Bottlenecks
I recently completed a “Lean 101-Principles of Manufacturing” training. The training included several rounds of practice in which the group attempted to manufacture a fake product. During the first practice module we easily spotted the manufacturing bottleneck. Unfinished goods piled up in front of the bottleneck and production stalled after the bottleneck.
Here’s a real-life example. During a client meeting, I suggested that a web application might solve their problem. The Director of Operations leaned forward with interest. He hadn’t thought of that option. Then he slowly leaned back and replied, “If it means our IT department has to create or do something new we can’t do it.” I immediately knew the IT department was the place where that company’s “unfinished goods” piled up and production stalled.
Bottlenecks stagnate processes,
drain resources, and strangle potential.
Organizations persistently create bottlenecks – choke points in processes, procedures, structures, or people.
Who’s responsible?
We may try to blame others but, leaders are always responsible for creating, enabling, or tolerating bottlenecks. Therefore, unclogging bottlenecks always begins and ends with organizational leaders.
The leadership team I work with is an organizational bottleneck in at least three common ways.
Talking too much.
Acting too little.
Delegating too slowly.
We’re dealing with leadership bottlenecks by:
Calling for decisions more quickly.
Completing tasks outside our meetings.
Identifying new individuals as first-delegates.
*****
What organizational bottlenecks have you seen?
What strategizes can you suggest for overcoming organizational bottlenecks?
*****
Leadership Freak
Dan Rockwell
What do you do when the bottleneck is at the top of the department or organization?
Wayne,
Great question. I think that’s where all bottlenecks eventually land. I’m going to post your question in a couple places and see what responses come in
Cheers!
Dan
I watch as top-level executives try to do it all. They rarely display the ability to quit their previous staff job. They don’t delegate, and then they get frustrated that the people around them aren’t working hard. When asked about the bottleneck, they don’t have time to discuss it. They’re too busy. A little self-awareness goes a long way.
Work under the radar. There are things local managers can do in two ways:-
1. Find unofficial workarounds that make sense to customers and/or employees and take full personal responsibility for it.
2. Build team morale by ensuring that their team works in the most effective way in isolation to other teams/silos in behavioral terms, whilst missing no opportunity to PR their team’s culture/effectiveness to other peer managers. then they want it too.
I think one issue here is to avoid ‘slagging off’ the organization or the whole thing starts to be unhealthily miserable.
Remember circles of influence? Well, this is the time to understand that in most organizations, banging your head against a brick wall often hurts and often there are much more productive things you can do at a local level and lose the frustration.
Martin Haworth
Marin,
Thanks for leaving your first comment on LF.
For LF readers, here’s Martin’s website: http://www.supersuccessfulmanager.com/
Best,
Dan
The organizational/leadership bottleneck I have witnessed most often is the fear of making a decision out of the fear of being wrong, which leads to Mental and Organizational Paralysis. Think about it, how many meetings have you attended in your career where NO decision was made to do anything.
As far as going around the bottleneck to “uncork the clog,” be careful because you might only get to do that once; especially, if the clog is your boss. Instead, consider questioning the bottleneck creator in ways that lead him or her to believe uncorking the clog is their idea.
Jim,
As always I enjoy seeing you. You’ll note that another commenter agrees with your assesment that lack of decisiveness creates “paralysis.”
Best to you and the Leeman Group you own. http://www.leemanngroup.com/
Cheers,
Dan
Communication is usually the underlying cause of most bottlenecks. But assuming you can’t just talk to the leader and fix the problem, then you need to learn to work with the bottleneck. That is to say, instead of trying to change them, begin to change what your boss needs to work on relative to your team.
Understand too, that you may be part of the problem. Look for areas where you can streamline the process: If you don’t need their input, don’t ask for it. When you do, make sure your information is accurate and complete. It will add to your credibility and make the process smoother. Lack of trust leads to micromanaging. Don’t just present problems, present solutions. Don’t act like your problem is the only problem they face. Be considerate of their time so you don’t become part of the problem.
Just a few ideas to get started. Michael
Michael, you’re right on. Dan’s “real-life example” hits really close to home for me. We have 10 different departments that all get their marching orders from the top. Each one of those departments then wants to use IT resources to help accomplish their top priority. That creates 10 top priorities for IT. There’s no increase in staffing for IT so yes, things bottleneck.
But, by coming to the table with clear and complete information and solutions things flow a lot more smoothly. It is also imperative that the organization as a whole define its priorities so that IT doesn’t get saddle with 10 #1 objectives.
Just because you identify where the bottleneck is doesn’t mean you’ve identified the cause of the bottleneck. It’s not the narrow part of the stream that causes a log jam, it’s all the debris flowing from upstream.
Brett,
I wondered when an IT guy would jump in. You have to know that the scenario you describe is the norm and not the exception.
I appreciate you jumping into the conversation and leaving the voice of experience on the table.
Regards,
Dan
Great comments and suggestions to address a bottleneck that occurs at the top. I like Martin’s approach of using local influence. I also agree with Jim, you might only get one chance to unclog the bottleneck!
