Mistakes during Op-Ex Implementation

Mistakes when implementing Operational Excellence in your Business

As a new financial year approaches the horizon, business leaders would be busy in creating the annual strategies & plans. Most often leaders use the concepts of Continuous improvement or Business Excellence in their strategies to maximize value & minimizing cost. Business leaders often commit few mistakes in this journey of implementing & sustaining continuous improvement. From our implementation expertise we would like to share the common mistakes?

1. Not devoting sufficient resources: Business leaders need to put in necessary investment (read commitment) in C.I programs to give a desired impact. Improvements don’t just happen, and they certainly don’t happen in a vacuum. In order to see a change, your business needs to invest in the tools, people, time, and training necessary to enable that change.

2. Boiling the ocean: Companies that start CI programs get excited, particularly when they start to see positive results early on. They continue then, to rush headfirst into bigger and bolder initiatives, and end up with “boil the ocean” type projects that are doomed from the start. The programs should be structured & bite sized to ensure better results.

3. Trying out things too fast: As the team starts to understand about tools, focus shifts from executing tools rather than the reason behind it. In this quest leaders try out lot many tools in a short span and stop mid-way if they don’t find intended results. The emphasis should be on understanding things first before implementing it.

4. Not having a plan for sustaining the improvements: Businesses more often fall into the trap of “re-inventing the wheel” due to lack of sustenance. Leaders would have invested resources in developing plans & executing them but without fixing who will be accountable for sustenance

5. Not communicating the need for change: There is a disconnect between the strategic and operational sides of the business. The strategic side thinks deployment and execution are easy, and the operational side wonders why the strategy came up. Proper buy-in must be created by explaining C.I plans across the level and implementing their feedback.