Lean Quote: All Our Dreams Can Come True, If We Have The Courage To Pursue Them

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

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 absense 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 terrritory.

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 ispires. 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 beginnig, 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 courage to see them through.

Reprise: Walt Disney, The Lean Thinker

I'll be on vacation for the next few weeks.  We are visiting Disney World so I thought I's share so posts to commemorate the trip.  

One of the most successful people that we all know and love is none other than Walt Disney. Walt Disney is the famous voice and creator of Mickey Mouse and the founder of Disneyland. The Father of Mickey Mouse was a Lean Thinker before Lean became well known.

Here are five valuable lessons of competition, the impossible, bias for action, curiosity, and improvement that demonstrate Disney was a Lean Thinker

Competition is Good

“I have been up against tough competition all my life. I wouldn’t know how to get along without it.”

Competition makes you stronger, it makes you better, it keeps you on your toes. Never shrink away from competition; never fail to see the value of competition. Your competitors can provide you with more value than your friends. Learn from the competition, and you will grow.

It’s critical that you embrace competition as well as adversity, Walt Disney said, “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles have strengthened me… You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

Do the Impossible

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Life is too short to spend it doing the possible. Learn to pursue the impossible, pursue what others say can’t be done, pursue what has never been done before, pursue your dreams, and turn them into a reality.

You must believe in the beauty of your dreams. Walt said, “When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.” If you’re going to believe, you might as well believe all the way.

Action Always Trumps Inaction

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

I always say that “well done” is better than “well said,” so quit talking and start doing! Quit planning and start practicing; a plan is good, a good plan is even better, but if that plan doesn't get put into action it’s as useless as a four fingered glove. Learn to get into action, start today, whatever you've been postponing …just do it. If you wait for the perfect time, you’ll never accomplish anything.

Curiosity Brings New Solutions

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

I don’t believe in shortcuts because they take too long.

But if there ever was a shortcut, it’s asking for advice from people who are further down the path to you. Find others who do what you want to do, and seek support from them. Let their past mistakes and failures guide you towards your dream.

If the thought of reaching out scares you, remember that they are a lot like you. At some stage, they've also asked for help on what to do next. Don’t be afraid. Be nice and show them respect. It works.

Get Better Daily

“Whenever I go on a ride, I’m always thinking of what’s wrong with the thing and how it can be improved.”

Every day you should become a little better than you were the day before. If you can become one percent better daily, you can recreate your life every 100 days. Learn to get better daily; look for ways to improve, to be kinder, more intelligent, and more helpful.

Disney’s work continues to inspire us and his world-famous cartoons live on. But some of Disney’s best lessons are about how he approached life with an endless dose of curiosity and determination to entertain and awaken the child within us.

Wouldn't you say these are the mark of a Lean leader? Do you think Walt Disney demonstrated such?

Lean Tips Edition #99 (Tips #1486 - 1500)

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 #1486 – Reduce Downtime by Focusing on the Constraint

Every manufacturing process has a constraint, which is the fulcrum (i.e., point of leverage) for the entire process. Measure downtime at the constraint and improve the constraint to ensure that resources are focused where they will have the strongest impact on throughput and profitability.

Lean Tip #1487 - Select Metrics to Drive Desired Behaviors

Metrics that are emphasized and shared are very powerful drivers of behavior. Treat downtime as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) and continually reinforce its importance. People love an opportunity to win, so set SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Specific) and reward success, even if it's by simple recognition.

Lean Tip #1488 - Make Down Time Visual

Provide clear visuals to indicate when the line is down, and escalate those visuals if the line remains down for an extended period of time. Train team members to react quickly, and provide multiple levels of escalation response (e.g., operator, supervisor, manager). The goal is to prevent small issues from becoming large incidents.

Lean Tip #1489 – Engage Employees in Improvement Initiatives

Engaging employees is important for both short-term and long-term success of initiatives. A powerful technique for engaging employees is creating a shared vision of the future “improved” state of the company – and clearly outlining how it will benefit employees. This will create a strong, broad-ranging motivation to succeed. Another powerful technique is recognizing and rewarding desired behavior. In the context of TPM, this may include providing a monthly rotating trophy for the Best 5S Area or awarding gift certificates each month for the Biggest Kaizen Improvement.

Lean Tip #1490 – Provide Active Leadership

Providing active leadership is one of the primary responsibilities of senior management (up to and including the Plant Manager). It means regularly demonstrating the importance of Lean activities through words and actions. Active leadership combats the natural tendency of employees to drift back into old patterns of behavior and old ways of working. It continually feeds new energy into the initiative, which over time is absorbed by employees in the form of new engrained behaviors.

Lean Tip #1491 - Leaders Lead by Example.

