Exciting News from A Lean Journey!

I will be a guest on the world famous The Lean Nation radio show Thursday, April 15 from 4-5pm (ET) on 790 AM Talk and Business, hosted by Karl Wadensten.  We're going to discuss what it means to lead in a lean environment, specifically frontline leadership.  This is an important topic and I'm looking forward to sharing my insights on air to a wide audience of business leaders and change agents.

You can listen to my appearance live on 790AM (Citadel Broadcasting, ABC Affiliate) in Providence, RI.  The show is also globally available via a live audio stream at 790business.com.    I would love to hear your opinions and answer your questions, so feel free to call in to the show.  The call-in number is 401-437-5000 or toll free at 888-345-0790.

Can't tune in live?  The podcast will be available after the show!

The Lean Nation is the hottest new show on 790AM and airs from 4-5pm, weekdays and streams online at 790business.com.  The Lean Nation features real world examples and actionable advice from local and national business leaders on how to reinvent yourself into a lean operation in business and in life.  The show's host, Karl Wadensten, is the president of VIBCO, a Rhode Island manufacturing company. Over the last 3 years VIBCO has created a Lean Revolution, using lean methodologies (based on the Toyota Production System).  I am looking forward to the opportunity to visit the Gemba at VIBCO prior to the show.

Under Karl's leadership, VIBCO is now a high performing business culture where lead times for over 1,300 SKUs have dropped from 4-6 weeks to "same day, next day", inventory has been reduced by more than 50%, over 10,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing floor space is now freed up to accept future growth, and sales are well above industry trends.  These impressive improvements are the result of a workforce that is empowered to improve every day and understands the power of Lean Thinking. 

Listen to The Lean Nation to learn how you can get similar results in your business and learn about lean leadership!

How to Deal with Low Performers

The other day while in the Gemba a production lead asked for some advice.  As we were talking about the performance of a new work cell the lead expressed some concerns about an individual’s performance.  At first I thought this was a question in how to discipline employees but upon further questioning of the situation I realized this was really about dealing with a low performer on the production line.

As we create cells and learn to balance the work content in the cell the flow of the line becomes dependent on everyone meeting their expected outcomes.  Low performers tend to stand out and can become a bottleneck in the cell.  Most employees want to do a good job at work and experience shows that our systems general dictate performance.  A production lead should use this simple 5 step checklist to determine what to focus on when trying to improve an individual’s performance. 

1) Are the tools and equipment the person is using calibrated and working properly?

2) Are the parts and materials they are using within specifications?

3) Has the person been trained?

4) Have the expectations for performance been made clear?

5) Has there been regular feedback on performance?

An answer of “no” to any of these questions will indicate an area for which focused improvement is needed.  If you find you can rule out all these questions then your options are limited.  You must now consider an important distinction between those individuals who “can’t” do the work and those who ”won’t” do the work.  If you can find another area for the individual who can’t keep up in the cell then you should do so.  In the other case you will need to consider a formal progressive discipline system for the “won’t” workers.  With this formal discipline system you may find that many of those in the “won’t” group find a way to meet the expectations.

Many times our discipline systems don’t include dealing with low performers in this manner.  This leaves a tremendous burden for our production leads to deal with.  If we are committed to lean production, management must provide a system to support disciplined adherence to the standard that applies to all.  I am reminded of a saying from a fellow lean practitioner, “You deserve what you tolerate.”

If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter.  You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts.  For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.

Lean Quote of the Day - April 9, 2010

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.

Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.

“Safety isn't just a slogan, it's a way of life.” ~Author Unknown

When it comes to business the priorities must safety, quality, and then productivity.  There can be no compromise on the first two.  If you do safety and quality well then everything will be easier to accomplish.  Safety must be ingrained into the culture of the organization through daily habits. The best model for daily one-on-one observation and feedback is coaching. The letters of COACH represent five fundamental steps of safety coaching: Care, Observe, Analyze, Communication, and Help.  Review this post for the details of each step of the Coaching for Safety Model.


If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter.  You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts.  For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.

Top 10 Lean Facebook Pages

With 450 million users globally (and millions more being added each week) Facebook is dominating the web in unparalleled ways. Facebook has eclipsed Amazon, Walmart, Netflix and even Google as the foremost brand name in web searches from U.S. users, according to research from Hitwise.  It was the most visited site on the web for the week ending on March 13, 2010, surpassing even Google in week-long stats for the first time in history.  Facebook claims that half of its user login each day and the average user spends about an hour on Facebook.

