Lean Quote: The Power of Small Wins

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.

"Hundreds or even thousands of little actions added up to some astounding results." — Jim Lancaster, The Work of Management

In 2011 Steven J. Kramer and Teresa Amabile wrote an illuminating piece for the Harvard Business School revealing the number one predictor for worker satisfaction. When over 12,000 worker entries were pored over, they found that employee motivation and engagement was based on whether they had achieved something worthwhile that day.

The efforts of tracking small achievements every day enhanced the workers motivation. Amabile explains that the practice of recording our progress helps us appreciate our small wins which in turn boosts our sense of confidence. We can then leverage that competence toward future, larger successes.

Small wins make habit-building a lot easier. Adjusting old habits and creating new ones is tough. Really tough. And they require a long amount of time in order to create automatically. But when you are starting small, with little, digestible steps it becomes a whole lot easier to bang out a whole bunch of days where you execute your mini-habit.

Small wins help you feel like you're accomplishing something.  If we focus too much on the bigger goals, we’ll feel like we will never get there.  That’s why smaller wins are so important.  They give us motivation to keep on going where it snowballs into the development of the bigger goals.

So, as a people manager make it a habit to help your employees experience small wins over the work day. You will see how powerful those small wins can be!

The Benefits of Lean Manufacturing

Lean Manufacturing is a business improvement philosophy that has developed over many years (as well as a collection of lean manufacturing tools), it is a method to better focus your business on the true needs of the customer to help you prevent waste from being built into your system. When properly implemented, lean manufacturing provides many advantages, which include improving flow (material, people, information, and work) and eliminating waste.

I detail many of these benefits below:

Improved Quality – A lot of the activity in a lean environment is geared towards improving quality. As quality issues arise, problem solving techniques are used to root cause the problem. From there, mistake proofing is put in place to strengthen the process and prevent recurrence. As a result, the quality of your product will be improved.

Increased Productivity and Flexibility - In a lean business, employees move parts through the manufacturing process a single piece at a time instead of in batches. The single-piece flow increases productivity and improves the flexibility in production processes. Companies using lean manufacturing processes reduce the amount of time required to manufacture a product, which increases the ability to respond to customer orders.

Total Company Involvement – Lean is meant to involve the whole company. It is not intended to be put into action in only one area. It is a management philosophy which should include every part of your organization. This helps promote the concept that everyone in the company is part of the team.

Better Use of Employees – Lean cuts overproduction by adjusting production to meet customer demand, and it simplifies the product to eliminate extra processing. These activities help your company meet customer demand with fewer employees. Fortunately, this doesn’t require layoffs. As employees are given a chance to increase their skills and abilities, and to fully develop their talent, they will be more productive and effective.

Increased Efficiency – Line balancing will ensure each person in the process is working in the most efficient manner. Standardized work will ensure they are doing it correctly following the same method every time. This leads to repeatability and increased efficiencies.

Optimized Space – Lean principles help reduce excess inventory and eliminate overproducing products. When you are producing no more than what the customer requires and you are shipping all of your products quickly, there will be more physical space on the production floor. This environment is easier to organize and safer to work in. 

Safer Work Environment – Visual management and 5S will help identify when things are out of place. When unnecessary elements are removed from the operation, the workplace becomes much more organized. And an organized work environment is a safe work environment.

Improved Employee Morale – Lean manufacturing methods, when implemented successfully, empower employees to participate in improvements, which can improve worker morale Employee involvement and empowerment will make all members of your company feel like a contributing part of the team. And the reduction of uncertainty in the workplace, as a result of lean, will reduce stress in your team members and lead to improved employee morale.

Lean principles can provide substantial gains for organizations and their employees. By implementing Lean you will become a far more competitive and effective business enabling you to grow your business further.

The Changing Role of Employees In a Lean Organization

We’ve all heard the saying, it takes a village. In a Lean organization this is absolutely true.  We all have roles in our organizations but it takes teamwork to be successful. Lean takes everyone working together.

Change must happen not to, but with employees. Management has to invest in the employees’ understanding of this new environment, create opportunities for employees to develop and run with ideas, and develop a trusting relationship.

