Foster a Culture of Accountability in a Lean Organization

Lean leadership emphasizes a culture of accountability where individuals and teams are empowered to take ownership of their actions and outcomes. This fosters a continuous improvement mindset within the organization, driving efficiency and effectiveness.

Lean management is a leadership approach that supports continuous improvement through collaborative problem solving. Rather than leading from the top down, Lean managers strive to actively engage their teams in the improvement process in order to promote personal and organizational success.

The basic components of Lean management are:

• Standard work (SW). Tasks are broken into a series of steps that are followed by all team members. Standard work is continuously adjusted to decrease waste and add value until a state of perfection is reached.
• Visual controls. Team members have an opportunity to track their own performance in real time and adjust.
• Daily accountability process. The group comes together to review progress, refine processes and chart next steps.

Daily accountability throughout the organization, especially at the leadership levels, is the key to sustained transformation. Here are four reasons why accountability is so important to Lean management.

Accountability Builds Trust

Perhaps the most important result of accountability is trust, which is essential in any relationship.  Being accountable to something means that you’re willing to make commitments and be responsible for your own actions. This promotes trust between you and the people around you. When you allow yourself to be accountable to this trust, you’re effectively telling people that you’re going to admit it and make amends when the trust is broken.  In effect, you’re emphasizing how important and committed you are to the strategy.

Accountability Improves Performance

Accountability eliminates the time and effort you spend on distracting activities and other unproductive behavior. Research shows that some people have the tendency to engage in ineffective behavior. Without accountability, you may only catch these behaviors when mistakes and errors have already been made and your organization has already suffered the loss. By building a culture of accountability on the onset, you rid your organization of ineffective behavior, put the right people on the right jobs, and send the message that you’re serious about excellent work.

Accountability Promotes Ownership

When you make people accountable for their actions, you’re effectively teaching them to value their work.  Through positive feedback and corrective actions, they learn that their behavior and actions have an impact on the team. They’re not just floating members without clear roles to play – they’re important to your organization. When people know that they’re valued and important, they’re more driven to work hard. They learn to have a sense of ownership in what they do.

Accountability Inspires Confidence

When done right, accountability can increase your team members’ skills and confidence. Don’t mistake accountability for controlling behavior. The key is to provide the right support – give constructive feedback, improve on your members’ suggestions, give them freedom to decide, and challenge them to think of better solutions as a team.  When people know that you’re listening and concerned about their performance, they’re more likely to step up and do their best.

Given these reasons, it’s important that you build a culture of accountability from the start.  Remember that accountability is building a culture of trust and not fear.  Your goal is not to punish and look for errors and mistakes. Instead, you seek to open multiple feedback mechanisms, fill in gaps, improve on solutions, reward productive behavior, and remove unproductive ones. As a leader, you yourself should hold yourself to the highest level of accountability.

Leadership Lessons from President Donald Trump

Every year, Americans celebrate Presidents Day as a day of remembrance — a day to look back and learn from our nation’s leaders. In today’s competitive market, business leaders are looking for the edge that will put their organization and workforce ahead of the curve.

This Presidents Day, Monday, February 17th, I think it would make sense to look at the leadership qualities by one of the greatest political comebacks in history Donald Trump. Whether you love him or loathe him, there’s no denying that President Trump has valuable lessons to offer business leaders.

Prioritizing Downtime

Trump is famously fond of golf. If a man with such a demanding role on the world stage can carve out time for leisure, why can’t you?

Many small business owners believe they can’t afford to take time off, convinced that everything will fall apart in their absence. As a result, many haven’t had a real holiday in years.

But, if you’re a business owner, there’s a lesson here: prioritize time for yourself and your family. You’ll return refreshed, and your organization will benefit from it.

Effective Delegation

A key element of effective leadership involves delegation of responsibilities to followers. This serves to free up the leader to work on important projects, but it also helps develop the followers’ own leadership capacity. A truly good leader develops followers by giving them increased responsibilities and supporting their efforts. This is a cornerstone of transformational leadership.

