Beyond a workplace philosophy or system of executing business strategy, operational excellence delivers tangible results that benefit all levels of leadership. It enhances problem solving and teamwork. It promotes continuous improvement, consistency and reliability. And while lowering operational risk and cost, it increases revenues.
Wendy Schram, Operational Excellence Improvement Specialist for Dow Chemical Company
But how is operational excellence achieved?
According to Wendy Schram, operational excellence improvement specialist for The Dow Chemical Company, there are specific behaviors that can help leaders achieve operational excellence.
Schram said the first of these behaviors requires leaders to genuinely care about the people they are supervising.
"Learn what your employees do," she said, speaking to delegates at the Environmental, Health and Safety Seminar held in Galveston, Texas. "Pay attention to the behaviors you want to see them repeat."
Schram also recommended leaders familiarize themselves with what is important to their people and learn what they value.
"Respect that they have lives outside of work," she added.
Schram said leaders should encourage growth and development among their people, give them time to learn new skills and processes, learn what employees want to do and help them gain the skills to do it.
"Establish the right to give them feedback," Schram said. "Listen with an intent to understand, and communicate what you are working on."
Operational excellence also requires that leaders grow their own skills.
"Learn continuously," while also establishing a "circle of trust" within the team that will provide reciprocal feedback, she said.
"Really good" leaders hold themselves accountable and are passionate about their leadership roles, Schram explained. "Have a passion for your role as leader, and seek to do it excellently," she said.
Leaders who build up their own skillsets and grow that space, she said, are intrinsically self-motivated, as opposed to being externally pushed.
"But in the absence of intrinsic self-motivation, have someone you trust who can kind of give you that direction," she said. "That circle of trust is powerful."
Communication, trust and authenticity
Schram emphasized communication as a linchpin strategy that builds operational excellence.
"Communicate, communicate, communicate," she stressed. "Be accessible, and do not lie, sugarcoat, dumb down or spin the message. Be as honest and as forthright as you can be."
Leaders should also communicate clear expectations and ensure they are understood.
"Then hold people accountable to the expectations," she said.
Building and maintaining trust within the team is also essential, Schram said.
"Affirm and support your team, and empower your employees," she advised.
To promote trust, Schram suggested leaders read Stephen Covey's "Speed of Trust" and see what can be applied to them.
Finally, Schram recommended leaders "be real" in their interactions with their teams to ensure operational excellence.
"You were born to be real, not to be perfect," she said. "Admit you don't know everything, and own up when you mess up."
When millennials are asked what they look for in a company and the people there, Schram explained, they consistently identify two concepts that are important to them.
"They want to do something that can make a difference, and they want it to be authentic," Schram said. "They want it to be real. They don't want to just go through the motions and check boxes.
"That's the generation that's coming into our workforce right now. That's who we should be growing into the roles of amazing, awesome leaders. But in order to have that, we have to show them how we can be authentic and how we can help them make a difference."
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