Clear lines of responsibility keep highly functional cross-trained teams error free.
I was recently visiting a neighboring company. During a conversation
about management “bench strength” I was shown the
company’s organizational chart and it was virtually
incomprehensible to me. On the chart, there were a lot of people who
seemed to be responsible for the same functions, and it was impossible
to understand exactly which person had ultimate responsibility for any
area. In short, it seemed like everyone was involved in everything
while no one was responsible for anything.
This got me thinking about my staff, and how so many companies –
especially smaller companies – are organized. I have always
expounded the virtues of smaller, leaner organizations and how smaller
companies can have a real advantage when their employees are fully
cross-trained. Indeed, bench strength certainly implies significant
cross training as well as repetitition within the management and
employee ranks of an organization. My neighboring company was proud of
the depth of their bench strength within the company. But when does the
quest for a fully cross-trained staff cross the line to becoming a
blurred organization of too many people trying to do the same task at
the expense of quality, service, and the customer?
I don’t think there is a manager out there, whether of a design
firm, a circuit board manufacturer or any organization, that is ever
satisfied they have adequate cross training or enough backup. I know
that I wish that I had more and better in those departments. However,
when I really look at problems that seem to derail an otherwise great
shift, day, week, month, or quarter it inevitably was not the lack of
cross-training, but instead a blurred line of responsibility that
caused the mess.
When it comes to baseball, when everyone in the outfield can field the
ball, the lines often get blurred. We all know the short stop and the
second baseman are the “go to guys.” So when a third
baseman goes for a ball either he or the short stop could have made,
and misses, whose error is it? Usually it’s going to be blamed on
the third baseman – but was it really a communication error that
ultimately led to the error?
The same thing can happen in manufacturing, especially in facilities
with many cross-trained employees. Most employees want to go that extra
mile to help out. As an example, a job enters a department where there
are at least two employees trained and available to process the job.
One employee does the job routinely; the other has been cross-trained
to do the job but usually works in a different department. If the
communication lines are blurred, the cross trained, but less
experienced employee may take the lead on a job that could be either
critical or beyond their skill level. As a result, an error can occur
that is not caught until final inspection. How could this error have
been avoided? There is a good chance that blurred lines of
responsibility are at the source of the problem and if so, then
everyone needs to focus on improving communication so to clarify when
and by whom tasks are to be performed.
As much as we all need to strive for greater bench strength and
increased flexibility via cross-training, we need to make sure that
everyone knows who is responsible for each process and task within the
organization. Lines of responsibility should be reviewed on a regular
basis to make sure that they are not becoming blurred. Having fully
cross-trained personnel means that while many could do a given task,
normally only certain people should be performing those tasks.
Not sure how your company stacks up? Well, if you have an
organizational chart where lines are all dotted or keep crossing back
and forth between employees, you have a communication error waiting to
happen! The simple solution is to make sure that every cross-trained
employee knows under what circumstances they are expected to step in to
get the job done. And everyone needs to know when he or she should not
perform a task they have been cross-trained to do. Situations such as
overly complex or time critical jobs may not be the place for someone
with less experience to use their cross-training skills.
Building an organization that has exceptional skills, and highly
functional, cross-trained employees resulting in bench strength that
enables an organization to take on exciting new customers and
applications should be the goal of all organizations. Equally, making
sure that a reality check is in place so you know in which situation,
and under what scenario a cross-trained employee is needed is the job
of management. Whether it’s a first line supervisor or senior
corporate manager, keeping the lines of responsibility clear and
reducing the “blurring” that causes errors is just as
important as the cross training itself.
Periodic bench strength and organizational reviews should be conducted
at all levels. If you find that the organization chart is a cobweb
of duplicate reporting and unclear areas of responsibility, then
pull your managers together to start documenting responsibility to
minimize any potential for misunderstanding.
No organization can afford errors, especially while diligently working
to develop true bench strength. Don’t let a well-trained team
cause needless errors because of blurred lines of responsibility. Make
sure everyone knows how to step in, and when their skills are
appropriate and needed.
PCD&F
Peter Bigelow is president and CEO of IMI (imipcb.com);
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