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| DESCRIPTION | |
| When it's lacking: - People are cubbyholed in various corners of the system -- to such a degree that the corner is all they see. - The work grinds on endlessly, giving people few opportunities to sit back and take in the results of their efforts. - Customer contact is limited to chance encounters, most of which involve complaints. - There's a prevailing view that measurement is management's domain. Even worse, measurement is used to pinpoint weak areas and punish "those who are responsible." |
When it's thriving: + Employees can see for themselves the impact of their work. (The stone-crusher sees the cathedral.) + There are tangible results. + Contact with customers (internal and external) is a routine part of doing business, giving employees a first-hand view of how their products/services are used. + Even when people produce intangibles, they have opportunities to see how their work benefits others. |
| EXAMPLES |
| In her work as a teacher's aide in a kindergarten classroom, Vivian is challenged
every day -- make that every minute. What makes it all worthwhile are those times
when everything clicks for a child. "I watch their faces, and I can see when
they've caught on to a new idea or a new skill," she says. "It's the best
thing in the world." On the first day, people sit rigidly in their chairs, arms folded. Jason sees it each time he conducts training sessions in quality improvement. It's as if they're saying: I dare you to teach me! On the second day, people start to unlock their arms -- and their minds. And by the third day, they're actively engaged. "This is such a great part of my job," Jason says. "I can see the change process unfold before my very eyes." The mission seemed so daunting at first. Joan and her colleagues were developing a process to guide clerical employees into other administrative positions. "They had been dead-ended at the highest end of the clerical range," says Joan, who works in the public sector. "We wanted to create opportunities in the civil-service system for them to cross over into other positions." The team went to work, inspired by a committed leader and an open field for creativity. Then the results began to come in, and that's when the team found the deepest meaning in their work. Joan recalls: "We saw people grow. We saw people benefiting from this." Today, 20 years later, she often encounters people who went through the program and are now leaders in government. "It's very rewarding to know." |
| ACTION IDEAS |
| When a major project is completed, take time to admire and show off the group's hard
work. Pull together everyone who was involved at every stage of the creation
process. Let them see the finished product and, whenever possible, literally get
their hands on it. For example, if you've developed a new piece of software, have
a "coming out party" where colleagues can drop by and try it out. In some cases, seeing the finished product/service may require a visit to the customer. This would be the case with, say, a huge industrial press that's assembled at the customer's plant. Imagine the deep satisfaction of seeing the press in action after you've worked on it for weeks at the manufacturing company. Give special consideration to people whose roles in the organization put them far from the finished product/service stage. The purchasing specialist at a foundry, for instance, may rarely see the industrial casting going out the door. Everyone should have an occasional (at least) opportunity to see the output, wherever they work in the system. Note: It's inconvenient to have someone away from their regular job. In this case, it's totally worth it. Organize a series of liberally defined "focus groups" with customers. Think of these as fact-finding conversations, in which five or so employees sit down with an equal number of customers. Ideally, each group should involve employees from different parts of the organization. Possible questions: "How are you (customer) using our product/service? How are you benefiting? What do you love about it...hate about it...and why?" The challenge for employees: to ask probing questions, listen closely to the answers, and avoid becoming defensive. The immediate result is a closer connection to the finished product/service and those who benefit. As a bonus, you get customer insights that can pave the way to improvement. |
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