Dimension 4 of the Shingo Model is where we tie everything together with Enterprise Alignment. If you missed the posts introducing this series and discussing Dimensions 1, 2, and 3, you can find them here, here, and here. You can find the free, public domain Shingo Model document here. For the purposes of this review, we will engage in a high level discussion of the supporting principles – but don’t let this review keep you from reading the document itself. It’s short and concise with some extremely valuable ideas.
Dimension 4: Results
It can be very tempting to start with results first. In fact, many businesses are so focused on results that they fail to truly understand the elements that stand in the way of the results they desire. However, there’s a reason good old Shingo leaves this to the last step of operational excellence – and that’s because by addressing the concepts in the first three dimensions at the outset, we’ve done ourselves some favors. If we do that work first, by the time we get here, we are much more likely to be set up for the results we want.
Supporting Concepts:
- Measure what Matters
- Align Behaviors with Performance
- Identify Cause and Effect Relationships
Ultimately, results are a given. No matter the course of action, you will certainly get a result. The question is: are you getting the results you want? These supporting concepts can help you track results as you get them and make adjustments as needed to get closer and closer to the results you want to see. However, without the foundational aspects covered in the previous dimensions, tracking results and adjusting as needed can receive major pushback and even result in toxic work culture.
Activity: What results are you working towards right now? How might you leverage one of these supporting concepts to drive to the results you want?