The Company
Futaba Industrial UK Ltd (FIUK) is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Derbyshire.
As a company FIUK are committed to an environment built on the principles of integrity, teamwork, and individual responsibility. FIUK is focused on achieving ever quicker production times, more streamlined processes, and highly tuned efficiency without sacrificing quality.
The Business Situation
The aim is for the Management Team to work in a whole strategic way rather than the individual functional way they do currently. There needs to be improved communication across the organisation, improved collaboration in achieving objectives and working cohesively together as a team. Also, for managers to build on their management and leadership skills, knowledge and confidence when leading people in their teams.
The Approach
A 4-stage approach to achieve FIUK aims was designed:
The 4 Stages Were:
Stage 1: Consultation with all managers on an individual basis to gather feedback and their view of the challenges facing the Management Team
Stage 2: 1-day team building workshop: This day provided the opportunity for all Managers to get together and reflect on the strategic aims and vision for FIUK; the barriers and challenges that maybe getting in the way of achieving the vision. Culminating in an improvement plan and getting buy in and accountability for the plan.
Stage 3: 360 Degree Appraisal with all Managers, a questionnaire linked to the core competency framework around effective leadership behaviour to gain feedback from others followed by an individual feedback and action planning session.
Stage 4: Individual Coaching sessions with all Managers. The aim of these coaching sessions was to reflect on both the organisational objectives as well as their own as a leader, these sessions provided the opportunity to reflect on the 1-day workshop objectives and outcomes along with the feedback from the 360-degree appraisal. Outcomes from the coaching sessions were summarised and fed back to FIUK to inform the in-house KPI/performance management meetings and personal development planning.
The Benefits
As a result of the above interventions, the management team now work in a more collaborative way, highlighting the importance and benefits of working together to achieve common purpose, goals and objectives. ‘That we all work for the same organisation’ and equally committed to ensuring its success.
Communication between managers and departments improved, the sharing of information to increase productivity, efficiency and the success of projects and that clear and open communication is key to the building of relationships within the company.
Development of individual management and leadership skills, managers becoming more effective people managers, resulting in higher motivation in their staff, improved productivity, not only from staff but learning to delegate and manage staff more efficiently and effectively meant managers could focus on the more strategic aspects of the business, improving productivity, time management, strategic planning and growth.
The interventions provided an opportunity for managers to recognise not only their own talents, strengths and weaknesses, but those of colleagues so they can pool their talents and perform at their best individually and as team players.
The management team discovered that the team is the organisation’s greatest asset and trust, cooperation and effective communication are the key to a team’s success. The team building day brought about a greater awareness of each other’s needs and what they could bring to the table. How they could work together more effectively to get the best from each other and how this would ultimately benefit the organisation.