The Work-Out - solve your business issues
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The document outlines the GE Work-Out process, which addresses organizational problems through small cross-functional groups. It describes the roles of leaders, facilitators, and participants. Leaders sponsor and champion the Work-Out, selecting a focus area. Facilitators prepare the teams and run the session. Participants generate and present recommendations to leaders at a Town Meeting. If approved, participants implement the ideas. The three-stage process includes planning the Work-Out event, conducting the event, and implementing approved recommendations.
The Work-Out - solve your business issues
- 1. The GE Work-Out guidebook Steven Tseng 曾憲鈺 http://innofaci.com 創新與引導 November 2011, version 1.0
- 2. contents CONTENTS ----------------------------------------------- 1 REFERENCE GUIDE INTRODUCTION PLAN -------------------------------------------------- 19 WHAT IS WORK-OUT ----------------------------- 2 CONDUCT ------------------------------------------ 20 WHY WORK-OUT ----------------------------------- 3 IMPLEMENT ---------------------------------------- 21 THE ROLES APPENDIX LEADERSHIP ----------------------------------------- 5 THE GROUND RULE ----------------------------- 22 FACILITATION --------------------------------------7 PAY-OFF MATRIX --------------------------------- 23 PARTICIPATION ---------------------------------- 11 TOWN MEETING PRESENTATION ----------- 24 THE PROCES 8 STEPS for DESIGN WORK-OUT ----------- 25 PLAN -------------------------------------------------- 15 REFERENCE --------------------------------------------- 26 CONDUCT ------------------------------------------ 16 ABOUT ME ---------------------------------------------- 27 IMPLEMENT ---------------------------------------- 17 1
- 3. introduction What is Work-Out? Work-Out is a process for addressing and solving organizational problems – quickly, simply, and with the involvement of people who will ultimately carry out the decision. Small groups of managers and employees, cross-functional or cross-level or both, address critical business issues, develop recommendations, and present them to a senior leader at a Town Meeting. After open dialogue, the leader makes “on-the- spot,” yes-or-no decisions on those recommendations, empowers people to carry out the ones that are approved, and afterwards reviews progress regularly to make sure that results are actually achieved. 2
- 4. introduction Why Work-Out? Every organization has it‟s own “organizational boundaries”. These boundaries give the firm substance and structure. They create the hierarchical, functional, and psychological dimensions the organizations require. Like a two-edged sword, however, these boundaries also become dangerous. People „s scope becomes limited by job level, and they become more narrowly focused on their own functional expertise. They gradually lose perspective on each other‟s jobs. More importantly, they lose the big picture. They can no longer see the various tasks, activities, and functions fit together to achieve the organization‟s overall purpose. The boundaries become more rigid and fixed. As boundaries become more rigid, organizations lose their elasticity – their ability to change quickly and creatively in response to change in the external environment. It is in this setting that Work-Out shows its power. 3
- 5. The Work-Out cast includes Leaders, Facilitators, and Participants. Leadership roles Facilitation roles Participation roles Sponsor Lead Facilitator Team Leaders Champion Facilitators Team Members Expert Resources Town Meeting Participants Administrator 4
- 6. the role leadership Sponsor The Sponsor is the senior manager responsible for all the parts of the organization that are involved in the Work-Out. The Sponsor selects the focus area – the business topic and goal – and essentially commissions the Work-Out. The Sponsor then attend the Town Meeting, make the final yes-or-no decisions o each idea proposed, and holds people accountable for follow-up implementation. The Sponsor also selects the champion, and helps select the other participants. Finally, the Sponsor issues the formal invitations to participants asking them to take part in the Work-Out. 5
- 7. the role leadership Champion The champion is a business manager who represents the Sponsor at the Work-Out, taking responsibility for the detailed preparation and follow-up to the Work-Out session. The champion plans the agenda, works with the design team to develop the overall plan for the session, and coordinates and oversees the preparations. After the Work-Out, the champion organizes review sessions at regular interval, helps overcome barriers to implementation, and track the progress of the Work-Out ideas. 6
