Common Team Tools and their Application to Lean Six Sigma - Assignment Example

? of Lecturer] Management Lean Six Sigma Introduction Organizations the world over are embracing teamwork on a hithertounreported scale. The main reason for this adoption of team work is the realization that no individual or business can create products and services that would meet the current continuously complex and competitive markets trends. Therefore, organizations must depend on the collective efforts of all their stakeholders to realize its objectives. Teams are generally classified as vertical or functional, horizontal or cross-functional and self-directed. There are several tasks to which teams may be assigned including but not limited to the creation of new products, completion of specific projects or replacement departments that no longer perform. Common Team Tools and Their Application to Lean Six Sigma Six Sigma refers to an approach that involves a rigorous procedure that ensures a team delivers its maximum yield. Its philosophy is best summarized by the abbreviation DMAIC, which stands for definition, measurement, analysis, improvement, and control (Donald & Kubiak, p. 23). This method defines the required steps that a Six Sigma practitioner must follow. It starts with the identification of the problem and follows through to the implementation of a long lasting solution. This methodology is widely accepted and practiced. Team tools are the assessments, ice breakers and other practical activities that are employed to help teams get back on track, move forward or help build trust among team members (Donald & Kubiak, p. 23). This section discusses the team tools as applied to Six Sigma. Definition is the first step of any project during which the business goal and potential resources, project depth, and timeline are clearly defined. The problem is defined, customers identified, and the way forward charted. The measurement concept entails data collection in a bid to establish the performance standard. This measure will be compared to the measure at conclusion to establish whether goals have been met. This measured data is critical since it forms the basis for gauging the performance of a project team. At analysis, the main task is to identify, corroborate, and select causes for elimination. A number of root causes are identified and a vote is cast, the top three or four causes are identified and the process is done recursively using complex analysis tools until the valid root cause is identified (Donald & Kubiak, p. 23). In improvement, solutions to problems are identified, tested, and implemented. Measurement identifies the creative measures to solve or eliminate the problem identified in the previous step. Techniques such as ‘Six Thinking Hats’ and ‘Design of Experiments’ are used in this step. These techniques may be avoided incase solutions are obvious. Finally, the control stage serves to sustain the gains as improvements are monitored to ensure sustainable output. This process also involves an update of training and business strategies and records. In some cases, control chart techniques are used to graphically assess the stability and progress of a progress. Types of Teams The most common on teams are the vertical/functional teams. These are teams formed to execute explicit tasks and routinely include members from various levels in the hierarchy or a business. Modestly put, a vertical team consists of a manager working with subordinates in a certain functional department (Devine, p. 330). Examples of vertical or functional teams include departments in an organization such as Accounts, personnel or Engineering. On the other hand, horizontal or cross-functional teams consist of experts from different departments coming together to work on various tasks within an organization. The team members may come from different departments such as design, research and development, technical, and marketing. Once formed, horizontal teams are typically self-directed and make decisions that do not need the approval of the management (Devine, p. 302). Horizontal teams are normally temporary and last between a few months to several years depending on the task to be performed. Notwithstanding the type of team, the benefits of teamwork are enormous. Teamwork increases an organization’s flexibility, commitment, productivity, increased job satisfaction, empowerment, and social skills. Team dynamics/team roles Team dynamics are the factors that influence the performance and behavior of a team. They are created by the nature of a team’s work, the personalities of the members making the team, and the environment within which the team works. Team dynamics can be positive or negative. In the former case, dynamics improve the overall performance of a team and bring out the best out of workers. In the latter case, team dynamics result in poor team morale, demotivation, unproductive conflicts, and general poor performance. Thus, team dynamics influence profitability of an organization, work enjoyment, staff retention rates, individual and team performance, and company reputation (Devine, p. 291). Team dynamics are viewed with regards to strengths such as people and actions or tasks. Regarding people, workers should be enthusiastic, communicative, diplomatic, mature and confident and may include resource investigators, team workers, and the coordinator. Action shapers should not only be dynamic but also manage to thrive under pressure. The implementer should be disciplined, reliable and efficient while the finisher should be meticulous and able to deliver on time. Team