Lean Tips Edition #172 (#2791-#2805)

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.

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

Lean Tip #2791 – Reward Innovations and Efficiency to Increase Productivity 

It’s assumed that you hire individuals who have the talent and drive to get the job done to your satisfaction. Let employees know they have your trust and support by giving them the latitude to introduce new methods and seek solutions to boost efficiency, rewarding those who demonstrate true innovation. By encouraging and compensating workers who show independent initiative, you cultivate an environment where workers see a correlation between their own success and that of the company.

Lean Tip #2792 – Supply Professional Development Opportunities

Keep your office up-to-date on the latest technologies and techniques by providing expert group-training sessions. Make outside courses and education opportunities available on a voluntary basis, going as far as to offer reimbursement for course work that enhances employees’ ability to do their jobs. You’ll not only be keeping your staff on the cutting edge while developing talent, but also supporting those with the drive and desire to get ahead.

Lean Tip #2793 – Spotlight Excellence Amongst Your Team

As much as you strive to sets high expectations of productivity, you also need to let individuals know when they have done a great job. Take time at monthly meetings or annual events to spotlight and reward staff members who have demonstrated excellence, going beyond individual awards to recognized entire groups when they have met and exceeded goals. Never underestimate the power of positive reinforcement, where a simple pat on the back or thank you for all the hard work can go a long way toward building relationships and developing loyal, dedicated employees.

Lean Tip #2794 – Make Your Employees Part of the Bigger Picture

Informing the team is key to running a successful business. In order to have great communication and trust, it’s great to talk about the company’s future and goals for the upcoming months or years. This will make them feel valued and demonstrate to them that their hard work is going towards something great for the company.

Lean Tip #2795 – Make Respect a Priority

There’s a difference between respecting employees only for the work they do and respecting them as individuals … and you can bet your employees can tell the difference. Productive employees are employees who feel respected for the people they are.

It’s a simple but very effective strategy to not only increase employee productivity in the workplace but cultivate employees who won’t think twice about going above and beyond for you. 

Encourage employees to express their opinions in meetings. Don’t talk over them or cut them off. Praise good ideas.

Lean Tip #2796 – Trust Employees to Make Decisions

When important information is accessible, everyone will understand the goals of the company and feel empowered to make better decisions independently. Make sure that high-level priorities are communicated to all team members so everyone understands what they’re working toward.

Lean Tip #2797 – Ask Questions For Transparency

Asking questions demonstrates a sense of humility and transparency because you recognize your need to improve and learn. Asking questions is also a great way of encouraging others to explain what they don't know. This environment creates a learning experience where people share their knowledge with others. Transparency in asking questions reveals any additional training that employees need and the difference in employee knowledge. 

Lean Tip #2798 – Make Face-to-Face Interactions a Priority.

Technology has most definitely broken down the barriers of communication. Thanks to email, Teams, or Skype, you can check-in on how your team members are doing, get everyone on the page, or get to know each better. And, while that’s awesome, nothing beats face-to-face communication. 

Walk around the office and strike up conversations with your staff when they’re not focused on their work. Have lunch with them. And schedule one-on-one meetings with them. Not only does this build up your rapport with your employees, but it also allows you to discuss sensitive issues or exchange ideas in a safe and private environment.

Lean Tip #2799 – Encourage Ownership.

When assigning or delegating responsibilities, you can motivate your team by granting them autonomy. For example, instead of micromanaging your team, let them work however they prefer. If possible, allow for flexible schedules and the opportunity to work wherever they like. It’s a simple way to show that you trust them. And it also lessens your workload.

The key is to ask them what they need to get the job done. It’s then up to you to get them this information and resources and coach them from the sidelines.

Lean Tip #2800 – Act on Feedback.

Speaking of feedback, you need to do more than solicit it. You also need to act on it. The reason? It shows that you’ve listened to your employees. And, even better, it lets them know that you’re actively taking measures to improve processes, systems, or even your leadership style.

Even better, get your employees in on the decision-making process. Discussion about decisions is a great way to empower employees and keep them engaged. You will make better business decisions if you listen to additional information form your team before making your final determination.

Lean Tip #2801 – Understand that Leadership is a Privilege. 

Too many bad bosses look on employee problems as an unwelcome intrusion on their time. They unconsciously wonder why the employee can’t “fix” the problem on their own. Instead, treat each such interaction as an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with that employee and revisit the values you want them to hold to and display.

Lean Tip #2802 – Recognize that Your Employees are Human.

They are individual human beings who are driven by fundamental human urges. They also want to be happy and free from suffering. While you have to ensure that organizational goals are met, do so in the context of each person’s personal learning and growth.  It’s your challenge to foster this — it’s also where you should be spending a good chunk of your time.

