The Lean Insider

Change Management and Continuous Improvement -- Is There a Disconnect Between the Two?

2025-10-27T19:36:00.000-04:00

This past month, Kyle B. Stone published an interesting book entitled The Change Agent’s Field Guide: Mastering the Intersections of Change Management and Continuous Improvement, which helps anyone involved in leading continuous improvement within an organization better understand when to apply the change management techniques necessary to achieve successful outcomes. Many continuous improvement efforts fail because those leading changes do not recognize when to pause and evaluate critical intersections needing change management tools. This book provides clear guidance on when to pause, what to do, and how to navigate these intersections successfully.

When I spoke with Kyle this month, I asked him, "Why is there a disconnect between change management and continuous improvement?” Here is his detailed answer:

My premise on why continuous improvement efforts sometimes “stick” and other times do not is that many leaders of these efforts fail to understand the importance of change management and the critical intersections between people and process improvement. My desire with this book is to offer a guide for leaders of continuous improvement and how to anticipate, manage, and measure change while engaging in continuous improvement. There are seven intersections that I describe that help close the disconnect between change management and continuous improvement.

Develop systems thinking skills
Triage Change
Make a plan
Manage the handoffs
Communication
Counselor
Political engagements and interactions

Managing these critical intersections is key to successful outcomes for planned or unplanned change initiatives. My intent is not to address all the various types of externally managed continuous improvement methodologies since most externally managed “accreditations” are based on alignment with standards generally designed to drive continuous improvement within the organization. The goal of this book is to provide a foundation of knowledge in both change management and typical continuous improvement methods so leaders of change can navigate the nuances and triage the challenges typically encountered whenever you are asking people to change the way they perform their work, which is a common outcome of most continuous improvement efforts.

Following the foundation-building chapters, examples of how to identify and manage the intersections between those affected by change and the continuous improvement efforts are provided, assisting the leaders with anticipating and addressing critical junctures. Ignoring these intersections and plowing forward is a common failure during many continuous improvement efforts, often resulting in a lack of engagement, resistance, and sometimes sabotage.

What do you think of Kyle's perspective on the relationship between continuous improvement initiatives and change management? For those who have led Lean and continuous improvement efforts in your organization, how was change management addressed? Did it improve buy-in and understanding among colleagues?

"Elemental" Leaders -- Can They Benefit Your Organization?

2025-09-26T09:12:00.000-04:00

Last week, Tyler Comeau released his new book, The Elemental Leader: Unlocking Your Potential Through Values, Perseverance, Adaptability, and Innovation. This comprehensive leadership development guide reimagines the classical elements -- Earth, Air, Water, and Fire -- as metaphors for foundational leadership principles. Designed to help leaders unlock their full potential, the book grounds leadership practices in these elemental concepts:

Earth represents core values and a grounded mindset.
Air symbolizes perseverance and the ability to overcome adversity.
Water reflects adaptability and skillful navigation of change.
Fire embodies innovation, motivation, decision-making, and risk-taking.

Through a blend of personal anecdotes, case studies, research, and actionable strategies, Comeau offers a holistic framework for leadership growth that is both practical and inspiring.

When I spoke with Tyler this week, I asked him, “What are elemental leaders, and how do they benefit organizations?” He began by sharing this passage from his book and then distilled his thoughts:

“As you ignite this journey, remember that the most effective leaders are not those who rigidly adhere to a set of rules but those who are adaptable, resilient, and open to new ideas. They are the ones who dare to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and constantly evolve their practice. They are the elemental leaders, the ones who understand that leadership is not just about imparting knowledge but about igniting a spark within each colleague that will burn brightly for a lifetime.”

At its core, elemental leadership is about cultivating versatile, grounded, and deeply human leaders. These individuals:

Create organizations where values are not just words on a wall but active guides for decision-making (Earth).
Foster cultures that treat setbacks as opportunities for growth (Air).
Lead teams through transitions with openness and flexibility (Water).
Embrace bold opportunities and calculated risks (Fire).

Organizations benefit from elemental leaders because they model wholeness rather than rigidity. Rather than relying on a single leadership style, they bring a dynamic toolkit that adapts to diverse challenges. This versatility fosters trust, strengthens workplace culture, and sustains long-term momentum.

In a world defined by complexity and constant change, elemental leaders don’t just endure -- they empower their organizations to thrive.

What are your thoughts on Tyler’s approach? Does your organization cultivate leadership that enhances engagement and builds a resilient, values-driven culture?

Kurt Lewin's Change Model -- Does It Benefit Businesses?

2025-09-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

In July of this year, Gilmore Crosby published a new book titled Leadership and the Frontline Workforce: Lessons from the Targets of Change. The book explores methods of organizational change through the real-life experiences of frontline workers. While leadership and management theory have traditionally been written from the top down, Crosby highlights a notable exception: Kurt Lewin, whose action-research demonstrated that those on the frontlines are often best positioned to initiate and sustain meaningful change.

Through a series of interviews, the book captures the voices of workers who lived through Lewin-style transformations -- before, during, and after the change process. Their stories reveal the full spectrum of experience: the good, the bad, and the often-overlooked challenges of being the targets of change within complex systems.

When I spoke with Gilmore in August, I asked him, “What is Kurt Lewin-style change and how does it benefit a business?" Here is his complete answer:

As noted in the book, Kurt Lewin’s change model is in many ways simple and often misunderstood. It begins with the simple premise that everyone wants to influence the systems they are in, at work and outside of work.

Lewin conducted simple research to test his theories. With group after group, he demonstrated that when people were told what to do without any chance to influence, they were less likely to do it, or if they did it, less likely to do it well.”

The book goes on to give examples of Lewin’s work, including when the government wanted farmers to irrigate differently during the Dust Bowl years.

The farmers who were simply lectured at did almost none of what was suggested. The farmers who engaged in group dialogue, who were genuinely allowed to influence, and who thought about their own solutions, implemented a high percentage of what they came up with. The same results occurred in all of Lewin’s studies, including with workers in an industrial setting.

The results of his studies were and continue to be groundbreaking. When people come up with their own solutions, they are far more likely to be committed to them.

The consistent result is higher morale and productivity. The book illustrates how, through interviews with executives and with hourly workers who went through change efforts led by me, my father, and my colleagues. The interviews bring to life conditions before, during, and after such a change. The methods can be applied to any organization and to society.

In a nutshell, most leaders and consultants try to do most of the thinking. They fail to tap the knowledge and pride of the people who are actually doing the hands-on work. Furthermore, because they over-function in terms of thinking, leadership is further handicapped by the dilemma of handing off, imposing, or selling their solutions to the organization. The entire approach is a huge mistake, resulting in crappy implementation of potentially effective solutions, tension, blame, and low morale. This book teaches a better way.

What are your thoughts on Gilmore’s perspective? Are the leaders and managers in your organization familiar with Kurt Lewin’s change management methods? Do frontline employees have meaningful channels to share their insights and suggestions for process improvement?

Can Lean, Blockchain, and Systems Thinking Be Combined?

2025-07-25T10:15:00.006-04:00

Back in June, Machiel Tesser co-authored and published a book entitled Lean Blockchain Systems Thinking: Reinventing Value Streams with John Dennis. This book shows that blockchain, together with Lean and Systems Thinking, can provide multiple advantages for societies and the environment and can be used effectively to meet sustainable development goals (SDGs).

