PEOPLE, PROCESSES AND TOOLS - BUT SPEAK UP!

Many management approaches bring what we can call the iron triangle, people, processes and tools. The Toyota System is one of them, bringing up the importance of having trained people with well defined methodologies and using technology as a tool and a differential.

At Airbpo and in the consultancies we provide to our clients, I take the principle of always seeking the best potentialization of the three factors, and this way we've learned some lessons over time that I'd like to share:

PEOPLE - To have a good team I thought I had to start in recruitment, but with time I realized that the beginning of a good team to depends on understanding what is the DNA of your business, what are the values of the company and its current team, what are the requirements of the position to be occupied so that it meets the needs of the company and what characteristics the professional needs to have to be able to develop and develop the company to a next stage. I want to make it clear here that this is a two-way process, where first it is necessary to know the company and its profile, and then search for the professional who really has adherence to this profile and who will add to the future of the company.

Once the professional is inside the company, he/she needs to feel part of the company, having space to contribute to decisions, being able to have a voice, have an opinion, and feel that he/she really helps contribute to the future of the company and at the same time his/her future inside it.

PROCESSES - For processes I have already mentioned in other articles some techniques that help a lot in the construction of process flows, whether the BPMN (Business Process Mapping) technique, or the 5S. But I would like to mention here one of the bases of total quality and the PDCA cycle which is to perform the task based on a plan, check and seek to improve it, even when the task was performed correctly without fail, check the whole process but in each step of it and not at the end, to ensure that there will be no rework and if there is, it will be the minimum. The pushed production as some call it, checking step by step although it may seem more labor intensive, avoids having to redo large sequences of processes, thus focusing on the process itself and not on the final result. If the process is correct, the delivery will be.

Another tip is: doing better and faster is what makes companies and people increasingly productive, and processes are the way, or even a map, to achieve this productivity increase.

TOOLS - Nowadays, when we talk about tools, we talk about technology. Using existing technologies from learning them, knowing how to use them, how to operate them, and what advances are to come, helps both the company and the professional to better perform their role. After all, there's no point in giving a Formula 1 car to those who don't know how to drive, but for those who do, it will be a show. The technology, despite representing an investment for many companies, on the other hand also means savings by automating tasks, thus optimizing time, personnel, and reducing failures.

This triad has people as its main pillar, no doubt, because they are the ones who need to have the discipline and knowledge to create and carry out processes always following the best way to execute them, as well as the people who are going to use the tools and for this they need to know how to use them.

BUT SPEAK UP - I say this because it's no use having excellent people, excellent processes, and excellent tools if these don't reach your customer's perception. It is important to make it clear to the customers why your product or your company is better than your competitor's, or regardless of showing that it is better, it is necessary to show the qualities that the company has, as well as their products. To do this you need to make noise, you need to appear, you need to be where the customer is, whether in media channels or always reminding your customer of your differentials in a conversation. One way or another, make noise, so that all the good work done does not get forgotten and so that your client always remembers why he chose you.

A big hug and thanks again for following our articles.

Jean Apolidorio