Celebrating 300 Single Point Lessons!

My friends at Fuss & O'Neil are celebrating a milestone, their 300th Single Point Lesson.  John Kravontka and team have been sharing an accumulation of best practices learned by other manufacturers over the course of many years. I am happy that they are letting me share this with you.  Below is an excerpt from John Kravontka on SPLs:

An idea is a treasure. It can be killed very quickly by a negative comment, or it can be enhanced by a positive one.  To get ideas to begin to flow is a very difficult process. Working in teams seems to help idea generation. If someone comes up with a good idea in a small facility it is easy to spread it to another part of the facility or to a similar piece of equipment. If you have a large facility and/or multiple facilities it can be very difficult to spread a good idea, or a best practice. If you cannot spread them, everyone has to re-invent the wheel over and over again, and this can take a lot of time.  If we can capture an idea in words and pictures we can then spread it quickly from one place to another. If we categorize the ideas we can then search/find them more easily. We can take these good ideas or best practices and teach concepts with them.

This is what we (Fuss & O’Neill Manufacturing Solutions) do every day, teach safety, maintenance and reliability concepts with hands-on training/ideas. We put the best ones out there for everyone to look at, and hopefully utilize to make their company better… While we teach and train, we get our clients results, at the same time. In many instances the ROI for our work is measured in weeks and months..

As the TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) process hit the USA in the early 70’s a Single Point Lesson (SPL) or One Point Lesson (OPL) was a way to train an Operator to perform an Operator based task on a piece of equipment to help maintain that equipment, or to keep it from deteriorating. It focused on a “Single Point” or idea and by using many pictures (visuals) it quickly got the point across about what the Operator needed to accomplish. It also created Standard Work around that task. At that time a major thrust of TPM was to have the Operator perform simple maintenance tasks (transfer from Maintenance) so that the Maintenance Technician could then do more work or different work. As the TPM process matured here in the USA, the SPL’s also began to change. They started to become more of a way to document a great idea, normally a Maintenance idea that would help improve the Safety of the equipment or keep a piece of equipment clean (documenting a Countermeasure), or improve the access to the equipment (make it easier to maintain), etc.

You can use these SPL’s or OPL’s in many ways:

•       As a tool box meeting for Maintenance Technicians, starting off each day, or weekly to talk about safety, new ideas, thoughts and the sharing of best practices

•       As a weekly bulletin board of best practice ideas

•       As an intranet site to hold and categorize best practices

•       To categorize them for use during; TPM events, SMED events, RCM and 5’S events, to begin to generate and stimulate some team ideas

•       From a corporate viewpoint, as a way to spread Maintenance and safety best practices across multiple facilities in the USA and across the world. Why should each facility have to re-invent their own wheel over and over when they can plug into other “wheels”

•       Run contests for the most, the best, the cheapest idea

•       As a way to promote Maintenance and the “status” of Maintenance in a facility

•       As a way to train operators on ideas for Daily Operator PM’s for equipment and visuals that they can add. Help operators to “see” the invisible, so they can begin to see minor defects, etc. on their own equipment that they run each day

•       As a way to elevate the function of Maintenance across the country

•       As a way to capture the “Intellectual Capital” of your employees and to spread to future employees

•       As a way to help change a culture or mindset in an facility

•       As a way to train new employees

•       As a way to create standard work

You can see more SPLs at http://www.fando.com/tpm-single-point-lessons/

Lean Quote: Make Work Fun

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.

"You can’t accomplish anything unless you have some fun." — Charles Knight, Emerson Electric

Don't let the pressures of business bring down your employees. If your employees aren't having fun, they're probably not performing at their highest level. It's time to inject fun back into your company's culture.

Getting energized about work usually results from a couple things. Primarily if a work culture is fun to be in, it’s a place you look forward to going because the people (and leadership) are authentic, caring and fun. And teams that are energized with what they are doing get excited by the opportunities that a day may bring.

It is time managers learned how to create an atmosphere that is challenging, creative and fun for employees as well as for themselves. A good manager knows how to have a good balance between being professional at work and having fun in the process.

Remember that employees create fun in the workplace, not managers. It’s a manager’s job to orchestrate fun activities (and not get in the way of them).

 

Daily Lean Tips Edition #67 (1006-1020)

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 #1006 - Be Honest About Mistakes.

A manager sets the tone for her team. If she admits mistakes and expects her team members to call her out when she violates team norms, then she will set a powerful example for accountability.

Lean Tip #1007 - Empower Your Employees to Make the Right or Wrong Choices.

If all companies operated on this principle, I personally think that people would be a whole lot happier at work! There should be no penalty for making a mistake and precisely for that reason, each and everyone on the team thinks about our decisions and its impact. Even if we make a mistake, management should never makes us feel bad about it – ever!

