It is critical that the goals of everyone in the organization flow through to the company objectives and they support the stability and improvement of the production process.   By everyone having their goals and objectives tied through to the same process, it creates a sense that everyone is driving to the same True North and working off of each other’s talents to get there.  In essence, the critical process of translating high-level organizational vision and strategy into concrete, actionable goals and plans is understood and executed throughout the organization.

Cascading goals essentially means that from the Executive Level to the Process Owner level of the organization, the business goals, plant goals, and process goals are all linked to each other with the same core set of business objectives.

When every team within an organization is not driven to the same goals, it creates several problems:

• The key support teams such as Maintenance and Engineering are trying to hit their own metrics or complete their own projects versus being focused on what is needed as an organization
  • Without these 2 teams having the same goals as Operations, it is nearly impossible for the organization to maximize efficiency and output
  • These teams need to have a line-centric mindset and be willing to drop any activity to support a line that is down
  • Like-wise, Operations must be closely integrated with these two teams to ensure that schedules are the same and enable each other to get what they need done including projects that they are all responsible to deliver
• If part of the organization is trying to achieve a specific cost cutting goal, but another one does not share that same goal, it can create significant conflict
  • Cost cutting in one area can inhibit the success of another area
• Other resources such as Continuous Improvement (CI) resources need to have the same goals as the rest of the organization
  • If the CI team has a goal that is not shared by the rest of the organization, then they will be seen as “optional” or even “a threat” to the rest of the team
  • With common goals, that CI resource becomes an asset to the other teams and will be “Pulled In” to help support versus being shielded away 

Strategy Deployment is a very useful process to ensure that the goals of the organization are established by everyone within the organization through a rigorous process aimed at ensuring priorities are aligned throughout the organization. 

Strategy Deployment sessions are typically held annually, with quarterly course-correction discussions, and focus on setting the overall goals for the organization, then cascading those goals through the entire organization.  This includes an extensive review process to ensure that all goals are aligned to the top goals in the organization, plus realistic for the resources and timeframe allotted to achieve it.

By involving at least a representative from every team in the organization, you ensure that they all have “skin in the game” towards achieving the companies goals.  Another big benefit of Strategy Deployment is that the teams can give feedback to the Senior Leadership Team on what is possible within the process and what is going to require significant changes in order to make it a reality.

CwB leads its clients through the process of strategic planning with the executive team and strategy deployment with representation from all disciplines in the company participating in the events.  In these sessions, breakthrough areas are identified and fully developed action plans are resourced.  All actions are cascaded to each employees annual goals in order to ensure everyone’s priorities are tied to the same company objectives.  Metrics are then developed based on the breakthrough areas and are cascaded throughout all the production boards and other tracking devices within the company.  CwB is there through the entire process to ensure everyone in the organization is aligned and driving to the same goals every hour or every day.