Question

A new process design means that one team is responsible for doing something that used to be done in final assembly. It adds about 10 minutes to the team’s process and decreases their output by 10 percent. The assemblers’ output has jumped by almost 20 percent at the same time. Normally, the team leader would be worried about reporting that his group is slowing down. Instead, he is pleased. How would you describe the value of this team leader to the company?
He is a system thinker able to understand the big picture.
He is able to motivate staff, even outside his own team.
He is a detail thinker who bases decisions strictly on numbers.
He is dysfunctional because he is sub-optimizing his own group.

Answer 1

This team leader is a system thinker able to understand the big picture.

Even though one department has slowed down, the over all process speed and output has increased. The team leader is looking at the “big picture” in that the process has been improved and made faster, regardless of the fact that one department takes longer with the new process.