One of the things that helps to unclog bottlenecks at the top, is to identify how the bottleneck is hindering our ability to fulfill our mission, goals and strategic plan. This addresses the impact of the bottleneck and executives are usually in tune with goals and the strategic plan.
I would also come prepared with solutions to address the bottleneck. Executives don’t necessarily want to hear about problems, they want to hear about solutions.
Finally avoid blaming anyone, especially an executive, for the problems but rather focus on the problem, impact and solutions.
I hope that helps! Thanks for the great post Dan and thought provoking conversation.
Cheers!
Kelly
Kelly,
As I read your comment, I thought about how vision/mission help determine suggested solutions. The only way we know we are heading in the right direction is because we have determined the destination.
LF readers will enjoy reading your work on http://theexperiencefactor.com/the-x-blog/
Thank you for consistently giving back to the community.
Best to you,
Dan
Once you have that awareness of the bottleneck, you have some thinking to do…and probably some essential conversations need to occur if you are going to stay with an inefficient, contorted organization. Otherwise you face conflict with your own values and that does not bode well for one’s mental, physical and spiritual health.
I liked Martin’s observations of working covertly and overtly and within your cadre to continue to be excellent. One way or another you will eventually get noticed. Martin’s observation about head banging on the wall jibes with Dan’s earlier post this week as well.
And of course, here’s the old standard for what work looks like without Lean. Now, even though concretely it is on the assembly line it may also be a metaphor for leadership doing the same thing…
Thanks for reminding me of that clip (one of many memorable ones from the Lucille Ball Show).
If you don’t mind, I’ve posted it at my own blog today as well at http://CoachTrainLearn.com/blog/
Regards
Martin
In my experiences,though leaders can be bottlenecks themselves,to some extent the lower level positions can be too. I have witnessed situations where the leader has delegated appropriately but then progress stops at lower levels. One of the reasons is in an organisation where there as too much of individual employee recognition,even though the leader has delegated,an individual who craves too much recogntion will end up diving for more tasks without completing earlier ones. But this is where a good leader can come in and solve the problem. He/she should be able to quickly identify the problem. Having a clear understanding of the value creation chain will help eliminate or reduce these bottlenecks. By constantly monitoring each stage of value creation,stagnation in processes can quickly be rectified. Also a culture of team playing should be encouraged so that not one or two employees are overtasked.
I’ve loved the concept of bottlenecks and eliminating or reducing them since I read “The Goal” by Eliyahu Goldratt. Have you read it?
David,
Thanks for your first comment on LF. I haven’t read, “The Goal.” but I’ll look into it.
Regards,
Dan
David’s website = http://theleaderlab.org/
Nice post Dan. I was just with a group of newly promoted leaders today who all agree that delegation is one of their biggest challenges. It’s only by letting go of the things that you used to be an expert at and picking up the things that only you can do in your leadership role that you can meet the results that are expected. In the process of doing that, you eliminate the bottlenecks that develop on your desk and in your inbox while creating organizational capacity by allowing others to contribute.
Keep up the great blogging.
Cheers –
Scott
Scott,
Thank you for visiting and leaving your first comment. I respect your experience and enjoyed reading your illustration regarding delegation.
In case LF readers don’t know, your blog was nominated as one of the best leadership blogs of 2009. http://scotteblin.typepad.com/
Best to you,
Dan
Dan,
There are any number of reasons that bottlenecks occur as you and the contributors have identified. I think one way to unclog the bottleneck is, in a word, decisiveness. The decision making process often gets bogged down for a number of reasons and I think one of the biggest ones is fear of making the wrong decision. When people and teams are empowered to move things forward, they need to gather the right intelligence and be willing to make and own decisions. Sometimes the best decision is unpopular but must be made. If the bottleneck is a result of an individual, process or practice holding up the decision, then my suggestion is to identify and address the real issue head-on in a practical and always respectful way.
Best,
Mike
Mike,
I appreciate you leaving your first and very useful comment on LF. Thank you for reminding us that indecision both creates and propagates the bottlenecks that frustrate efficiency and effectiveness.
I notice that you have a blog at http://www.mmicom.com/Leadership-Today/. I’ll be sure to stop in to visit you.
Regards,
Dan
In my experience bottlenecks happen when the organizational vision is not clear or when there is disagreement about how the vision should be implemented. When the end goal is clear, the path to that goal (and obstacles to it’s achievement) become clear as well. When the waters are murky, bottlenecks arise because people are confused and (as Jim put it) fall into analysis paralysis.
Wayne poses a great question for individual contributors and lower level managers alike – how do you function in a scenario where the bottleneck is happening above your pay grade? I would advise two things – 1) get clarity from as high a level as possible (ideally the CEO who should own the vision) about what the larger goals of the organization are. 2) Advocate for a solution that is in alignment with that vision. By doing so you should be able to get support from other parts of the organization to break through the bottleneck and move forward.