In honor of these recent achievements I thought I would highlight my top 10 Lean Facebook fan pages, in alphabetical order: 

A Lean Journey – This is the facebook site of A Lean Journey Blog, published by yours truly. This site is dedicated to sharing lessons and experiences along the lean journey in the Quest for True North. The blog also serves as the source for learning and reflection which are critical elements in Lean Thinking. 

AME Connect - AMEConnect is the official fan page for the Association of Manufacturing Excellence.  The website is designed to provide members with the ability to find industry experts, distribute topic-based information in a collaborative format, and empower online communities to work more effectively together. 

K-Dub's Lean Nation Radio Show – This is the fan site for The Lean Nation Radio show hosted by Karl Wadensten on 790 AM in Providence, RI. Get real world examples and actionable advice from local and national business leaders on how to reinvent yourself into a lean operation (in business and in life). This collaborative, interactive show will share best practices and tips to remove waste and cost from your work and life.  

Lean Blog – The fan page of Lean Blog, published by Mark Graban.  Check out this site for discussion about the lean methodology in factories, hospitals, and the world around us.

Lean Enterprise Institute - The Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) is the official Facebook page of LEI.  It helps companies transform themselves into lean enterprises, based on the principles of the Toyota Business System.  

Lean For Everyone: Simplify your business and your life! - Lean For Everyone is the fan page published by blogger John Wetzel.  Lean for Everyone is about making your business, work and life easier by finding simpler ways to accomplish your daily tasks. 

Lean Learning Center – Jamie Flinchbaugh of The Lean Learning Center manages this Facebook page.  The Lean Learning Center helps individuals and companies with successful lean transformation through education, coaching, strategy, application, and products. 

The Lean Way Consulting – This site is the creation of Ankit Patel from The Lean Way Consulting Blog.  The focus is on improving companies by changing the culture and the processes. 

The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence – This is the official Facebook site of The Shingo Prize.  The mission of The Shingo Prize is to create excellence in organizations through the application of universal, self-evident principles of operational excellence and the alignment of management systems and improvement techniques throughout an entire organization. 

Value Stream Leadership - This is Facebook fan page of the Value Stream Leadership by Jim Baran and Kristi Boyer. VSL is the first firm to create a solution that fuses the hiring of Lean talent to lean engagement.  

So if you are one of the over 225 Million on Facebook daily you may want to spend part of your hour online staying informed of all things Lean by becoming a fan to these great sites.

Visual Controls: Simple or Sophisticated

When it comes to visual controls in the workplace the most common line of questioning is related to manual visuals versus computerized visuals.  Many people prefer the look of a more sophisticated information technology solution over a simple hand written solution.  There are a number of things to consider when deciding which visual method to use.

	Manual Visual	Computerized Visual
Timeliness	Manual visuals are current as of the last recording and reviewed by frequency of the pitch.	Computerized visuals are current as of the last data entry and last time the report was run.
Proximity	Hand written visuals are usually close to the process whose performance they reflect.  This also makes it difficult to disperse the information to other locations.	Computerized systems encourage managing the production process from a computer screen in an office somewhere removed from the actual production area.  A computer aided solution is definitely advantageous for computational accuracy as well as ease of distributing information.
Accuracy	Manual visuals are usually near or at the Gemba and can be physically verified but humans do make mistakes.	Computerized visuals are usually a long way from the source, often require judgment and execution of data, which can make accuracy difficult to assess.
Precision	Manual methods are not always precise, notes sometimes vague, and reporting periods can occasionally be missed.	Computerized visuals are highly precise regardless of accuracy.
Flexibility	Questions prompted by manual visuals can be addressed at least initially where it is posted and can be easily modified or new visuals created.	Computerized solutions are powerful analytical tools, but usually only designed to address the questions programmed and not easily changed or customized.
Expense	Manual visuals require little to no expense to implement and maintain.	Computers and network equipment are expensive to purchase, require continuing maintenance costs, and technical expertise.
Responsi-veness	Manual visuals are easy to use, owned by production floor, and draws people to the information whom helped create it.	Computers can be intimidating; the data is removed from shop floor to be transformed into impersonal computer-generated report.

