Interim Management in the Automotive Industry The Role of a Problem Solver in Stabilising Projects a
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LEADER
Role Problem Solvera
Na tyto úkoly si firmy mohou vybrat specialistu, kte-
rý není zatížen předchozími kroky a rozhodnutími
ani osobními antipatiemi. Naopak je schopen rychle
vniknout do problému, hledat průsečíky a spojovat
i nespolupracující týmy a oddělení v rámci závodu
i na globální úrovni. A pokud prokáže, že je schopen
nejen přerozdělovat úkoly, ale i zjednodušovat, odstra-
ňovat překážky, někdy i převzít část agendy, důvěra
a ochota spolupracovat se dostaví.
Jakožto certifikovaný člen asociace CAIM jsem měl
výhodu při získávání zakázky, protože členstvím v této
organizaci prokazujete dosažení určité úrovně znalostí
a kompetencí v daném oboru a také morální kvality,
což z pohledu zákazníka výrazně omezuje další vlo-
žené riziko v už tak kritických a rozhodujících fázích
projektů.
Interim Management in the Automove Industry
The Role of a Problem Solver
in Stabilising Projects at Tier 1 Suppliers
Interim management is used not only by small and medium–sized enterprises that nd themselves
in a nancial crisis they are unable to overcome on their own, but also rounely by global
corporaons in the automove industry, where we generally disnguish between two forms:
Substuon: Filling a vacant posion to maintain connuity of the company’s operaons as
a temporary soluon during the absence of a permanent employee or delays in recruitment.
Project–based: Deploying an expert to address a specic task or operaonal problem, which may
be complex, cut across mulple departments, or be unaracve or unpopular with a permanent
employee.
Over the past 24 months, I have worked for a global
Tier 1 supplier as a Task Force Leader (Problem Solver)
during the ramp–up of new production programmes.
In this role, I am not dealing with a liquidity crisis,
nor usually with production stoppages or disrupted
deliveries, but rather with escalating costs that reduce
profitability and place a burden on the company.
The “Silo Effect” and Process Alibis
Corporate structures are characterised by a high
level of process formalisation. Paradoxically,
precisely defined procedures tend to fail in situations
at the boundaries between responsibilities. When roles
are clearly divided but objectives are still not being
achieved, a pathological “silo effect” emerges.
Individual departments (quality, production, logistics,
project management, design and engineering) invest
their energy in defending their own procedures
and shifting responsibility elsewhere. Process rules
are used as an alibi. Every system contains grey areas
and interfaces where responsibility becomes blurred
and, instead of cooperating, teams focus on absolving
themselves of blame.
The Role of the Problem Solver
For these tasks, companies can bring in a specialist
who is not burdened by previous actions and decisions
or by personal animosities. Instead, they are able
to quickly get to grips with the problem, identify
common ground and bring together even teams
and departments that are reluctant to cooperate, both
within the plant and at a global level.
And if they demonstrate that they are capable not
only of reallocating tasks, but also of simplifying
processes, removing obstacles and sometimes even
taking over part of the workload themselves, trust
and a willingness to cooperate will follow.
As a certified member of the CAIM association,
I had an advantage when securing the assignment,
as membership in this organisation demonstrates
that you have achieved a certain level of knowledge
and competence in the field, as well as professional
integrity. From the client’s perspective, this significantly
reduces the additional risk involved during already
critical and decisive phases of a project.