Developing a winning team is extremely important if your company is going to make improvements. In this blog, I provide four steps that will help. It’s interesting that when we begin our days in school that everything is focused upon individual performance. Don’t cheat off your neighbor, don’t crib information from Google or the review …
Sounds good, but what does it mean and how do you apply it within a Lean framework? First, let’s talk about self-leadership and then I will provide you with a tool that can help you improve in that area. Leader standard work. Self-leadership starts with being self-aware. What are your strengths, weaknesses, values, and emotional …
Great Leadership begins with Self Leadership- Leader Standard Work Read More »
Learn how a company in Waterloo, Iowa benefitted from deploying Mixed Model Lines. One of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses …
Filter Minder Uses Mixed Model Lines to Improve Operations Read More »
If we will gather increased information from the factory floor, customers, supply chains, and quality, we better make sure we have a handle on cybersecurity. In 2019 there were 3800 publicly exposed data breaches. These exposed 4.1 billion records and data breaches have increased by 54% over 2018. Ouch! According to IBM and the Poneman …
Many years ago, in a galaxy far, far away…oh not really. Toyota identified the seven wastes when they developed the Toyota Production System from 1948 to 1975. As the production system was integrated into Western culture the eighth waste- Not Listening to People’s Ideas was adopted. When put into the correct order, the eight wastes …
I am sure that at some point in your life you have heard this saying. Perfect is the enemy of good. That is especially true when you are beginning your Lean journey as an organization or as someone who has been tasked with driving the Lean effort within your organization. While striving for perfection is …
As we are all aware, the success of your Lean innovation depends upon support from leadership and how you engage the workforce. As leaders in the organization, there are five simple ways you can support the Lean activities happening in your company. 1. Become a project sponsor Are there processes within your department or business …
Five Simple Ways Leaders Can Support Lean Activities Read More »
This week on American Lean Weekday, I interview W Machine works who have been on a continuous improvement journey since 2005. Hear how small wins drove their employee engagement! One of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies …
W Machine Works Shares how Small Wins Drove Employee Engagement Read More »
Blockchain technology will transform supply chains and will be here soon! As I mentioned in the original Industry 4.0 blog, nine enablers support Industry 4.0 or Smart Manufacturing. The nine enablers are listed below. As the technology matures, more manufacturers will want to automate their supply chains. To accomplish this, they will rely upon blockchain …
Blockchain Technology- Coming Soon to a Supply Chain Near You Read More »
If you read my book the Lean Game Plan, you know that I talk about having the lean basics in place- Inventory accuracy, Bill of Material accuracy and 6S before getting more sophisticated. I want to talk about 6S in this blog. You often see 5S, 5S +1, 6S and even 7S which all refer …