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07/30/2012 02:19 PM
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I'm a "lean practiotioner" at a forging comany that produces the larger components for automobile axles. What the company had in mind was to put somebody in the lower ranks in a pseudo-leadership role to help increase motivation for implementing lean.
Since only about 25% of my job is management directed, I develop my own tasks that can help us implement and use lean principles, but many times I find myself in a sticky situation.
I am in an hourly position, which means I do not attend most of the management meetings and functions. I attempt to develop and post various visual aids or training slides on our "lean training board" (which one of the managers decided to post a personal hygene slideshow in). After it is developed I review it with the management staff, and they typically decline for a more cookie-cutter approach. The main issue is, cookie-cutter lean powerpoints apply about 100% to assembly processes, and only about 75% to our forging processes.
What is the best approach for someone in my position? Do I just keep prodding until I get someone to back me and give me some direction?
I just spent about a total of 24 hours last week in a lean training class offsite and it pains me to not be able to try and apply what i've learned. The only thing I was able to do with little resistance was re-draw our VSM's, which I had plenty of help on.
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07/31/2012 11:04 AM
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Ryan,
I am also from a forging facility and I have practiced Lean for years and I also found it difficult in some situations to implement Lean. My past experience is to show manangement what is in it for them, start with the basics and show them the results. For example start with 5S and standard work, without these documents it is very hard to create a Value Stream Map with the correct information. 5S will help you with the midset of Lean and slowly start getting the wheels to turn and the Standard Work will help you to show your teammates 1) Where there is waste in their process, 2) Where there are areas for improvement, 3) Gives them a tool to measure themself against the standard 4) Allows them to see normal vs abnormal. Don't give up, you are on a great path just keep pushing.
Angie
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08/02/2012 02:01 PM
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Thank you for the response Angie,
I will try that approach. It seems that is one of the main problems. Most people within the facility see lean implementation as a hinderance, because it means either the issues in their department will be exposed, or they may have to start doing things differently. It also doesn't help that our culture is based on the "just make parts" principle, which means they will do anything to get the parts they need out the door.
5S is definitely one of our main focuses. I feel that on a score from 1 to 10 our 5S would be at a 7.5. We tried to take it to the next level by developing our standardized work on the shop floor but it didn't seem right. It just turned out to be a checksheet that had the operator's daily tasks on it that was supposed to be filled out every shift.
Maybe I could start there? The main challenge that I see in this is the fact that 90% of our workforce operates on situational work cycle as opposed to a more cyclical form of operation.
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08/02/2012 03:59 PM
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Hi Ryan
What you are facing is common place, managers and executive start Lean because a customer has told them to, but they pay it lip service until a crisis arrives and then they want it all done yesterday. But right now do not worry about it, just look for small little things you can do that will start to show them and your co-wporkers what can be done if you try.
Lean is based on the idea of Kaizen, which in reality is just a steady flow of small improvements, so start doing little things overtime they will see the benefits and start letting you do bigger project.
5S a messy bottlekneck from the VSM you created, than see how that improved the process, show the results to your bosses remember in the autopart business fractions of a second matter, and they can give you the first proven set of results to show your managers.
Just remember Lean is a journey, and as long as you keep taking another step you will move toward the goal of get better, just remember many small steps often get you farther in the end than giant leaps do.
Good Luck
Robert Drescher
ELSE Inc.
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08/03/2012 11:46 AM
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I too am an hourly employee tasked with implementing Lean into the workplace. One thing to keep in mind is the most listened to radio station in the world "WIIFM" or What's In It For Me. Put Lean practices in place a little at a time, show results.
I found it easier to just show people how to make their job easier without throwing the "Lean" title to it also seems to help. You will find that doing it this way will get more results on the floor, which in turn will show results to the management team.
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08/06/2012 11:18 AM
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SasheSashendran Pathmanathan
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Dear Louis,
I must agree to what you have said. People also look into what do they get if they implement Lean.
True enough showing them the easier way of work, reporting,etc, is always the best way of getting the message through.
Many Small improvements which requires minimum investment is the main point and not the big ideas which requires high investments.
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08/09/2012 12:22 PM
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Hi Louis
I think you got a key point in that thye name Lean has been miss used to often for what in fact is MEAN (mindlkess job and cost cutting). The litlle things you have been doing will always in the end out perform the big ones some companies are always looking for, and with far less risk of having negative impacts. Small improvements can be easilky tested and if they work implemented. Literrally there is the potential of doing dozens of these little improvements every year, by every employee. The Critical mass of all these little things will in the end drive Lean efforts where they actually need to be focused, that being on true value creation, by those creating the value.
Keep up the great work, and all my best to you.
Robert Drescher
ELSE Inc.
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