- 8. the role facilitation Lead Facilitator The lead facilitator is a person with experience in the Work-Out process who helps the Sponsor make the initial decisions about the objectives, then works with the Sponsor and champion to design the Work-Out and organize its logistics. The Work-Out lead facilitator also works with the team leaders, facilitators, and other members of the supporting cast, to run and follow up on the Work-Out session. 7
- 9. the role facilitation Facilitators The facilitators prepare for and run the Work-Out session. They should be trained in Work-Out methods and have strong skills in facilitating group processes. 8
- 10. the role facilitation Expert Resources The expert resources are people who are available during the Work-Out session to provide background to the team in particular functional or technical areas (for example, IT, finance, or marketing). They are not members of the team but are expected to prepare data for the teams to use during the Work-Out. 9
- 11. the role facilitation Administrator The administrator organizes the logistics of the Work-Out event. This is a highly detailed but crucial role – time frames are short and deadlines have to be met. The administrator has the responsibility of sending out invitations, organizing venues, helping with the Town Meeting presentation, ensuring all documentation is recorded and distributed, and dealing with the many other tasks involved in making a large gathering run smoothly. The administrator works closely with the lead facilitator to ensure that all information is shared. 10
- 12. the role participation Team Leaders The team leaders take responsibility for preparing each team for the Work-Out, leading it through the process of idea generation, action planning, and Town Meeting presentation, as well as ensuring the implementation of the work plan. They also work as a group to report back on progress and learnings. Team leaders should be selected and notified about their roles before the Work-Out take place. They meet with the design team to go over the background for the Work-Out, the likely team goals, and the agenda for the Work-Out. At this stage, they also play a part in identifying team members. After meeting with the design team, the team leaders have the primary job of getting the teams ready for the main session. 11
- 13. the role participation Team Members The team members are the core of the Work-Out. The job is to be part of a team that solves a business problem through brainstorming, selection of ideas, and presentation of recommendations. Once ideas have been given the green light by a Sponsor, some team members become “recommendation owners” who are empowered and accountable for delivery on their ideas. 12
- 14. the role participation Town Meeting Participants The Town Meeting participants are other senior managers representing key functional areas, who may be invited to the Town Meeting to hear team recommendations and give the Sponsor their opinions, inputs, and counsel. 13
- 15. The Work-Out process includes three distinct stages: Plan, Conduct, and Implement. Stage I: Plan the Work-Out Stage II: Conduct the Work-Out Event Stage III: Implement the Work-Out Recommendations 14
- 16. the process plan Plan the Work-Out The Sponsor pulls together a design team to agree on the key issues to be tackled, identify participants, communicate expectations of what people will do at the Work- Out event, and prepare champion (business leaders) for the role. The design team also shapes an agenda for the Work-Out event. It also organizes prework, prepares facilitators to work with teams, and oversees the logistics of getting everyone together. The design team can also pull together data analyzing root causes and quantifying the potential gains in different areas of the Work-Out. 15
- 17. the process conduct Conduct the Work-Out Event The workshop is both the visible beginning of a Work-Out and its pivotal event. The workshop pulls together senior managers, members of staff function, and people from the operating front line. A Work-Out event usually consists of five sessions: 1. Work-Out introduction 2. Small-group idea generation (brainstorming) 3. Whole-group idea assessment (the gallery of the ideas) 4. Small group recommendation development 5. Final-decision session – the “Town Meeting” In Town Meeting, the Sponsor and other senior managers listen to action ideas put forward by teams – and make a decision on the spot on those to be implemented in the final stage of Work-Out. 16
- 18. the process implement Implement the Work-Out Recommendations Many recommendations will have decisions that can be made on the spot and thereby save time or reduce costs immediately. The implementation process starts with getting the word out on what was decided at the Town Meeting. It includes making sure that project owners and teams have some support so they can successfully deliver on their action recommendations. It also includes tracking owners‟ progress and assessing the overall impact of the Work- Out across all projects. And finally, it means deciding what steps must be taken next to lock in or even extend the gains from the Work-Out. 17
