Page 194 - FLL Virtual Binder 2018

Building Engagement in Problem Solving and C.I.
As you introduce problem-solving tools and start to build a safe environment, you will also start building the second component to a Continuous Improvement culture, which is engagement. Engagement is critical as the people who are involved with a process have the best knowledge to fix the process. In all cases, there needs to be strong leadership focused on problem solving.
The Team Leaders Role in Problem Solving
A Leader who simply tells employees what to do and how to do it, disengages their brains when doing it. In other words, “Here are the rules, now follow them.” In a Continuous Improvement environment the role of Leader must change from telling the employees what to do, to challenging them on what they do and asking them how they need to improve the way things are done.
The following graphic represents the roles of a Team Leader:
There are four basic types of Team Leaders depending on how much you understand the work and how much you engage or develop your employees. Bureaucratic Manager – If you ‘manage by the numbers’ only and do not understand the work or engage your employees you are a bureaucratic manager. You will typically ‘push’ your employees, assign blame and you do not understand what they do or the problems you have. Once blame is assigned, problems will be hidden.
Front Line Leadership Module: Culture and Change
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