Breaking Out of an Old Mindset
This overhead crane manufacturer overcame a culture of complacency and disengagement to achieve 100% on-time delivery and significant improvements in operational performance.
“We’ve tripled our capability in the last six months and couldn’t have done that without your vision and feedback.”
— Operations Manager
“We have seen a big increase in workforce engagement, energy, and productivity as a result of your [RLG coach] being here. We hadn’t seen that in a long time.”
— Owner/President
Context/Challenge
When RLG conducted an assessment at this overhead crane manufacturer, they found an organization stuck in a general malaise, with a mindset of “We’ve tried this before” and “Nothing will change.”
Decision-making lacked urgency, groups were siloed, and there was a pervasive sense of disengagement and alienation among the workforce. The shop ran one project at a time with no visible schedule, leading to cranes averaging 23 days late and crane modules averaging 19 days late.
Approach
- Initial Assessment: Identified key issues, including a lack of urgency, siloed groups, and disengaged workforce.
- Improved Planning: Established shop-wide and company-wide boardwalks to connect senior leaders to the front line and create a forum for positive reinforcement.
- Guidelines and Systems: Developed simple KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, and cost, and coached supervisors to hold daily crew talks.
- Leadership Change: Replaced the shop manager with a high-energy leader with LEAN experience and implemented a 5S program to reorganize the shop floor.
- Performance Monitoring: Implemented a bar coding system to track inventory and developed a stage-gated process for project management.
- Cultural Shift: Fostered a new mentality and willingness to win, culminating in the first employee appreciation picnic in a decade.
Result
- On-Time Delivery: Achieved 100% on-time delivery of cranes and modules.
- Parts Orders: Improved on-time delivery of parts orders from 68% to 96%.
- Jobs Past Ship Date: Reduced from 10% to 1.2%.
- Engagement and Productivity: Significant increase in workforce engagement, energy, and productivity.
The organization now uses the stage-gated approach to bring visibility of project quality, needs, and risks to all stakeholders, including customers.
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