Creativity and Innovation are essential to business success. We need out-of-the-box thinkers who are willing and able to take risks and push ideas forward. These thinkers require a work environment that instills the hallmarks of psychological safety. Fear & Creativity Before we dive into psychological safety, let's begin with a thought experiment. It's late one Monday [...]
Have you ever stared at something so long that it became impossible to comprehend? You try to analyze every angle of the problem, searching for a way to solve the puzzle, but you come up empty. And the longer you stare, the more frustrated you get. This is a good indicator that it's time for a [...]
Virtually everything you can see, touch, taste, and smell is the product of a scientific process. And the scientific method isn't just for big problems. It also applies to the little decisions in our life that make a big difference. Having a scientific mindset is an essential part of everyday life. It encompasses everything from waking [...]
The Problem with Traditional Experimentation Experimentation and innovation cannot exist without one another. To embrace innovation, we must also embrace the experimental process. But this is not quite as easy as coming up with new ideas and testing each of them. Each new idea will cost a company in time, money, and manpower, and these resources [...]
What is the Theory of Constraints? Every organization faces bottlenecks, or constraints, in their daily operations. These constraints are often found in a manufacturing line when there is an issue with a process or procedure. However, constraints can occur across an organization, from personnel to issues with technology. The Theory of Constraints offers a methodology to help [...]
Lean practices are built on a foundation of continuous improvement. But knowing where to focus improvement efforts can sometimes be tricky. This is especially true if the leaders making decisions are disconnected from the people on the front lines. This is where Gemba Walks can be effective. What is Gemba? Gemba comes from the Japanese word [...]
In 2002, Sir David Bailsford was coming out of a sales management career and stepped foot into the world of competitive cycling. Armed with an MBA and inspired by Kaizen, Sir David Bailsford began his training from an incremental improvement mindset. This was no easy task. It involved the constant and meticulous measurement of key performance [...]
Unfortunately, this 15 point “FAQ” doesn’t appear in the official Scrabble dictionary (I looked it up). Fortunately, we are here to help with the five most common lean questions. While the concept of lean isn’t new, it’s easy to get lost in the mountain of rules and strategies surrounding the topic. Sometimes, it helps to get [...]
(A note from the State of Michigan) Going PRO Talent Fund Application Period is Now Underway! Ends Oct. 28 Oakland County Michigan Works! has great news for businesses across Oakland County. The State of Michigan passed its fiscal year budget last week which included $40 million for employers to train new and current employees through the Going [...]
The most crucial aspect of any Lean process implementation is the collective adoption of a continuous improvement mindset. This is the idea that Lean is never truly ‘accomplished’ but continuously sought after over time, leading to more impressive results with each tick of the clock. However, implementing this kind of mindset can present a challenge, as [...]