Lean Tip #1008 - Listen to and Value Your Employees

Don’t focus on the overall corporate value and benefit when communicating collaboration to employees.  Employees care about how this will impact them on an individual basis.  How will this make their jobs and lives easier?

We are always so adamant about listening to the voice of the customer, yet we should also consider the voice of the employee. When going down the collaboration road within your enterprise it’s important to make employees a part of the decision making process from step one.  Listen to their ideas, their needs, and their suggestions and integrate their feedback in your technology and strategy.

Lean Tip #1009 – Collaboration Means You Must Adapt and Evolve

It’s important to remember that collaboration is perpetual.  It’s a never ending evolution as new tools and strategies for the workplace continue to emerge.  This means that it’s important for your organization to be able to adapt and evolve as things change.  Keep a pulse on what’s going on in the industry and inside of your organization.  This will allow you to innovate and anticipate.

Lean Tip #1010 - Create a Supportive Environment For Collaboration

If your organization focuses on rewarding employees for individual performance as the main driver of success then it will become quite hard to encourage employees to share and communicate with each other.  Why would they want to?

There is nothing wrong with rewarding employees for great performance but it’s also crucial to reward teamwork.  For example, organizations can make a percentage of an employee’s bonus tied to how well they collaborate with their co-workers.  A supportive environment also means having training and education resources available for employees as well as evangelists within the organization.

Lean Tip #1011 - Focus on the Positive.

Regardless of what we are doing, there are usually some positive aspects to it. If the results are the most positive aspect of your task at hand, then focus on results. If someone’s life will be better because of your efforts, focus on that. You will get a lot more enjoyment out of your work when you choose to focus on the positive aspects of everything you do.

Lean Tip #1012 - Don’t Over Think Things.

If we spend too much time dwelling on something rather than just doing it, we can easily make a big deal out of nothing. Taking action has a way of smoothing out bumps in the road, but procrastination tends to make them worse. The sooner we get moving, the less time we will have for over thinking every little detail.

Lean Tip #1013 - Always Do Your Best.

Work can easily become a chore when you don’t care enough to do your best. There is a certain sense of satisfaction that only comes from a job well done. If you just show up and do as little as possible, you will never really enjoy your work because there won’t be any sense of satisfaction attached to it. Avoidance makes work feel less enjoyable, not more!

Lean Tip #1014 - Set High Standards for Yourself.

You should live and work by the highest possible standards. Don’t give in to the temptation to lower your standards to match the lazy goof offs who think they are getting away with something. The work you do is a reflection of your character and sense of self-worth. Living and working in a way that supports your highest standards will give you sound reasons to feel really good about yourself.

Lean Tip #1015 - Focus on What Matters.

Because our minds are constantly pulling us in different directions, it is easy to lose sight of what really matters. The only way to get the truly important things done is to be ruthless at removing and ignoring distractions. There is no shortage of valueless busy work that can easily rob us of our time and energy. Don’t let that happen to you. Work is much more enjoyable when we focus on the things that really matter.

Lean Tip #1016 - Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager

Motivating a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.

Lean Tip #1017 - Be a Motivator to Get the Most From People

Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant. However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of it.

It's no different at work, people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get paid. They work really hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them for doing what you want them to do.

Lean Tip #1018 - Start Each Day Reviewing Recent Successes, Critical Goals, and Possible Roadblocks as a Team.

Have quick daily huddle meetings to review recent projects, celebrate successes, review upcoming goals, and uncover possible issues. These meetings should last no longer than a few minutes and should focus on the most tactical, pressing issues of the day.

Lean Tip #1019 - Lead Your Workforce From the Gemba.

In order to build trust, leaders must connect with their workforce. That means getting out of the offices and conference rooms and walking the floor. Stop by employees’ cubicles, take a seat, and see what they’re working on. Go to the Gemba (place) where the work is done.

Lean Tip #1020 - Show Employees Why Their Work Matters.

Even employees who are passionate about their jobs can lose sight of the bigger picture if they can’t see how their work impacts the company. To help boost morale, introduce them to some of the customer their work impacts. This will show them the results of their projects and provide a valuable opportunity to receive feedback from the customer. Positive reinforcement from the customer can make employees feel more connected to their work by giving them a sense of pride and ownership. It also provides greater incentive to perform well, boosts confidence in their work, and increases overall job satisfaction.

Happy Labor Day Worker!

For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. However, Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States and Canada since 1894.

Labor Day, an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters. In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. 