Lean Tip #2803 – Promote Creativity. 

Procedures have their place in a bureaucracy but they also keep stultify creative impulses. Examine policies that have become entrenched and ask what would happen if you abolished them. Encourage your employees to suggest what should be eliminated and what should be modified. If this is a sincere effort, energy will flow and engagement will rise.

Lean Tip #2804 – Stop Selling to Your Employees, Show Them How Their Contributions Matter 

Stop selling your employees about why they need to perform better.  Explain why their contributions help solve problems and contribute to the company’s advancement.  Employees are more inclined to step up their game when they know their work can add-value to the healthier whole.

For example, I would always show my team the outcome of their collected efforts.   We would go to the manufacturing plant and watch a new product on the production line or to the stores to see new label designs  on the shelves.   Inspire performance by connecting the dots of your employees’ efforts.

It’s not only about what you are trying to sell, but also what the team is able to solve along the way.

Lean Tip #2805 – It’s About Learning, Not Lecturing

Employees are tired of being told what to do.   They are eager to learn and remain relevant.   But they find it difficult to be inspired by leaders who only inflict fear.    In today’s fast-paced world, people don’t have time for lectures; they want continuous coaching and leaders that are paying attention.  Eager to grow, they want objective feedback.

Simplify the process.  Don’t exhaust your employees through complexity and buzz-words.    People seek direction that is too the point.  Remember, most people have mastered the art of execution.  Let your employee do their jobs well by providing the right tools and support to make them better at carrying out their roles & responsibilities.  Be a great teacher, but quickly shift into facilitator mode.   People are inspired when given the opportunity to learn how to do new things. Stop lecturing and start teaching.

Remembering the Ultimate Sacrifice

National Memorial Day in the USA is celebrated on the last Monday in May.

All men and women, who gave their lives while serving in the United States Armed Forces, are commemorated on this day. National Memorial Day is formally known as Decoration Day, the day that commemorated the Union and Confederate soldiers, who died during the American Civil War. Later the day extended to honor all American soldiers, who died while in the military service.

Traditionally, the flag of the USA is raised briskly to the top of the flagstaff, then it is lowered to the half-staff position. This position is chosen in remembrance of those people, who died for their country. At noon the flag is raised to full-staff as the symbol that the memory of dead soldiers is being raised by the living. Their sacrifice was not in vain, that is why we rise up in their honor and continue fighting for liberty and justice.

I’d would like say thank you to those men and women who paid the ultimate price. We will always remember the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes. We are deeply grateful.

In remembering the fallen, we also honor their loved ones: spouses, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, friends. There really aren’t proper words, but we do live in gratitude each and every day for the precious gift that they have given to us.

“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Lean Quote: Standard Work Enables and Facilitates Improvement

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.

"Today’s standardization…is the necessary foundation on which tomorrow’s improvements will be based.  If you think “standardization” as the best you know today, but which is to be improved tomorrow – you get somewhere.  But if you think of standards as confining, then progress stops."   —  Henry Ford in 1926

Standard work is a written description of how a process should be done. It guides consistent execution. At its best, it documents a current “best practice” and ensures that it is implemented throughout a company. At a minimum, it provides a baseline from which a better approach can be developed.

The definition of standard work is “the most effective combination of manpower, materials and machinery”. Standard work is the method, and thereby you have the four Ms of manufacturing (manpower, material, machinery, methods). Standard Work is only “the most effective” until the standard is improved.

Standards to a company are like scales and sheet music to a musician. Our team members help develop and maintain standards, which are not static. Standards change as we get better, just as a good band will incorporate chord and melodic variations if they sound good. Thus, standards do not constrain creativity – they enable it, by providing a basis for comparison, and by providing stability, so we have the time and energy to improve. 

Standardized work comprises:

• Content
• Sequence
• Timing
• Expected outcome

It should also contain tests, or red flags, which tell you when there’s a problem. That way, you won’t ship junk. The tests could be physical, such as a torque check on a bolt, or it could be administrative, like a blacked-out template that fits over a standard form and highlights the critical information.

Standard work enables and facilitates:

• Avoidance of errors, assuring that lessons learned are utilized and not forgotten
• Team learning and training
• Improvements to make the work more effective
• Reduction in variability
• Creation of meaningful job descriptions
• Greater innovation by reducing the mental and physical overhead of repetitive or standardized work

Standard work does not preclude flexibility. You can still do a lot of different jobs, and be able to address new problems. Standard work just takes the things you do repeatedly and makes them routine, so you don’t waste time thinking about them.