Many business leaders struggle with delegation due to various factors, including fear of losing control, a desire for perfection, lack of trust in their team, and a fear of losing significance or influence. This fear of failure can lead leaders to try to control every aspect of a business, which can be overwhelming and lead to burnout.

Management By Exception

President Trump uses more of the “sink or swim” type of leadership, what is referred to as “management-by-exception.” This type of leader allows followers to take on responsibilities, but only intervenes to correct poor performance. In fact, Trump seems to allow subordinates a lot of leeway, but if they step out of line, or disagree with him, “You’re fired!”

Throughout his time in office, Trump became known for his willingness to swiftly fire underperforming staff. His administration saw a higher turnover rate than any in recent history.

Most business owners, by contrast, are slow to let go of employees who aren’t a good fit, particularly in times of low unemployment. The mindset of “a warm body is better than nobody” often prevails.

Trump, however, understands that if an employee’s values or behavior don’t align with the organization, it’s best to part ways. While your values may differ from Trump’s, there’s merit in his approach: firing someone from a role that isn’t working can be mutually beneficial.

If you have employees who aren’t meeting expectations despite your best efforts to support them, helping them transition to a new career path might be the kindest and smartest move.

Playing to Win

Complacency is a common pitfall in small businesses. Leaders often get bogged down in day-to-day operations, too exhausted to focus on long-term goals.

Trump, by contrast, has always played to win. While his tactics and ‘win-at-all-costs’ attitude may be contentious, his focus on success is undeniable.

The lesson here is not about emulating his methods but rather his mindset. Business owners who clearly define their goals and commit to achieving them are more likely to succeed. Unfortunately, many have only vague ideas of what success looks like and lack a concrete plan to measure it.

There are plenty of debates surrounding Trump’s leadership, and most people have formed strong opinions about him.

However, as leaders, it’s crucial to remain open to ideas from various perspectives – even those we may disagree with – and apply the lessons that make sense for our own organizations.

Lean Quote: This Valentine’s Day Make Someone Smile or Laugh

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"This Valentine’s Day either make someone smile or laugh… or both. It will do you and them both some good."  — James Farmer

The words "work" and "fun" shouldn't be antithetical. But for so many people, they are.

Here are 5 of my favorite ways to make work fun so your employees stay happy and motivated…

Laugh.

Work doesn't have to be all business, all the time. Of course, you need to maintain your professionalism — but that doesn't mean you can't crack a smile (or a joke). When you smile and laugh, others around you will do the same (it's contagious!) and your office will be an all-around happier place to be.

Compliment someone every day.

When a coworker tells you they liked the idea you pitched in the morning meeting, or the new painting you put up in your office, it makes you feel good. So, you should do the same to others. You'll actually feel just as good giving the compliment as you do receiving it.

Share community service experiences.

Think back to the most powerful memories you have. They’re powerful because they are emotional—whether inspiring and uplifting or challenging with some struggle or trauma. Giving money to charities is cool, but donating time is far more emotional.

Embrace celebration and appreciation.

Sometimes we forget just to say thank you to our co-workers and the people that helped us be successful. Every day saying thank you and remembering small details about people’s lives is not only important but shows a token of kindness that goes a long way!

Inspire creativity.

Even if your company isn’t a creative one…or if your role is the opposite of creative, you can be creative at work. Just remember “creativity” doesn’t have to be literal, meaning you don’t have to make a piece of art. Creativity can come in many forms and will inspire others to be creative in their day-to-day, and will in many cases bring a smile to someone’s face—that might be you, it may be your co-workers. Either way, expressing yourself in a medium that means something to you can be inspiring for others.

All work and no play makes us crabby and dull! Where there is laughter, joy and fun, high-performance teams thrive. There are countless ways to have fun and even attach empowering meaning to it at the same time. The above ideas will get you started!

Lean Tips Edition #311 (#3691 - #3705)

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #3691 - Use a Fishbone Diagram to See Cause and Effect

The most important part of defining the problem is looking at the possible root cause. You'll need to ask yourself questions like: Where and when is it happening? How is it occurring? With whom is it happening? Why is it happening?

You can get to the root cause with a fishbone diagram (also known as an Ishikawa diagram or a cause and effect diagram).

