Priorities Matter When Changing Culture

Many change cultures fail to achieve results simply because they try to do everything at once. A “can do” culture makes progress one step at a time and develops the ability to prioritize the order of these steps. Strategic priorities position the organization to achieve its goals. Only a few priorities should be central to all areas of the organization.

When your organization is undergoing change, consider altering its priorities. Changing priorities is a significant change, but it does not tamper with the personality or character of the organization, as long as any new priorities are aligned with its purpose and the philosophy.

Prioritizing is not an easy task. There seldom is an absolute right or wrong decision, but rather several options with advantages and disadvantages. Like many soft skills, it can be taught or grown through champions within the culture who have the training or natural abilities.

The ability to prioritize enables the ability to focus, but they are not completely identical. Once the priority is set, every member of the culture needs to be informed and directed toward the specific goal to achieve the focus necessary for meaningful improvement. Again, working on too much at once is the enemy of focus. The elephant must be divided into bite-sized pieces and everyone needs to be focused on the same bite at the same time.

From the individual perspective, focus is about concentrating attention. From an organizational perspective, focus is about centralizing the attention of the group through communication and collective problem solving. These abilities can be taught, but they often are more a matter of learning by doing rather than of formal education or training.

Strategic priorities are the values that guide how the purpose and the philosophy of the organization are put into practice. Priorities matter especially when changing the culture.

A Healthy Lean Road is Paved with Exercise

Lean is a journey that never ends. There will always be a gap between where you are (current state) and where you would like to be (True North). Since there will always be a gap, there will always be an opportunity to improve. Walking the path on a Lean journey can be an overwhelming experience.

A Lean journey is full of steps not all of which are forward. Failure will occur. Its ok, the purpose is learning, and we learn through experimentation. Trying new approaches, exploring new methods and testing new ideas for improving the various processes is exercise for the mind.

Lean grew out of years of practice and experimentation at Toyota. No matter how much better they are than their competition, they continue to find more and more opportunities to improve each and every year. Lean involves the creation and implementation of continuous experiments to improve your strategies over time. This means experimenting with every process every day to get it right. We learn problem solving through hands-on improvement experiments. In Toyota and in lean thinking, the idea is to repeat cycles of improvement experiments forever.

So leaders must create a culture that puts failure in its proper place: a useful tool for learning, and a natural part of iterative experimentation. Management must avoid the temptation to harshly judge unsuccessful ideas. A leader who allows for experimentation sends a clear signal that personnel are encouraged to find better methods and products.

Organizations embarking on a Lean journey should follow a disciplined process of systematic exploration and controlled experimentation. Kaizen is the process which determines whether processes resulted in improvements. It refers to an on-going activity by all people (including managers) to relentlessly and incrementally change and improve practices in small experiments.

The road to continual improvement is a rocky one with many ups and downs. Value the incremental improvement approach to continuous improvement. Through simple, common-sense, and low cost experimentation a great deal of process improvements can be made. Experimentation is the exercise of a healthy Lean journey. Understanding this allows one the opportunity to begin the journey.

New Sponsor: OpenCollege - E-learning Content Library

I am pleased to announce a new sponsor from OpenCollege on A Lean Journey Blog. OpenCollege e-Learning Content Library is the ultimate resource for the Internet-based education of the future. It provides online course developers, teachers, and students with access to more than 700 interactive learning models covering the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Algebra, Calculus, Geometry, Astronomy, Physics, Economics, and many more.

OpenCollege was launched in 1993, when OpenTeach Software  joined efforts with faculty members of several European universities to create an interactive educational system. Today, OpenCollege is a comprehensive online library with a convenient Web-based interface and a full capacity to support online learning.

So if you are looking for a resource to supplement your learning in these areas then I would try OpenCollege. Refer to their catalog for a complete listing of all the content in the library.

Lean Quote: Defining the Problem

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.

"We need to first define the problem. Albert Einstein once said: “If I had an hour to save the world I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute finding solutions” And I find in most organizations people are running around spending sixty minutes finding solutions to problems that don’t matter." — Stephen Shapiro

The problem statement is a clear and concise statement that describes the symptoms of the problem to be addressed. Defining the problem statement provides three benefits for the team:

• creates a sense of ownership for the team
• focuses the team on an accepted problem
• describes the symptoms in measurable terms

The following four guidelines are effective in creating a problem statement that is clear and concise:

• Define the problem - In the problem statement, team members define the problem in specific terms. They present facts such as the product type and the error made.
• Identify where the problem is appearing - Identifying where the problem is appearing, or manifesting, as specifically as possible helps the team focus its improvement efforts.
• Describe the size of the problem - The size of the problem is described in measurable terms.
• Describe the impact the problem is having on the organization - The description of the problem's impact on the organization should be as specific as possible.

The truth of the matter is that the more specific the statement, the better the chance the team has of solving the problem. Accurate problem statements save time and effort by focusing the team on root cause identification.

Save you Inbox with 5S for Email

Email has become an all too convenient way to communicate. Some much so for many of us that our inboxes are overflowing with new messages. There have been hundreds of productivity related strategies written about for dealing with email. I have even shared some of those myself. There must be a better way.

In Lean manufacturing we utilize 5s to improve the workplace organization. 5s is a systematic method of identifying, organizing, cleaning, maintaining, and improving your workspace. It is often referred to as the foundation or building block of a Lean transformation and aims to create a structured and disciplined approach to continuous improvement.

In this post I am going to show you how you can use these same concepts that you use to manage your workspace to save your inbox.

Step 1: Sort
First things first, it’s time to get rid of all of the messages that are old and obsolete. Be aggressive in this step. Don’t keep messages that you know will never be returned. If there are attachments that need to be saved or printed, do so now. Get rid of as much as you can.

