It is always a challenge for a company to sustain high productivity in the fast-changing automobile industry. The challenge in Thailand is greater than ever, as the entire industry is in overdrive to fill hundreds of thousands of orders resulting from the government's first-time car buyer scheme. First-tier suppliers have to work even harder to meet strong demand and shorter-notice ordering from car manufacturers without sacrificing quality.
Obviously, the workers on the line need to be skilled, productive and diligent in order for a supplier to meet the exacting demands of a leading car maker. But if you're the chief executive of such a company, the group profile or "work styles" of the top executives who report directly to you will be equally important in helping your company meet its goals.
Characteristics of the manufacturer: In order to determine appropriate work styles, we need to understand the nature of the production environment. Generally speaking, people who work in this kind of organisation must possess a high degree of dependability, meaning they should be reliable and able to deliver completed jobs on time.
Good team players, whether on the line or in the executive suite, are also needed in a manufacturing-based organisation. No one can work alone in a factory set-up since all activities are part of a linked supply chain. One-man-show heroics are wasted, because excellent teamwork is what counts. Effective teamwork means outstanding cooperation supported by diplomacy and self-control.
"Rule following" is another key requirement in a production organisation in order to maintain quality and safety and ensure on-time delivery.
Persistence, the determination never to give up easily when faced with obstacles, is also necessary for production-oriented people.
Production executives should also have high energy and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. Adaptability, which relates to the ability to be flexible and accept new requirements, is also crucial.
What are "work styles"? Recently, I consulted for a top Japanese first-tier supplier that provides key components to leading car makers including European ones. Led by a Japanese managing director and his Thai assistant, the company maintains strong relations with key customers.
My goal was to help the company develop leadership through action-based learning combined with coaching intervention. Initially, I needed to learn about the group "work style" or collective personality traits of top executives, just as a doctor would diagnose a patient, and then provide suggestions on how to move forward.
"Work styles" are characteristics that relate to effectiveness in performing various types of work. They can be defined as a preferred style of behaving. Typically speaking, they relate to personality and motivation. In popular culture, they are referred to as "soft skills". Possessing a particular "work style" may be a strength or weakness, depending on the requirements of a specific job.
The right set of "work styles": Based on an in-depth analysis of the executive group at the company in question, I concluded they were rather low on dependability _ as a group, they had a high tendency not to finish work on time. As well, they showed a tendency to prefer working alone, which is not suited to a production environment.
They also tended not to be diplomatic, favouring a more straight-talking approach. Since they showed moderate emotional self-awareness and were somewhat low in terms of self-control, they express themselves openly to get the job done through others. Co-workers will likely know what they are feeling.
They also were a bit too low on "rule following" _ not a good sign in a production environment. Their "persistence" also was too low, which reflects a tendency to back off easily if facing a difficult or not enjoyable assignment.
I found the group low on adaptability as well, noting a preference to work at a moderate pace. They may have difficulty coping with fast-changing conditions. If the organisation undertakes a change management programme, they may have difficulty with this. In some cases, they may prefer things to be "black and white", where policy just needs to be carried out.
Final remarks: It may appear the characteristics of the white-collar people making the decisions at this particular manufacturer are largely out of sync with the characteristics considered essential in its blue-collar workforce. For that reason, the company needs to pay high attention to three areas: Teamwork, the Drive for Results, and Change Management.
Looking at the low level of cooperation, diplomacy and self-control, it is clear that this parts manufacturer has a problem with teamwork. The executives can perform reasonably acceptably but not at the top level. This means that as a group, they have already adjusted some of their own behaviours. However, that is not enough. From my observations and one-on-one feedback sessions, they are too high on individualism.
An action-based learning programme has been planned as a key corrective measure, together with executive coaching. Once the teamwork issue is resolved, it should not be difficult to follow up with a drive for results and change management since the executives will gradually adjust themselves along the way.
Sorayuth Vathanavisuth, a former chief executive of the Thailand Management Association, teaches at Mahidol University's College of Management. His areas of interest are leadership development, executive coaching and strategic business planning. He can be reached at sorayuth@sealeadership.com