Visuals are a means connect people to their processes.  They also reflect the adherence to the process and are the basis for comparing actual versus expected performance. Visual controls help transform the abstract concept of discipline in lean management into directly observable, concrete practices.  It is important to choose the right visual format for each process.  Due to the immediate, accessible, flexible, inexpensive, and responsive nature of manual visual controls they are my preferred method.

If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter.  You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts.  For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.

Lean Quote of the Day, April 2, 2010

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.

Feel free to share some of your favorites here as well.

“Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.”  - Orson Welles

The goal within a Visual Factory is to create a “status at a glance” in the workplace. This refers to an operating environment where anyone can enter the workplace and:
     See the current situation (Self-explaining)
     See the work process (Self-ordering)
     See if you are ahead, behind or on schedule (Self-regulating) and
     See when there is an abnormality (Self-improving)

This post entitled "You Won't Get Lean, Until You Get Visual" will remind you of the importance of creating a visual factory.  A visual factory is the language of the Lean production system.

If you enjoy this post you may want to connect with me on Linkedin or follow me on Twitter.  You can also subscribe to this feed or email to stay updated on all posts.  For those Facebook fans join A Lean Journey on our facebook fan page.

Expert Advice for Getting Things Done

While I was writing the post "3 steps to get things done" an interesting feed came through on productivity tips to add more time to your work day.  The article was published on the American Express Open Forum and entitled" 80 Ways to Steal Valuable Minutes for Your Work Day."  The author is Glen Stansberry, a web developer, writer and small business owner. He co-founded the popular blog network LifeRemix in 2007 and currently writes at LifeDev on empowering creative people.

Glen asked some of the top small business, productivity bloggers, and consultants to share some of their best tips on how they add more time to their days.  I thought I would share some I found particularly noteworthy.

Liz Strauss, Successful Blog

"Establish an early morning no interruption time. Use the first hour or two of work to work on things that require focus. You'll get more done. Email, phone calls, and interruptions have a way of expanding to fit the time we allow them."

Jonathan Fields, JonathanFields.com

"Batch & Focus - Multitasking kills time. Again, sounds counter-intuitive. But, every time you switch your attention, there's a cognitive ramp up time. It can range from a few seconds to a few minutes. So, if you constantly cycle between checking email, IM, twitter, texts, voicemail, calendars, blackberries, apps, scores, stock quotes, news, current projects and more, then respond to each, the time you lose to incessant ramp-up becomes substantial. Instead, minimize time lost to nonstop cognitive ramping by batching your time and focusing on individual categories of tasks with intense, yet discrete bursts of attention."  

"Call - We've become so accustomed to doing everything digitally, trading flurries of emails, IMs and texts, we sometimes forget that we can get the same thing done in a fraction of the time with one or two quick phone calls."

Dominic Basulto, Endless Innovation

"Use Evernote as a digital organizer - Finally get rid of all the scraps of paper, sticky notes and newspaper clippings that find their way into your bag, wallet or pocket. Using Evernote, you can snap photos of anything, take voice notes, clip text from the Web and then sort all of this content either online or using a mobile device. All of this multimedia content then has a home within Evernote, where you can easily search for content when you need it."  

Becky McCray, Small Biz Survival

"Use checklists. Make and use checklists of daily tasks. This saves you time in two ways: you will work more efficiently with a checklist in front of you, and you will spend less time trying to remember what still needs to be done. You can read more of my explanation of a social media marketing checklist here."

Rich Brooks, Flyte Blog

"Write up tomorrow's to-do's before I leave the office today. I find that if I have a clean lined paper (physical or digital) of the most important to-dos for the next day, I can hit the ground running when I get into work the next day."

Glen Stansberry, Wise Bread

Develop a routine to your day and stick with it. Routines give us a feeling of control over our day and help put us on "autopilot", keeping us from worrying about the little details of the day.

Start tracking your time with RescueTime. It really is an eye-opening experience. RescueTime will show you exactly where you're spending your time and how much. It shows you trends that you probably hadn't considered, like when you're most likely to visit Facebook. Knowing when you're vulnerable to distractions is incredibly valuable to your productivity.

All these tips may not work for you but I am sure you will find some advice in this article valuable.  Many of the resources from these industry leaders were new to me and you may find their sites helpful like I have. 

If someone was to ask you your secrets to productivity what would your share? Share your thoughts here or on this AME Linkedin Discussion Group.