Five Lean Games Every Company Can Benefit From

In recent years, several training simulation games have been developed by academic and industry experts to support the teaching and learning activities of Lean philosophy. Using simulation games to teach Lean philosophy is an effective tool to convey the concepts.

Games use multiple communication means and create engagement. More importantly, they help people to memorize concepts and allow for a more practical experience of lean than traditional teaching methods do. They give participants a chance to practice lean in a risk-free and fun environment, and work in all cultures and at all management levels.

Teaching lean thinking this way is a commonly recognized approach in our community. There are numerous lean games out there – free or requiring payment, physical or online. (Martin Boersema provides a 50-strong list of lean games and simulations here.)

Here are five lean games that every company can benefit from.

Numbers Game – 5S, Place for Everything and Everything in it’s Place

5S is a Lean Methodology using a 5 step approach to achieve and maintain a high level of workplace organization. The 5S Numbers Game is designed to illustrate how valuable 5S can be to your business. This is a no cost exercise that can be done in any setting for any level within your organization. In this exercise you will experience how a disorganized work place can negatively affect productivity and quality.

If you type the 5S numbers game into any search engine on the internet you will likely come up with a number of good hits. The folks at SuperTeams, a Lean Six Sigma training firm have put the 5S numbers game on their web site. They have included a simple facilitators guide to make it easy for anyone to start teach this exercise right away.

I found a nice online simulator you can test out at http://leantools.info/5sgame/.

Drawing a Pig - Standard Work

Standard Work is a foundation of Lean. This fun exercise was originally created by the Minnesota Office of Continuous Improvement as a great way to illustrate the value of Standard Work. Each participant is given a grid and written instructions, or the instructions can be read out to the group. The goal is for everyone to come up with the same drawing at the end based on the instructions. And it's a pig!!

This activity is simple, no cost, and great for everyone. I often use this activity as a teambuilding exercise to kick-off teaching elements of standard work. Paul Levy, former President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston put a simple explanation of this exercise on his blog. Round 1 starts with the audience drawing the side profile of a pig. In round 2 you give standard work instructions to the audience to draw the pig. The final round has the audience draws the pig with standard work instructions with visual template for comparison. Everyone will find it easier to draw the pig in the final round. You’ll also find that all the pigs in the audience look that same at the end.

Ball Game – Teamwork and Problem Solving

This is a simple exercise but it teaches a powerful Lean lesson of team work, direct involvement, and continuous improvement. It involves passing tennis balls within a group where the goal is to perform this action as quickly as possible.

Ralph Bernstein at the Lean Insider posted on the tennis ball exercise with several photos from an event.

Robert Forder loaded a detailed explanation of the exercise in power point on the lean in education forum at LEI.

The Tennis Ball Exercise is a simple, low cost exercise that can be used to teach any one no matter education, language, or culture. It will break the ice, help teams form, and get people involved while teaching the “we can” attitude that so necessary in continuous improvement.

Letters – 1 Piece Flow

Reducing the batch size in manufacturing is a desirable goal: it improves the speed of response to the customer, while improving the ratio of value-added to non value-added work.

In the book LeanThinking, James Womack and Daniel Jones recount a story of stuffing newsletters into envelopes with the assistance of one of the author’s two young children. Every envelope had to be addressed, stamped, filled with a letter, and sealed. The daughters, age six and nine, knew how they should go about completing the project: “Daddy, first you should fold all of the newsletters. Then you should attach the seal. Then you should put on the stamps.” Their father wanted to do it the counter-intuitive way: complete each envelope one at a time. They told him “that wouldn’t be efficient!” So he and his daughters each took half the envelopes and competed to see who would finish first.

The father won the race, and not just because he is an adult.

Red Bead Game

In 1982, Dr. Deming created a teaching tool that he used in his seminars around the world to teach his famous 14 Obligations of Management. Dr. Deming called this training tool, The RED BEAD Experiment or Red bead Game.

When you play the game, each player uses a special metal paddle to draw small red and white colored beads from a large bowl. Each draw of the paddle gets 50 beads. Some are white and some are red. The white beads symbolize the good things that we experience each day as we do our work and the red beads symbolize the problems or bad things that we experience. As each player draws their paddle full of 50 beads each player receives a different mix of red and white beads.

