If you've just found this series, the first one is from April first. They aren't in order, I'm wandering through them similar to a blind chicken would a minefield. I hope you find some interesting thoughts here, despite their brevity. This particular post will fall on a Saturday, so perhaps save the rest for Monday? Either way, onward to point nine.

Breaking Down Barriers

Barriers between your personal do not add value. Deming is very specific about his ideas about ensuring the organization is a functional team. Your beautiful organization chart can serve to isolate sources of problem solving from areas where it is useful.

Your business represents a system. The system is built of processes which must function together. Arbitrary barriers between functions do not add value. Recall your purpose is to serve your customer, not conform to the ideas of rigid structures and departmental lines. Serve your customer. AND remember internally, the customer is the next process. 

How barriers are removed is up to you. Perhaps you setup your work spaces together, perhaps you toss the org chart in as much as it restricts people from helping each other. Open floor plan manufacturing may do it. Use your imagination. No matter what, get people together.

Barriers and Start. Somewhere.

The opening act of my program is finding why's. Everyone involved in the system should be participating in this exercise. WE start at the top and work our way down. The primary barrier I am interested in breaking first is the one between most employees and the purpose of the organization. Every business solves a customer problem and purpose combined with few barriers enables your people to serve the customer better. If they can truly understand why they are building your widgets and tie this to customer need, you will win.

Reach out if you'd like to talk about getting started.