Accessible Hoshin Kanri

AHK - Thanks for the plug! Right back at ya with a...

2011-08-01T17:03:22.750-04:00

AHK - Thanks for the plug! Right back at ya with a link on our web resources page. http://www.workflowdiagnostics.com/web-links.html
Keep spreading the word. ~Mark H. Davis, President, Workflow Diagnostics

Thanks for sharing. We have found consistently tha...

2009-10-31T13:28:27.055-04:00

Thanks for sharing. We have found consistently that most lean leaders really don't know how to lead, particularly cultural change. Many of them come from operations or engineering, and I can personally attest that most engineers aren't trained in change management.

We believe that there is no such thing as organizational change. People change. Eventually enough people change within the organization that you can call it organizational change. You change one heart and one mind at a time.

That's why we created the Leading Lean course (Nov 11 at www.leanlearningcenter.com) - specifically to give people change agent skills that they need on the lean journey such as how to you sell ideas to people, how do you coach, how do you build a network of change agents, how do you change a culture, etc. These are important skills. I like to believe these skills are the difference between being a lean expert and being a lean change agent. One knows stuff, the other makes something happen.

Jamie Flinchbaugh
www.jamieflinchbaugh.com

Thanks Bob. You bring up several excellent points...

2009-10-27T11:37:32.084-04:00

Thanks Bob. You bring up several excellent points. I'd like to follow up on two of them.

I also "believe managers should spend significant time in the Gemba". My two plant tours each day were allotted 20 minutes plus or minus each. My activities during the tours were listed in priority order. Even the intent of the tours was made clear so I could capture the "spirit" of what my boss was coaching me to do.
The tours were separate from many other activities where my colleagues and I were taught to "go to the Gemba". My boss had so thoroughly trained us to spend time in the "Gemba" that he had to coach me to make a needed adjustment in my new role as a manager.
He was a true coach. All of this was done to help me develop my capabilities as a manager.

You comment "Each person has a choice on how they approach a person to provide coaching" is insightful. I was intense about my work and had very definite ideas about how to do it. Because of this, my boss adjusted his approach to get through to me. I have often described his style with me using the words "charming bully”, and I mean that in the nicest way. He was genuine and very effective.

Thanks for sharing this learning moment. In a way...

2009-10-27T10:18:24.025-04:00

Thanks for sharing this learning moment. In a way, your boss meant well and wanted you to focus on teaching others to "fish" rather than feeding them. Each person has a choice on how they approach a person to provide coaching. I believe that managers should spend significant time in the Gemba. I am happy to hear you had years of productive partnership afterward.

i remember the reaction and the level of understan...

2009-06-23T02:13:55.717-04:00

i remember the reaction and the level of understanding of 'lean' when Lowell started to draw new, more effective layout of cell after the lecture we had on the meaning of 'lean'. the more things change the more they stay the same, i guess.