The red bead experiment is deceptively simple because it provides a powerful message that is difficult for many to grasp. In summary, the misconception that workers can be meaningfully ranked is based on two faulty assumptions. The first assumption is that each worker can control his or her performance. Deming estimated that 94 percent of the variation in any system is attributable to the system, not to the people working in the system. The second assumption is that any system variation will be equally distributed across workers. Deming taught that there is no basis for this assumption in real life experiences. The source of the confusion comes from statistical (probability) theory where random numbers are used to obtain samples from a known population. When random numbers are used in an experiment, there is only one source of variation, so the randomness tends to be equally distributed. However, in real life experiences, there are many identifiable causes of variation, as well as a great many others that are unknown.

Mark Graban uses this game to illustrate process variation and learning what the data tells you in his book Measures of Success and associated workshops.

There are several resources online where you can purchase a Red Bead Kit.

Indeed, as lean coaches, we must always look for new ways to improve the learning experience, and I have personally found that using games and simulations works quite well.

Note: Ron Pereira at the Gemba Academy has put together a number of videos with these exercises.

5S NUMBERS GAME | |5S Workplace Productivity 

Watch This One Piece Flow vs. Mass Production Envelope Stuffing Lean Thinking Simulation

Lean Tennis Ball Simulation with Practical Problem Solving & Quick Changeover

Lean Quote: The First Job of Any Leader is to Inspire Trust

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.

"Earn trust, earn trust, earn trust. Then you can worry about the rest."   — Seth Godin

The very first job of a leader is to inspire trust. Trust is the single most essential element to our ability to deliver extraordinary results in an enduring way. Trust leads to high-performance because it enables an organization to work as it should; it’s the first defense against dysfunction and the first step towards delivering better outcomes.

When trust is low, in a company or in a relationship, it places a hidden "tax" on every transaction: every communication, every interaction, every strategy, every decision is taxed, bringing speed down and sending costs up. My experience is that significant distrust doubles the cost of doing business and triples the time it takes to get things done.

Trust is confidence born of two dimensions: character and competence. Character includes your integrity, motive, and intent with people. Competence includes your capabilities, skills, results, and track record. Both dimensions are vital.

The job of a leader is to go first, to extend trust first. Not a blind trust without expectations and accountability, but rather a "smart trust" with clear expectations and strong accountability built into the process. The best leaders always lead out with a decided propensity to trust, as opposed to a propensity not to trust.

The best leaders recognize that trust impacts us 24/7, 365 days a year. It undergirds and affects the quality of every relationship, every communication, every work project, every business venture, every effort in which we are engaged. It changes the quality of every present moment and alters the trajectory and outcome of every future moment of our lives—both personally and professionally. I am convinced that in every situation, nothing is as fast as the speed of trust.

As we work to continuously improve our leadership, we are inspired by the thought leadership of others who also revere building trust as a critical mission.

Lean Tips Edition #154 (#2521 - 2535)

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 #2521 – Schedule Regular Team Brainstorms For Ideas.

Build ongoing brainstorm sessions into the weekly or monthly meeting rhythm. This creates a culture of open engagement and ensures your team that their ideas are valued. For all ideas selected, follow up with incentives. Even a small gift card, a lunch out with you or access to company products and services goes a long way to show appreciation and fuel future innovation.

Lean Tip #2522 – Build the Right Environment For Ideas.

As a leader, your role is to knock down walls and develop an environment that evokes creative thinking from your team. The team needs to feel that their voice is appreciated and that they have room to do cool things. Let them test their ideas, see what works and what could be improved, and make sure they know that they have to opportunity to do so.

Lean Tip #2523 – Be Transparent With Overall Business Goals.

The more teams know about changing goals and new opportunities for the business, the more involved they will feel in its success. Creative ideas stem naturally from the desire to participate in the company's growth and awareness of the right direction. The resulting successful marketing campaigns compound the benefits on a morale level and reinforce employee loyalty.

Lean Tip #2524 – Ask the Team What They Want to Learn.

One of the best ways to engage your team is by asking what they'd like to learn. Develop a project that encourages them to dive deep into what you are already doing, research competitors in the space and present strategy ideas. This project will help them to structure feedback and learn more from the experience than just sharing a few early ideas.

Lean Tip #2525 – Encourage Mistakes.