Labor Day celebrations have come a long way since the turn of the century. It’s not so much an honoring of the workers anymore. It’s just an opportunity to get off work, and celebrate the end of summer (if that’s something to celebrate). Many people see the Labor Day weekend as merely an opportunity for a last summer fling. And whether they celebrate it playing golf, going camping or fishing, having a backyard steak barbeque, or attending a picnic in the park or at the beach, the true original meaning of Labor Day seems, for the most part, to have become lost in the enjoyment of the moment.

It’s a good thing to enjoy your last summer holiday. But it’s also a good thing to respect and honor those who didn’t have the favorable working conditions we have now. It’s a good thing to remember those who fought very hard for workers’ rights. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate the social and economic achievements of America’s workers. Labor Day celebrates us all — our achievements and contributions to the strength, prosperity, and safety of our nation.

Lean Quote: Walk In Our Shoes

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.

"The best way to understand your customer is to become you customer and walk a mile in his shoes." — Ian D. Littman

As management guru Peter Drucker said, “The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer.” Empathy is an important component of keeping a customer.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another’s shoes and walk a mile.  It’s the ability to imagine what it might be like to experience and relate to the thoughts, emotions, and experience of the other person. Empathy is more than simple sympathy, which is being able to understand and support others with compassion or sensitivity.

Customers want to feel that we understand and appreciate their circumstances without criticism or judgment. Customers have simple expectations that we who serve them can put ourselves in their shoes, understanding what it is they came to us for in the first place.

The action of empathy, walking a mile in the shoes of your customers, allows you to connect, establish rapport and create a trusting relationship. Once the customer realizes that you are on their side, they are more willing to work with you to fix the problem, or will allow you the time to resolve the issue. And they will stay with you and tell their friends about you. They will grow your business.

Build a culture of empathy. Empathy is an essential component of caring about your customers, your employees, and your company, and its absence signals larger problems in organizational culture. Empathy can’t be plastered on like a fake smile, but it can be cultivated from within.

 

Jim Carrey on Fear, Failure, and Doing What You Love

In a recent commencement address at the Maharishi University of Management, actor and comedian Jim Carrey spoke about failure, fear, and why you should pursue something that you love.

Fear of unknown, consequent failure and complacency are some of the major reasons for resisting change. There are some people out there who have no fear of the unknown, and who can simply decide logically what they want to do and do it, but for the rest of us, we have to make the unfamiliar feel familiar. 

Fear of failure is a genuinely scary thing for many people, and often the reason that individuals do not attempt the things they would like to accomplish. But the only true failure is failure to make the attempt. If you don't try, you gain nothing, and life is too short a thing to waste.

Find happiness in your job.To be effective, you have to be happy doing what you are doing. If your job is to stressful, boss is giving you a hard time or you are not happy, quit. Yes, quit that job and find one you really can enjoy. This will boost your creativity, productivity and joy.

I have always enjoyed Jim Carrey's comedy and movies, but I am really impressed with his insights in this speech.

So many of us chose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect so we never dare to ask the universe for it. I'm saying: I'm the proof that you can ask the universe for it.

My father could have been a great comedian but he didn't believe that was possible for him. So he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant and when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job and our family had to do whatever we could to survive.

I learned many great lessons from my father. Not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.

Lean Quote: Disney - Courage is Necessary to Make Our Dreams Come True

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.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." — Walt Disney

Today, mark my last day of vacation in Disney with the family where dreams really do come true. I want to share another of my favorite quotes from Walt Disney regarding big dreams and having the courage to see them through. 

When things are difficult, unknown, and perhaps unattainable we may turn the other direction. We must find the inner strength to overcome these perceived barriers. History has proven time after time that the power of a thought is the beginning for actions that will alter the future positively. Understanding this, and having the courage to keep going even in the face of all obstacles, allows us to accomplish anything we want. 

Recognizing these truths about courage will assist you in overcoming any challenge that you face:

1. Courage Begins with an Inward Battle - Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's doing what you are afraid to do. It's having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory.

2. Courage Is Making Things Right, Not Just Smoothing Them Over - Courage deals with principle, not perception. It's knowing when to stand up and having the conviction to do so.

3. Courage in a Leader Inspires Commitment from Followers - A show of courage by any person encourages others. But a show of courage by a leader inspires. It makes people want to follow them.

4. Your Life Expands in Proportion to Your Courage - Fear limits a leader. But courage has the opposite effect. Courage not only gives you a good beginning, but it also provides a better future.

Courage means trusting yourself to overcome your fears and doing what you are afraid to do. Courage increases conviction and inspires others to confront their fears. 

Walt Disney embodied his quote by dreaming big and being courageous despite the challenges and skeptics. Without his courage to dream and execute we would not have the institution that has become Disney. 

It takes courage to begin the journey towards our dreams and to see them through to success.