Standards are an essential requirement for any company seeking to continuously improve. All continuous improvement methods leverage learning to get better results from their business efforts. Standards provide the baseline references that are necessary for learning. A standard operating procedure supplies a stable platform for collecting performance measurements. The standard and its profile of performance yields the information people need to uncover improvement opportunities, make and measure improvements, and extract learning.

Lean Roundup #144 – May 2021

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of May 2021.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.

How to Solve Hard Problems with Kaizen Events – Jon Miller discusses how kaizen events help people and organizations solve some of the harder problems.

What is a Healthy Company? – Dan Markovitz shares characteristics of a healthy organization which goes beyond a healthy balance sheet.

Why Do ‘Smart’ People Struggle with Strategy? – Pascal Dennis explains in strategy there is no right answer there is only a right process.

Healthy Organizational Cultures Focus on Humanity and Connection (Not Your Whole Self) – Johanna Rothman describes healthy organizations as those who’s cultures focus on humanity and connections instead of divisiveness.

The Future of Work, and the Workplace, Post-Covid – Jamie Flinchbaugh analyzes some of the changes in a post-pandemic world positive and negative.

Rethinking the Need for Lean – Bob Emiliani discusses how Lean can be the answer for human rights and environmental issues.

Lessons from Twelve Years in Pursuit of Zero – Jon Miller talks about the stunning feat where the U.S. domestic airline industry achieved twelve years without a fatal crash and the lessons applicable to zero accident cultures.

On Learning, Listening, and Wisdom – Kevin Meyer talks about how lean leaders wisdom comes from listening to the knowledge then challenging to find new pathways where other knowledge – and perhaps tools – can be applied.

Is “Red & Green” Really Lean? Process Behavior Charts are Better – Mark Graban explains there is a better way to identify issues using process behavior charts instead of red/green color-coding metrics.

Understand Before You Execute – Jim Morgan share the benefits of understanding this principle of lean product and process development.

Visual Replenishment Delivers for Zingerman’s - Karen Gaudet & Jonathan Katz talk about Zingerman's Mail Order lean journey.

Can You Assess Your Way to Lean? – Jeffrey Liker explains trying to assess your way to lean mechanistically generally fails in achieving high-performing lean systems.

Multiply the Improvers in Your Organization Every Day - Andrew Quibell shares ways you can multiply the number of improvers in your business.

Ask Art: Why Switch from Batch to Lean? – Art Byrne discusses the benefits of moving from traditional batch processes to lean flow improvements. 

8 Project Management Schedule Compression Techniques

Project managers are pressured to deliver projects quickly. Sponsors think their project managers are magicians. And in a way, they are. 

Delays can occur to a project due to various reasons, but some common reasons are below:

• Unavailability of resources – This is one of the major reasons and the higher management also has a play in this.
• Risks – Improper management of known risks, and Occurrence of unknown risks.
• Unrealistic schedule
• Force Majeure – It is a common contractual clause that frees parties, bound by a contract, from liability or obligation if an “Act of God” happens.
• Pressure from higher management for new business opportunities – This happens when the higher management sees the possibility of getting a new business or project if you can complete this project early.
• Need to launch the product early – this can happen when a competitor launches a rival product and you can’t afford to lose the market.
• etc…

Projects are often delayed and there are various reasons for that. In such cases you need to compress the project schedule duration in order to bring the project back on track. In simple words, project schedule compression is reducing the duration of a project schedule, without compromising on the work that needs to be done in that schedule.

Let’s look at some ways to compress the schedule. 

• Recheck the activity dependencies. Make sure they are correct and valid. Additionally, look for ways to change the dependencies to drive faster completion.
• Challenge the assumptions about mandatory dependencies. Do we really have to complete certain activities BEFORE we start the successor activities? Sometimes we can find ways to start subsequent activities in parallel with other activities (called fast tracking). Warning – this action will likely increase risks.
• Reduce lags. Be creative and find ways to reduce the lags in the project’s critical path. 
• Check the external dependencies. Rather waiting two weeks for a delivery of laptops, why not drive across town and purchase the laptops locally? Furthermore, double-check the outsourcing assumptions and arrangements.
• Reduce the duration of activities by reducing the associated risks. When individuals estimate schedule activities, they add time to account for risks. Consequently, if we can reduce or eliminate the risk, we can reduce the time required.
• Reduce the project duration by adding additional qualified resources to the critical path activities (called crashing). Warning – this action increases cost and often increases risks.
• Reduce the duration by replacing a team member with someone with greater skill and knowledge for critical path activities. Of course, this action will likely increase the cost.
• Reduce the scope of the project. Discuss the priority of the deliverables with the key stakeholders and determine if the scope can be reduced.

Effective compression of a project schedule requires efficient planning management. An intelligent decision-making process based on the best scenario generated by testing various options.

Unfortunately, program compression is a fact in most projects.

