Lean Roundup #185 – October 2024

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of October 2024.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.  

 

Leadership Failure: How Refusing to Be Wrong Hurts Teams and Innovation – Mark Graban explains true leadership isn't about projecting infallibility–it's about fostering a culture where mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning and growth.

 

How to Promote Continuous Improvement in The Workplace – Maggie Millard shares 7 actions that will help you create the culture you need to be successful for your organization involving continuous improvement.

 

TPS and Agile – Pascal Dennis explains why Agile and the Toyota Production System (TPS) are entirely simpatico.

 

 3 Practices to Become a Skillful Facilitator – Katie Anderson shares three tips to follow if you want to create impactful experiences that inspire change and drive results.

 

Creating Future Leaders: Essential Tools for Youth Organization and Growth – Alen Ganic shares five key lessons he learned helping youth address struggles so they can unlock their potential and set them on a path to success.

 

What are Good KPIs? – Christopher Roser digs deeper on what KPIs are good, and how you can go wrong with (too many?) KPIs.

 

On the Quality of KPIs – Christopher Roser looks at the quality of key performance indicators (KPIs) as it impacts management’s decision-making and subsequent actions.

 

Keeping Classroom Technologies Functioning: Application of lean principles improves computer-repair operations - By and George Taninecz share the strategies that helped Trafera streamline workflows, enhance team collaboration, and improve efficiency of their repair operations.

 

From Agile Fatigue to Experimentation: Finding a Better Way in Development - James Morgan explores the limitations of agile and how Lean Product and Process Development can close its gaps.

 

Lean Failure Explained: When Command-and-Control Leadership Sabotages Success – Mark Graban explains how Lean will fail if leadership maintains a rigid, top-down approach that disregards the voices of the employees who do the actual work.

How to Improve Team Collaboration at Work

For an organization to run smoothly and meet its goals, it is important to foster a work environment that supports collaboration amongst colleagues. Unfortunately for most organizations, team cooperation does not occur naturally. You must make an effort and take steps to help build and sustain a cooperative work environment.

Team cooperation in the workplace can mean many things. It involves the level at which employees participate in decision-making, how management and employees work together to resolve problems, and how all levels of the organization work together to achieve common goals.

If you know collaboration is important but your team still hasn’t quite mastered it, don’t worry — here are some ways to improve those skills.

1. Teamwork must become part of your workplace culture

For coworkers to successfully collaborate, the leadership within the organization must work to make collaboration one of the key values of the enterprise. Employees must see that the leadership within the firm works together as a team to accomplish goals. Also, the company’s leadership must award teams publicly when they are successful at working together to achieve their objectives.

To truly improve cooperation skills, leaders must provide an environment where employees are not afraid to share their ideas. Leaders must create a culture with positive team dynamics where the exchange of ideas is encouraged and rewarded. Teamwork and collaboration must be a central theme of the corporate culture to improve team cooperation.

2. Provide teams with the resources they need to work collaboratively

To make improvements with communication, the organization must provide the necessary resources to the teams. This includes comfortable workspaces where the teams can work together. If the teams are spread out amongst different locations, then the organization must provide the resources that allow the teams to work together remotely, such as video conferencing.

3. Be an example

Being the leader of a team requires setting an example of collaboration because team members often react to the environment that managers create. You can use your role as manager or team leader to exhibit being open to new suggestions. You may also support team members who are debuting a new skill or contributing a new idea, which helps expand the team's skill set.

4. Clarifying roles and setting expectations

Organizations will find when all employees are on the same page, team collaboration will quickly become a seamless and natural process. Making sure each employee understands – not only his or her role, but also the roles of the people around them will help everyone understand the big picture and how they fit into the larger puzzle.

It is also imperative that the leadership sets clear expectations for teams so that as employees work together, everyone is clear on which goal or objective needs to be reached.

5. Encourage openness and feedback

In order for your team to collaborate together successfully, they need to feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts, opinions, ideas, concerns, and feedback.