When I spoke with Machiel in July, I asked him: “What are the benefits of combining Lean, Blockchain, and Systems Thinking?" Here is his complete answer:

Blockchain and Lean: Building the Lean Internet

Blockchain and Lean are a match made for the modern era, creating a Lean Internet. Where Lean empowers us to eliminate waste and streamline value, blockchain goes a step further: it prevents waste before it even arises.

Lean lays out the philosophy and methodology, while blockchain delivers the digital toolkit: digital identities, verifiable credentials, automated rules, workflows, and consensus on standards. This makes processes instantly verifiable, compliant with regulations, and building blocks for an intention economy.

What was once theoretical is now tangible: in the U.S., the GENIUS Act is shaping a robust framework for stablecoin issuance and programmable finance. In the EU, MiCA and eIDAS 2 have come into full force (since December 2024), providing regulatory guardrails for digital assets and trusted digital identities.

Now, blockchain and crypto aren’t speculation or hype; they’re legally programmable and digitally enforceable.

Lean workflows in Real-Time

Workflows become pull-based and real-time, backed by quality proofs from the source, just like Lean Kanban: only what’s needed, when it’s needed. Smart contracts automate verification and trigger actions instantly, eliminating manual or paper processes, reducing errors, carbon emissions, and admin overhead.

Continuous, Network-Wide Improvement

Direct feedback loops and transparency cultivate a shared understanding of the network’s intent. It brings stakeholders onto the same page who are willing to improve the system rather than just their own parts.

Identifying and solving problems together aligns perfectly with the continuous improvement ethos of Lean. By making performance and objectives visible, stakeholders can respond quickly and collaboratively, making progress proactive rather than reactive.

By targeting root causes, not just symptoms, and listening to every voice across the network, this approach shifts us from reactive fixes to proactive systems design. It’s an inclusive, holistic transformation: the true promise of a Lean, a programmable internet, reinventing value streams.

Do you agree with Machiel's perspective? Has blockchain been integrated into your Lean initiative? If so, what have been the results?

Servant Leadership -- How Does It Help Achieve Organizational Excellence?

2025-06-25T14:25:00.000-04:00

At the end of May, Robert. B Camp published a book entitled The Servant Leader: How to Create a Productive Organization By Serving Those Being Led -- a compelling exploration of servant leadership in practice. The book delves into how truly effective leaders prioritize humility, foster growth in others, and remove obstacles to enable success. A servant leader, Camp asserts, sets the vision and paves the way for others to follow.

When I spoke with Robert this month, I asked him: "What is 'servant leadership,' and how does it benefit an organization?" Here is his complete response:

Lean is about leadership.

When employed effectively, Lean works from the top of the organization down. While conventional "command and control" leadership can get a Lean transformation off the ground, it can’t sustain one. Sustainable Lean is achieved when leaders set direction and goals, then use their authority to remove obstacles from the paths of the people they hold accountable for achieving those things. This demands a mindset shift: leaders must see themselves not above, but in service to, their teams.

In this upside-down way of looking at leadership, one realizes that leadership isn’t about power and control. It’s about clearing the path for one’s subordinates so that they can do their jobs more effectively and excel.

Early in my book, the reader meets Thomas Harding, a director endeavoring to be a servant leader. We learn that, as a leader, “Thomas feels his highest calling [is] to grow those below him; to prepare them to be the best they possibly [can be]. As a result, he [is] far more worried about his people’s careers than his own.”

The reader also learns that Thomas adheres to a strict hierarchy of principles:

His priorities are:

Morality (following a moral code)
Organization (achieving the best outcome for his company)
Subordinates (clearing their paths so his people can shine)
Self (Striving to be his best in service of others)

He always completes assignments, but often well beyond expectations.
He seeks to make his people’s lives easier by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles.
He listens to his people, but also communicates what’s going on.
He strives to develop subordinate leaders who mirror his own behaviors.

Robert’s perspective invites reflection -- What do you think of his view of servant leadership? Is servant leadership part of your organization's culture? Is it part of your Lean initiative?

Professional Development and Training -- What is Changing?

2025-05-28T15:54:00.001-04:00

Just this past week, Matteo Zaralli published a new book entitled The Evolution of Professional Training: How Artificial Intelligence Technologies Can Accelerate the Learning, which is a prime resource for navigating the evolution of education and professional training in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality. It thoroughly explores how AI can enhance human capabilities, facilitate more efficient and personalized learning or training, and promote unprecedented professional development. This book is not just an analysis of the impact of emerging technologies on learning and professional development -- it is an invitation to reflect on the future of work, the nature of intelligence, and the evolution of human society in the digital age.

When I spoke with Matteo recently, I asked him, “What is now having the biggest impact on professional development and training?" Here is his complete answer:

The biggest force currently reshaping professional development and training is the match of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR). These technologies are redefining not only how we learn, but also how we interact with knowledge, work, and each other.

As outlined in my book, we are experiencing a new digital revolution. AI plays a central role in transforming training into a personalized and adaptive experience. By leveraging data, AI systems can identify learning needs and adjust content in real time, offering highly efficient, user-specific development paths.

Meanwhile, virtual reality introduces a new dimension to learning: experience. In VR, users can simulate real-world scenarios, such as public speaking, decision-making, or technical tasks, in safe and immersive environments. This not only accelerates skill acquisition but also increases confidence and retention.

Together, AI and VR support the rise of the augmented worker: professionals empowered, not replaced, by technology. They allow faster learning, deeper engagement, and more relevant training across sectors.

However, this transformation goes beyond tools. It requires reflection on the nature of intelligence and the future of work. As discussed in the book’s philosophical section, we must consider how AI reshapes our perception of truth and identity, and how digital environments challenge our ethical frameworks.

In this context, the impact of AI and VR is both technical and cultural. They demand a shift from static, one-size-fits-all education models to dynamic, human-machine collaboration. Professional training is becoming more immersive, flexible, and continuous, an ongoing process rather than a fixed phase.

Those who embrace this shift will stay competitive and be prepared to navigate the complexities of a fast-changing world.

What do you think of Matteo's perspective? Have new technologies affected or transformed professional training in your organization? If so, what are the results so far?

Healthcare Executives and the Mistakes They Make Regarding Decision-Making and Leadership

2025-04-25T09:13:00.001-04:00

In April, Linda Henman and Deborah Perkins published a book entitled Healthy Decisions: Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare Executives, which challenges the status quo, arguing that the success of healthcare organizations hinges not on abstract concepts like "culture" but on the concrete decisions executives make. Drawing from real-world experience with large systems like Mercy and Banner Health, specialty hospitals like Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital, insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, and nonprofit elder care systems, the authors provide a practical guide to help healthcare executives make the tough decisions they can’t afford to get wrong.

When I spoke with Linda this month, I asked her: "What are the biggest mistakes healthcare executives make regarding decision-making and leadership?" Here is her complete answer:

The single most catastrophic—and astonishingly common—mistake healthcare executives make is undervaluing their workforce. Not on paper, of course. On paper, they wax poetic about people being their greatest asset. In practice, they slash staffing, ignore burnout, and treat frontline engagement as optional.

Let’s look at the wreckage.

Hahnemann University Hospital collapsed under its own weight in 2019. Leaders gutted staffing and fiddled with spreadsheets while credibility—and then patients—walked out the door. This resulted in a full shutdown in a city that needed that hospital.

Ascension Health, one of the largest systems in the country, thought it could cut its way to profitability. That meant layoffs and razor-thin staffing, even in clinical settings. They didn’t get the results they intended. Instead, the decision caused lawsuits, strikes, and a shattered reputation.