Basically, you put the effect on the right side as the problem statement. Then you list all possible causes on the left, grouped into larger cause categories. The resulting shape resembles a fish skeleton. Which is a perfect way to say, "This problem smells fishy."

Lean Tip #3692 – Use Analogies to Get a Solution

Analogical thinking uses information from one area to help with a problem in a different area. In short, solving a different problem can lead you to find a solution to the actual problem. Watch out though! Analogies are difficult for beginners and take some getting used to.

Lean Tip #3693 – Ask “12 What Elses”

When faced with a problem, ask yourself a question about it and brainstorm 12 answers ("12 what elses") to that problem. Then you can go further by taking one answer, turning it into a question and generating 12 more "what elses." Repeat until the solution is golden brown, fully baked, and ready to take out of the oven.

Lean Tip #3694 – Hurson's Six-Step Productive Thinking Mofle for Solving Problems Creatively

In his book "Think Better," author and creativity guru Tim Hurson proposed a six-step model for solving problems creatively. The steps in his Productive Thinking Model are:

1.      Ask, "What is going on?" Define the problem and its impact on your company, then clarify your vision for the future.
2.      Ask, "What is success?" Define what the solution must do, what resources it needs, its scope, and the values it must uphold.
3.      Ask, "What is the question?" Generate a long list of questions that, when answered, will solve the problem.
4.      Generate answers. Answer the questions from step three.
5.      Forge the solution. Evaluate the ideas with potential based on the criteria from step two. Pick a solution.
6.      Align resources. Identify people and resources to execute the solution.

Lean Tip #3695 - Use the Kipling Method to Define Your Problem

The Kipling Method, named after Rudyard Kipling's poem "I Keep Six Honest Serving Men," is a popular system used to define problems. It highlights six important questions you can ask the next time need to overcome a challenge. These six questions are:

•        What is the problem?
•         Why is the problem important?
•         When did the problem arise and when does it need to be solved?
•         How did the problem happen?
•         Where is the problem occurring?
•         Who does the problem affect?

Answering each of these questions can help you identify what steps you need to take next to solve it.

Lean Tip #3696 – Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities for Every Team Member

When team members are unsure of their own tasks and responsibilities, it often creates tension within a team. It is important for each team member to know exactly what he or she is responsible for so that there is no overlap in projects. If multiple employees are working on the same task due to confusion in responsibility, invaluable time and team effort spent on the task are wasted. Each individual should have responsibility in reaching the team goals as well as the tools and mutual support to obtain good results. Setting clear goals for each team member will help keep people aligned on their assigned tasks and responsibilities.

Lean Tip #3697 – Encourage Clear, Frequent Communication

As the saying goes, communication is key! Though this sounds like basic knowledge, it’s often passed over when analyzing how to improve teamwork in the workplace. We know that maintaining clear, frequent communication – especially with large and/or remote teams – is easier said than done. Clear and frequent communication will ensure that all team members are on the same page, leading to more accurate work being completed on a shorter timeline. Strong communication also helps to build trust between team members, thus improving the overall performance of the team.

Lean Tip #3698 – Give Teams Autonomy in Decision-Making

Trusting your team members with making their own decisions is important in building trust and improving teamwork. Oftentimes, if people don’t have the autonomy and power to make decisions regarding their own work, they will begin to resent their work, thus hindering the work of the entire team. In order to keep team members engaged and working hard, it’s important to provide all members with the freedom to make their own decisions.

Lean Tip #3699 – Manage Team Meetings Wisely

Team meetings, however often they happen, should be used to plan, brainstorm, reflect, and share ideas. It’s important to keep team meetings focused and useful, in order to drive productivity. No matter how often teams meet, they should have a structured plan for each meeting. This will help to keep meetings organized and productive, thus driving team performance. Meetings are a time for team collaboration, brainstorming, and creating a plan to move forward with projects.