It’s important to foster an environment that encourages openness and feedback. Encourage constructive criticism, share successes and failures with your team, and let them know there’s no such thing as a stupid question! When people feel safe enough to speak openly, teams can work together more successfully.

6. Resolve team conflict quickly

No team will ever be perfect, and it is crucial for organizations to recognize this and have a system in place to handle any conflicts that arise. The system should allow any employee to share their concerns without repercussions. Also, employees should be allowed to have input on any solution to implemented by the organization.

Employees who know there is a system in place and are comfortable knowing the dispute will be handled fairly will be able to work with other team members in a healthy and collaborative manner.

7. Celebrate and reward successful teamwork

How you measure your team’s success will signal what kind of company you are. If you reward effective teamwork and successful collaboration, you communicate the values underpinning your business.

When you design your employee appraisal metrics, focus on team collaboration and individual successes. Make it clear that your employees’ team efforts will be noted, and collaborative achievements rewarded.

The teamwork and collaboration examples above are vital for a productive, efficient, and engaged workforce — but they’ll only work if your team knows how to collaborate. Luckily, it is possible to learn these skills and improve them over time so anyone can become a more collaborative worker.

Lean Quote: With Autumn Passing Pause to Reflect

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Go, sit upon the lofty hill,

And turn your eyes around.

Where waving woods and waters wild.

Do hymn an autumn sound."   

—  "The Autumn" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Fall is a gorgeous time of year to take a break and reset. There is no better place to be than in nature in the autumn because of how lovely all the scents, sights, and sounds of nature can bring our senses alive! 

The rustling leaves and babbling streams come together like a natural melody, offering a serene moment of fulfilling enjoyment.

Seasons change and each one beckons a new energy. Autumn, when the light is equal to the dark, is a period of both abundance and surrender. It invites you to celebrate your bounty – the fruits from the seeds you planted in the spring. Then, it reminds you to be grateful, demonstrating both the impermanence in nature and the possibility of regeneration.

So, pause to watch the leaves turn. Take time to reflect on the cycles of life. If you have received great favor, then determine how you can share the love. If your harvest was not as robust as you would like, then start planning for next season.

Just as leaves fall from the trees, it’s a good time to consider your strongholds and shed anything that doesn’t serve your spirit or may be holding you back from reaching your highest potential. As you let go of dead weight – whether it be habits, beliefs, activities or even people – you make way for new growth. You may just fall into a more vibrant version of yourself.

You’ve been working hard and playing hard. A great way to prevent burnout is to create space and time for yourself. Fall offers us a colorful window to sit and take in Nature’s work, to revel in the beauty that truly is all around us. Enjoy the peace, quiet, and beauty that autumn brings.

Lean Tips Edition #306 (#3616-3630)

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook.

Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed.

Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page:

Lean Tip #3616 - Let Information Flow Freely

Transparency within a company is necessary for building a culture of innovation. In addition to knowing the company's top priorities, transparency also breeds trust. Trust, in turn, breeds both engagement and personal connections. Taken together, they encourage creative thinking and the confidence to share those ideas and work with teammates to bring them to life.

One of the ways to promote transparency and let information flow freely is to use collaboration tools that make information accessible and visible to everyone in the company. Doing so will create a culture of open communication where employees can share ideas, feedback, and concerns without fear of retribution. You'll also encourage employees to engage with each other and with the company by making information and resources easily accessible and available.

Lean Tip #3617 – Empower Teams to Make Decisions.

Decision paralysis happens when we have too many options and are unable to decide on a single solution. This can quickly derail many projects or teams. But something much worse is not empowering a team or individual to make a decision in the first place.

Layering on multiple levels or approvals in order to make a decision can kill innovation faster than any type of decision paralysis can. When teams or individuals don’t feel supported or trusted in making decisions, they can quickly lose confidence in their ability or skills to innovate.