Step 2: Set-in order
Straighten the inbox, as in "a place for everything and everything in its place." Find a place for all of your e-mails. The easiest and most obvious way is to create folders based on tasks or other buckets of work where emails can be neatly filed for future use. Put e-mails you need to act on in the proper folder. The goal is to remove as much from your inbox as possible.

Step 3: Shine
Since we’re talking about computer applications, there really isn’t the necessary cleaning activities that would be required in a physical workspace. Shine in 5S is cleaning to prevent future cleaning. E-mail 5S shine is to get rid of e-mails and prevent them coming back. Block spammers who make it into your inbox to prevent repeat offenders. Unsubscribe to newsgroups or other e-mail marketing rather than deleting them. Don’t reply to informational e-mails with "Thanks" and certainly don't CC everyone.

Step 4: Standardize
Standardize how you handle e-mail. This step is critically important as you will need to set rules for yourself to keep your e-mail account clean. Some rules you may consider:

• Set a maximum number of e-mails in your inbox and once that number is exceeded, complete another sorting and sifting cycle. 
• Check e-mail at certain times of day rather than playing whack-a-mole with every new "you've got mail".
• Spend a set amount of time on e-mail checking.
• Agree to limit who is Carbon Copied (CC) so that extra inbox material is not created.

The key is to set rules for yourself to keep things organized.

Step 5: Sustain
The final step in the process is setting up a quick audit process to make certain your rules are being followed and your account is staying in good shape. In the beginning, this audit may need to be more frequent to force the discipline to adhere. Overtime, it will become a learned way of working and you will be the envy of all your coworkers.

By applying 5S, the management of emails can be simplified and restructured. This will enable you to add value to your day and minimize the time spent on dealing with emails. You will no longer look at your e-mail workspace with dread and you will be far more responsive in replying to other’s requests. At the very least, this exercise is a great way to apply one of the cornerstone Lean tools to the knowledge world. Give it a try.

Be Happy, Go The F**K Home

A work/life balance is often something that is talked about but sometimes difficult to find.  Pam Selle recently gave a talk at Ignite Philly on this topic called "Go the F**k Home." This is a little diversion from Lean thinking but an important aspect of respect for people in the workplace.  The language might be a little too graphic for some workplaces but nonetheless entertaining.



Here are a couple key points from Pam's talk:

• Time is money. When you work extra hours, you're earning less money for your time.
• Get off Facebook and get your work done while you're at work.
• More time at work does not mean more productivity.
• If you can't name two things you're doing outside of work, you don't have a life.
• Be an example for your team, especially if you are a manager. Go home so they can go home.

So what do you think does Pam have a point?

Daily Lean Tips Edition #29

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

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

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

Lean Tip #421 - Many Small Wins, Rather than the Occasional Big Win

Regular uninterrupted activity is required of all people in the organization. Small wins keep up the enthusiasm and reinforce habit.

Lean Tip #422 - Plan for 10% Improvement Time

Improvement doesn’t happen by accident.
Must have projects ready for unplanned opportunities to react.
Improvement time is invested, not spent.

Lean Tip #423 – Make Failure OK!

Everyone fails from time to time.
Do you punish or treat it as part of learning?
Failure can not be avoided. It is necessary learning that must occur.

Lean Tip #424 - Don’t Harvest (All of Your) Gains

Don’t eat your seed corn.
Put some gains in reserve to make future improvements.
10% of time should be spent on improvement efforts.

Lean Tip #425 – Put an emphasis on teams

In the US we love heroes.
Teams are greater than the sum of the individual parts.
Teams need to be mentored and developed.

Lean Tip #426 - Standardize Your Systems

Create a foundation for success.
• 5S
• Process documentation
• Operations reviews
• Daily management
• Stand-up meetings

Lean Tip #427 - Measure the Performance of Your Processes

It is true you get what you measure.
Performance measures need to be aligned with what you want to achieve.
Use them to drive good behaviors.
Think long term.

Lean Tip #428 - Reward Success if You Want More of It

Teams should know they are appreciated.
• Financial: bonuses, raises, promotions, commissions
• Non-financial: parking spaces, days off, free lunch
• Recognition
Must be linked to actions to get better. (No magical improvements.)

Lean Tip #429 – Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Going to the Gemba

Go see for yourself at the place where the work is done.
Going to the Gemba gets the entire team involved in identifying and solving problems.
It is grounded in fact finding using actual conditions from the actual workers who perform the work.

Lean Tip #430 – Develop Your People

Encourage and foster learning and teaching at all levels.
Build knowledge in problem solving thinking and countermeasures.
Encourage continuous improvement.

Lean Tip #431 – Commit to the Long Haul

Focus on education.
Mistakes are OK during learning process.
Small changes every day.
Everyone participates.
You are never done.

Lean Tip #432 – Leadership is Responsible for the Vision and Strategy

Leaders must create the vision, then energize and enable the organization to achieve it.
Strategy makes decision making clear and consistent.
An integrated strategy helps develop and strengthen interfaces amongst other teams.

Lean Tip #433 – Build Competency Through Training

Deploying Lean is not for amateurs.
Lean experts provide mentoring and support throughout your Lean deployment.
Identify both current skills and forecasted requirements.
Fill the skills gap with comprehensive training.

Lean Tip #434 - Effective teams use a set of values that encourage listening and responding constructively to views expressed by others.

Highly performing and effective teams use a set of values that encourage listening and responding constructively to views expressed by others, giving others the benefit of the doubt, providing support, and recognizing the interests and achievements of others.

Lean Tip #435 - Establish linkages with supplier and customer base.

Inventory turns is an established measure. It is useful to turn this measure into three measures – one for each of raw material, work in progress, and finished goods. Because WIP is fully under your own control where as raw materials and finished goods are not fully under your own control.