Whether an employee is a material handler, a machine operator, an assembler, or an inspector, the plant experience changes as a result of the lean transformation.

The following abilities are essential for a worker to possess in Lean manufacturing environment:

Willingness to learn new skills. The ability to perform a variety of tasks is key to flexibility, which is critical in the Lean enterprise. Being willing to participate in cross training efforts, where workers learn and teach new skills, is the first step. In addition, accepting different types of responsibilities, which may have previously belonged to supervisors, may be required. Tasks such as machine and equipment troubleshooting and problem solving, data collection and analysis, and production scheduling are typical of the tasks workers may face. As workers learn more skills and accept more responsibilities, they will be less reliant on others and more valuable to the organization.

Offer ideas for improvement. We all recognize that management does not have all the answers and must frequently rely on the workers to find ways to make things better. Instead of just “the usual few” workers offering ideas, this type of effort is required of everyone. Whether it is an idea for eliminating waste in an operation, simplifying scheduling, combining operations to improve throughput time or an entirely different approach to making a part, every worker must recognize the importance of contributing something.

Share responsibility for implementing change. Management can no longer be the sole driver of change, and therefore, workers cannot sit back and take a wait-and-see approach. Once a consensus is achieved to change something, everyone must buy in and strive for success. Passive behavior and the “blame game” must be discouraged. Giving less than the best effort to ensure a successful transition is a missed opportunity that may not present itself again.

Transformation to a Lean workplace requires extensive collaboration from everyone for it to take hold. Adopting these abilities will lead to a successful Lean transition. It takes a village to transform an organization.

Lean Quote: Live as If You Were to Die Tomorrow—Learn as If You Were to Live Forever

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.

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." — Mahatma Gandhi

This inspirational quote from Gandhi can change one’s life. The meaning behind this quote is to make the most of every day and to take advantage of the learning opportunities in your life.

Live as if you were to die tomorrow: Don't postpone life-enriching experiences, by making excuses like I can do that next year when I have more time - because without a sense of urgency you will probably end up not doing them at all. Live in the moment and be present in what you are doing.

Learn as if you were to live forever: Never say no to yourself. When you start learning something new it must be with the aim of eventual perfection, not for short-term gains. Learning should never stop; there is always more to be learn on a subject, if you dig deeper into it.

Knowledge is one of the many keys to leading a successful life. The more I know the more likely I am to succeed. I devote time to learn every day, to continue expanding my knowledge. Knowledge provides both a sense of ability and a pathway to success for the future. Learning does not occur in a single period of our lives, but continues throughout them. One could lead a better life by obtaining knowledge to its full potential.

Don’t postpone learning, do it today rather than tomorrow, for even the littlest of matters you learn adds to our collective knowledge. It may seem to you, at times, like no more than a tiny little drop—but then, even the great oceans are made of many tiny little drops, aren’t they?

Educating New Hires to Your Lean Culture

Every organization that has implemented Lean is faced with the issue of how to train new employees so they fully understand the organizational culture and its approach to continuous improvement. Passing along your organizational culture to new employees is as important as any aspect of their training. An effective employee not only understands your organizational culture, but embraces it while performing his duties. There are a number of ways to pass your improvement culture to new employees, beginning at the genesis of their employment.

Share the Vision.

New employees won’t understand what is important unless you tell them. Share the company’s vision and strategy with new hires immediately. Create and align their goals with the vision and strategy of the company. Let your employees know how they will benefit from embracing the vision.

Introduce Them to Lean Principles.

Introduce your new employees to the tools that you use to structure your improvement initiatives right off the bat. This signals how seriously the organization is committed to the Lean methodology. Taking the time to explain all of the acronyms, Japanese words, and process improvement tools will help your new hire acclimate quicker. 

Get Them Involved in Kaizen

There is no better way to learn then by doing and that’s what kaizen is all about. The idea behind Kaizen is that all employees are actively engaged in the regular, incremental improvement of the company. Kaizen involves every employee - from upper management to operators. Everyone is encouraged to come up with improvements on a regular basis. Having them involved on a kaizen in the beginning gets them to use the tools you’ve taught but also the approach to how you solve problems.

