Working together to be World Class
HOW HPC WORKS
ACCELERATE YOUR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BY LEARNING FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS
“Take ideas from outside your industry and take a new leap forward.
If you are benchmarking within your own industry then you are positioning yourself to stay in the game,
but if you take ideas from other industries then you take a leap ahead.
Learn from and share with others to amplify the learning.”
- Association of Manufacturing Excellence Conference, Maryland, USA, November 2010
WHY HPC?
As a business leader under increasing time pressure, are you finding it harder and harder to keep up to date with best practice and maintain your passion for excellence in your organisation?
Many medium-sized organisations are now joining consortia to accelerate and sustain momentum on business improvement. They are getting better results working with other organisations, sharing Best Practice, applying Lean Principles, World Class Manufacturing and other leading-edge improvement approaches.
The High Performance Consortium (HPC), founded in Australia in 2002, is a community of non-competing companies who work together to improve their businesses.
HPC is now seeking expressions of interest from organisations to join this vibrant community of best practice and business improvement.
Membership is by application and is limited to ten companies.
TEN BENEFITS OF HPC MEMBERSHIP
Access to like-minded people in a challenging and supportive environment
Peer to peer review and accountability accelerates and sustains improvement activities
Multi-level contact and exposure across your organisation opens peoples eyes and minds
A practical results-oriented learning and development experience for your staff
Opportunities to host and participate in targeted improvement events
Learn to apply contemporary improvement tools and processes including Lean
Access to experienced facilitators and practitioners with broad international business experience
Linkages and access to national and international experts
A tailored improvement approach for your business
Participants in HPC events develop powerful networks that support and re-energise them
HPC MEMBER ACTIVITIES
Special Network Action Projects with companies working together on common challenges
Peer to peer forums for Operations, Continuous Improvement and Business Leaders
Visits to HPC and non-HPC members
A published newsletter to diffuse learning
Access to a website where members can access relevant material and tools
Individual company diagnostic and planning
• Individual company coaching and mentoring
WHAT THE HPC PROGRAM INCLUDES
The program is revised annually in line with members’ needs, and current key elements include:
Diagnostic and Benchmarking
Each member undergoes a formal Diagnostic providing an objective assessment of the company’s World-‐Class status and identifies areas for improvement. The diagnostic and development plan is revised annually. Summarized information is presented to the consortium members on progress in Key Performance Indicators providing a further opportunity for benchmarking and performance review.
Consortium Meetings
The meetings provide a forum to learn from your peers about the practices and experiences of fellow members in specific areas where they have achieved excellence. Participants must be willing to share their expertise as well as learn from their peers. Specialist speakers expose members to the latest thinking and best practices.
Leaders’ Forums
Being globally competitive requires effective leadership and presents many common challenges. These tailored forums enable like-‐minded leaders to share experiences and challenges, leverage the knowledge and support of their peers as they strive to improve their business. There are a number of these forums providing support to the various levels of leadership within member organisations.
Training and Workshops
Specialised practical training is provided to improve the skills and capability of people in the areas identified by the member companies. Training may be sourced from external providers or custom designed if nothing appropriate exists. Members have an opportunity to attend Learning Days, with multiple streams and guest presenters sharing their knowledge, expertise and case studies.
Special Network Action Project (SNAP®) and Rapid Improvement Project Activity (RIPA®)
A SNAP comprises of member company representatives that are focused on a specific business opportunity or learning area. They are focussed on implementation and are sometimes in the form of a Kaizen Blitz (RIPA). The power of these events is receiving input from and being challenged by their peers from other member companies, as well as the opportunity for them to reapply learning at their own site.
Communication
Members have access to information on best practices in other parts of the world at the Consortium meetings, on the web site and via the email newsletter. A monthly teleconference enables members to share and seek input on current challenges and improvement activity. In addition to the formal meetings, members often talk with other members to seek input on approaches to issues in their business.
Global Search for Best Practices
Consortium members learn from each other, and while some Best Practices exist in the member companies we continuously search Australia and the world for the latest Best Practices. The facilitators use and expand their extensive networks to find the best in Australia and the world to share with consortium members.
Facilitation, Coaching, Consulting Support and Education
An essential role of the consortium Facilitators is to support companies’ progress toward world class. Consulting and coaching support is available for each member to review progress against plans and assist with removing any barriers to improvement. We acknowledge that leading any significant business improvement initiative is both professionally and personally challenging and therefore personal coaching is also provided as required.