The challenge faced by project managers is to keep the “compressed program” realistic and achievable.

Lean Quote: Ideas Won’t Keep, Something Must Be Done About 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.

"Ideas won’t keep. Something must be done about them."   —  Alfred North Whitehead

The pitfalls of an ill-conceived employee suggestion program are multiple, legendary and most frequently - avoidable. With organizational commitment, clarity and ongoing communication employee engagement can positively impact your bottom line and your employee motivation and enthusiasm.

Many organizations want to harness the ideas for improvement that naturally exist in their employees. Suggestion boxes are a common, but ineffective, way to engage employees in continuous improvement. They’re usually implemented with the best of intentions by managers who genuinely want to hear their employees’ improvement ideas, but the boxes fail to produce the desired engagement.

If you want to improve your idea contributions, here are some tips I’ve used and found success with over the years for creating an effective suggestion idea system: 

1.     Make it easy to contribute ideas

Employees won’t be enthusiastic about contributing their best ideas if it is cumbersome or time consuming to do so. Develop a simple form that includes the problem, the idea and if the employee can implement it on their own. A simple bulletin board can be used to indicate idea status including columns for Submitted, In Process, and Complete ideas. Encourage employees to submit small ideas that can be implemented quickly by them versus large changes that require external resources such as engineering, IT, and facilities.

2.     Make ideas visible.

Make your idea system public so participation (or lack thereof) is visible to all. And so the ideas themselves are visible to all. Things that are visible are easier to manage. Employees want their ideas to be seriously considered and further implemented. If you’re like most people, you won’t go out of your way to submit ideas that likely won’t be followed up on anyway.

3.     Reward and recognize participation

A great way to increase employee engagement in continuous improvement is to recognize people for their involvement. Employee recognition doesn’t need to be anything big or fancy - a pat on the back or a high five is enough to encourage the participating employee and promote the engagement of others. Announcing the impact and recognizing the person who made the improvement encourages others to get involved, and sharing new best practices expands the reach of each idea.

4.     Measure the process, not the results

Measure process effectiveness not individual ideas. Don’t waste time evaluating the impact of individual ideas. The compounding impact of ideas will generate far greater results then an individual idea. Consider measures like 100% participation, ideas per person, days to implement, and number of submitted, in process and completed ideas.

To truly realize improvement, you need both creativity (idea generation) and action (follow through). Whether they speak up or not, you can be sure that your employees are thinking about ways that business processes could be improved every day. The best way to spread continuous improvement in an organization is to broadcast improvements. A idea system is a great way to capture those ideas.

12th Blogging Anniversary

I don't know why I do it but I enjoy celebrating the anniversary of this blog every year. Today marks the twelfth year publishing articles on a A Lean Journey.

I’d like to think that I turned my naïve endeavor to share learning along my own journey into a successful contribution in the Lean community. As I have said before this labor of love has been a tremendous learning process both from the great fans and other colleagues online that I exchange with and from the process of distilling my own learning with you.

Some may be asking how do you define success for a blog?  I think like most publications it is basically about audience.  Are you growing followers? Are people reading your posts? So like in previous years we can look at the number visitors, Facebook fan, tweeps on Twitter, and LinkedIn members as an indication of growth.

I love statistics, so with this milestone, here are some numbers from the blog:

Total Posts: 2068

Most read post:  The Six-Step Problem-Solving Process with over 34,925 views

followed by DOWNTIME and the Eight Wastes with over 32,440 views

and by What Do We Mean By True North? with over 31,685 views

Number of countries/territories who have visited this blog:  230

Top 5 Countries with the most views:

U.S.A. – 35%

India - 15%

Philippines - 8%

United Kingdom – 7%

Canada – 5%

Total views:  Over 1,777,490 and climbing

Unique visits: Over 1,436,650

Total comments:  Over 1,500

Total Facebook Fans: Over 2,300

Total Twitter Followers: Over 3,680

LinkedIn Members: Over 1,200

Total Tips Shared: Over 2,790

Top 5 posts this past year:

Five Lean Games Every Company Can Benefit From

10 Ways to Motivate Your Team

DIVE Deep to Understand Root Causes and Solve Problems

Focus on Countermeasures Not Solutions to Problems

Six Practical Tips for Developing an Engaged Workforce

I am so grateful to everyone who has read my posts and/or followed this blog and my other blogs. Some of you have been with me since I began this journey.  Even though we never have met, you comment on my posts and continually send me words of encouragement.  Blogging has been a much more rewarding experience than I imagined it could be!  

I would like to thank all the visitors and contributors to A Lean Journey Blog this year and every year.  It has been a successful journey but we aren't done yet

. Please, share your feedback so that A Lean Journey can be even more successful in the future.