Providence faced strikes and the massive exit of nurses because executives didn’t listen. Executives suspected burnout, but they ignored the warnings for too long. Travel nurse overreliance, plummeting morale, and public embarrassment resulted.

Even public systems like NYC Health + Hospitals remain hamstrung by hiring delays and morale freefall. If you can’t staff behavioral health in New York City, you don’t have a workforce problem; you have a leadership problem.

And then there’s MetroHealth, where the headlines address lawsuits, not life-saving care. When the executive team implodes, culture does too.

Some of these organizations have changed leadership and slowly started the recovery process, but others never will. In turbulent times, no one will recover from hiring mistakes, inaccurate strategic focus, or underdeveloped succession planning.

Executives don’t create culture at a board retreat. Culture forms when executives use advanced critical thinking skills to solve problems they’ve never faced before. They must first start by seeing their workforce not as overhead but as a leverage point. Underinvest there, and you’re not saving money—you’re setting a match to your margins.

Start with the best people delivering the best care. Ignore that, and you’ll join the list above—not as a cautionary tale, but as a case study in how to lose an empire by winning a spreadsheet.

What do you think of Linda's perspective? Do you agree with her regarding the mistakes made by these health providers? Have you worked in organizations that have made these mistakes?

The Toyota Production System (TPS) -- What Are the Misconceptions?

2025-03-26T11:26:00.003-04:00

Earlier this month, Sarah K. Womack published a very interesting new book entitled Toyota's Improvement Thinking from the Inside: From Personal Transformation to Organizational Transformation, which describes how Toyota, through its coaches and leaders, develops its members’ capabilities through a series of continuous improvement (kaizen and problem-solving) activities. For many members of Toyota, this process results in a personal transformation that ultimately leads to organizational transformation.

When I spoke with Sarah this past week, I asked her: "What are the biggest misconceptions about Toyota’s continuous improvement methods and management system?” Here is her complete response:

The biggest misconception I personally had about Toyota’s continuous improvement methods and management system was a degree of personal development and deliberate challenge required to learn how to improve. It was a journey of mastery of improvement tools, business needs, and how to work with members of your team to accomplish daily objectives. For most members, that mastery was deeply personal and demanded humility and continuous reflection to transform our mindsets. And, while there was some talk about Toyota’s philosophy of respect for people, respect is a social construct and difficult to understand from outside of the group. Once I was inside, I saw how much emphasis there was on reducing team member burden towards the end of reducing waste and creating value for customers.

More generally speaking of the field, I find many misconceptions about how the entire system works together. Organizations tend to over-emphasize or de-emphasize the Toyota Production System (TPS) tools for improvement when a successful approach lands at a healthy balance. The TPS tools are good entry points for people development and continuous improvement. Value stream mapping, for example, is a tool to chart how material and information flows within a system, show waste, and tell a kaizen story (of waste reduction). Even if a system is not very complex, learning it through deep study then articulating that learning visually is a special skill set developed over time. You can feel confident in your skill set when you are able to use such a tool to tell the story of your improvement work.

Finally, I would highlight the misconception around standardization. Many organizations, within and outside of manufacturing, think it is too rigid to work successfully. However, Toyota and others have shown that by deeply studying processes and standardizing them, continuous improvements in safety, quality, and other performance outcomes are achievable.

What do you think about Sarah's experience? Has your company implemented a Lean initiative based on the Toyota Production System? Was is transformative?

Leadership Development -- What Is Lacking?

2025-02-26T12:23:00.003-05:00

Back in January, Geoff Ribbens, Mark Abraham, and Alistair Cumming published a new book entitled Team Leadership: How to Define, Apply, and Measure It, which presents a unique, people-centric, and scientifically researched theory of leadership linked to an accurate data-based assessment and diagnostic product. For individual leaders looking to maximize personal development and results or for organizations wanting to analyze leadership and its effects across an entire structure or business, this book redefines understanding and development.

When I spoke with the authors this month, I asked them a series of questions starting with "What is currently lacking in leadership development?" Here are their responses:

In our book, we start by identifying four major errors that have held back leadership development and understanding for many years. No doubt all of us have made some, or all, of these errors in the past.

The first error is looking at the leader to understand leadership. Eminent social psychologists have stated that this "leader-centric" approach is “deeply flawed” and not at all useful. We expand on why it is so flawed in the book. We conclude that it is much more useful to concentrate on the perception of those being led.

The second error is to assume that the term "leadership" means the same in a multitude of different contexts such as political leadership, moral leadership, organizational leadership, and team leadership. Different contexts obviously require different definitions and approaches. This is why the book concentrates on the "leadership" of teams.

The third error is to assume that "business success" equates with leadership. This approach only states what the writer hopes leadership will deliver, not what it is. It also assumes that the only people who have leadership are senior managers and CEOs.

The fourth error is simple. Nowhere in our research do we find a definition of the term ‘leadership’ that was objective and measurable.

MS: “So what is the solution to all these myths, assumptions, and lack of definition?”

All the assumptions and errors above have been solved by our innovative approach called Emergent Team Leadership (ETL). We focus on the leadership of teams, whether it is the executive team or the team on the factory floor. We show that all team leaders at every level, have the potential to have "leadership" and it is now measurable.

ETL measures the degree to which team members "willingly and enthusiastically accept their team leader." By examining how team members perceive their leader we created a 12-point profile. The profile is created by the team members, it might not be how the leader perceives themselves or is perceived by the organization. The profile is a simple radar graph and is easy to understand.

MS: “So why focus on teams and team leaders?”

The relationship between the team and the team leader is fundamental to team and organizational performance. If team members "willingly and enthusiastically accept their leader’" then the team leader is more able to deliver positive results because the team supports them. Also, team and team leader well-being is achieved, and there is less disagreement and conflict.

MS: "I can see the improved well-being of the team and team leader but are there any other benefits?

The simple 12-point profile indicates to the team leader what they need to do to move from merely managing their team to the true leadership of that team. The profile is not based on the leader’s personality but on the team’s perception. What is important is that the leader can change that perception. The leader is not a ‘servant’ of the team but can increase their influence by understanding how their team perceives them.

There are many benefits for the team, the team leader, and the whole organization. One obvious benefit is that for the first time leadership training, coaching, or appraising can be tested and retested, and progress can be measured. Our research also found that team leaders themselves found the 12-point profile powerful and relevant, more relevant than other leadership assessment processes they had experienced. If an organization uses ETL this can have a profound positive effect on the organization’s whole team leadership culture.

What do you think of the authors' (Geoff Ribbens, Mark Abraham, and Alistair Cumming) view on the current state of leadership development? Do you agree with what the authors perceive as errors and their proposed solutions?

Mentorship Programs Within Organizations -- What Are the Benefits?

2025-01-27T14:54:00.002-05:00

In December, Matthew Aslett published a book entitled Fundamentals of Effective Mentorship: How to Develop Intellectual Capacity and Healthy Workplace Culture, which discusses the facilitation of mentorship programs and the development of mentorship relationships based on experiences from a practitioner lens. The ability to encourage two-way learning relationships through mentorship can help organizations to improve effectiveness. A mentorship program can empower mentors, mentees, and program leaders to share best practices. The mentorship process is integral for promoting the professional and personal growth of stakeholders within an organization.