Leaders need to show, not just tell. If you want your employees to be punctual, make sure you’re there on time -- or even early. If professionalism is a priority, make sure you’re dressed for success, and treat everyone you interact with (both in-person and online) with courtesy. Set the tone and your employees will follow it.

Lean Tip #1492 - A little Humility Goes a Long Way.

There’s a difference between a leader and a boss. While both are in charge, a leader shares the spotlight and is comfortable crediting others. While it might seem counterintuitive, being humble takes more confidence than basking in glory. Your employees will appreciate it, and your clients will, too.

Lean Tip #1493 – Leaders Communicate Effectively.

Effective communication is imperative, both in the office and in life. Great leaders make sure they are heard and understood, but they also know the importance of listening. Communication is a two-way street, and making the most of it will have your company zooming forward instead of pumping the breaks.

Lean Tip #1494 - Keep Meetings Productive.

As the saying goes, time is money. So, of course, you should want to limit tangents and other time wasters during meetings. If you trust your team to do their job, there should be no need for micromanaging, and meetings can run swiftly.

Lean Tip #1495 – Leaders Know Their Limits.

Even the kindest, most caring leader has limits. Set your boundaries and stick to them. Knowing what you will not tolerate can save everyone in the office a lot of frustration, and keeping boundaries clear means there’s no confusion.

Lean Tip #1496- Find a Mentor.

No man is an island, as they say. The best leaders out there know when they need help, and they know where to turn to in order to get it. Nobody can know everything, so finding someone you trust for advice when things get tough can make all of the difference.

Lean Tip #1497 – Leaders Learn From the Past.

To once again quote an adage, those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. History, recent and otherwise, is filled with examples of successful business models and spectacular business failures. Think about what the people you admire do well, and consider what went wrong for those who end their careers mired in scandal or disgrace. Lessons can be found everywhere.

Lean Tip #1498 – Leaders Never Stop Improving.

Great leaders -- indeed, great people -- are constantly learning and always trying to improve themselves. There’s always something that you can work on or a new skill to master. Be sure to keep your mind open to new ideas and possibilities.

Lean Tip #1499 – Leaders Recognize Their Staff

If you don’t appreciate your staff, they will leave. The U.S. Department of Labor says that the number one reason people leave their jobs is because they “don’t feel appreciated.” Most people receive very little workplace recognition in a given year so it’s vital that you recognize and reward your employees for their efforts at work.

Lean Tip #1500 – Challenge People to Think

The most successful leaders understand their colleagues’ mindsets, capabilities and areas for improvement.  They use this knowledge/insight to challenge their teams to think and stretch them to reach for more.   These types of leaders excel in keeping their people on their toes, never allowing them to get comfortable and enabling them with the tools to grow.

If you are not thinking, you’re not learning new things.  If you’re not learning, you’re not growing – and over time becoming irrelevant in your work.

Lean Quote: Address the Root Cause

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.

"When solving problems, dig at the roots instead of just hacking at the leaves." — Anthony J. D’Angelo

One critical factor on which the success of a problem solving rests is whether the analysis of the problem treats the root cause of the issue or the symptoms. Treating the root cause allows for the successful resolution of the problem and a permanent fix, whereas addressing the symptoms means that the root cause remains and will manifest itself later.

A successful root cause analysis must ask the question "WHY" the process or product is defective and proceed from there to try to find answers. Repeatedly stressing the "Why" after each answer allows you to peel away the layers of symptoms, eventually leading to the root cause of a problem. 

Another simple and effective method of defining a problem is a series of questions using the five W’s and one H approach (5W1H: who, what, where, when, why, how).

Who - Who does the problem affect? Specific groups, organizations, customers, etc.
What - What are the boundaries of the problem, e.g. organizational, work flow, geographic, customer, segments, etc. - What is the issue? - What is the impact of the issue? - What impact is the issue causing? - What will happen when it is fixed? - What would happen if we didn’t solve the problem?
When - When does the issue occur? - When does it need to be fixed?
Where - Where is the issue occurring? Only in certain locations, processes, products, etc.
Why - Why is it important that we fix the problem? - What impact does it have on the business or customer? - What impact does it have on all stakeholders, e.g. employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders, etc.
How - How many parts are involved? How are you going to solve the problem? Using what method or techniques?

Each of these answers will help to zero in on the specific issue(s) and define the problem statement. Your problem statement should be solvable. That is, it should take a reasonable amount of time to formulate, try and deploy a potential solution.

 

Recognition: Best Leadership Communication Posts

Communication skills within an organization are vitally important to their success. Marci Reynolds of The Operations Blog recently published a list of the 10 Best Leadership Communication Posts from 2016.  A Lean Journey's post Communication is the Glue made the top of the list. 

