Free Your Ops Team from the Drag: Building a Culture of Excellence

Have you ever spent hours searching for a critical document, only to discover a colleague had it sitting on their desktop all along? Or perhaps you've participated in a meeting that felt more like a game of telephone – the original purpose muddled by unclear communication. These scenarios are all too familiar symptoms of a common business ailment: organizational drag.

What is Organizational Drag? 

Organizational drag refers to the collection of inefficiencies and roadblocks that hinder smooth operations. It's like friction in a machine, slowing down the flow of information, processes, and work within your Ops team. This drag can manifest in various ways, including:

• Inefficient workflows and redundant tasks: Imagine manually entering data that could be automatically populated. This wastes time and creates room for errors.
• Poor communication and collaboration: Siloed departments working in isolation lead to missed opportunities and duplicated efforts.
• Lack of clear ownership and accountability: When everyone's "a little bit" responsible, no one takes full ownership, leading to delays and finger-pointing.
• Outdated technology and information silos: Legacy systems and data locked away in different corners prevent smooth information flow and collaboration.

The cost of organizational drag is significant. It leads to reduced productivity, increased costs due to rework and delays, and employee frustration, ultimately hindering your ability to achieve Operational Excellence.

How does Organizational Drag affect Operational Excellence? 

Operational Excellence is a philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement, data-driven decision making, collaboration, and efficiency. It's about streamlining your operations to achieve optimal performance. However, organizational drag throws a wrench into these core principles:

• Continuous Improvement: When your team is constantly battling drag, they have little time or energy left to identify and eliminate inefficiencies.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Poor data quality and accessibility due to information silos make it difficult to make informed decisions based on real data.
• Collaboration and Ownership: Drag creates communication breakdowns and fosters a culture of "us vs. them" between departments, hindering teamwork and accountability.
• Focus on Efficiency: The constant struggle with drag distracts the team from optimizing processes for maximum efficiency.

How do you break free from organizational drag? 

So, how do we break free from this drag and pave the way for operational excellence? The first step is identifying the culprits. Tools like process mapping, root cause analysis, employee feedback surveys, and data analysis of workflow metrics can help pinpoint specific sources of drag.

Once identified, we can employ various strategies to streamline operations:

• Standardization and automation: Standardize repetitive tasks and automate wherever possible to free up valuable team time.
• Improved communication and collaboration tools: Invest in platforms that facilitate clear, transparent communication and information sharing.
• Modern technology: Upgrade to technology that allows for seamless data integration and collaboration across departments.
• Empowering employees: Foster a culture of problem-solving by empowering your team to identify and address inefficiencies.

Addressing organizational drag is an ongoing process, but the benefits are well worth the effort. By eliminating these roadblocks, you'll be well on your way to achieving a culture of Operational Excellence, characterized by:

• Increased efficiency and productivity: Streamlined processes and clear communication ensure your team gets things done quickly and right.
• Improved decision-making: Data-driven decisions based on accurate and accessible information lead to better outcomes.
• Employee satisfaction: When your team feels empowered and supported, they're more engaged and productive.

Remember, the journey to Operational Excellence is paved with continuous improvement. By routinely identifying and eliminating organizational drag, you can free your Ops team to operate with excellence. 

If you want to learn more about how to free your Operations Team from the drag, sign up for our upcoming webinar with Kees Muerders from EY. You will learn more about how to effectively enhance your strategy to execution throughout your entire team: Sign Up Here