When I spoke with Matthew this month, I asked him, “What are the prime benefits of mentorship and how can managers start mentorship programs within their companies?” Here is his detailed answer:

The prime benefits of mentorship can be considered from three perspectives. First, mentees can establish new relationships with diverse individuals who may provide opportunities to accumulate knowledge, skills, and experiences. Mentees can increase self-belief with encouragement and personalized guidance from counterparts. Mentees can enhance goal-setting abilities with the exploration of priorities, specification of action plans, and co-construction of success strategies.

Second, mentors can develop communication skills in verbal and written domains to convey critical perspectives in understandable terms based on counterpart needs. Mentors can delve deeper into introspection with an awareness of novel viewpoints and personalized philosophies for decision-making. Mentors can engage in talent identification of candidates for prospective positions and opportunities through knowledge of unique abilities. Mentors can achieve self-actualization or personal fulfillment through participation in the vocation and bidirectional exchange of diverse best practices.

Third, communities can proceed with lifelong learning as individuals, teams, and organizations may explore perspectives in collaborative inquiry activities. Communities can improve equity and inclusivity, which represent fairness and belongingness, through active listening, examination of taken-for-granted assumptions, and recognition of improvements. Communities can cultivate intellectual abilities for engagement, productivity, and creativity when members participate in dialogue and pinpoint actionable recommendations.

A manager can start a mentorship program within the company using seven steps. First, initiative goals based on the values, vision, and assembled data can guide the focus. Second, selection criteria about mandatory or voluntary participation and manual or automated matching can influence planning. Third, resource strategy considers financial, human, intellectual, physical, and technological elements for implementation. Fourth, data collection mechanisms can capture quantitative and qualitative insights for decision-making. Fifth, an opening message can specify formal expectations and announce an orientation meeting. Sixth, an ideation session can explore aspirations and success factors. Seventh, interaction norms about frequency, relationship length, and modality can clarify learning preferences.

What do you think of Matthew's views on organizational mentorship programs? Does your company have one? Has it been effective in improving employee engagement and workplace culture?

What are the biggest obstacles to an effective and sustained Lean initiative?

2024-12-18T09:48:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of November, Bill Artzberger published a new book entitled Powering the Lean Enterprise: How to Streamline Operations, Improve Quality, and Gain Customer Loyalty, which introduces basic Lean rules and principles in a variety of simulated case studies drawn from the author’s professional experiences as a Lean coach, trainer, and manager.

When I spoke with Bill this month, I asked him: “What are the biggest obstacles to an effective and sustained Lean initiative?” Here is his response:

While there are many things that can constitute an obstacle, here are three big ones to be wary of:

1. Rules before Tools!

Lean tools are powerful aids to improvement. However, you must first understand Lean thinking and learn the key Lean principles before using the tools. This is the only way you will be able to select the correct tool (of the hundreds available) for your application and know how to correctly use the tool in your environment. Lean is not a tool or collection of tools, it is not a tactic or simple cost-reduction program; it is a way of thinking and acting for an entire organization.

You must create an enterprise-wide customer-focused learning organization to be successful in creating a long-term, sustainable Lean organization. You don’t get “Lean” or get “Leaned out.” Lean is not a destination – Lean is a journey. The learning process is the key to process improvement and the key to Lean. This is the one thing you must know to be successful in your Lean journey. If you do not figure out how to do your job better, then your competitors will.

2. Intention/Action Disparity

Key systems or people can sometimes provide roadblocks to the success of the Lean program in an organization. Typically, this boils down to interpersonal issues.

One example of this would be an organization where a handful of departments have adopted Lean methodology, but other areas have not. This can stymie the progress the Lean-oriented departments are striving towards. Another example of this might be an organization with political or leadership issues. If a leader at an organization acts in opposition to the Lean strategies or behaves in a way that builds roadblocks to the progress of those strategies, the Lean program will fail.

The key to avoiding this obstacle is to ensure that all members of the organization are invested in the success of the Lean methods being implemented. This includes the organization’s leadership.

3. Sustaining Lean Methodologies

Even when organizations overcome the first two obstacles, it is very difficult to implement and sustain a culture change that spans the entirety of the organization. This obstacle might not be immediately evident, especially because many of the systems and processes might be running well.

This obstacle most often affects organizations that decide to identify and train a few subject matter experts rather than investing in the whole organization to sustain the Lean culture. When a subject matter expert turns over, Lean systems start to break down. When organization leaders do not take the time to invest in developing the organization’s desire to improve, the Lean journey will start to lose momentum.

This can be a constant battle for companies who make it to this point. It often leads to ebbs and flows in work management and system sustainability.

The only way to avoid this pitfall is for every member of the organization to feel invested in the Lean journey. This means accepting the fact that the Lean journey is a continuous development and learning process and embracing the work that comes with it.

How long has your organization been involved in a Lean initiative? Is "Lean thinking" part of your workplace culture? Do you agree with Bill Artzberger's overview of the common barriers to success?

Can Business Leaders Learn to See the "Invisible"?

2024-11-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

In October, Michael Bremer published a new book entitled Learn to See the Invisible: How to Unlock Your Potential as a Leader, which describes four key foundations and 25 different actions leaders can practice to become more effective in training their eyes to see things tomorrow that are currently invisible. It helps leaders and managers to become better observers of their current reality by practicing getting better at getting better.

When I spoke with Michael this month, I asked him directly: “What does ‘learning to see the invisible’ mean regarding leadership, and how does it actually benefit leaders and their abilities?” Here is his complete answer:

Let me begin answering your question with a short story.

You and your spouse go to a big box shopping center with a large parking lot. Right after you exit your car, you trip over one of those concrete blocks intended to block car tires. Your spouse looks at you and asks, “Are you OK?”

What is your response? If you are like me and the 1000s of other people with whom I’ve asked this question, you respond, “I’m OK!” Even though your toe is killing you. Why? You feel like an idiot, and you are embarrassed. Plus, a host of other emotions.

It’s a very similar challenge inside an organization when a leader asks, “How are things going?” Even when our intentions are good, there are a variety of reasons that people do not openly share their thoughts. If a leader truly wishes to better understand the actual reality of what is happening, it requires some effort.

"Learning to see the invisible" in leadership means developing the awareness and skills to recognize factors, patterns, and dynamics that are not immediately obvious but that profoundly influence team performance, organizational culture, and decision-making. These "invisible" aspects lay hidden due to assumptions, biases, unspoken issues, underlying motivations, and systemic inefficiencies that might be overlooked in the daily flow of work. Leaders can make more informed, empathetic, and effective choices by learning to see these hidden elements.

How Does "Seeing the Invisible" Benefit Leaders and Enhance Their Abilities?

1. Improved Decision-Making: Leaders who can see beyond the surface make more informed and nuanced decisions. They understand the broader context and implications of their choices, which leads to better outcomes for the organization and their team.

2. Greater Empathy and Connection: Leaders build stronger relationships by recognizing their team's true needs and motivations. Empathy fosters trust, increases engagement, and enhances collaboration, as team members feel understood and valued.

3. Increased Agility and Adaptability: Leaders who are aware of invisible factors are better prepared to adapt to change. They are attuned to internal and external shifting dynamics and can pivot strategies or approaches in response to new information or challenges.

4. Empowering and Developing Others: Leaders who understand the hidden potential in their team members can provide targeted support, coaching, and growth opportunities. This empowerment leads to a more capable, engaged workforce, with team members who are better equipped to take the initiative and contribute in a more meaningful way.

How Do You Unlock this Potential to Become a Better Leader?