Empowering teams through decision making is a great way to increase ideas within your organization. When workers feel confident, they are more likely to pursue new, innovative projects. Eliminating some of the “red tape” around decision-making can help foster a culture of innovation and make way for more ideas to come to the forefront. 

Lean Tip #3618 – Break Patterns and Stop Thinking, “That’s How it’s Always Been.”

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome. For many organizations, this definition of insanity plays out in a dangerous way.

We all get stuck in common patterns of behavior or settle into ways of doing things. It’s another frustrating theme of being human. But this behavior can have unsettling consequences. When times change and issues arise, we can find ourselves stuck by providing a familiar excuse: “That’s how it’s always been.”

The world is rapidly changing around us, and what worked last week may not work this week anymore. Innovation can only truly blossom when we’re able to step back from our norms, patterns, and comforts to see the larger picture at play. It can be easy to fall back on old solutions, but that can hinder you from making progress toward seeking out truly innovative solutions.

Lean Tip #3619 – Allocating Time for Creative Exploration

You can set aside dedicated time within employees’ work schedules for them to explore and experiment with creative and innovative ideas. This approach recognizes that innovation often requires time for reflection, brainstorming, and experimentation. Organizing contests is one of the best ways to encourage employees to not only brainstorm but execute their ideas. As a manager, you get to see the potential an idea may have, and employees also feel motivated as they have dedicated time to work on something other than their regular work.

Lean Tip #3620 – Encouraging Networking and Exposure to New Ideas

Create opportunities and a supportive environment for employees to connect with peers, industry experts, and diverse perspectives outside of their immediate teams or departments. You can set up mentorship and coaching programs and let the employees reach out to the mentors to share ideas, take feedback, or learn to navigate through challenges. Moreover, you can involve employees in industry events, conferences, or collaborations with external organizations to expose them to new trends, technologies, and innovative practices. Such exposure can stimulate innovative thinking and inspire employees to bring fresh ideas and approaches to their work.

Lean Tip #3621 – Create the Right Motivation and Culture

Start by defining and communicating your business mission, values, and strategic direction. If your employees know where you’re headed, they’re more likely to contribute ideas of value to your business. Don’t use money as the incentive; place emphasis instead on that employee’s potential to shape the future direction of the business and make a meaningful contribution.

Listen, acknowledge, and give feedback to employees who submit ideas. As a member of management, beware of jumping the gun and adding suggestions or changes to ideas as soon as they’re submitted; this can give the impression to employees that their ideas don’t have merit or aren’t good enough, reducing the likelihood of them repeating the behavior.

Remember that an idea is only the first step, and it will be imperfect and require fine-tuning. Embrace that concept and adopt the philosophy of ‘there’s no such thing as a bad idea’. Even if you must say no to an employee, their suggestion may lead to other developments in the future. It’s vital to establish a culture in which employees can feel confident submitting ideas, in the knowledge that they will be listened to and not judged.

Lean Tip #3622 – Ask for Ideas from Employees and Establish a Process

Do your employees even know that you want them to step up?

Make it clear that your organization is seeking input from its employees and communicate it widely. Direct innovation to ensure you get the most from your employees. Rather than simply saying “We want your ideas”, identify and define the areas you need support with. Give your employees a structure and process to follow, or consider having a member of the management team ‘get the ball rolling’ with the first suggestion.

For example, establish an ‘ideas’ forum or use a dedicated idea system. Start a discussion requesting ideas for a specific process, product, or objective and outline how the process will follow through. Assigning a timescale can prove beneficial; it creates a sense of ‘urgency’ that will prompt or trigger suggestions, rather than an open-ended process. This sets out expectations and offers employees a starting point and structure for putting forward ideas.

Lean Tip #3623 – Make Time for Innovation

Google famously adopted a ‘20% time’ policy for innovation, allowing its engineers to dedicate 20% of their time to personal projects. The initiative generated some of Google’s most successful products. Although the concept has since been replaced with a more focused approach, it highlights the need to dedicate time to ideation.