dynamics are also viewed from the aspect of project phases such as goals, ideas, and plans. Hence, project shapers and coordinators are crucial in determining customer needs and company goals while resource and plant investigators develop creative ideas to meet the organizational goals. Similarly, regarding plans, specialists and evaluators are needed for team plans while all team members should promoted communication (Ebrahim et al., p. 1579). When these roles are performed as required, the smooth running of a team is attained not to mention improved individual productivity and organizational profitability. Common Team Problems The following are the common challenges that affect teams. The first problem is refusal to identify a leader, a scenario, which occurs when members refuse to recognize the power of the appointed person. In the absence of a leader, there will be chaos and a drop in team output. The second problem is poorly established roles and responsibilities, an area that requires skills and expertise. Effort is likely to be wasted when roles are not clearly defined (Ebrahim et al., p. 1579). There is duplication of roles and the skills required to accomplish a task may be lacking from a team. The third problem is absence of clear goals. Team need to make sure that the objectives are clearly set and understood by an entire team and that these goals set reflect the purpose of the team. The other issue is lack of team cohesion. Team building activities should be incorporated to enhance discipline, cohesion, trust and motivation. Possible Solution to Common Team Problems The first solution is the creation of higher standards for idea generation, action planning, and prioritization to ensure information is deliberated on and all anticipated scenarios analyzed. Better project outcomes are obtained when team members collaborate and generate superior solutions. Second, personal accountability should be motivated and each member will perform his/her assigned role more effectively when accountability is upheld. The third way to solve team problems is to use a structured methodology. A huge percentage of project failures are attributed to lack of proper structures. Project completion time can be reduced by as much as 50% when a team combines online collaborative tools with structured methodology. Team Evaluation and Motivation Team evaluation, the process of assessing the performance of a team, may be done on an individual basis or by a team. There are various measures that indicate the performance of a team. First among these measures is the profitability of an organization, directly indicating how well a team is performing. Second, the management may administer a questionnaire on whether people enjoy their work or not. Third, a measure of staff retention rate is an effective method of evaluating team performance. When staffs leave a team at a high rate, there is a high likelihood that the team is malfunctioning. Additionally, individual performance may be evaluated as a way of gauging the overall team performance. When a team is well motivated there is an environment for success. Nevertheless, employee motivation is not an easy task and requires a strategic plan. The following are some of the ways to motivate a team. First, an explanation of the positive outcomes of meeting the objectives really benefits team members. Second, building a sense of curiosity in a team makes members interested in achieving goals. Third, teams should establish a plan of action that promotes cooperation among members, ensuring participation of all team members. Other measures include challenging team members, creating competitive environment, which inspires team members to achieve their goals, giving a team control of its tasks, and designing ways to recognize exemplary performance (Ebrahim et al., p. 1579). A team should be treated as a single entity made up members that must work together to achieve their objectives. However, individual performance should be recognized and rewarded. Such rewards will enhance competition among members, thus increasing overall team performance. From this research, it became clear that a project can be assigned to a team consisting of members drawn from different specializations. However, the project can be subdivided into highly specialized tasks and these tasks assigned to various specialized people to enhance productivity. Conclusion The implementation of Six Sigma requires a lot of team work as each stakeholder strives to achieve his or her goals. However, the team is treated as one identity, given that their ultimate goal is the same. Team work is inevitable in the completion of every task since it not only broadens the knowledge and skills of everybody involved. It also makes jobs lighter and reduces the completion time of a project. In the different team types available common features exist and the need to establish team roles and goals early enough is imperative for success of the team. Common team tools are available to ensure the success of teams. Team members require constant motivation in order to improve their output. Works Cited Devine, D. J. (2002). “A Review and Integration of Classification Systems Relevant to Teams in Organizations.” Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 6: 291–310. Donald, W., and Kubiak, T. M. The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Handbook. (2005). ASQ Quality Press. Ebrahim, A. N., Ahmed, S., and Taha, Z. (2009). "Virtual R & D Teams In Small and Medium Enterprises: A Literature Review". Scientific Research and Essay, 4 (13): 1575–1590. Read More