Lean Tip #3700 – Provide the Team with Learning Opportunities

How can we expect everyone to be perfect team players if they’ve never actually learned how to work on a team project? How to work on a team may sound obvious to some people, but it does not come naturally for everyone. To maximize the benefits of teamwork in the workplace, it is important to provide your team with proper training and guidance. Providing learning opportunities will not only enhance teamwork skills, but will also increase employees’ engagement and job satisfaction. Workshops and qualified guest speakers from outside of the organization are a great way to ensure that all team members understand the importance of teamwork in the workplace as well as how to be an effective team member.

Lean Tip #3701 – Set Clear Team Goals

Setting clear goals is the first step towards effective teamwork. Goals provide direction and purpose, and they help team members understand what they are working towards. It’s important to set goals at both the team and individual levels. Team goals help to align everyone’s efforts, while individual goals help each team member understand their role and contribution to the team.

Setting clear milestones is also crucial. Milestones are like signposts on the road to success. They help you track progress, identify issues, and celebrate achievements. So, don’t just set goals, but also define clear milestones to guide your team’s journey.

Lean Tip #3702 – Make Communication a Priority in Your Team 

Communication is the lifeblood of any team. Effective teamwork requires regular communication that keeps everyone on the same page and fosters a sense of camaraderie. One way to facilitate communication is through daily huddles or standups. These meetings provide a platform for team members to share their completed tasks, upcoming focus, and potential obstacles.

Regular check-ins also enhance collaboration and teamwork. They allow team members to share their progress, ask for help, and offer support to others. So, make communication a priority in your team, and watch as it transforms your team’s dynamics and performance. 

Lean Tip #3703 – Create Psychological Safety for Team Members

Psychological safety is a state where team members feel comfortable taking risks, speaking up, and sharing failures. It’s a culture where people feel safe to be themselves and express their thoughts and ideas. Creating such a culture requires encouraging a safe environment for interpersonal risks and disagreements, embracing failures as learning opportunities, and modeling vulnerability and trust as a leader.

Remember, a team that fears making mistakes will never innovate. So, foster a culture of psychological safety, and watch as your team becomes a hotbed of creativity and innovation. 

Lean Tip #3704 – Disagree Respectfully

Disagreements are inevitable in any team. However, it’s how you handle these disagreements that determines the success of your team. Encourage your team members to disagree respectfully and value diverse ideas and opinions. This not only prevents conflicts but also leads to better decisions and solutions.

Active listening and asking questions instead of making statements can be a powerful tool in this regard. It helps to explore the assumptions behind differing ideas and promotes understanding and respect. So, don’t fear disagreements, but use them as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

Lean Tip #3705 – Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t forget to celebrate small wins and milestones. Celebrations not only boost morale but also foster a sense of achievement and appreciation. Regularly share and celebrate individual and team wins, recognize contributions, and create a culture of appreciation and motivation.

Remember, a team that feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected. So, make it a habit to celebrate small wins, and watch as your team’s motivation and performance soar.

7 Steps for Leading Lean

Embarking on the journey of Lean is akin to setting sail into a vast ocean of continuous improvement and relentless pursuit of excellence. It’s a voyage that demands not only a steadfast commitment to the principles of Lean but also an unwavering dedication to fostering a culture of empowerment and respect within an organization. Lean leadership is not merely about streamlining processes and eliminating waste; it's about nurturing a mindset that embraces change, values employee contributions, and continuously seeks ways to enhance value for the customer.

Leadership commitment and support is critical for successful process improvement initiatives. Fortunately, it is not particularly complicated to make a difference. Here are seven steps that leaders can take to support Lean process improvement efforts.

1. Set Goals

Create a vision of the future state and determine where to focus your efforts. Lean is often surmised as doing the right things at the right time and cost. Set concrete goals with a time frame for when you want to achieve those goals.

2. Get Started

Successful leaders start immediately. They don’t drag their feet or put it off. They act on a goal right away, because they understand the power of momentum. They may not do the whole thing at once, but they do take a big step to get started. There is never a better time than now to get started.

3. Think Positive

This is the half-empty, half-full syndrome. Lean leader are optimists and believe the cup is always half full. They aren’t pie-in-the-sky types, but they see the positive side of an opportunity, and they believe in their ability to achieve their goals.

4. Take Action

Those who are successful take action, even on partial information. Too many people wait around until they think they have all the answers. But if you do that, you may wait forever. Lean leaders don’t proceed blindly, but they know that, once they have the critical details, they can make a decision and act accordingly.