When you look at professional athletes who become champions in their sport, how do they get there? They get there through hours of practice and constantly strive to improve the way they play their sport. If your profession is leadership, shouldn’t you also consciously practice getting better at what you do?

Learning to See the Invisible lays out four foundational elements for leaders to practice:

Step 1: Reflection – Understand how you currently lead and identify your starting point.

Step 2: Unifying Purpose – Create a meaningful purpose that motivates and guides change.

Step 3: Build Relationships – Foster trust and open communication while empowering your team.

Step 4: Visual Leadership – Implement visuals that inspire improvement and facilitate discussions about progress against the purpose you seek to accomplish.

The book lays out 28 different actions leaders can practice to get better at doing the above.

Leaders who adopt this transformative mindset can improve their relationships and take decisive steps toward becoming a champions. They exhibit a vulnerability through their curiosity and willingness to learn. That vulnerability creates space inside an organization where other people can feel more secure in responding to the questions they are asked.

The world needs better leaders, and I genuinely hope readers embark on this journey.

What do you think of Michael's perspective on leadership awareness and its effect on decision-making and workplace culture? What is the state of leadership in your organization? Are they making choices based on assumption or "confirmation bias"? Or are they truly understanding some of the hidden aspects that might be driving the true workplace culture of their organization?

Does the Decalogue Methodology Improve Management Effectiveness?

2024-10-25T13:10:00.000-04:00

Back in September, Angela Montgomery published a book entitled The Human Constraint: How Business Leaders Can Embed Continuous Innovation, Conflict Resolution, and Problem Solving Into Daily Practice, which explores an increasingly complex, interdependent, and fast-changing world where companies must have a way to overcome obsolete mental models and embed continuous innovation in their operations with a coherent organizational model.

When I spoke with Angela recently, I asked her: “How does the Decalogue methodology improve management effectiveness?” Here is her complete response:

Whether it’s a startup, a scaleup, SME or multinational, smoke stack or hi-tech, leaders, founders, managers, and investors face challenges today unlike before. Applying linear thinking and conventional management tools is no longer adequate or effective. Our new reality is a complex, highly nonlinear network of cause-effect relationships. Moreover, the digital age requires better decision-making, faster innovation, and flawless delivery of products and services. What’s needed is a new way of thinking and operating.

The Decalogue method introduces leaders to a systemic approach to managing operations. It helps them connect dots they would not otherwise see and strategize, plan, and execute at a whole new level. Learning to behave as one cohesive system involves identifying a unique leverage point (constraint) to propel performance and achieve significant and sustainable growth. The method enables a company to develop a systemic value proposition for the market that competitors cannot imitate while improving performance company-wide to deliver their offer reliably.

The Ten Steps of the Decalogue enhance all aspects of business, from production to marketing and sales, project management, new product development, supply chain, finance, and M&A. The steps give business owners and leaders a clear and focussed path to achieving maximum value with the resources available. A leap in overall performance is achieved by defining a clear goal and measurements, understanding variation to map effective processes and interdependencies, and identifying the one factor that determines the pace of throughput.

A key part of the journey is embracing and implementing necessary change. Our human ambitions and emotions all have a role to play, and this is what I hope to emphasize in the book. The Decalogue introduces a set of systemic Thinking Processes that enable companies to overcome cognitive barriers to change and channel their energies in a positive direction towards a common goal. These processes embed into daily practice the ability to solve problems, resolve conflicts, and continuously develop breakthrough solutions that add high value.

What do you think of Angela Montgomery's perspective? Do you have experience with the Decalogue method? Do you think it would be effective in your organization?

Humility -- Does It Affect Leadership Effectiveness?

2024-09-25T15:21:00.004-04:00

In August, Andrew J. DuBrin published a book entitled Leadership Humility: A Characteristic that Enhances Professional Effectiveness, which describes an opinion about the most relevant aspects of humility as it applies to leadership and professional effectiveness, yet the emphasis is on leadership. Humility as it relates to leadership and professional effectiveness is covered from many angles. Among these topics are the many meanings and components of humility and how leadership humility impacts group member performance and behavior.

When I spoke with Andrew this month, I asked him: “How does humility actually increase leadership effectiveness?” Here is his complete answer:

An appropriate degree of humility is essential for leadership effectiveness because today’s effective leader is expected to demonstrate humility in addition to standard leadership attributes such as self-confidence, high-level cognitive skills, creativity, charisma, and the ability to articulate visions. Leadership effectiveness is enhanced when interspersed with other key leadership attributes including assertiveness, a sense of humor, and strategic thinking ability. Many brash, aggressive, and successful leaders would be even more successful if they sprinkled their leadership approach with humility.

Another way in which humility increases leadership effectiveness is that being a little humble has an impact on performance. The performance, or results, could be at the individual, group, or organizational level. Leadership humility can improve a leader’s decision-making. Intellectually humble leaders are likely to gather multiple inputs before making a decision because they do not think they have all the answers. Leaders who express humility often enhance the creativity of group members because they set up a climate conducive to imaginative thinking. A humble leader will often create a psychologically safe environment, meaning that staff members feel safe to take the risk of making a mistake. The person who feels psychologically safe believes he or she will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.

A leader with humility helps establish a group climate in which people can learn and develop. A climate of this nature enables group members to invest more of themselves into their jobs, and therefore be engaged in their work. Leadership humility often has a big impact on team performance. The humble leader seeks the cooperation of all team members, shows openness toward their ideas, and encourages them to become actively involved in solving problems the team is tackling. One of the many ways in which leadership humility improves organizational performance stems from workers observing that their strengths are appreciated.

What do you think of Andrew's perspective on humility and leadership? What role does humility play in your company's leadership and management training?

Bioinspired Strategies -- Do They Help Companies Survive?

2024-08-26T11:12:00.001-04:00

During this past July, Daniel J. Finkenstadt and Tojin T. Eapen published a book entitled Bioinspired Strategic Design: Nature-Inspired Principles for Dynamic Business Environments, which shows that the same three capabilities essential for the survival of living organisms in harsh environments – efficiency, resilience, and prominence – are also critical for organizations in their process of navigating through their own hostile environments.

I spoke with both authors shortly after the book's publication, and during our conversation, I asked them: "What are bioinspired strategies and how do they help companies survive?" Here is their complete answer:

The bioinspired strategies described in the book draw inspiration from adaptations and mechanisms found in living organisms to solve complex problems. These strategies can be analogically applied to identify survival strategies applicable to human organizations, including companies.

This approach of analogically associating nature with business problems also encourages viewing business operations and challenges as part of an interconnected system.

Bioinspired strategies help companies survive by improving their efficiency, resilience, and prominence (we call it "ERP" capabilities) in challenging environments.

The key lesson in the book can be described as follows:

"The effect of any action on survivability cannot be understood by merely looking at its impact on one of the three ERP factors, efficiency, resilience or prominence that it seeks to modify, but requires looking at indirect effects mediated by the other two factors."

This means that a company’s actions don't exist in isolation – they can have ripple effects across all three factors, which together determine the company's overall ability to survive and thrive.

Firstly, companies can optimize their efficiency (E) by studying how organisms efficiently manage limited resources through principles such as resting, reduction, and reuse.

For example, consider how certain desert plants, like cacti, have adapted to conserve water in arid environments. They have developed specialized structures to store water and minimize water loss through transpiration. This natural strategy can inspire businesses to find innovative ways to conserve and efficiently use their critical resources, especially in resource-scarce operating environments.