Leadership Communication: Image by by Stuart Miles, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

From Marci:

I believe that top notch communication skills are THE most important set of skills that any leader, at any level needs to possess and consistently hone. This includes verbal, written and virtual communication, across multiple mediums.

I recently pulled together 10 of the better leadership communication articles from the first half of 2016. Please add any that I may have missed to the comments section. I hope that you find them helpful and thought provoking.

1. Communication is the glue by Tim McMahon, A Lean Journey blog
2. 5 tips for improving leadership communication by Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com
3. Communication, the most important key to leadership success by Steve Hashem, Thayer Leader Development
4. 4 do’s and don’ts of speaking to senior executives by Annet Grant, BizJournals
5. Making changes? Communicate first by Chad Brook
6. Employee communications & digital integrations, By Daniel Hebert, PostBeyonds
7. Millennials are shaking up workplace communication, By Sarah White, CIO.com
8. 4 ways to make workplace email a thing of the past, By Heather Human, Entrepreneur.com
9. 10 smart questions that challenge the drift toward irrelevance, By Dan Rockwell, Leadership Freak Blog
10. How words affect your work, By Dianne Booher, Booher Research

Here is a bit from that post:

On Fridays I 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.

"Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want." — Dianne Feinstein

Communication is the glue that binds an organization together but do not assume that several announcements and a note on the notice board is sufficient to get the story out. Some say to communicate seven times and seven ways but that does not mean seven months apart. Develop and implement a robust communication plan and check to see if the total target audience has received the unfiltered message. If you want to know if your message is getting out clearly why not ask the most obscure person on the night shift if he or she heard the message? The day shift is easy but how about the rest of the folks?

Open communication is at the center of Lean and Respect for People. Employees need to know what is expected of them and how they’re performing. Visual displays such as scoreboards, scheduling charts, team communication boards, and recognition displays all help to keep information flowing between employees, departments and upper management.

Communication is a key ingredient for empowerment. Give every employee equal and direct access to information. Many companies have developed a trickle-down style of communication that alienates those employees who may not be "in the loop." The more informed employees are and the more communication is open, honest, direct and complete, the more likely employees are to feel empowered and connected to the daily operations and overall goals of their company.


I am humbled and honored that Marci recognized my post on communication in her top 10 list. Communication makes all the difference in this world which is why I do this, blog.  I find great joy in sharing my thoughts and experiences with others. In return I have learned more than I could have imagined and me some of the most amazing people. 

Seven Best Poka-Yoke Devices

Generally the most effective way to achieve quality is to avoid having defects in the first place. It is much less costly to prevent a problem from ever happening than it is to find and correct the problem after it has occurred. Focusing on prevention activities whose purpose is to reduce the number of defects is better. The idea is to have processes and procedures in place that reduce or eliminate mistakes.

Mistake Proofing is about adding controls to prevent defects, reduce their severity, and detect them if they can occur. The concept was first put to widespread use by Shigeo Shingo within the Toyota Production System (TPS).

The main aim of mistake proofing is:

PREVENT a defect from occurring and when this is not possible, DETECT the defect every time one occurs.

Defects found in later operations or steps of a process have more costs associated with them. There are more materials, labor, overhead, previously reworked product that are at risk. Ultimately if the product gets to the customer as a defect, the intangibles, such as reputation, can exceed the tangible cost.

Poka-yoke devices could be characterized by effectiveness:

GOOD: Detect defect before proceeding to next step.

BETTER: Detects defects while in process at an operation.

BEST: Prevent defects from occurring at all.

The 7 best poka-yoke devices are:

1. Guide Pins

Guide pins of different sizes and/or shapes and placed in the proper locations ensure that parts are being assembled correctly by providing the operator feedback when a mistake has been made. Guide pins can also be used to ensure proper positioning of the part.

Applications

• Proper alignment of a work piece
• Proper orientation of a work piece

Features

• Easy to develop & implement
• May be the result of DFA and DFM activities

Human Error Prevention

• Wrong order, incorrect selection, incorrect positioning, incorrect orientation

2. Error Detection & Alarms

In general, an error detection device can provide a visual alarm such as a flashing light or an audible alarm such as a horn or siren.

These devices signal that a problem is either about to occur or has just happened. With a warning effect, the response is not automatic; someone has to take action.

Application

• The signal must be triggered by something in the process, usually a sensor.

Features

• For audible warnings, there are sirens, horns, bells, and even voice synthesizers.
• For visual alarms, there are lights that flash, rotate, strobe, or just light up.

Warning: If you do use these warnings, the audible or visual signal must stand out from background noise and lights. If audible alarms are used, be careful not to exceed noise standards.

Be careful of “alarm silence buttons.” It is easy to silence the alarm and then forget to take action. Operators need thorough training on how to react to warnings.

3. Limit Switches

Limit switches are electro-mechanical devices that are activated or deactivated when an object comes in contact with them. They are used to detect the presence or absence of an object.