5. Be Determined

Implementing Lean is no easy endeavor. There are so many variables that it is impossible to determine how things will proceed. You don’t know what will happen once you take the first step, so the only constants are the end vision and your determination to get there, even if the path doesn't unfold exactly as you envisioned.

6. Lead by Example

You must hold yourself accountable before you can hold anyone else. A leader implies followers are doing just that, following. If you want to be a leader, you must go to the source and see the actual condition from those that make it happen. It is from the Gemba that you have the best opportunity to coach improvement.

7. Learn From Your Mistakes

To be a good leader you have to take calculated risks, and you will certainly make some mistakes along the way. Admit them. Learn from them. Don't repeat them! Mistakes are a necessary part of the learning process.

Being a good leader may sound simple, but it is not easy. It requires tremendous strength of character. Almost all successful leaders will tell you that being extremely focused on the outcomes they wanted to create, trying many different approaches to achieving them, and staying the course all add up to success.

The journey of Lean leadership is one of transformation, both personal and organizational. It's a path that requires patience, humility, and a genuine desire to serve others. By embodying these principles and practices, leaders can guide their teams to achieve remarkable results and create an enduring legacy of excellence.

Lean Quote: What Gets Measured Gets Managed

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"What gets measured gets managed."  — Peter Drucker

You’ve probably heard the saying, “What gets measured gets done.” It comes from the management guru Peter Drucker who actually said “What gets measured gets managed” the basic tenet is that if you’re measuring something then the probability of you acting on the information you now have is a lot higher. Regular measurement and reporting keeps you focused on what you’re trying to achieve.

At its core, Peter Drucker's quote suggests that measuring a particular aspect of a task or goal makes it more likely to be accomplished. It highlights the profound psychological impact that quantifiable metrics can have on motivation and productivity. By quantifying progress, individuals and organizations can better understand their performance, set clear objectives, and track their success.

1. Clarity in Objectives:

When you measure something, you are essentially defining what success looks like. Measuring provides a specific target and makes the path to success clearer.

2. Motivation:

The act of measuring creates a sense of accountability. Knowing that figures are being monitored compels individuals to put in extra effort to meet or surpass their goals.

3. Continuous Improvement:

Regular measurement allows for continuous feedback and improvement. By identifying strengths and weaknesses through measurement, one can adjust strategies and work towards consistent growth. In a business context, companies that continually measure and analyze their performance can adapt to market changes and stay competitive.

4. Focus on What Matters:

Drucker's quote encourages prioritization. It underscores the importance of measuring the right things. In a world full of distractions, identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) that directly impact success is essential. By concentrating on what matters most, individuals and organizations can achieve their goals efficiently.

So is that all you have to do? Measure something and it will magically happen?  Of course not. You need to be setting up the right systems to monitor your progress and this requires proper business planning, project management, and change management.

Peter Drucker's famous quote highlights the power of quantifiable metrics in driving performance and success. It stresses the significance of clarity, motivation, continuous improvement, and prioritization in achieving goals. Whether in business or personal development, measuring progress remains a powerful tool for reaching objectives and realizing one's full potential. Drucker's wisdom continues to inspire and guide individuals and organizations towards greater efficiency and success.

If Your Kaizen is Failing to Deliver Results, Consider These Questions

While Kaizen and continuous improvement approaches have proven to be highly effective in enhancing productivity and fostering a culture of innovation, some companies may struggle to adopt these practices due to several reasons. If your failing to create a kaizen culture here are some questions that you can ask to help diagnose the problem so that Kaizen will create the impact you are looking for.

1.     Who are we asking to participate in kaizens?

Correct answer: “Everybody all the time!”

The more people you engage in Kaizen, the greater your impact will be. It’s simple, really - one person improving one thing each week has an impact of, well, one improvement per week. 500 people each improving one thing per week has a comparably huge impact. Sure, you can’t just straight from one person to 500 people, but definitely make sure you’re aligning your efforts to move in that direction. Kaizen is a competitive strategy in which all employees work together to create a strong culture of constant improvement. Employee engagement matters a great deal in Kaizen.