- 19. reference guide A quick reference guide that can help you get through the process: 3 Implement action recommendations Implement Organizes a review process Communicate results to the entire organization Assess the impact of all action recommendations 2 Hold a closure work session Introduction Conduct Brainstorming The Gallery of Ideas Generate Action Plans 1 The Town Meeting Select a business problem Plan Get senior-management support Arrange the logistics 18
- 20. reference guide Plan Conduct Implement 1. Select a business problem for the Work-Out. The written goal should include: • The estimated impact if the improvements are achieved. • Several likely improvement opportunities, or problem areas. 2. Get organizational and senior-management support for the Work-Out: • Get the senior manager (the Sponsor) on board and make sure he or she is ready to listen to and openly discuss improvement recommendations at the Town Meeting, then make a decision on the spot. The Sponsor should plan the agenda with the design team and oversee the presentation and follow-up of the Work-Out, or delegate this work to a Champion. • Organize a design team, lead by the Champion, to plan the Work-Out, create a work-flow chart or process map of the issue involved, and delegate areas of the problem to the Work-Out teams. • Recruit cross-functional teams of employees and managers close to problem. 3. Arrange the logistics for the Work-Out event, include: • Team facilitators. • Location 19
- 21. reference guide Plan Conduct Implement The Work-Out Event typically consists of five sessions: 1. Introduction: Brief participants on the business strategy, the goals and agenda for the Work-Out, and the Town Meeting. Review the process and ground rules. 2. Brainstorming: Multiple cross-functional teams each brainstorm a different aspect of the problem. Each team creates a list of top 10 ideas for achieving the team‟s assigned goal. Use Pay-Off Matrix to prioritize the ideas. 3. The Gallery of Ideas: Each team presents its 10 best ideas to the rest of participants, Participants vote on the 3~4 ideas worth implementing from each team‟s top 10. 4. Generate Action Plans: Teams develop an action plan for implementing the selected ideas, and to prepare a presentation, including supporting data, requesting approval for the idea from the Sponsor at the Town Meeting. Each idea must have an “owner” who will take responsibility for seeing it through implementation if it is approved. 5. The Town Meeting: Teams present their recommendations to the Sponsor. The Sponsor dialogues with the team and other participants about the viability of the idea, and asks for input from managers who will be affected by the team‟s recommendation, before making a “yes/no” decision, on the spot. 20
- 22. reference guide Plan Conduct Implement 1. Action recommendations are implemented by project owners and teams within 12 weeks (or shorter timeline). 2. The Sponsor organizes a review process of some sort to track progress and help the project owners with any problems the might encounter. 3. Results of the Work-Out and progress along the way are communicated to the entire organization. 4. The impact of all action recommendations is assessed for the entire Work-Out. 5. A closure work session is held. The next steps for extending improvement initiatives are decided on and communicated. 21
- 23. The Ground Rules • No scared cows • No turf-defending • No blaming • No pulling rank by managers • No complaining • Focus on solutions 22
- 24. Pay-Off Matrix Bonus Big Pay-Off Special Efforts Opportunities Small Pay-Off Quick Wins Time Wasters Easy to implement Tough to implement 23
- 25. Town Meeting Presentation Worksheet Team: Issue: Recommendation: Pay-Off and Risks: Action (what) Responsibilities (who) Date (when) Plans for Tracking Progress (what to know and how often): Team Leader: Champion: Sponsor: 24
- 26. 8 Steps to Design Successful Work-Out 1. Topic: Identify topic and Define objectives 2. Question: Collect background data and design focused questions 3. Participants: Identify the people to involve in the meeting 4. Facilitation: Identify a lead facilitator. 5. Logistics: Date, location, agenda, invitation, meal, refreshment, post- it note, projector, marker 6. Meeting: introduction, brainstorming, gallery of ideas, action plans development, town meeting. 7. Confirmation: Verify the consensus and next steps. 8. Follow-up: Ensure action recommendations are implemented. 25
- 27. reference Book: 《 The GE Work-Out: How to Implement GE‟s Revolutionary Method for Busting Bureaucracy and Attacking Organizational Problems--Fast》 Ulrich David / Kerr Steve / Ashkenas Ronald N. / Burke Debbie / Murphy Patrice, McGraw-Hill 26
- 28. about me Steven Tseng 曾憲鈺 Motorola University Certified Six Sigma Black Belt User eXperience Designer Innovator and Facilitator (Strategic Planning, Scenario Planning, Business Model Design, Innovation Process Design) ASUS Certified Trainer http://innofaci.com e-mail: Steven.hy.tseng@gmail.com 27