Secondly, nature's lessons in adaptation to external forces guide business on resilience (R). Specific principles found in nature such as replacement, repair, and reinforcement can help businesses become more adaptable to market changes and crises.

For example, consider the well-known case of how camels store fat in their humps for long journeys. The camel's hump illustrates the role of reservoirs and reinforcements in survival when faced with extreme unpredictable forces. This principle is also found in business environments, such as building up buffer stocks or cash reserves to manage uncertainty.

Thirdly, the concept of prominence (P), inspired by how organisms balance their visibility towards predators, prey, and mates, can be applied to managing complex relationships that involve both attracting and avoiding attention from observers.

In nature, prominence capability is apparent in the ability of various cephalopod (squid, cuttlefish, octopi) species to alter their appearance in the presence of different observers (predators, prey, or potential mates).

In the book, we show how cephalopods' strategies for managing visibility can be applied to startups dealing with various stakeholders like investors, competitors, and customers.

Nature-inspired strategies offer design principles such as combination, removal, and segmentation. These serve as practical guidelines for generating ideas and managing trade-offs in strategic decision-making. By looking to nature for inspiration, businesses can discover innovative solutions to complex challenges and enhance their chances of long-term survival and success.

What do you think of Daniel and Tojin's ideas? Has your company implemented any methods that use nature as inspiration to solve problems?

Small Business -- Can They Grow and Profit Without Taking on Staggering Debt?

2024-07-26T16:11:00.000-04:00

This past June, Manny Skevofilax published a book entitled Ultimate Profit Management: Maximizing Profitability as You Grow Your Business, which details how small businesses can achieve reasonable, prudent growth while avoiding debt. He explains the readily available tools entrepreneurs can use to ensure that their businesses do not turn unprofitable as they grow them. He posits that it makes sense to resist the lure of the high-growth, no-profit strategy and instead embrace the approach of steady growth with profits.

When I spoke with Manny this month, I asked him: "How do you define prudent growth and how can small businesses avoid crushing debt?” Here is his full answer:

In my opinion, “prudent growth” is defined as growth that increases the net income of a business. “Prudent growth” is usually accomplished slowly, with new revenue acquired at your business’s appropriate margin, in conjunction with the judicious use of debt. In simpler terms, you do your best to increase the profit of your business without increasing the debt much. For example, some businesses bring in new revenue (“growth”) that isn’t profitable for one reason or another. If the business incurred marketing expenses to bring on this unprofitable revenue, how are these marketing expenses going to be paid? Since there was no profit made from this revenue, there is no money to pay these marketing expenses. The money needs to come from somewhere and it usually comes from taking on debt. This scenario describes how a business can grow its revenue and make less profit overall.

If this scenario continues, a business will have poor cash flow and more debt than it can repay. Sometimes, this scenario causes a business to turn unprofitable which can further aggravate its poor financial situation. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you are growing your business profitably and that you are taking on debt for the right reason. If you see the need for short-term debt for a sound business reason, then determine what cash flow expectations or enhancements will occur to repay it in the short term. Otherwise, your debt continues accumulating, as do the interest payments, and your flexibility is continually reduced.

To avoid crushing debt, use a portion of the profits that you earn to reinvest in your business for growth. Use a bank line of credit to finance the carry of your accounts receivable and inventory. You grow best when you’re in a strong position, not when you have your hat in your hand in line at the bank. The takeaway here is to use borrowed funds judiciously!

What are your thoughts regarding Manny Skevofilax's perspective? What are your experiences with growing a small business?

The Mental Well-Being of Colleagues and Continuous Improvement Culture -- Are They Intertwined and Mutually Reinforcing?

2024-06-24T13:16:00.001-04:00

At the beginning of June, Chris Butterworth published a new book entitled Why Care? How Thriving Individuals Create Thriving Cultures of Continuous Improvement Within Organizations, which contends that to create a sustainable culture of continuous improvement there must be an organization-wide focus on mental well-being at the individual level. A culture of continuous improvement nurtured in the right way, however, will indeed support mental well-being and help create a thriving organization.

When I recently spoke with Chris about his book, I asked him: "How are mental well-being and a culture of continuous improvement intertwined and mutually reinforcing with an organization?" Here is his complete answer:

Today’s ever-increasing VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment means that organizations must be more adaptable and flexible than ever. Organizational performance depends on the collective psychological capacity (emotional and cognitive energy) of everyone in the organization. Without high levels of mental, or psychological, well-being individuals suffer, organizational performance is stifled and continuous improvement (CI) is throttled.

Creating high levels of mental, or psychological, well-being means starting with an inside-out perspective focused on mental well-being at an individual level. Like the nucleus of an atom, high levels of individual psychological well-being unleash psychological capacity. This precious resource is critical for people to be able to do their work effectively and continuously improve their work. It provides the organization with the energy and agility to prosper.

However, individual psychological well-being is not enough on its own. High levels of psychological well-being without a robust CI system limit people’s potential to fully utilize their psychological capacity. Both systems are essential to a thriving organization. Psychological well-being and CI working together create a thriving high-performance environment, where individuals feel they matter, are cared for, and can grow and develop. Together they create environments where teams can solve problems, innovate, adapt, and grow generating sustainable organizational success. In our book Why Care? we explore how to do this at different levels – individual, team, leader, and organizational and the foundations needed, such as diversity, equality, inclusion, belonging, and an understanding of the brain.

The CI system must be co-designed to leverage the available psychological capacity of everyone in the organization. In Why Care? we illustrate how the CI system and tools can be reorientated to engender and maximize psychological well-being and how continuously improving work also increases levels of psychological well-being. Not only are the two intertwined but they are mutually reinforcing. We believe this is not just a nice thing to do. It is critical to the future of every organization and its people.

Do you agree with Chris' statements? Does your continuous improvement initiative include the psychological capacity of colleagues?

Toxic Workplace Cultures -- Can Organizations Recover from Them?

2024-05-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

Just this past April, Seth Allcorn published a new book entitled Managing Toxic Leaders and Dysfunctional Organizational Dynamics: The Psychosocial Nature of the Workplace, which explores work-life dynamics and the effects toxicities and dysfunctions have on members of organizations.

When I spoke with Seth this past week, I asked him: “How can organizations deal with toxic cultures and recover from them?” Here is his complete response:

Leaders and organization members can become contributors to creating a toxic workplace that includes a wide range of dysfunctions and oppressive organizational dynamics that limit creativity and productivity. This is regrettably common and limits what the organization can achieve. Healing a toxic organizational culture begins by acknowledging its presence. This opens it up for inspection, “What is it like to work here?” However, like many if not most organizational problems, calling an organizational toxic culture into question can threaten leaders who may be a part of the problem. Organization members may also identify with these leaders and contribute their own harmful behavior. This process of “selecting-in” to these organizational dynamics by organization members creates a like-minded group who defend the toxicity. As a result, when striving to create positive change, a sense of threat may arise for advocating for change. Even so, taking up this challenge is to be applauded. However, the threats associated with creating change may lead to engaging a “disposable” psychosocially informed organizational consultant.

The consultant should begin by first listening to organization members and then locate a meaningful and as near as possible non-threatening plan for change to avoid resistance to change. If the sense of threat is not too great, a group of motivated organization members may step forward to support the consultant and facilitate the change process. The consultant should also, after listening to a cross-section of organization members, engage the leadership group in a discussion of the findings and facilitate their development of a non-defensive plan to respond to the findings. The plan should be designed to safely engage everyone in a process of no-fault change. The direction of the change process should be toward creating a more open, inclusive, collaborative, trusting, and respectful culture.

