Task forces in the automotive industry

Basically, it’s already too late for the solution
A lot of time and money has already been squandered. Preventive measures have failed, and the effort is mainly about damage limitation. The goal seems unattainable – and yet it must be pursued by all means

Every day costs money
When it comes to delivery bottlenecks, for example, every minute of lost time can be measured directly in lost profitability per component and ultimately per vehicle. The pressure on the people involved can become unbearable.

The problem is incredibly complex
Open heart surgery is required. Every change to the strained system can cause effects that need to be considered in advance and no single process can simply be changed separately. Every measure needs to be scrutinized in terms of success, failure, and unintended side effects. Often a few simple, clearly communicated, aligned (de-escalation) targets are needed to help resolve the situation.

A task force has a prior history of escalation
The nerves of those involved are frayed, several attempts have already been made to solve the problem, personal careers are at stake, and trust has been undermined. On the one hand, a speedy and structured problem-solving is often hampered by the personal and political tactics employed by those involved, while on the other hand, the process tends to be fraught with nervousness and hectic activities. Calm, fact-based communication and effective leadership are often simply disregarded.

The markets are unforgiving
A delayed product launch goes hand in hand with the scheduling of new model series and always involves a considerable loss of profit and reputational damage. As a result, sales, controlling, and marketing teams understandably have limited patience for those in development, production, and the supply chain who are constantly striving to catch up on milestones and performance indicators. The pressure, therefore, is sizzling, demanding tangible signs of progress each day. These factors alone are a clear indication that a task force needs to operate with a variety of specific project management tools.

Task forces are like agile project management on steroids
The timing is very tight. The daily schedule starts in the early morning for the team with the daily check-in and ends with the daily check-out. In between, the agreed measures need to be rigorously implemented – independently and without lengthy committee meetings. Success, therefore, greatly depends on nominating the right team members. The right experts need to be integrated and the team spirit must be sound, regardless of the organization and job title, whether OEM, supplier, or consultant. In the end, the integrated efforts of those involved make all the difference.

Discipline and a keen focus on suction are basic requirements
It sounds so simple but is unfortunately not always given that scheduled agreements are adhered to. Unforeseen obstacles must be communicated and resolved immediately as they arise and not only when someone fails to provide the agreed result.

The structure of a task force covers the entire range of solutions and usually consists of several work packages. When setting up the work packages, it is important not only to address the obvious topics (e.g. “OEE increase”), but also to work on the underlying causes (e.g. “strategic resource management”). When forming the team, it should be borne in mind that everyone involved must actively collaborate and be aligned with the overarching goal as defined and guided by the higher management. It is key to manage interdependencies between work packages within the Task Force Team on a regular basis and with mutual support. This combination is the only way to solve acute problems and at the same time create a robust system.

Each measure must have verifiable objectives
In addition to precisely documenting each defined measure, it goes without saying that feedback on completion is provided at the agreed due date. Another decisive factor for ensuring success is the prior linking of the measures with the expected impact on a targeted key performance indicator. This requires some effort and practice but leads to two elementary effects: a) A measure without a defined outcome will simply not be implemented, as it would be wasteful. b) A measure with a defined outcome is then not only reviewed regarding implementation, but also for the fulfillment of the expected outcome.

Task forces align with and follow higher management
There is no time for committee meetings and long decision-making processes. In a task force, serious decisions sometimes need to be made several times a day. Depending on the size of the company, the uppermost hierarchical levels need to be either directly involved on a daily basis or at least accessible. If they are not directly involved, decisions must be prepared precisely with the necessary information and clearly communicated. The required effort should not be underestimated and must be prepared in parallel to the technical work. However, the power of facts is there to override political controversies.

Empathy and emotional intelligence are critical success factors
This point may sound surprising, given that task force situations are connected to a military style of communication. Ultimately, the personalities involved need to be understood and positively motivated. This requires an excellent understanding of the respective situation and motives for action by the task force leadership and the consultants involved.

However, a sustainable improvement of the situation can only be achieved if people act intrinsically different afterwards, a fact that also highlights the limitations of task forces in general, as they only work effectively within a clearly defined timeline and organizational framework. The preceding paragraphs clearly illustrate the significant pressure on the people involved, leading to long-term sustainability concerns. The usual organizational and operational structures are also temporarily insignificant. Sooner or later, the situation must be transitioned back to a robust and efficient disciplinary line management system.

For this reason, every good task force needs to prepare its own end from scratch
Criteria for de-escalation must be clearly and transparently defined. Embedded in an overarching schedule, they must be regularly communicated and not subject to change. Once the targets have been achieved, the task force is no longer required. The criteria therefore need to be defined so that a return to normal working mode within robust processes is subsequently possible. The combination of deliberately defined work packages and criteria for their de-escalation therefore determines the subsequent sustainability of the success right from the start.