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06/27/2011 03:57 PM
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I could use some help, As with most organizations the success of Lean is not a straight line of improvement. We have some agencies that have embraced the principles and making significant improvement and some that aren't. I'm looking for a process to accelerate some of the of the great things our islands of excellence are doing to those agencies that haven't bought in yet. I've been discussing with my team a couple of strategies. Our first thought is to analyze, what these island of excellence have done to find the "New" idea/process/ approach they have created and then dictate everybody comply with this new process. Second thought, is a variation of the first. Analyze , then use the new performance gains by the first agency as the new dictated standards for the rest of the agencies. (I know this is antithetical with CPI but I am in the military organization and ordering people to do things usually work) Another options is keep preaching LSS/CPI methodologies and hopefully everybody will eventual climb on board. I understand the first two options, while accelerating short term gains, in the long run will be become hindrances. Once the new process is implemented or new goal is reached, no one will continue the journey and we will be stuck. Unfortunately, my leadership is pushing hard to for return on investment and looking to capture efficiencies to pay for upcoming budget cuts. Telling them savings will come has hit a brick wall and no longer works. Has anybody solved this problem, or can point me to some case studies of how they handle this in the commercial world.
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06/28/2011 10:00 AM
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Hi Chris,
In general, the management are always looking for savings right now.
We have a program called a VCS (Value Capture Sheet) where you can show "what if" savings immediately.
For a pretty basic example ;
If a grade C was using X amount of envelopes/postage and the CI project indicated electronic transfer would be better, then the program would show savings in time,materials and labour costs at that grade.
We show this to the management, and they take a view wether this project is worth pursuing.
Hope this helps a bit
Armand
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06/28/2011 11:11 AM
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Chris,
You bring up some issues that I remember from some past posts, i.e., leadership pressing hard for ROI. That and looking at improving efficiencies to cover budget cuts. It's a common problem, with the focus being misplaced. The approach goes something like this:
"Lean projects will help pay for our budget cuts, let's do some".
OK, so how much will we save, and how much will it cost?".
So where are you? You are forced to justify your improvement efforts. In successful Lean transformations, the approach is - "We have a problem". "How can we fix it?".
I have a feeling that you have pockets of non buy-in because they are aware of, or are suspicious of, leadership's motives. Budget cuts = headcount cuts could be the perception, and in many situations perception is reality.
Unless the ROI mindset changes, I'm afraid you are in for a long road of frustration. And, as you pointed out, once the budget numbers are reached, then it's likely that leadership will say "OK, we've reached our numbers, everything's good, so we don't have to do this anymore".
They need to understand that the more competetive you are in your market, the more business you should get, and the need for the budget cuts and sweating ROI will greatly diminish.
Your leaders should be asking "What kind of performance do we want to be the best at what we do?" and "What is stopping us from getting there?".
I know I probably am preaching to the choir, but you need to continue to press on. Take the leaders to the gemba, show them what has been done, and where you need to concentrate your efforts. By seeing and feeling what is happening in your islands of excellence, hopefully the light will come on.
Ken
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07/05/2011 09:07 AM
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Chris - our work isdone primarily with Lean in Government. It starts with the leadership "getting it". We view this as remaking the cukture of the organization and it's not about fuzzy managing chnage platitudes it's about concrete tools and techniques that can modify the culture (= "the way we do things aroung here") to focus on the required actions, behaviors, systems and structures that drive the culture (we call this ACE = Achieving Change Effectiveness). These changes must be led and driven by top management. Finding the right leader is tough. More of these folks are appearing as people transition in their next careers from the private sector to the public sector. In their previous private sector lives, they had Lean experience and understood what was required.
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05/09/2012 12:43 PM
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Hi,
An interesting question posed.....
My preference is to standardise the principles as opposed to the solutions/tools and share them as that will encourage the process workers to be engaged and used to develop their own solutions. If you are required to roll out a particular solution in another area as that is considered to be the only way then do this carefully employing all your change management skills. Best practise I believe in a office environment should be measured by the effectiveness to meet the required CTQ for the customer, if processes differ vastly is this down to the individual styles? However are all the principles of what they are doing the same? In manufacturing it is far easier to apply a tool to fix a problem in offices apply a specified set of principles that you want to achieve I.e visually manage the process by identifying waste, quantifying it and enabling those who work it to remove it, to do this you don't necessarily need the same process/performance/short interval control board you need to ensure the principles and the behaviours result in the same output.
Apologies for the waffle I know what I mean when I am typing it, feel free to contact me directly if required Lee@leansecrets.co.uk
Cheers
Lee
www.leansecrets.co.uk
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