The Ortiv Glass Corporation, a leader in producing and marketing plate glass for the construction and automotive industries, faced significant challenges with its top-management team. The team's ineffectiveness in problem-solving necessitated organizational development (OD) interventions to enhance their performance and efficiency.
Background and Initial Challenges
Ortiv Glass Corporation has a decentralized organizational philosophy, allowing each plant to develop its own design and management approaches. This flexibility promotes participation and innovation, aligning with the company's OD activities and culture. However, the newly formed problem-solving group at Ortiv's latest plant, comprising the plant manager and managers of engineering, administration, human resources, production, and quality control departments, struggled with several issues.
Despite their technical skills and managerial experience, the team members had only been working together for about five months. Their weekly two-hour meetings aimed to address plant-wide issues but often devolved into chaotic sessions with a backlog of unresolved problems, poor use of meeting time, lack of follow-through, and general dissatisfaction among team members.
Diagnosing Organizational Challenges
A comprehensive group-level diagnosis revealed key issues in the team's dynamics:
Goal Clarity: The team’s goals were generally clear—they aimed to solve problems. However, there was no agreement on the specific problems to address, leading to members arriving late due to other pressing issues.
Task Structure: The team’s task structure involved face-to-face interactions during weekly meetings, facilitating the sharing of information and coordination of problem-solving efforts. However, the meetings lacked a structured approach, contributing to inefficiency.
Group Composition: The team members were selected based on their technical expertise and collaborative problem-solving abilities. Yet, their newness to working together hindered effective collaboration.
Performance Norms: The lack of clear performance norms and follow-through led to confusion and dissatisfaction. Decisions were not consistently implemented, and there was no system for tracking progress on issues.
Implementing OD Interventions
To address these challenges, OD interventions focused on several key areas:
Improving Meeting Efficiency: Introducing a structured agenda and clear objectives for each meeting helped streamline discussions and decision-making processes. Setting time limits for each agenda item and assigning specific follow-up tasks ensured accountability.
Enhancing Communication and Collaboration: Encouraging open communication and active participation from all team members improved the flow of information and fostered a collaborative environment. Team-building exercises and workshops enhanced trust and mutual understanding among members.
Clarifying Goals and Responsibilities: Establishing clear goals and responsibilities for each team member helped align their efforts with the overall objectives of the team. Regular progress reviews and feedback sessions ensured that everyone remained on track.
Strengthening Follow-Through and Implementation: Developing a system for tracking decisions and follow-up actions ensured that issues were addressed promptly and effectively. Assigning specific individuals to oversee the implementation of decisions increased accountability.
Evaluating and Sustaining Change
The OD interventions resulted in significant improvements in the top-management team's performance. Meetings became more productive, with a clear focus on priority issues. The team’s ability to solve problems collaboratively and implement decisions effectively improved, reducing the backlog of unresolved issues. Enhanced communication and collaboration fostered a more cohesive team environment, contributing to overall satisfaction among team members.
Conclusion
The case of the top-management team at Ortiv Glass Corporation highlights the importance of structured OD interventions in improving team dynamics and performance. By addressing issues related to goal clarity, task structure, communication, and follow-through, organizations can enhance the effectiveness of their management teams.
Organizational Development Services
At OrgEvo Consulting, we specialize in diagnosing and addressing organizational challenges through tailored OD interventions. Our expertise in enhancing team dynamics, communication, and problem-solving capabilities can help your organization achieve its strategic goals. Contact us to learn how we can support your organizational development needs.
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