While not all organizations can afford the productivity losses of a ’20 time’ approach, ensure that alongside ad-hoc ideation along your communication channels, there is time dedicated to purposeful brainstorming and idea creation.

This may be a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual event, depending on your business needs; setting up a regularly occurring event for an open forum, group discussion, or even just as a reminder to employees to submit ideas can help get those creative ideas going.

Lean Tip #3624 – Think Outside the Box

Ideation is, by definition, a creative process. So why not get creative with how you stimulate ideas?

Why not assign an ‘ideas wall’ and supply a bank of Post-its? Or have a ‘think like the customer’ session, using role-play or even actual customers? Keep it fun: if your employees feel comfortable, they’re more likely to contribute.

Remember that not all employees create or innovate in the same way; offering several channels or options can help get the maximum number of ideas from the maximum number of people.

Lean Tip #3625 – Stop and Listen

You’ve made the decision to innovate. You’ve removed barriers, you’ve asked for ideas, you’ve given them the tools. Now, you need to listen.

Employees are continuously talking, even outside of structured innovation campaigns. The act of creating a true culture of innovation calls for continuous listening – both to active ideation channels and to ‘passive’ conversations, which naturally occur in your business.

Make sure you listen from the bottom up; some of the most powerful insights can be found on the frontlines of your business, from those actively delivering your product or service. Ideation isn’t an executive-level task: when it comes to innovation, every employee counts.

Lean Tip #3626 – Be Flexible and Adaptable in Your Approach.

The world is constantly changing, so you need to be flexible and adaptable in your approach. This means being open to new ideas and ways of doing things.  It also means being willing to change course if needed.

Flexibility and adaptability are key traits of successful organizations. They allow for quick adjustments in response to changing circumstances, ensuring that the organization can continue to operate effectively even in uncertain times.

One way to foster flexibility and adaptability is by encouraging a culture of experimentation within your organization. This involves trying out new ideas and approaches and learning from both successes and failures. By doing so, you can identify new opportunities and stay ahead of the curve.

In addition to being flexible in your approach, it is important to regularly review and evaluate your strategies and plans. This allows for adjustments to be made as needed, ensuring that you are always working towards your goals in the most effective way possible.

Lean Tip #3627 – Make Sure You Have a Clear Vision and Strategy.

A clear vision and strategy can help you to stay focused in a rapidly changing world. It can also help you to make decisions quickly and efficiently. When your organization knows where it is going, it is less likely to be derailed by change. This is because your strategy acts as a roadmap, guiding you towards your goals even when circumstances change.

To ensure that your vision and strategy remain relevant and effective in the face of change, it is important to regularly review and update them.  This may involve consulting with stakeholders, conducting market research, and staying informed about industry trends. By doing so, you can ensure that your organization is always moving in the right direction. Remember, a clear vision and strategy are not static documents, they should be constantly evolving to meet the ever-changing needs of your organization.

Lean Tip #3628 – Cultivate a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. It’s about embracing challenges, viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth, and persisting in the face of obstacles. Developing a growth mindset is essential for adaptability because it allows us to see change as an opportunity for learning and personal development.

To cultivate a growth mindset, start by embracing challenges and setbacks. Instead of shying away from difficult tasks, embrace them as opportunities for growth. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and take on new experiences. Remember, failure is not a reflection of your abilities but an opportunity to learn and improve.

Lean Tip #3629 – Build Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand our own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. It’s about knowing who we are and how we respond to different situations. Building self-awareness is crucial for adaptability because it allows us to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments.

To build self-awareness, take time for self-reflection. Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and identify areas where you can improve. Seek feedback from others and be open to constructive criticism. The more you understand yourself, the better equipped you will be to adapt to different situations.

