Leading in the Lean
Standard Work for Leaders
Workshop
Companies in many industries have struggled with the
application of Lean Thinking to their operations. Even more challenging is to sustain the
benefits that have been realized by the application of various lean concepts
such as flow, pull, and workplace organization.
The question that must be asked is, why is sustaining so difficult? The key to the successful application of Lean
is to recognize that it requires a change in the “culture” of an organization –
a change in the way the organization acts, interacts, communicates and makes
decisions. Further, it is the leadership
of an organization that determines its culture.
However, few people in leadership roles truly understand what it takes
to lead in the Lean Enterprise. Few
organizations adequately prepare their leaders for the new role that is often
required. This leads to companies
placing unfair expectations on people in these roles, frustration on the part
of all parties involved, and typically a reversion to old and familiar
practices.
To lead in the Lean Enterprise, people must abandon
traditional “command and control” management practices, and practice
“facilitative leadership”. They must
understand and accept all aspects that the new role involves – most importantly
maintaining standard work practices, and focusing on continuous
improvement. Further, there must be
consistency in the leadership approach, and the practical activities performed
by people in leadership roles. In other
words, there must be standard work for leaders.
Standard work is a foundation concept of Lean Thinking.
As part of this workshop, a “Lean Daily Management
System” (LDMS) will be created by and for the leaders within the
organization. A standard schedule will
be developed for each leadership role that is coordinated with other
roles. Specific activities expected to
be performed by the leaders will be defined, along with procedures to complete
each. These will include, but not be
limited to: performing waste walks, conducting 5S audits, facilitating shift
start-ups and end-of-shift activities, monitoring performance, and employee
communications.
In addition, a review of the necessary skills for
the Lean Leader will be provided including: planning and organizing,
communication, trust development, observation, motivation, and providing
direction. The Lean Leader must be able
to teach and coach others. This is
accomplished by applying the simple, time tested techniques known as Training
Within Industries (TWI) including the “J’s” (JI, JM, and JR). Kaizen facilitation will also be covered,
including standard kaizen event planning and event report outs. Kaizen and employee training will be part of
the LDMS. Methods to effectively
communication will be reviewed using A3s, visual communication and other
techniques. The result will be a clear
understanding of each participant’s role, and how to fulfill it. The rest comes with practice.
This application workshop is appropriate for anyone
in a leadership role. It is typically
customized for each organization and as a result its duration can vary from 24
to 48 hours.
|
Change
Management Associates Tele: 856-235-8051 • Website:
cma4results.com |
|