Farmers use greenhouses to provide the perfect conditions for the growth of their plants. The conditions in a greenhouse are often set to ensure maximum benefit to plants. Compare that to planting the same plant in a cold and dark plot. The yield obtained from the two places would be very different. Thinking from that perspective, [...]
“Fake it till you make it.” It’s quite the cliché`. It sounds good, and everyone will like any statement that provides some sort of solace. However, it’s a statement used to justify wrong choices. As a business leader you will be setting yourself up for failure if you decide to fake anything. In business, you cannot [...]
This is part two of The Layered Process Audit. If you haven’t already, you should read part one. In many organizations, the line supervisor has the responsibility for auditing to ensure that structures and processes such as standard work, 5S, safety, and quality checks are adhered to. The supervisor is usually the only one who is [...]
Many organizations complain about having difficulty maintaining standards on the shop floor. We often make improvement only to find the process regresses back to its previous state in a short period of time. A closer look at the audit process will often show the following types of symptoms: Standard work is posted, but no one is [...]
Many proprietors and workers will assume that clients are satisfied with their products and services, just because nobody has ever complained. That mentality is detrimental to your career or business. Take yourself for instance. Rarely will you complain because the bus you normally use is a few minutes late, but you prefer if it was always [...]
The popular belief is that “Lean” is a tool that is only used to enhance a “manufacturing” process. Its suitability in food, health, service, government, sales, among other business enterprises has for long been perceived as inappropriate and misaligned, to say the least. However, it appears Lean Thinking can be quite successful in such enterprises if [...]
A good leader knows that trust in the workplace is one of a company’s most valuable assets. Ken Blanchard, Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, is quick to point out, however, that trust in the workplace doesn’t just happen by itself. It must be cultivated from the top down, by the company’s leaders. In [...]
A manufacturing apprentice program is one of the best ways to ensure quality workplace performance. Often apprentice programs are overlooked because business owners and recruiters assume that a college education or vocational program has provided adequate preparation for their future employees. They are confident that satisfactory transition from textbook to factory floor can easily be achieved [...]
Internal advisors, or fellow employees and staff members who are only a few paces ahead of the learner, may be the solution to effective learning for any type of organization. If your business or enterprise depends on scheduled seminars and trainings for instilling operational excellence, usually you will feature an expert to lead the sessions. Randy [...]
Building a sense of urgency and clearly communicating that message is a key skill for any leader in any organization that could present a significant challenge, particularly if the business is profitable and the orders keep rolling in. “Take a look at our revenue reports and you’ll see we’re doing just fine. We have work to [...]
