Expressworks Federal
Mini-Mentoring Workshops TM
Example Projects
CULTURAL TURNAROUND REVITALIZING EW GROUND TEST CAPABILITY
STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY PLANNING
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center
IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
Fortune 10 Company
Results: A complete, sustainable cultural transformation occurred. Measured LT health moved consistently more positive, surviving a new commander, and continued to improve after consultants left. Measured organization’s image moved from an arrogant, self-serving bureaucracy to a reliable, high performance organization. Utilization rate exceeded 100% within 2 years and the organization helped additional customers find other locations for their testing needs. A 10-year look-back with a former commander involved during the transformation and still in the chain of command showed a mission-focused, healthy organization with complete sustainability of the key elements put in place during the first year.
Background: The client organization engaged LINCO Management Services (predecessor company to Expressworks Federal) to help facilitate cultural changes needed to save a unique test capability from closing. Consistent changes in personnel behavior were needed to improve the image of the organization with potential customers and to develop skills for more positive interaction internally as well as externally. At the time, the nation was investing heavily in improved technical capability, but utilization rate was <3%, with no paying customers.
Challenges: The organization’s reputation was extremely negative – technically they were excellent, but they were perceived as very hard to deal with and unreliable in meeting time and cost commitments. Some negative views dated back 1 - 2 decades. The leadership team, mostly civilian, had worked together for 20-30 years and did not respect each other professionally; Commanders rotated every 2-4 years. The client organization conducted highly classified work, which contributed to a culture of limited information sharing across divisions.
Solution: After an initial assessment, results were presented during a Strategic Planning offsite and the Leadership Team recognized the need for their own improvement. Senior consultants worked with LT members to improve their functionality as a team and as individuals. Senior consultants facilitated LT planning sessions, observed weekly program reviews, weekly LT meetings, coached individuals as necessary, and facilitated an internal LT 360. In addition, LINCO facilitated 2 teams (process improvement and customer focus), prepared communications, and continued workforce and stakeholder engagement. Measurements of LT health and organizational image were tracked every 6 months and a planning offsite facilitated every year.
Background: The client organization engaged Expressworks to help drive technology related strategic planning. The intent was to establish a consistent, relevant foundation of technology research areas that supported national goals, NASA Aeronautics Mission Directorate, and industry needs related to aerospace flight research. During an era of significant funding shortfalls, the client needed to build a consistent set of tools, objectively evaluate competing technology investment areas, and free up experienced experts to focus on higher-level technical work.
Challenges: The client organization had not conducted a bottoms-up technology plan in over 2 decades. Technical leads and experienced scientists and engineers were resource constrained. Many branch chiefs and roughly half the technical staff had not worked on a single X-plane Program. Relationships with headquarters staff were challenged; at times perception was either resistant to central headquarters direction or continuing to push for keeping test platforms contrary to headquarters desires. Additionally, the client organization had little authority over technical resource strengths or in some cases over assignment of technical resources to specific research projects.
Solution: Expressworks developed and helped implement a change strategy to improve technology strategic planning and the client organization’s image. Expressworks facilitated a technology-planning summit, facilitated regular engagements and communications with the technical leads to gather, refine, and integrate technology forecasts, and helped build a comprehensive plan that included X-plane alternatives. Expressworks messaged and developed communication materials to equip and support both the client organization and the technical leaders in building awareness and understanding of a clear strategic path to aeronautics research that included flight test.
Results: When the technical framework was presented to the central headquarters organization, it was well received and started a new dialogue over aeronautics research; the role of X-Planes in technology demonstration and the role the client organization should play in future programs. Today, the client’s leadership continues to support, advocate, and manage technical resources in support of the technology forecast areas, including participation in several new X-plane technology demonstrators.
Background: The client company engaged Expressworks to help improve operations by driving sustainable changes in the areas of Safety, Health, Environment, Efficiency, and Reliability. While the corporate initiative had been in place for several years, one of the operating companies was not performing as expected. A Corporate Audit was scheduled and the operating company reached out for assistance in preparation, having failed a previous audit 3 years earlier.
Challenges: The client organization touted very good safety performance and had a Safety Management System (SMS) in place for many years due to industry requirements. Leadership Team members were focused on profitability in a down market, understood the corporate initiative, and felt like they were performing fine. Process managers, assigned responsibility for implementation of standardized processes, did enough to “check the box” but this top-down initiative was not their top priority.
Solution: Expressworks assessed the status of implementation of corporate standards and processes and supported the client with communications and engagement of Process Managers, Leadership Team members who served as Process Sponsors, the audit team, and higher headquarters. Expressworks developed a strategy with the client to use the audit as a forcing function to improve Leadership Accountability, change behaviors, and elevate the value of the standardized processes to operations. Consultants facilitated team assessments across all 19 processes, helped develop plans for gap closure and continued implementation, and supported oversight meetings. Consultant scheduled audit team meetings with individuals throughout the company, including access to remote facilities, and prepared training for those to be interviewed on how to get the most value out of the process.