What do you think of Seth Allcorn's perspective? Have you worked in organizations in which the culture would be considered toxic? Did the organization take steps to improve it? Was it successful?

Leadership Principles -- How Do They Build Motivation and Commitment?

2024-04-26T16:32:00.005-04:00

Back in March, David Sharpley published a new book entitled Leadership Principles and Purpose: Developing Leadership Effectiveness and Future-Focused Capability, which provides a fresh perspective on leadership and the steps required to achieve high performance. It explores how we create purpose by moving from vision and values through principles to action. When I spoke with David this month, I asked him directly: "How do principles shape competencies and build motivation and commitment?" Here is his complete answer:

We hear executives talk about "vision" and "values," but there’s less mention of the principles that define how activities are completed. These provide points of reference and set boundaries. They also underpin competencies linked to high performance. Higher-order principles influence people’s expectations of what is fair and reasonable. They help clarify how leaders create enabling conditions that enhance motivation, commitment, and shared purpose.

Self Determination Theory (SDT) offers insight into why principles matter. The SDT Model reveals that everyone has an innate need for positive, trust-based Relationships. We also seek to develop the Competence that fuels meaningful activity and builds motivation. Autonomy adds to self-direction, responsibility, and purpose. Underlying needs are also reflected in people’s desire for social cohesion and stability. Significant principles therefore relate to Justice, Equality, Compassion, and Accountability. Principles are closely aligned with ethical values but expressed in the form of rules, protocols, and norms.

Clearly stated principles ensure consistency of approach, support cascaded leadership, and define the work culture. Effective leaders build on principles that will develop capability and create shared purpose. They appreciate that discretionary effort is influenced by a range of factors, which include opportunities for self-directed, meaningful activity. Significant, Superordinate Principles strengthen trust-based relationships and motivation. They help build commitment, which is the emotional connection and identification people feel towards the organization. It is enhanced when people feel valued and there are opportunities for personal development (e.g. "my manager supports my development"). Commitment helps maintain motivation when we are faced with the inevitable setbacks that undermine progress.

Over time, authentic leaders internalize important principles, including an emphasis on transparency, equality, and accountability. Clear principles increase personal conviction, but also our willingness to develop capability in others. Acting on the basis of higher-order principles conveys integrity and establishes a clear rationale for effective action, which adds to the leader's credibility. Principles have a significant role in building and maintaining people's motivation and commitment. They help leaders create shared purpose, develop effective systems, and achieve more meaningful connections with others.

What do you think of David's perspective? What is the state of leadership in your organization? Do the principles stated and practiced build motivation and commitment?

Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence -- What is Their Role in Coaching and Training?

2024-03-25T12:52:00.000-04:00

In February, Matteo Zaralli published a new book -- entitled Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence: Risks and Opportunities for Your Business -- which focuses on how virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the way we learn and coach.

When I spoke with Matteo this past week, I asked him: “What are some of the ways virtual reality and artﬁcial intelligence are being incorporated into coaching and training?” Here is his complete answer:

Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionary technologies with the potential to radically transform the landscape of learning and coaching, significantly accelerating, enriching, and enhancing the process.

Exploring the domain of artificial intelligence, we see how the accessibility to information and the speed of its acquisition highlight the transformative power of AI. However, its application extends far beyond this. Recently, Open AI introduced a groundbreaking development with the launch of a vocal feature for ChatGPT, offering users the opportunity to interact with an advanced virtual assistant, further expanding the horizons of digital learning.

In parallel, virtual reality is opening new frontiers in education and coaching, thanks to the introduction of cutting-edge devices from Oculus and Apple. Studies conducted on these platforms demonstrate that learning can be up to four times faster, with improved performance and optimal concentration, thanks to an immersive environment that minimizes distractions.

By combining the strengths of VR and AI, we can envision innovative scenarios such as public speaking, healthcare procedures (such as surgical room preparation and intricate surgeries), work safety certifications alongside standards compliance, construction projects, engineering challenges, and energy and plant maintenance represent areas where advanced tools significantly enhance learning and execution of specialized skills; where users can practice in a safe, interactive, and emotionally engaging context. This environment is enriched by the presence of a virtual assistant, with whom users can discuss specific topics, offering an unprecedented learning experience. For coaches and instructors, often constrained by limited time, this synergy provides a valuable simulation tool, allowing them to eﬃciently support every individual and ensure a high level of continuous learning.

The benefit of having a tool to train and exercise our skills is needed today more than ever. Technology runs, companies run, and more and more skills and abilities developed quickly are demanded at work, but like everyone, the day consists of 24 hours. So it required a tool that allows us to learn faster, with an impact on our recollection and memory, and above all that untied from space and time.

What do you think of Matteo's perspective? Has VR and AI been incorporated into your organization's learning and coaching processes? Have the results been successful?

The Future of Manufacturing -- What are the New Core Technologies?

2024-02-26T17:07:00.004-05:00

This month, Philip J. Gisi published his third book with Productivity Press entitled The Dark Factory and the Future of Manufacturing: A Guide to Operational Efficiency and Competitiveness. His new book provides a view into the future and direction on how to navigate the journey to a more automated, smarter, and continuously learning factory. This book consolidates the major elements of the fourth industrial revolution and describes them in clear terms within the context of integrated manufacturing. It creates awareness and a fundamental understanding of the advanced technologies that are coming together to facilitate highly automated, smarter, agile, and sustainable operations.

When I spoke with Phil this past week, I asked him: "What are some of the newer core technologies in manufacturing and how are they being used?” Here is his complete answer:

Manufacturing is undergoing a significant transformation with the adoption of several newer core technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR), and Digital Twins. IIoT involves connecting machinery, sensors, and other devices to collect and exchange data. This data can be used for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and improving overall efficiency. AI is being used in manufacturing for process optimization, quality control, predictive maintenance, and even autonomous decision-making. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and make predictions to avoid unplanned equipment downtime.

AR and VR technologies are being used in manufacturing for training, design visualization, and maintenance. These technologies can help improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance collaboration while the application of a digital twin, serving as a virtual model of a physical manufacturing asset, process, or system, can enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization, leading to improved performance and reduced downtime. As I stated in my latest book, “Manufacturers must be aware of, understand, and embrace these changes to stay competitive and meet the evolving demands of customers in the modern era. This book enhances the awareness and understanding of these core technologies by explaining what they are and how they are being used in manufacturing." Clearly, these technologies are reshaping the future of manufacturing and will continue to do so as they evolve within the scope of the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0 for short.

What do you think of Philip's perspective? Are these core technologies now part of your business? If so, have they delivered the expected results?

Lean Six Sigma -- Its Evolving Best Practices and Issues

2024-01-29T12:09:00.002-05:00

This past December, Terra Vanzant Stern published the third edition of Lean Six Sigma: International Standards and Global Guidelines. Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is designed to accommodate global challenges and constraints by capitalizing on Six Sigma and Lean Thinking, and her book assumes that the overall goal of operational excellence is to ensure that organizational tasks and activities are being performed to the best of their process capabilities. It defines continuous improvement as activities that support and empower environments to make flexible decisions that lead to ongoing improvement and effectiveness. It covers new global LSS standards, international implementation of process improvement programs, new international LSS applications, and international LSS areas of competency.

