| 0;Where do we start?” It’s a | | | | could “provide accurate and timely |
| good question. And it’s one that many | | | | service.” This becomes your Objective, or |
| organizations struggle with when they are trying | | | | goal, in support of this strategic theme. (Note that |
| to decide where and how to deploy a Lean Six | | | | you may have more than one objective, and you |
| Sigma or other process improvement initiative. | | | | would also want to support the strategic theme |
| Up until now, the traditional answer has been to | | | | from other perspectives – financial, internal |
| start in the area with the least resistance. Go | | | | process and infrastructure – as well as |
| where you have some support from both | | | | from the customer perspective.) |
| executives and employees, and where you can | | | | Now, there are many ways you could accomplish |
| make tangible gains that will jumpstart the | | | | this broad objective of providing accurate and |
| program’s momentum and put you on | | | | timely service. One specific approach would be to |
| the path to sustainable change. | | | | increase the “first call resolution |
| It’s still good advice: go for the | | | | percentage,” or the number of customer |
| low-hanging fruit in a friendly orchard. But in | | | | support requests that are completely resolved on |
| today’s world of competitive excellence, | | | | the first attempt. This becomes your |
| it’s just not enough. These days, | | | | Measurement for achieving the objective. |
| companies that want to stay ahead of the | | | | You should also specify a Target, or the amount |
| competition must go beyond process | | | | by which you will improve the measurement, and |
| improvement and transform the way they do | | | | the timeframe -– say, a 30 percent |
| business. This means achieving not just | | | | increase in one year. How will you achieve the |
| incremental improvements, but breakthrough | | | | target? There may be several initiatives you could |
| results by understanding and leveraging the | | | | employ, including your process improvement |
| relationship between processes, systems, people | | | | program, your innovation initiative, your training |
| and strategy. | | | | and development program, or even your call |
| Business transformation requires the organization | | | | center software. |
| to focus on strategic goals, not just problems, | | | | Once you select the most suitable initiative, you |
| and on disseminating those goals throughout the | | | | designate the mode of Execution – in this |
| organization. In other words, it enables you to | | | | case, a particular Lean Six Sigma project, training |
| connect the dots between the big picture and | | | | path or software enhancement. Voila! You have |
| tactical assignments -– between | | | | just established a link between strategy and |
| forward-thinking strategy and project execution. | | | | execution -– strategic alignment! |
| Making this link is called strategic alignment. And, | | | | What does strategic alignment accomplish? |
| today, it’s the answer to the question, | | | | To begin with, it mobilizes executive leadership |
| “Where do we start?” | | | | behind overarching strategies that will enable you |
| Bridging the Gap between Strategy and Execution | | | | to satisfy the demands of shareholders, |
| In many organizations, there is a gap between | | | | customers and employees, if you have an |
| strategy and execution. Strategy is determined at | | | | understanding of your internal process capabilities |
| the executive level, but it’s hard to | | | | and a robust infrastructure to support the vision. |
| translate it into quantifiable, executable and | | | | When these strategies are translated into |
| repeatable projects. As such, the projects that do | | | | quantifiable, executable and repeatable projects, it |
| get done may or may not support the strategic | | | | ensures that everyone’s efforts are |
| objectives. And the gap between management | | | | aligned behind a common goal. Not only does this |
| and employees grows as they continue to exist | | | | increase your chances of attaining that goal, it also |
| on opposite sides of the gulf of possibilities. | | | | motivates people and reduces resistance. When |
| Bridging this gap takes a commitment to defining | | | | people can see the link between the work they |
| breakthrough strategic goals that are attainable | | | | do and the executive vision, they feel that what |
| and sustainable, and then translating these | | | | they do matters and they’ll move |
| strategies down the chain of command to the | | | | mountains to do it well. Finally, it puts a |
| project level. How do you do this? By developing | | | | management framework in place for making |
| objectives, measures and targets that link | | | | strategy a continual process that can be realized |
| strategic and tactical levels. | | | | year after year. |
| For example, say that one of your Strategic | | | | Strategic alignment builds a bridge between vision |
| Themes is “Service Excellence.” | | | | and strategy, execution and results. This, in turn, |
| From a customer perspective, what’s one | | | | enables true business transformation and a |
| way to achieve service excellence? Well, you | | | | strategy for sustainable growth and success. |