One of the best ways to encourage creative ideas is by making it really clear that mistakes are not just tolerated but encouraged. Understanding that not all creative ideas are going to be wins creates a comfortable environment to brainstorm ideas and walk through new concepts. Mistakes are part of every creative process, and making room for them allows for innovative thinking.

Lean Tip #2526 – Offer Positive Reinforcement For Idea.

Sometimes the best way to encourage a team member is to not discourage them. If a team member suggests an idea that obviously will not work or is even irrelevant, don't put them down, especially in front of others. If they have a great idea in the future, they may hesitate or refuse to share for fear of being mocked. Foster an environment where there are no bad ideas.

Lean Tip #2527 – Share Your Idea.

People who are shy about sharing their ideas usually feel their ideas are not great and they may look bad in front of their colleagues. Assert that no ideas are dumb and that you welcome all ideas. Let your team submit ideas via email or one on one. Discuss submitted ideas anonymously in team meetings so everyone can hear about them and let people choose the idea that they like the best.

Lean Tip #2528 – Challenge the Way You Work

Encourage employees to keep looking anew at the way they approach their work. Ask people what works well and what doesn't. Allocate time for thinking about different approaches. Appeal for original ways to solve particular problems. Keep your door open to anyone with new ideas. Encourage people to work together and share ideas. Individuals within the team can feed off each other – exploring, testing and refining new approaches.

Lean Tip #2529 – Reward Creativity

Respond enthusiastically to all ideas. Never make someone offering an idea, however hopeless, feel foolish. Give even the most apparently outlandish of ideas a chance to be aired. Motivate individuals or teams who come up with winning ideas by actively recognizing creativity, for example through an awards scheme.

Lean Tip #2530 – Act on Ideas

Creativity is only worthwhile if it results in action. Provide the time and resources to develop and implement those ideas that are worth acting upon.

Following through on good ideas is a powerful way of encouraging staff to keep being creative, coming up with more new ideas to improve the business.

Lean Tip # 2531 – Improve Listening By Recognizing That Employees May Know What They're Doing

The single biggest problem I've seen among executives, managers, and entrepreneurs is the assumption that no one "beneath them" could have anything valuable to say. There are those who will succeed in the face of such arrogance, but any such stories you might have heard are likely outweighed by the legions of others who come to nothing. No one accomplishes much of anything without a lot of help, and to dismiss the experience and insights of others because they're not in charge of the business is smug and stupid.

Lean Tip #2532 – Make Listening a Priority

Listening must be considered as an important skill and must be listed on the top of your priority list. Listening and acknowledging has been an important skill which is mandatory for a leader. When employers and leaders have the mindset that they have all the answers, then they do not listen at all. Hence, it is important to have the intention to listen.

Lean Tip #2533 – Show Employees That You Care

When you listen to their issues and solve it, they believe that you care for them as an employer. When they know you care, then they work harder and aim higher than expected results.

Employees love to work under leaders who care for them, they do not want to be looked as tools or resources utilized for the success of the organization. Employees always want to have a good relationship where employers listen to their concerns at times of professional hardships.

Lean Tip #2534 – Be Mindful of Surroundings

It is a fact that great leaders are always mindful of their surroundings. Along with both verbal and non-verbal communication, they also know to listen in an active manner. They use facial expressions, nods, and body language in order to show that they are responding. Executive presence is an asset that is required for leaders and managers so that they listen effectively.

Lean Tip #2535 – Get Rid of Distractions

It is a fact that people get annoyed when they speak and the listeners don’t listen. In that manner, you should not do the same when someone converses. It would be good to switch off mobiles, turn off tablets or laptop and invest some energy in the one who is speaking on the other side.

When your employee speaks to you and you’re busy with your iPhone or Tab, then it is surely a negative impression for the ones who work for you. Avoiding such distractions when you speak to your employees can be one best way that can be followed to listen to employees.

The Five Types of People to Surround Yourself with for Success

Success is made up of hard work, commitment and passion but perhaps one of the most crucial factors to take into account is who we choose to surround ourselves with. As the old adage goes, 'you are who you hang out with' and the people we invite into our world on a daily basis can impact the way we think, feel and act.

