LEADERSHIP FOR CHANGE : -Action research within a Lean transformation

Sammanfattning: The purpose of the study has been to investigate how leadership can support organisational change by empowering Project Managers and Team Leaders to encourage organisational change into a Lean/Agile organisation. Lean is a management philosophy based on measuring flow efficiency instead of resource efficiency. To be able to create flow there are certain basic principles to be followed such as minimising waste, working in a team and constantly strive for improvement. It has in several studies been pointed out that leadership is an important factor in creating a successful organisational change that lasts. We have in our study strengthen the implementation of Lean by focusing on visual planning, feedback and leadership connected with theories on organisational change. This was done by providing by coaching leadership during the workshops and also a study visit for one of the pilot groups that consisted of Team Leaders and Project Managers from two of the divisions at Saab Technologies. In conclusion, the study has shown that leadership is a necessary factor to succeed with a reorganisation irrespective of what level in the company is being reorganised. The Management Teams have to lead with visions and create long-term goals. Based on these goals, clear milestones should be created that are implemented and then evaluated in short intervals, these milestones then sipper down the to the levels below in the organisation where the milestones and goals are translated from vision into action. The picture of that a reorganisation changes the company overnight needs to be erased in benefit of creating small continuous changes that in the long run will lead to a new organisation. The Project Managers and Team Leaders also have to lead their projects and teams for the reorganisation to evolve and not stagnate. Furthermore, the leadership has to be adapted to every situation, keeping in mind that teams and projects are in different stages just as a reorganisation. Visual planning has worked as a translator and as something reachable in the reorganisation and also as an anchor to be able to continue the implementation of Lean within the organisation.