Every organization starts its continuous improvement journey with enthusiasm, excitement, and the best intentions. After assessments are completed and a vision for the future is established, organizations can still stumble when implementing their new Lean transformation and fall victim to one (or more) of the seven deadly sins of continuous improvement. Resist these seven […]
3 Ways to Get Engaged with Continuous Improvement
By Christian Wolcott
Are you engaged, disengaged or actively disengaged? It’s an assessment that must be made by an organization if they are interested in culture change or a culture of continuous improvement. The next, and perhaps larger, set of questions are the same set but aimed at the management ranks exclusively: Is the management team engaged, disengaged […]
Optima Associates Hires Tom Groth as Continuous Improvement Leader
Industry veteran to lead Optima’s southern Wisconsin peer groups DE PERE, Wis., Jan. 14, 2020 – Optima Associates, a market leader in continuous improvement peer groups, training and consulting with clients globally, has hired Tom Groth as its continuous improvement leader based in Madison, Wis. Groth has more than 30 years of experience in continuous […]
5S Thinking and Strategy Deployment, say what!
By Steven Hirt
It’s that time of year where we begin to think about the future and our strategy for getting there. If you are using Strategy Deployment or Hoshin Kanri principles you are likely already there. If not, it may be time to do a little housekeeping or 5S your top strategies and actions. 5S? Yes, […]
Podcast – Paint Your People Gold
By Christian Wolcott
People closest to the work have the best ideas of how and what to change. Let’s examine this simple yet powerful statement. First people, which ones are we talking about? The employees. Which employees? The hardworking folks that directly handle and build the products and provide the services your customers receive. They are the people […]
Coaching excellence and being the best version of yourself
By Steven Hirt
I was recently listening to a Norman Bodek podcast on the Harada Method and coaching excellence. He spoke of Kyocera and its Chairman Kazou Inamori which I found intriguing and wanted to learn more. Words like “Trust” and “Respect for People” are often used but rarely practiced, especially in Western Culture. Below is the management […]
What’s the problem you are trying to solve?
By Steven Hirt
Way too often organizations are pursuing the benefits of the Toyota Production System or Lean Enterprise by trying to imitate or copy others. While there is value in understanding what others have done, company and continuous improvement leaders should recognize their own uniqueness and culture and develop countermeasures to their own business problems, not someone […]
Leader Standard Work for LEAN LEADERSHIP
By Christian Wolcott
What is your standard as a Manager or a Leader? Some insight; in vibrant, progressive organizations that strive to integrate continuous improvement with running the business, you need to be both an effective manager and leader fundamentally becoming a Lean Leader. The challenge is creating a standard that comprises both sets of skills and approaches. […]
Plenty of CI opportunities this summer
Lean Yardstick
By Steven Hirt
Thinking about how the Lean Business System and its principles can influence your business is paramount and a key component of establishing your True North. Lean, although filled with tools, is by its very nature a people system. At its very foundation is respect for people. This does not mean just “being nice”, it means […]
