Learning the technical aspects of Lean takes time and effort. But, what few people recognize is that it is much harder to develop the soft skills of continuous improvement. The following list contains some of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—for many Lean leaders. Granting Authority The single biggest mistake that leaders Read more…
I was leafing through a folder of interesting articles I clip to give me ideas for my writing, and came across a Men’s Health clip from a few years ago. The story doesn’t provide numbers, but it quotes ‘studies’ that show some of the benefits of being a happy person. Read more…
In my travels, I have lost track of how many people have told me that their situation is unique, or that their process is different. The truth of the matter is that they are right. Every process is unique, and every situation is different. But ironically, that very fact means Read more…
I am often asked about what can make implementing Lean easier, or how to do it quicker. Unfortunately, implementing Lean takes a lot of effort. It requires a lot of expertise, experience, and a wide array of skills to make it successful. There are no magic wands, special beans, or Read more…
Last night, I was trying to think of a topic for an article to write for this morning’s post. At first, I felt my blood pressure start to rise in lockstep with the rising job stress. But then, I remembered something. I know Lean principles. I suddenly realized that I’ve Read more…
Running an effective operation takes a daily management system. To get one up and running, Lean leaders have to: Identify the demand. This means tracking data for a while to see what your customers are asking you to do. (Hint: Pivot tables are your friend!) Understand your takt time. Production Read more…
Up until now, I’ve refrained from delving into the problems Toyota has been having. Frankly, I don’t know enough about what happened behind the scenes that led to the current problems the company is having. Anything I said would likely take some assumptions on my part, and I prefer to Read more…
I saw an article on CNN and thought it would make a good point about Lean. The piece is titled “Why teaching is ‘not like making motorcars’”. The article compares education with producing cars, but misses a key point. The article starts out by saying, “Sir Ken Robinson says our Read more…
The morning walkthrough sets the stage for a successful day in an effective company. Here are a few tips for leaders to take to heart when they prepare for a new day. Have a plan. Use a checklist. It should include any critical checks you need to complete each morning. Read more…
I’m pleased to be posting an interview I did last month with Tim McMahon. He’s a Lean Manufacturing Leader at a fiber optics company, the Social Networking Lead for the Northeast region of the Association of Manufacturing Excellence, and has a Lean blog titled, A Lean Journey. He also Twitters Read more…
I think I might have mentioned in past articles that I see Lean in everything nowadays. Last Saturday was no different. My wife surprised me with an adventure for our anniversary. She took me to a place that teaches people how to swing on the trapeze. So there were about Read more…
In less than a week, I get my braces off. I thought it would be done at that point, but my orthodontist told me that recent studies have shown that teeth will start shifting back to the original position as long as five years after the braces are removed, if Read more…