 There are five types of people that you must surround yourself with if you want to successful:

The Inspired
The inspired people are those who create the urge or ability for you to do something within your life. These are the people who create a feeling of awe within you and create a state of mind that is empowering as opposed to disempowering.

The inspired are those who spark a curiosity within your heart and mind and cause you to search for inspiration elsewhere as well. They breed n environment of inspiration which leads to high quality results in life.

The Passionate
The passionate people are those who express their intensity through the medium of life. They immerse themselves in what they become deeply engaged in and find themselves in flow.

These are the people who, like the inspired individuals, infect you with their ability to become passionate. They cause you to reflect on your own levels of passion and guide you curiously to a place where you can be just as passionate as them.

Their passion is obvious and spills out of them. They have that glitter in their eye and love in their heart.

The Motivated
The motivated people are those who get things done. They very rarely struggle with accomplishing tasks because they have a strong vision and why for their life.

The reason why the motivated people are so critical in your life is because they show you how to become a person who is intrinsically motivated as opposed to extrinsically motivated. In other words, they show you how to cultivate motivation from within as opposed to having your motivation being dictated by the environment.

These people work hard on their journey and set the example for how hard you must work on your own craft and life. They show you how to set a schedule, focus on the important things, knock out one task after another, so on and so forth.

The Grateful
The grateful people are those who live within the present moment and express their full gratitude for what they have and the circumstance that they find themselves in.

These individuals allow you to fully relax in their presence and carry with them a calm energy that becomes infectious. You are attracted to these people because of how present and attentive they are.

These people allow you to see the positives as opposed to the negatives. They look at the glass fully and drink deeply from it. They take the time to look at the trees, flowers, breathe in the air, and experience all of the sensory inputs that are available to them in the immediate environment. They are great practitioners of mindfulness.

The Open Minded
The open minded people are those who expose you to new ideas, people, places, experiences, so on and so forth. They expose a whole new world to you and your perspective becomes wiser as a result.

These are the people who will give you that nudge to break free of your comfort zone into things that you previously deemed uncomfortable. They essentially expand your comfort zone for you through the process of just being around them.

The fastest way in order for you to accelerate your success is simply choosing the right people to hang around with. By spending time with these types of people, you begin to pick up on their ways of thinking, actions, habits, so on and so forth. This will give you a new perspective and will start the process of momentum for you to do the very same thing within your own character.

Lean Quote: Patience is to Be Calm No Matter What Happens

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.

"Patience is not the ability to wait. Patience is to be calm no matter what happens, constantly take action to turn it to positive growth opportunities, and have faith to believe that it will all work out in the end while you are waiting."   — Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

In the pursuit of peace and joy in life, one of the most important traits we need to develop to go further is patience. The dictionary defines patience as a state of endurance under difficult circumstances. It is also the ability to wait in the face of delay without becoming negative.

We definitely aren’t born with it. We can definitely work on developing more patience, instead of thinking of it as genetic we should think of it as a skill. People who are patient are not free of frustration rather they are able to tolerate frustration without becoming negative or exhibit signs of frustration and long suffering. Being patient also doesn’t mean just restraint or tolerance it is a much deeper emotion, patience is a form of compassion.

Never confuse patience with apathy. Being patient doesn’t include disconnecting from our emotions and feelings. It means accepting how we feel about a given situation and doing whatever needs to be done. Being patient means accepting both how you feel about a given situation and what you can realistically do about it. To be patient doesn’t mean to surrender and just give up hope, being patient does not mean being passive.

Patience means preparing ourselves to face people and situations in the world, which we would have otherwise reacted very poorly. Patience also means that you stick through the tough times, we may all start with a lot of motivation initially but it fades over a period of time, we need patience to see our projects, work and plans to the very end. Patience is also a sign of wisdom; it grows over the years slowly but steadily.

Just like any skill we build patience by practicing more and more, we need to be aware if are being impatient and rectify ourselves. Especially when times get tough, being patient is crucial in staying calm every situation. But start small always; if we train ourselves to work around the little pains and irritations we can handle the big ones.

Seven Ways to Unlock Your Inner Leadership Skills

Who is a leader, and why do we need leadership qualities?

A leader is a person who has a goal and a team that one leads to that goal. Perseverance, adaptability, and integrity are said to be the most critical leadership qualities. The leader is respected, inspired, supported, and developed by his or her followers. 