When I spoke with Terra this month, I asked her: "What important updates are covered in this third edition of your book?” Here is her complete answer:

The updates included in this edition are crucial because I have taken Lean Six Sigma to new heights, incorporating cutting-edge updates and advancements that will leave you captivated. With a focus on enhancing change management and data governance programs, this edition is a game-changer for organizations seeking to optimize their processes and drive sustainable growth.

What sets this edition apart is its ability to seamlessly integrate process improvement methodologies with change management and data governance. We understand that these three pillars are essential for organizations to thrive in the current dynamic business landscape. By leveraging Lean Six Sigma principles, you can streamline your processes, drive efficiency, and achieve remarkable results.

Imagine a world where every process is optimized, every change is seamlessly implemented, and every data point is governed with precision. This vision becomes a reality with the help of the latest edition of this book. I have meticulously crafted a framework that empowers organizations to achieve operational excellence while ensuring compliance and data integrity.

But what truly makes this edition intriguing is the transformative power it holds. By embracing Lean Six Sigma, organizations can unlock their full potential and drive a culture of continuous improvement. From reducing waste and defects to enhancing customer satisfaction, the possibilities are endless.

With this third edition of the book, you surely discover how Lean Six Sigma can revolutionize your organization's process improvement, change management, and data governance programs. Embrace the power of Lean Six Sigma and unlock a world of endless possibilities.

The new edition of this book assists you as you embark on a journey toward operational excellence, enhanced change management, and impeccable data governance. It's time to revolutionize the way you do business.

What are your experiences with Lean Six Sigma initiatives? What issues and aspects do you feel should be incorporated as organizations change and evolve?

"Green" Workspaces = Healthier Workspaces!

2023-12-19T11:35:00.002-05:00

Just this month, Steve Famulari published an important new book entitled Ways of Greening: Using Plants and Gardens for Healthy Work and Living Surroundings. This book focuses on rethinking working and living spaces and understanding how "greening" can make them healthier and their occupants happier. It teaches how to see unique ideas for spaces and some of the materials needed to create the designs. In addition, it gives readers a way to not only understand greening but to understand how to see greening applied to their place.

When I spoke with Stevie this month, I asked her: "What are some of the ways in which ‘greening’ makes working spaces healthier?" Here is her complete answer:

Work spaces as well as home spaces are where people spend much of their time. These are spaces where people need healthy surroundings to be inspired, be safe, be creative, grow, and move forward toward their dreams and goals. Greening these spaces can help people in this.

Having a space with at least 10% of the surface space of the room with living thriving plants improves air quality allowing people to be healthier with each breath. There are also studies that have found that being in green spaces improves people’s memory while studying, improves productivity, reduces the amount of time for people to heal, and reduces stress.

Be creative in designing your workspace and allow it to change over time as the interior garden grows and responds to the light and objects in the space. You can design your own green wall to fit your space which includes plants with colors, shapes, and scents that you enjoy. Using scented plants such as lavender or mint can enhance your space. Some scents such as lavender are helpful for relaxing, while others such as mint are helpful for reducing headaches. Scents have a close correlation with memory. A scent can help people recall a memory from their recent past or from a distant past. Using plants with scents while studying or preparing for presentations, and then having the same scent at the presentation can help people recall what they studied or researched for presentations.

By creating designs that are unique to the space, using green walls, and having plants that have bloomed randomly throughout the year, the site you create with your unique living garden changes and grows with colors and forms daily. Seeing change and growth happen naturally on a daily basis in green office surroundings encourages people to accept change in their lives with more ease and grace.

What do you think of Stevie Famulari's perspective on how "greening" affects workspaces and their occupants? Has your company incorporated these types of improvements in their office locations? How have employees reacted?

The Evolution of Product Development -- Has Lean Adjusted?

2023-11-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

In October, Cécile Roche and Luc Delamotte published a book entitled The Lean Engineering Travel Guide: The Best Itineraries for Developing New Products and Satisfying Customers. This book explains many Lean Engineering practices in some detail and the best itineraries to develop better products, discussing the underlying intentions and offering advice for implementation. It includes numerous concrete cases that illustrate this part with case material drawn from the authors’ own experiences. In addition, there is a brief guide to where and how to get started.

When I spoke with Cécile this month, I asked her: "How has Lean adjusted as product development evolves?" Here is her complete answer:

The power of the Lean approach is that it is based on two strong convictions.

The first is that a company will succeed if it really takes care of the customers, and therefore offers products that will solve their real problems - Do the right thing!

The second is that the company will make money thanks to the ingenuity of its employees, which must be encouraged by the existence of organized thinking spaces.

By doing this, you avoid the biggest wastes imaginable: products that don't sell, products that you don't know how to produce, maintain, or recycle at the right cost, and all the rework caused by poor choices - Do the right thing, then do it right!

The practices and tools of Lean are all geared towards answering this question: what are we doing to give our staff the means to understand customers properly, and the means to identify the waste caused by our misconceptions? This constant questioning, which always begins with "Do we know what we don't know?” is the best way of ensuring that we are constantly adapting to change.

To encourage this questioning, we must set up a system that can very quickly identify the gaps, knowledge gaps, and trade-offs that need to give rise to creative discussions and train people to solve problems using appropriate methods. It is the Lean system.

Lean is a dynamic approach. It's not about freezing practices in procedures that are excellent one day but already unsuitable the next, but about regularly questioning all changes (in the context, of technology, resources, skills, etc.) to assess their impact. This is what we call the Kaizen spirit. As Allen Ward said, "Instead of learning to surf, conventional organizations try to control the waves! This almost never works."

What do you think of Cécile Roche's thoughts on Lean methodology? Do you feel that Lean continues to benefit the changing face of product development?

Managing Process Downtime -- What Are the Biggest Mistakes?

2023-10-27T10:08:00.000-04:00

In September, Michael Beauregard published a book entitled Process Downtime Reduction: How to Minimize Waste from Breakdowns, Set-Ups, Supply Chain Issues, and Staffing Constraints. This book provides manufacturers the techniques they crucially need to keep their critical manufacturing equipment running correctly and efficiently – which increases production, decreases labor costs, decreases breakdown costs, and ultimately increases the bottom line.

When I spoke with Michael this month, I asked him: “What are some of the biggest mistakes manufacturers make while trying to manage process downtime?” Here is his complete answer:

That is an excellent question.

I think the biggest mistake manufacturers make with managing process downtime is that they don’t manage it – instead, they learn to live with it. They make longer runs so that they can amortize the cost of that long product changeover over more parts. They get the order out by working overtime at the end of the month. They buy more equipment than they actually need. Manufacturers are smart – they learn to adapt to survive, but often those adaptations are the fastest way to solve the problem now and not the most efficient.

Another big mistake is not measuring downtime and where it occurs. As I wrote in Process Downtime Reduction, “Show me the data!” Many companies cannot. They have anecdotal evidence of their downtime. It takes about two hours to complete a changeover. They remember they ran out of bottles once two years ago so they are focusing tremendous efforts and costs to manage inventory at high levels when the numbers actually show that labor is their biggest downtime cause. They do not make a systematic effort to understand the downtime and where it occurs so they attack where they perceive the downtime problems to be and not the issues that cause the greatest amount of downtime.

And a third big area is not getting the whole workforce involved. Well, maybe “involved” is the wrong word. They fail to change the culture of the workforce to be looking for wastes in the operation. They load and unload parts without thinking that the machine could have been co-extruding 10 minutes earlier if they hadn’t waited until the core had run out to notify the material handler that another roll of core was needed.

Do you agree with Michael's thoughts here? How does process downtime affect your organization? What do you do to manage it?