Applications

• Proper positioning of safety devices
• Detection presence or absence of an object
• Positioning of a work piece

Features

• Requires physical contact

Human Error Prevention

• Omission, excessive/insufficient repetition, incorrect selection, incorrect counting, incorrect positioning, incorrect orientation

4. Sensors

A. Proximity Sensors

Proximity sensors emit a high-frequency magnetic field and detect an upset in the field when an object enters it. They can be used to detect the presence or absence of an object.

Applications

• Sensing of tank or bin level
• Confirmation of part or object passes by
• Detection presence or absence of object
• Positioning of work piece

Features

• Non-contact
• Work in harsh environments
• Small sensors are available for installation in tight areas
• Fast response speed

Human Error Prevention

• Omission, excessive/insufficient repetition, incorrect selection, incorrect counting, incorrect positioning, incorrect orientation

B. Laser Displacement Sensors

Laser displacement sensors focus a semiconductor laser beam on a target and use the reflectance of the beam off the target to determine the presence of a target and distance to it.

Applications

• Measuring distance
• Detection of presence or absence of a feature
• Confirmation of part or object passes by
• Positioning of work piece

Features

• Non-contact
• Works in harsh environments
• Some devices can achieve measurement precision down to 0.004 mils (0.1 um)

Human Error Prevention

• Omission, incorrect selection, incorrect counting, failing to sense danger.

5. Vision Systems

Vision systems use cameras to look at a surface and then compare the surface viewed to a “standard” or reference surface stored in the computer. They can be used to detect the presence or absence of an object, the presence of defects, or to make distance measurements.

Applications

• Missing of incorrect parts in an automated assembly line
• Poor quality surfaces or components
• Correct orientation of parts or labels
• Ensure correct relative position
• Color detection

Features

• Non-contact
• Need to have sufficient light
• Flexible (can be reprogrammed for a variety of applications)
• Compact systems are now available

Human Error Prevention

• Omission, incorrect selection, incorrect positioning, incorrect orientation, misrecognition

6. Counters & Timers

Counters (optical or electro-mechanical) look at the occurrence of events. They are usually triggered by some type of sensor. Counters can be programmed to shut down the process if a set number of events do not occur or if too many events occur. Timers can shut down the process if processing time or activity time does not meet or exceeds a preset level.

Applications

• Ensuring the proper number of events occurred
• Preventing failure of equipment or a component usage

Features

• Flexible
• Easy to use
• Easy for people to understand

Human Error Prevention

• Excessive/insufficient repetition, incorrect counting, incorrect positioning, incorrect orientation

7. Checklists

A checklist is a type of informational job aid used to reduce failure by compensating or potential limits of human memory and attention. It helps to ensure consistency and completeness in carrying out a task.

Applications

• Shift Start-up
• Product Changeover
• Equipment Set-up

Features

• Easy to develop
• Easy to use
• Easy for people to understand

Human Error Prevention

• Omission, early/late execution, wrong order, misrecognition

Ideally, poka-yoke ensures that proper conditions exist before actually executing a process step, preventing defects from occurring in the first place. Where this is not possible, poka-yoke performs a detective function, eliminating defects in the process as early as possible. Don't allow defects to occur in your processes by neglecting to prevent mistakes in your work. Use poka-yoke to make the work easier and mistake proof your process.

Post Courtesy of QualityTrainingPortal.com

Lean Quote: Great Things are Done by a Series of Small Things Brought Together

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.

"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." — Vincent Van Gogh

In the spirit of doing better, the smallest ideas are likely to be the easiest to adopt and implement. These improvements are sometimes called Point or Mini Kaizen. Making one small change is both rewarding to the person making the change and if communicated to others can lead to a widespread adoption of the improvement and the possibility that someone will improve on what has already been improved. There's no telling what might occur if this were the everyday habit of all team members. 

One of the most counter intuitive facts about small ideas is that they can actually provide a business with more sustainable competitive advantages than big ideas. The bigger the ideas, the more likely competitors will copy or counter them. If new ideas affect the company's products or services, they're directly visible and often widely advertised. And even if they involve behind-the-scenes improvements--say, to a major system or process--they're often copied just as quickly. That's because big, internal initiatives typically require outside sources, such as suppliers, contractors, and consultants, who sell their products and services to other companies, too. Small ideas, on the other hand, are much less likely to migrate to competitors--and even if they do, they're often too specific to be useful. Because most small ideas remain proprietary, large numbers of them can accumulate into a big, competitive advantage that is sustainable. That edge often means the difference between success and failure. 

In a Lean enterprise a strategy of making small, incremental improvements every day, rather than trying to find a monumental improvement once or twice a year equates to a colossal competitive advantage over time and competitors cannot copy these compounded small improvements.