Improving Maintenance and Reliability Through Cultural Change. Stephen Thomas G.
This example points out why we don’t develop more than four of five goals at an one time. If there are more than five, it makes sense to complete one or more of them and then take on the others. If you try to address all of them at the same time, you spread the organization too thin and will probably accomplish very little.
As you can see in Figure 3-4, the significant benefit of using the model is that it creates a clear pathway for the organization to see how a vision can create goals which, in turn, can be used to create initiatives and, finally, activities. There is a secondary benefit from the Goal Achievement Model: Those working on the details – at the activity level - can clearly see how the tasks on which they are working link upwards to the initiatives, then goals, and ultimately the company’s vision. As a result, no matter the task, anyone can see how it supports the company’s vision.
3.6 A Reliability-Based Example
Let us examine the Goal Achievement Model in more detail using a reliability-based example. The full model for this example is shown in Figure 3-5.
Figure 3-4 Goal Achievement Model – high level
Figure 3-5 Example of full Goal Achievement Model
Figure 3-6 Goal Achievement Model – vision and goals
Suppose that you plant had very poor reliability. Equipment was always breaking down and maintenance spent most of its time reacting to the failure-of-the-day. Resources were poorly utilized and profitability was suffering as a result. In order to improve this situation, management decided to implement a preventive and predictive maintenance program and set this as a vision for the organization. Management also believed that the Goal Achievement Model would be an excellent way to get everyone involved and part of the new process. With this in mind, the senior staff established goals based on their vision – Figure 3-6.
Continuing with the model, the middle tier of the organization was assigned the task of reviewing the goals. Then separate teams each took on one goal to further develop the initiatives and activities required to drive the work down through the organization.
The rotating equipment team took on the first goal: Developing a Rotating Equipment Preventive (PM) and Predictive (PdM) Program. At their first meeting, they developed several initiatives that they believed would help them develop and implement a program that would improve plant reliability. This goal from Figure 3-6 and the initiatives they created are shown in Figure 3-7.
Figure 3-7 Goal Achievement Model – goals and initiatives
As we work our way down through the model, you can see that the work tasks get more focused and more specific to what we are trying to achieve.
Once specific initiatives are established, the next step is to engage those at the working level. The model cannot be used only for management. Everyone must be part of the process, working to achieve the vision. Regardless of their work levels, all contribute to the final outcome. With this in mind, the workforce is brought into the picture. Sub-teams are formed to develop and work at the activity level. For our example, we will select one of the initiatives: Develop the preventive maintenance (PM) program. Working on this initiative, the sub-teams developed the activities shown in Figure 3-8
At this point we have reached the bottom level of the Goal Achievement Model. It should be evident from Figure 3-5 that the benefit to management is the ability to clearly see a pathway from their vision all the way down to the activity level. Even more important is the fact that those working at the activity level (the workforce) can clearly see how their efforts contribute to the accomplishment of the specific initiative, which supports the goal, which in turn supports the vision.
Figure 3-8 Goal Achievement Model – initiatives and activities
This aspect of goal development and accomplishment has been left out of the equation all too often. It leaves the workforce unengaged in the improvement process and results in cultural stagnation. People will work very hard at all levels if they believe that they are adding value; conversely, if they do not believe that their work has meaning and benefits the company, they will generally not work hard at all.
3.7 Goal Achievement Model Measures
The discussion of measures requires additional clarity. Once management recognizes the model’s value, they will want to put their own spin on how it is used and what some of the parts mean. I have seen this done most frequently with the last and most important section: measurement.
Figure 3-9 Goal Achievement Model – activities and measures
Managers work at the strategic level almost all of the time. As a result, their measurements are often at the same level. You may have heard these measures referred to as KPIs or Key Performance Indicators. At times these can be quite nebulous for the rest of the organization. People see the measures, but they are at such a high level that they do not have direct and immediate application for those at the working levels of the organization. For example, some possible KPIs are maintenance as a percentage of the replacement value of the plant, maintenance cost as a percentage of production, and others of the same nature. The problem with these measures is that most of us have no way of reconciling the measure with our day-to-day work activity.
Senior managers are going to want to create similar measures for the Goal Achievement Model. THIS IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF THIS-PART OF THE MODEL. The measurement section of the model is designed to track activities. Using the first activity to determine PM program content and frequency, you can see in Figure 3-9 that the measures define when various aspects of this activity are going to be completed. This measure enables you to hold people who are performing the activity responsible and accountable for its completion. If I was developing the program content and frequency and I have to complete it by a specific date, then my manager should have a tracking tool similar to the one in Figure 3-9 to make certain this activity was completed.
As you will learn in subsequent chapters, cultural change requires you to address and alter key aspects that are at the very heart of the organization. Changing values, role models, and rites and rituals is a difficult task. However, the Goal Achievement Model can be used as a tool to support and facilitate the changes that you seek. It provides a way to structure the change and engage everyone in the process. Furthermore, if the measurement section is used as designed, it will enable you to