Brett – I used to work for a CIO early in my IT career who was gifted in dealing with exactly that scenario. He would sit with the management team and when they asked him what he needed for a budget, he would say “I don’t need anything, but Rusty (VP of Sales) would like a CRM solution, so Rusty, why don’t you help the team understand what value that will bring to the organization, and we’ll help you figure out a solution that will work”. Basically he made the departments advocate for the IT budget based on the value proposition vs. having the expenditures come from IT as a cost center. It made things work much more smoothly 🙂
Hmmm…sounds like the same kind of thing I’ve been telling my boss he needs to do for the last 3 years….
Now, how do I make him listen?
A short sharp slap should resolve the situation, one way or the other…
On the other hand, stealth upward management is good too – by using some of the behaviors and actions that are where you would like them to be, eventually (and remember, the more senior the boss, the more sluggish their response time!), the penny might drop.
If not, remember the slap technique.
Martin,
I just found your blog and wanted to let LF readers know about it.
http://www.supersuccessfulmanager.com/blog/
Be well
Dan
The Slap™ technique….sounds intriguing. May be just the thing.
I’ve promoted, within my team, the idea of “subversive development” for years. Usually, it’s the only way we get the good stuff done. I’d equate it a bit to your stealth upward management.
But the more senior the boss part makes the Slap™ technique sound more promising.
Katy,
Thank you for bringing your experience and expertise to this conversation.
I appreciate connecting vision with forward movement and the idea of involving others has important ramifications.
For our readers, remember Katy was a guest blogger here on LF and wrote, “Survive your Promotion. You can keep up with Katy at: http://surviveyourpromotion.com/
Thanks,
Dan
re Wayne’s question: What if the bottleneck is at the top of the organization?
Good luck. It’s virtually impossible to change an organization when you have resistance at the top. The organization will only grow or develop as far as the leader’s capacity. Especially in entreprenuerial or family business, this is the oldest story in the book and the reason why so many don’t make it past the first or second generation. Sometimes it takes a crisis to move beyond, or other times the business will just die. See it for what it is and don’t expect miracles. Work within the constraints that the leader is imposing, or start looking for a job somewhere else.
Those are my thoughts, anyway!
Bradley (Shrinkingthecamel),
While reading your comment I thought of the statement, “Everything stands or falls on leadership.”
Congratulations on your speaking engagement this weekend at the Princeton Theological Seminary’s Leadership and Spirituality event.
Best to you,
Dan
Shrinkingthecamel’s website = http://shrinkingthecamel.com/
Regarding the bottleneck at the top…for some tangential thinking I am reminded of the GI Joe cartoons from long ago. GI Joe, at the end of a cartoon for the learning of the day… ‘knowing is half the battle’.
So now you know (and probably others do too on various levels) that there is an issue, an elephant lumbering around the room. If you value the company and the company’s service, then you are obligated, at some time, to address it or watch/be part of the company floundering. I did qualify with, at some time, as financial reality is another elephant to attend to.
Then is where you earn your keep in attempting to dialogue with the leader who is kludging up the works. Hopefully you have some element of acceptance, respect, value for your opinion. If I might suggest, some of the tenets of motivational interviewing might work as you are only asking questions, not confronting. We all know how well confrontation changes minds.
Bottomline, if you really know, you must do something. 30 years from now you reflect and say…oops, shoulda, woulda, coulda. Then is the time as Mike M noted, be decisive.
Doc,
Love your style and appreciate the content of your comment. I appreciate the motivational interviewing concept as it relates to this discussion.
I’m delighted that you regularly leave comments here for the good of the community.
Cheers!
Dan
My (un)favorite bottleneck is the one created by the leader not making explicit choices which drive paradox. These are rampant. Do we want quality or speed? Growth or profitability? Innovation or status quo?
Some companies actually embed these paradoxes by choosing a matrix structure which implies that we want to optimize two things at the same time e.g. optimize product innovation and optimize great customer service.
These bottlenecks can be resolved when leaders identify the trade-offs they really want. For example, we want profitability of 10% and then we want to grow. Or, we will organize around our products and then we will give them the best service we can for these products.
Norm,
Thanks for reminding us that we can never have it all. Thanks for expanding our thinking and enhancing our conversation.
If LF readers are interested in more wisdom from Norm check out:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_2?_encoding=UTF8&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books&field-author=Norm%20Smallwood
Best to you,
Dan
Dan;
Great post. I think that expressing the opportunity cost (or opportunity lost) associated with the bottleneck helps the person responsible to understand why I’m asking, and if expressed in dollars is much more powerful.
For example – we could be to market 6 months faster (how much expected revenue is lost or even competitive advantage); or we are unable to be regulatorily compliant (what fines will result); or my project team is idle while I wait for XX (salary time wasted or the team may be reassigned and the development project will be delayed by 6 months (and this is a high profile project for a customer).
Also, I try to be specific about what I want from the other person and quantify that. Not just faster approval – e.g., an SLA of 5 days for the turnaround.
I also ask them what I can do to help with the change. Maybe my prep work or input can be tuned up to make it easier for them to up their turnaround. Maybe not, but offering is not only polite, it fosters collaboration. Thanks.
Lisa,
Yet another useful comment! Thank you for stopping in.
I love how you drive home the importance of solid verifiable data.
Regards,
Dan