to do with a vibrant culture.

2.?Having a massage at work, beautiful location and furniture neither.

3.?Having wonderful Christmas parties are also not any indicator of a corporate culture

Also some red flags –

1.?If you have never taken part in any ‘culture workshop’ ever in the organisation.

2.?If the ‘culture’ in your company is being defined by the senior leadership team only, with input from external consultants. And you got to receive a fancy PowerPoint in the end.

3.?If the culture of your company is being defined by branding, marketing teams.

4.?If nobody is even talking about how your company ‘culture’ is or should be.

5.?You are also indifferent to how the ‘culture’ is in your company, you don’t care, then sadly you are also part of everything that a ‘company culture’ should address, that why is it the way you feel?

Getting into it

There is a strong reason why ‘culture’ sits at the very heart of the Troika of Operational Excellence framework along with Commercials and Customer Specific Services. This is because culture is that unspoken and unseen but strongly felt sentiment in a company which only helps increase the effectiveness of an operationally excellent unit. Operational Excellence is not a destination but its like a journey with lots of hops in between. Every milestone achieved upgraded the efficiency of the organisation to the next level and there is always room for more improvement.

Culture of the company greatly facilitates the implementation of a framework like the Troika of Operational Excellence and conversely, an organisation which is implementing this framework will consequently witness the strengthening of the cultural elements of the organisation which will be inclusive of the last person in the chain, collaborative, 360 degrees and definable clearly by any staff at any level of the company.

Imagine your organisation as a grand orchestra. The Troika of Operational Excellence framework is like the conductor, ensuring that Project Management (the strings), Operations (the brass), and Delivery (the percussion) all play in perfect harmony. But what's the sheet music that guides this symphony? That's your company culture.

Now, let’s debunk some myths faster than a project manager can say, “Let’s take this offline”:

1. Free coffee and breakfasts don’t create culture. (Though they do create queues at the coffee machine that rival the lines at a popular café!)

2. Fancy office furniture isn’t culture. (But it might give you a comfy place to ponder why your last project went off the rails.)

3. Extravagant Christmas parties aren’t culture. (Though they might explain some interesting water cooler conversations come Monday morning!)

In my years of working in tech companies, I’ve seen more “culture initiatives” fall flat than failed sprints in a dysfunctional Agile team. One company I worked for decided to boost culture by installing a slide between floors. Spoiler alert: it didn’t improve communication, but it did increase the dry-cleaning bills!

The Heart of the Troika

The Troika of Operational Excellence framework places culture at its core for good reason. It’s the invisible force that can either propel your organisation to new heights or anchor it firmly in mediocrity. Think of culture as the gravitational pull that keeps your operational planets in orbit—without it, everything flies apart faster than you can say “scope creep”.

Why Culture Matters

Culture is the lens through which every employee views their role and the organisation's mission. It shapes behaviours, drives decision-making, and ultimately determines how effectively the Troika functions. Here are some ways culture directly influences operational excellence:

1. Alignment of Values: When your culture aligns with your operational goals, it creates a unified direction. If your company values innovation but your culture discourages risk-taking, you’ll find yourself in a paradox more confusing than a poorly written user manual.

2. Empowerment and Ownership: A culture that encourages employees to take ownership of their work fosters a sense of responsibility. In one tech firm I consulted for, employees were empowered to propose process improvements. This led to a 30% increase in efficiency as team members felt personally invested in the outcomes.

3. Continuous Improvement: A culture that embraces feedback and learning is essential for operational excellence. At another company, implementing regular “retrospectives” allowed teams to reflect on successes and failures. This practice not only improved project outcomes but also created a safe space for innovation.

4. Collaboration Over Silos: When departments work in silos, the Troika's potential is stifled. A culture that promotes cross-functional collaboration can break down these barriers. I once worked with a company that held monthly “innovation days” where teams from different departments collaborated on projects. This initiative not only sparked creativity but also led to a 50% increase in new product ideas.

Let’s dive deeper into some practical examples that illustrate the impact of culture on operational excellence:

- The Power of "Why": At a tech startup, every team member could articulate why their work mattered. From the CEO to the intern, everyone understood how their role contributed to the company's mission. This clarity led to a 30% increase in productivity and a 25% decrease in employee turnover. It’s like everyone was singing from the same hymn sheet—except the hymns were all about efficiency and innovation!

- The Feedback Loop: Another company I worked with implemented a culture of continuous feedback, aligning perfectly with the Troika’s emphasis on ongoing improvement. They saw a 40% reduction in project delays as issues were identified and addressed more quickly. Imagine a world where project managers didn’t have to chase down team members for updates—bliss!

- Recognition and Rewards: A culture that acknowledges and rewards contributions to operational excellence reinforces desired behaviours. One organisation introduced a “Kudos Board” where employees could publicly recognise their peers for outstanding work. This simple initiative not only boosted morale but also increased collaboration, as people wanted to be part of the “Kudos Club.”

Let’s not forget the lighter side of culture. Culture isn’t something you can install like a new software update. It’s more like tending a garden—it requires constant care, attention, and occasionally dealing with some unexpected weeds (or that one team member who keeps microwaving fish in the office kitchen).

In one particularly memorable team meeting, we decided to do a “culture check-in.” Each team member was asked to share one thing they loved about the company culture. The responses ranged from “I love the flexibility” to “I appreciate the free snacks.” One brave soul even admitted, “I love that we can wear jeans on Fridays.” Clearly, we had some work to do!

When Project Management, Operations, and Delivery don’t work in cohesion, several issues can arise which can also impact the corporate culture:

- Siloed Departments: Lack of communication and collaboration can lead to inefficiencies and duplicated efforts. It’s like trying to run a three-legged race with each participant pulling in different directions—good luck with that!

- Misaligned Goals: Different departments working towards conflicting objectives can create chaos. Imagine a football team where the forwards want to score, but the defenders are busy trying to win the game by keeping the ball in their half. Not exactly a winning strategy!

- Inefficient Processes: Without a strong culture of continuous improvement, processes can become outdated and cumbersome. It’s like using a flip phone in a world of smartphones—sure, it works, but it’s not exactly efficient.

The Road Ahead

To truly embrace the culture of operational excellence, you need to:

1. Align your values with your actions faster than a project manager aligns Gantt charts.

2. Communicate more clearly than a UX designer explaining the importance of white space.

3. Empower your team more than a motivational poster featuring a soaring eagle.

In the words of the great philosopher Yoda (who clearly understood operational excellence), “Do or do not, there is no try.” So, are you ready to cultivate a culture that makes your Troika of Operational Excellence sing in perfect harmony?

Remember folks, culture eats strategy for breakfast. And if your culture is truly excellent, it might even do the dishes afterwards!

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Contact me if you want to implement operational excellence in your organisation.