LEAN Insights
Rapid Continuous Improvement
Drives Revenue Growth When
Based on Company Culture
1.
Creating Excellence with Lean Six-Sigma
Successful companies achieve results from Lean Six Sigma with committed leadership from the top. Toyota is an example of sustainable continuous improvement. From the beginning, CEO and President Ohno led by example. He visited the floor daily to inspect the visual management boards. He asked open-ended questions of the supervisors and operators. Leaders that want sustainable continuous improvement must be engaged. When organizational culture rewards problem solving, employees will identify waste and implement tools to remove it, so positive change occurs rapidly. Engagement at all levels is the fastest strategy to reduce costs and improve ROI.
2.
Build Continuous Improvement Into Company Culture to LEave a Legacy
Operational excellence is not a program of the month or a short-term fix. To achieve sustainable results with Lean Six Sigma, the value of continuous improvement must be recognized as a commitment to excellence at all levels of the organization. New processes must be crafted onto a company’s current DNA so the culture can develop in ways that fit its unique reality, not some arbitrary standard. Commitment and persistence are the keys to creating a legacy of excellence.
3.
Continuous Improvement Programs Must be Tailored
The elimination of waste means understanding the pulse of your continuous improvement efforts. Too many experts mandate unrealistic and complex methodologies for continuous improvement. Don’t shoot for huge changes quickly. Small improvements add up over time. Design and build a program tailored to the company’s needs, that can be sustained over the long term.
4.
A collaborative Culture is Human Centered
We are committed to working with our clients to ensure that the continuous development of your team and partners yield your desired results that no single event, program, or project can ever achieve. It’s your journey to excellence. We can achieve this through the development of a Lean, leaning organization that transcends procedural change into behavioral and philosophical change.
5.
Understanding Data Leads to Accountability
The ability to recognize trends and control an organization’s position can be the strategic difference between leading or simply following. Organizations that understand the value of employees document trends on a visual management board to encourage ownership of issues. When employees collect their own data, they quickly learn when problems occur and how to resolve them to improve performance. Daily visibility creates accountability. It’s also the first step in becoming servant leaders. A communication tool is a key to success in the journey to continuous improvement.
6.
Communication is the Foundation for Success
CEOs report that failure in their continuous improvement efforts was associated, 96% of the time, with communication issues. Assigning the right people to document data and progress is essential. Taking the time to build a strong foundation with clear, accurate information pays dividends in the amount of organizational engagement created even before the improvement processes begin. Conflict at all levels is minimized with public data and transparency.