Ready to coach? Making use of new skills
Obstacles and escalating priorities can sap a team leader’s will to learn.
Power of observation: Step back, let it happen
Acting as an observer rebalances processes.
Clean to inspect: How 5S drives improvements
It offers more than workplace organization.
New reality: Managing processes with Deming and EVSM
Reap benefits by adapting the PDCA cycle with value stream mapping.
Coca-Cola recovery continues as it grows leaner in pandemic
Company has accelerated a planned reorganization that will put more emphasis on fast-growing brands.
Voice of the customer: Where lean thoughts become reality
Pandemic issues have distracted from process and product delivery.
Finding balance when consistency of purpose is not quite enough
What customers willingly pay for will change, so think process.
Centre of truth: Uncover previous disturbances to flow
Methodologies can be effective but what about quality?
Apply 5S forethought: Once started it’s hard to change course
Do it right and there’s more to gain than reduced searching.
Measuring performance for multiple sites, departments or teams
Maintain the focus to keep your strategy alive.
Sit on your hands: It’s about experiencing the learning
Slow down, guide and coach as the trainee performs the methodology.
Changing shifts: Engineer them to improve productivity
Have work at every station so the incoming crew begins immediately.
Riding the white water: Kayaking and leadership lessons learned
How the sport parallels manufacturing and leadership.
People power: Expand your vision of how work is done
Work environments are evolving with new roles, responsibilities and accountability.
Create a positive culture: Making a difference drives strategic advantage
Eliminate the silos and tap the strengths of your team members.
Build your brand with tools that improve your plant’s processes
Achieve velocity and increase your value to the customer.
Increase your velocity: Focus on reducing cycle times
Improve on-time delivery with a build/test program.
Optimize PM programs: Add lean to improve your plant’s efficiency
Eliminating eight wastes leads to world-class performance.
Distinguish between genuine and apparent efficiency
True kaizen generates no waste and reduces costs.
Emotional attachment: It creates employee engagement
Workers immersed in a process look for potential improvements.
End the firefighting: Build continuous improvement teams
There’s no need for heroes when you tap into the knowledge on the plant floor.
Stay on top of your inventory: replenishment that keeps the process moving
There are several methodologies for a range of applications.
War on waste: Observations from the shop floor to top floor
Identifying waste is easy, the challenge lies in engaging everyone to apply the tools
Explore the abstract: Look beyond the circle with your audits
Applying basic principals such as 5S+1 leads to productivity improvements.
Get organized: shadow boards improve plant productivity
Set up tools as runners, repeaters and strangers to save time and effort.
Visitors are your best auditors: feedback delivers opportunities for improvement
Fresh eye of new employees, suppliers, sales reps and customers are always the best to question or confirm the effectiveness of processes.
Managing customer demand: leverage your enterprise excellence tools
Make it easier and less stressful for your customer to do business with you.
Going with the flow: how TPS and McDonalds are cleaning up
A new McDonald’s employee is taught to never be idle. If there’s a lull, start cleaning. The same principle applies in your place.
GE breaks ground in Welland for new “Brilliant Factory”
The 450,000 square-foot plant will streamline production using data, analytics and software.
Tame variability
How to subdue it with formal problem solving.
Diagnosing lean
A journey in five steps.
Book review: Leading the lean journey
CEOs tell their success stories.
