There is No Art in Business Operational Excellence is based on science and it is not an art. Science is based on observations that form a hypothesis and experiments designed to learn. Art is an expression of creativity designed to stir emotion and is very much subject to interpretation. There are two dangers in thinking […]
Shotgun is Not an Approach to Solving Problems
June 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Shotgun is Not an Approach to Solving Problems Solving problems is the lifelong work of operations committed to continuously improving. Operations pursuing excellence avoid using the shotgun approach to solve their problems for two critical reasons: it works without learning and it is unsustainable. The shotgun approach works, but without learning Maintenance was called to […]
Change What’s Normal and You Change Your Culture
April 28, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Every organization has a culture, but successful organizations understand how important it is to create the right culture. “I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game; it is the game.” – Louis V. Gerstner, Jr., IBM Chairman & CEO, 1993-2002, in Who Says Elephants Can’t […]
Would You Rather Be Efficient or Productive?
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Would You Rather Be Efficient or Productive? Unlocking value is directly related to time. And time is often measured as efficiency and/or productivity. Both are valuable measures; but successful organizations realize that measuring efficiency alone can be misleading and overall productivity is the goal. Efficiency is the measure of how effectively we can complete a […]
Understanding the Power in a Cycle
March 24, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Unlocking the value of an operation starts with understanding the power of a cycle. A cycle is the slice of a process that defines the foundation for improvement. A cycle is an experiment that is continuously executed over and over, providing an endless supply of data about problems that arise and potential improvements. Bank of […]
The Culture of No Standards
March 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment
A global economy fueled by the furious pace of advancing technology has every organization under tremendous pressure to produce and cut cost. The best organizations, however, are not lured into the trap of short term gains at the expense of long term survival and continuous improvement. (But there is no doubt all of them are […]
Who Gives the Orders in Your Operation?
February 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Who Gives the Orders in Your Operation? Successful operations unlock value through a continuous cycle of PLAN – DO – CHECK – ACT. That critical cycle starts with a plan. Organizational learning comes from executing the plan and checking the results. The value is unlocked through actions and adjustments learned from the problems identified with […]
Would You Wear a Helmet?
July 21, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Would You Wear a Helmet? Lean operating systems recognize the value of people, work hard to recognize risk, and protect them from injury. We have helmets for riding a motorcycle, bicycle or skateboard. We have helmets for ice-skating, snowboarding, sled riding, and horseback riding. Football, baseball, and hockey players wear helmets. Wearing a helmet has […]
