Scale of Challenge Demanded a Major Workout
The scale of the challenge demanded action on a wide front, involving as many people as possible. Schaffer Consulting suggested WorkOut as a way to bring together key people from across functions, facilities, and levels to brainstorm improvement ideas, quantify and prioritize them, and develop immediate recommendations for how to implement the most valuable changes. To find the necessary profit improvements in just six months required a major WorkOut involving 50+ people working in a number of small teams.
The challenge was to define the goal and areas of focus for the WorkOut. Schaffer Consulting worked with the leaders of the business as the "design team" for the WorkOut.
To keep the WorkOut event focused and moving forward, Schaffer Consulting suggested the topics for the small teams – scheduling, production, inventory management and the management of other costs. Schaffer Consulting consultants facilitated the two-day session, keeping everyone on track and energized with the challenge at hand. At the Town Meeting more than 12 recommendations for improvement were approved by the business leader and his team.
Ideas Implemented Rapidly and Effectively. After the WorkOut event, Schaffer Consulting consultants worked with the twelve teams to help them implement their ideas rapidly and effectively. We coached them to stay on track by keeping their goals front and center, maintaining a disciplined work plan, and following through on accountabilities. Schaffer Consulting consultants also continued to work with the WorkOut Sponsor and other senior managers who had taken on responsibility for seeing the recommendations through to completion. We supported them in their role as leaders of the change process, helping them to maintain focus and energy through regular reviews of progress.