By developing this foundation of every employee having knowledge and understanding of the basic principles and philosophies of Lean you’ll indoctrinate them from the beginning. Those early interactions with your company set the tone for the relationship that can last for years to come. The employee’s level of engagement over the long term can be impacted by how you introduce them to your Lean culture. An impactful introduction of your Lean culture can make all the difference.

What way’s do you introduce your Lean culture to new hires?

Lean Quote: Focus on the Future By Acting Today

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 future depends on what you do today." — Mahatma Gandhi

This is a powerful message and one that especially resonates with me. All our dreams and our aspirations can only come true if we do something about them.

Every time we put something off, the excuse is some variation of the same: "I'll get to it later. I won't be long. I've got plenty of time." Once that moment is gone, though, it's gone forever.

While it may be tempting to think that it's okay to put something off, the truth is you'll never get those minutes back. You can allocate future time to doing tasks you could do now, but that's essentially spending on credit.

Many organizations are waiting for the optimum time to change.  Unfortunately, tomorrow never comes.  If you allow it you will always find another distraction.  There is never a better time to start than now.  We really must invest every day in our future since you can't get back lost time.

We can’t expect immediate result, especially if we’re not doing anything. Whatever we want to be part of our future depends on what we are willing to do in the present. Just like what the quote above says, “The future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.”

Don’t spend your time trying to wait till things are perfect. Perfection is elusive. It is more important to get started. And it's better to get something done imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly.

If you want a bright future then you need to act now, not tomorrow or the next week. Time is the essence here. Losing a day, a week, or a few months can significantly affect our future. So stop wasting your days. Make it happen today!

Lean Tips Edition #119 (1786-1800)

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 #1786 - Review your 2017 Goals and Objectives.

Before you start thinking about 2018, you should think about how 2017 went for you. When we look back on the previous year, we can see areas we succeeded in and areas that need to be worked on in the new year.

Think about the goals you reached, the successes you had, the struggles you encountered, and more. Then, think about what you wish you could have done better and the areas you struggled with.

By completing this step, you'll be able to better figure out what you need to do in 2018 in order to have a successful year.

Lean Tip #1787 - Make Sure Your 2018 Goals are SMART.

You should always make sure that any goal you set for 2018 is SMART.

A SMART goal is:

Specific – What is your goal? Is it specific enough or is it too broad? What needs to be done for you to achieve your goal? Why do you want to reach your goal?

Measurable – How can you measure your progress? How will you know if you’re on track?

Attainable – Can your goal actually be achieved?

Realistic/relevant – Can you achieve your goal? Is the goal worth it?

Time – What’s your time frame for reaching your goal?

This is extremely important when setting 2018 goals because by doing this, you are ensuring that your goals are realistic and attainable.

Lean Tip #1788 - Write Down Your 2018 Goals and Objectives.

Writing down your business and personal goals for 2018 is a very important part goal setting.

Completing this step can help you remember your goal and why you want to achieve it. If I don’t write something down or have it in front of me on a regular basis, I tend to forget about it.

If you can’t remember your 2018 goals, it would be very hard to achieve them. I suggest that you think about:

·       Making a vision board.

·       Putting post-its around your home that list your yearly goals.

·       Placing reminders on your phone, calendar, or whatever else you use for your to-do list.

Lean Tip #1789 - Create a Plan to Reach Your 2018 Goals.

If you want to stay motivated with your goals, then one of the first things you should do is to create a plan on how you will reach your goals for 2018.

A plan can help you focus on the steps it will take to reach your goal, instead of feeling like you are all over the place.

Your plan should detail the steps you need in order to reach your goal, what will happen as you reach each step, when and how you will track your progress, and more. Being detailed with your plan will help you reach your goal and be successful.

Lean tip #1790 - Break Your Goal Apart Into Smaller Goals for 2018.

A year can feel like a long time to reach your goals, and you may forget about them or become overwhelmed with the work it will take to reach them.

One way to approach your 2018 goals is to think of 12 separate goals that relate to an overall goal, one for each month of the year. Basically, each month would be a step that gets you closer to your overall goal.

This can be a great way to stay motivated while seeing the progress you are making towards your overall goal, and you'll know exactly what you need to do in order to be successful.