2.     How often does leadership talk about Kaizen?

Correct answer: “Every chance they get.”

Kaizen involves everyone in continuous improvement to find a better way of doing things. Top management has the most important role in implementing kaizen and that is commitment. When management demonstrates a long-term commitment to continuous improvement employees personally develop a kaizen mindset. Managers and executives should be encouraged to find ways to improve their processes as well.

Leadership that really buys into Kaizen and works to promote a culture of continuous improvement talks about Kaizen every chance they get. When they’re meeting with their staff and someone has a complaint, they suggest capturing that opportunity for improvement. Great Kaizen leaders drive the cultural transformation by emphasizing the value of Kaizen to the organization. They get more engagement, more improvements, and a greater impact.

3.     How do you capture opportunities for improvement?

Wrong answer: ““A suggestion box.”

Many organizations want to harness the ideas for improvement that naturally exist in their employees. Suggestion boxes are a common, but ineffective, way to engage employees in continuous improvement. They’re usually implemented with the best of intentions by managers who genuinely want to hear their employees’ improvement ideas, but the boxes fail to produce the desired engagement. Most of the reasons suggestion boxes, or any idea collection process, do not work effectively come down to a combination of process, culture and communication related issues.

Suggestion boxes are a bad way to approach a great concept, and the desire to engage employees in continuous improvement shouldn’t be abandoned because that method failed. Instead, I’d encourage you to look into real employee engagement.

4.     How long is the turnaround time between when an idea is submitted and when a manager approves it?”

Correct answer: “Same day, when possible.”

If there’s too great of a time lag between when employees capture opportunities for improvement and when their managers give them the “go ahead” to work on them, momentum will be lost and less improvement will be made. Failure to follow through on these can undermine the team's efforts.  It is also necessary to ensure the improvements that are made are maintained to prevent backsliding.

5.     What kind of improvement ideas are looking for?

Correct answer: “Small. Low-cost. Low-risk. Daily. Continuous.”

If you’re asking people to give you big, high impact ideas and devaluing daily continuous improvement, you’re taking the wrong approach to a Kaizen culture. The size or amount you will tackle within the kaizen is important for getting things done.  If the scope is too large you run the problem of never implementing an improvement. Kaizen is all about daily continuous improvements… asking for these will result in capturing and implementing more ideas, with a much bigger overall impact than limiting the query to groundbreaking ideas.

6.     Are you sharing the improvements you’re making?

Correct answer: “Absolutely!”

As long as you’re sharing improvements in some way, you’re on the right track. That is, assuming that your sharing method does the following -

-  Share every improvement with the right people

-  Not take up very much of your precious time

-  Not overwhelm people with too much information

-  Keep all improvements accessible to anyone who is interested

-  Connect all employees around improvement

Sharing improvements is important because it allows the impact of each to spread beyond its initial scope, gets more people engaged in continuous improvement, recognizes employees who are doing great work, and promotes knowledge sharing.

7.     What rewards and recognition do you offer?

Correct answer: “Recognition in meetings and sharing success.”

Offering financial rewards for Kaizen is a common pitfall. Giving any type of financial reward actually results in a decreased number of improvements captured and implemented because:

-  The reward structure only promotes improvements with a financial return.

-  People want credit for their ideas so that they get the money, so they don’t collaborate.

-  The focus becomes on getting money, not on improving the organization

-  Improvements in areas like safety, quality, and satisfaction are undervalued

Kaizen is about the behavior of finding and solving problems, not the result or outcome of doing so. Therefore, you should reward and recognize the behavior, not the result or outcome, of the Kaizen. This way, you can reinforce the desired behaviors and process that drive continuous improvement and encourage your team members to keep looking for opportunities to improve, such as asking questions, generating ideas, testing solutions, and evaluating results.

Successful kaizen efforts can result in benefits such as increased productivity, improved quality, better safety, lower costs, and improved customer satisfaction. Kaizen can also lead to benefits in a company’s culture, including improved communication among employees, improved morale and employee satisfaction, and an increased sense of ownership in the company among employees.