And even if you don’t aspire to be president, those skills will be useful in life: convincing colleagues or employees at work, getting kids to listen or getting what you want from customers. It has been suggested that leadership abilities are shaped by parents in childhood, but the first ones can be developed at any age as well. Below, we review the ways to summon your inner potential of being a true leader.

Always See a Full Picture
Share your point of view with the team, elaborate on your purpose and mission. Your job as a leader is to create a unique path to follow. Explain the importance of the goal and share your ambitions. 

Tell your colleagues why your strategy will help improve the company’s state of affairs, explain what benefits the employees will end up with: material goods, professional experience, etc. Set up plans and ask for feedback.

Set Your Goals Right
The whole life of a leader is an activity. The leader is always busy with something, and his or her employment is subordinated to a specific goal. We are not talking about the general and global aim, it is rather about a narrow goal that depends on the issue being solved.

In other words, if a leader does something, everyone knows why he or she does so. A correctly set goal is closely related to the fulfillment of one's promises. Your promises must become your goals. 

Know Your Strengths &; Have Your Plan of Actions
You have to know exactly where you’re going to. So, clearly define the target you’re aiming for. And then, start working on a plan to achieve it. Break your path into small steps and set intermediate goals. In that way, it will be easier to get what you want.

Everyone is born with certain talents and developed abilities (those that a person has learned during a lifetime.) Frequently, we do not understand our genetic data just because something that does not require effort goes unnoticed. However, knowing one’s strengths enhances self-esteem, generates pleasure, success, and self-realization. Think about what you do best. Maybe you speak English well, juggle numbers efficiently, or have a good memory. Use and develop your strengths to become meaningful in a team.

Always set your priorities properly. Sometimes the goal of making money and the process of leading some dubious project may conflict with your global aim of being happy and living with a clear conscience. With the priorities set, you always know what you need to refuse and why. In the future, it will help to avoid painful internal conflicts.

Take Responsibility &; Follow Your Principles
Of course, responsibility for one's life comes first. But don't forget about the responsibility for your words, deeds, and promises. Even if you didn't do anything on purpose or if something happened against your will, it would be a result of your behavior. Remember the Little Prince: "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."

When you make decisions or do things that confront with your moral principles, there will be a sharp sense of dissatisfaction. This unconscious feeling prevents the building of trust within a team. And if you act in harmony with your values, people intuitively sense your integrity. Accordingly, they respect you and recognize you as a leader.

Think of others and find beneficial solutions
Here is the thing: the leader is not looking for compromises, but instead works on solutions where both parties equally win and satisfied. It allows you to establish closer ties and strong cooperation. An agreement, in essence, is a loss for both sides: each should give up on something.

Would you ask for advice from someone who doesn’t believe in the success of his or her cause? We bet you wouldn’t. Think about how you can use your zeal. Let people know that you value their contributions and sincerely celebrate their progress. Remember to praise. In a word, share your enthusiasm.

True leaders reinforce words with action. It sets the height you want to reach. Would you like to be a role model for the rest of us? Work on the qualities you want to see in other people. Try to consider their potential. Many leaders admit to having reached dramatic heights just because once another leader saw their abilities and embraced them.

Learn and Practice
Do not miss the opportunity to learn something new, especially if someone offers it for free. Always practice acquired skills.

In this world, there are no perfect people who haven’t ever made a mistake in their life. A leader does not lose heart and learns from one’s own bitter experience. We advise you not to hide your failings from your colleagues and loved ones. Be honest about your weaknesses. Maybe someone is good at what you are not. And your job as a manager is to assign the right duties and tasks to the right people.

Be a True &; Creative Leader
Remember, even if you have already demonstrated excellent leadership qualities, it is crucial to continue to evolve and grow. 

Some people detect their leadership skills from an early age. They achieve undeniable success, pass the test of status, money, and opportunities. Then, somewhere around the middle of life, they come to their existential crisis trying to leave a mark in this life. It is a crisis of liability and inner freedom. 

Well, a true leader never stops at this point. That is what sets one apart from everyone else. 

About the Author: Marie Barnes is marketing communication manager at Adsy and a writer for Bestforacar. She is an enthusiastic blogger interested in writing about technology, social media, work, travel, lifestyle, and current affairs. She shares her insights through blogging. Follow her on Medium.