Lean Tip #1791 - Realign Your Team After The New Year

After the holidays, it can be tough to get back into the swing of things. While your employees might try to wade back into the depths of their responsibilities, you can’t afford to waste too much time. At the same time, however, you don’t want to overwhelm your team, either.

Start the New Year by reviewing where you all left off before the break. Discuss what has been going well, and where there is room for improvement. Once everyone is back on the same page, start looking forward.

Lean Tip #1792 - Streamline Your Processes

While you’re assessing your productivity from the past year, start tweaking your processes to help your team better reach its goals.

Analyze each step of your day-to-day processes, and try to figure out where you can save time, money or other resources. If you can save a minute here, or a dollar there, you could end up saving countless hours and thousands of dollars over the course of the next year.

Not only that, but by streamlining your processes and decreasing the amount of “hang-ups” your team faces, your employees will be more apt to dive in and get to work.

Lean Tip #1793 - Improve Communication In Your Business.

Effective communication is vital to business success. Encourage your employees to share their thoughts about the past and the future. Provide several ways they can communicate with you, from regular team and one-on-one meetings to an online chat platform. Have an open-door policy and be open to receiving honest feedback and ideas. Set the tone for consistent and transparent communication.

Lean Tip #1794 - Focus on Education & Development

Learning a relevant new skill will make you a more efficient leader, and the same is true for your employees. By focusing on education and growth throughout the year, you can improve operational efficiency, increase product/service quality, and foster an innovative and creative environment. Further, the opportunity to improve or develop new skill sets can translate to employees who are more confident and satisfied in their current position.

Lean Tip #1795 - Build Your Strategy With Your Team

What do you want your business to achieve next year? Be SMART, set goals rather than make resolutions. Especially in business, there is a difference between a goal and a resolution. Resolutions are things you keep, goals are things you attain. Nearly all successful business owners use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based) goals to achieve their goals.

Once you have goals for your business, it’s crucial to get your team on board. Schedule a planning and strategy meeting with your employees, colleagues, and support system to create the plans you need to reach those goals.

Lean Tip #1796 - Engage in Meaningful Dialog

When you make the effort to connect with your team members in person—individually and as a group—you’re establishing a position of caring that motivates individuals in all sorts of crazy-good ways. It’s easy to send short messages in emails, and then rely on these small exchanges for most of your communication. Or, you can focus on what needs to get done next and forget to take a breath, look around, and get to know your employees. Don’t fall into this rut. Instead, ask your team members about their immediate goals and project interests as well as their career objectives.

Lean Tip #1797 - Listen to Everyone’s Ideas

Your entire team has great ideas. They’re in the trenches all day, bringing their own experience and perspectives to the part of the project they’re focused on. For example, if there’s a way to make spreadsheets more efficient or processes more productive, the team members know how. It’s tempting to stick with protocol because you know that works well. But these days the world moves so fast nobody can afford to stay with a status quo for too long. So instead, make it a policy to listen to new ideas (you could structure appropriate time periods for this, too), and this will tell everyone they’re a valuable part of the team. Give the good ideas a try; you never know what might happen—other than the team becomes more invested in their work and the project outcome, for starters.

Lean Tip #1798 – Celebrate Team Successes Publicly.

Buy everyone the same t-shirt or hat. Put team member names in a drawing for company merchandise and gift certificates. Take the team out to lunch or order in pizza. Let the team members share their success story at your weekly company meeting. You are limited in the ways that you can celebrate teamwork only by your imagination.

Lean Tip #1799 – Assign Serious Team Goals

Give your teams really important assignments and projects, not just planning for next summer's annual company picnic. Bring teams in when you're looking at new trends in the market, or need to see things through new eyes. It's important to mix it up and not have the same people making the same decisions all the time. Ask them to challenge the status quo and the conventional wisdom. This will help to keep your company fresh and ahead of the game.

Lean Tip #1800 – Encourage Informal Teams

More work in organizations is accomplished through informal teams than formal ones. It's therefore in your interest to encourage the proliferation of informal teams throughout your company, addressing any and all issues and opportunities that capture their interest. When your employees are able to tackle concerns themselves, without elevating every little decision to top management, you'll have a much more efficient organization.