Lean Tip #3630 – Enhance Problem-Solving Skills

Problem-solving skills are essential for adaptability. When faced with challenges or obstacles, being able to approach them with a solution-oriented mindset is crucial. It involves being proactive, seeking alternative strategies, and being willing to take risks.

To enhance your problem-solving skills, start by approaching problems with a solution-oriented mindset. Instead of dwelling on the problem, focus on finding solutions. Break down the problem into smaller, manageable steps, and brainstorm alternative strategies. Be willing to take risks and try new approaches. The more you practice problem-solving, the more adaptable you will become.

Join Me in Providence, RI for "Leveraging Lean to Thrive in Uncertain Times"

It’s my favorite time of year and I don’t mean fall which I enjoy. In a few short weeks the best of New England’s Lean Community will gather at the 20^th Annual Northeast Lean Conference. It truly is a goldmine of practical insights & inspiration for Lean practitioners - from those just starting out to seasoned leaders - through practical & engaging sessions led by fellow practitioners. This year’s conference is being held in Providence, RI on November 7^th and 8^th. The theme is something we can all relate to in any industry or service, "Leveraging Lean to Thrive in Uncertain Times".

Every business has faced challenges in recent years since COVID with labor shortages, electronic component shortages, global supply disruptions, and inflation for example. Being able to thrive in these uncertain times requires leadership and lean practices to overcome adversity. The agenda includes tracks for Leading to Thrive, Harnessing Employee Creativity, Leveraging Lean in Non Production Settings, and Collaborate & Standardize. The practical learning format features exceptional keynote and breakout presentations, interdepartmental panels, peer-to-peer discussions, hands-on simulations, interactive learning and sharing, and unlimited networking opportunities.

I’ve been a frequent attendee and presenter over the last 20 years. You can find many of my posts from past conferences highlighting the value GBMP brings to them. These conferences have been so invigorating, informative, and great networking opportunities. You do not want to miss this opportunity to join me and 500 passionate Lean, Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement professionals just like you.

Use discount code “Lean-Journey” to receive $150 off your registration to this year’s conference.

Register Here

Lean Quote: The Goose Story Teaches Lessons in Teamwork

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"I've shown the players geese videos. I've shown them why geese fly in V formation, what everybody's role is, how geese support each other and, most importantly, why you fly further together. That's the bottom line. Geese wouldn't be able to migrate to the sun without all traveling together. It's the same for us."   —  Emma Hayes, US Women’s Soccer Gold Metal Coach

I share with you the Goose Story by Dr. Harry Clarke Noyes in the hopes that it might also inspire you to collaborate, share with & learn from others with the goal of becoming a better leader.

 THE GOOSE STORY

 BY DR. HARRY CLARKE NOYES

 

Next

fall, when

you see Geese

heading South for

the Winter, flying along

in V formation, you might

consider what science has dis‐

covered as to why they fly that way:

as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an

uplift for the bird immediately following. By

flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least

71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

 

Key Takeaway: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

When

a goose falls

out of formation,

it suddenly feels the drag

and resistance of trying to go it alone

and quickly gets back into formation to take

advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

 Key Takeaway: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are.

When

the Head Goose

gets tired, it rotates back

in the wing and another goose flies point.

 Key Takeaway: It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs.

Geese

honk from behind to

encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

 

 

Key Takeaway: As a leader, how are you communicating with; and encouraging your team?

Finally,

and this is important,

when a goose gets sick, or is

wounded by gunshots and falls out

of formation, two other geese fall out with that

goose and follow it down to lend help and protection.

They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until

it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation

to catch up with their group

Key Takeaway: If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

 

3 Benefits for Developing a Coaching Culture Within Your Organization

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern workplaces, organizations are recognizing the transformative power of fostering a coaching culture. It's not just a trend; it's a strategic approach that empowers individuals, enhances teamwork, and propels businesses toward unprecedented success.

In a coaching culture, managers and leaders act as coaches, guiding their team members towards achieving their goals and potential. This promotes a positive and empowering work environment, where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to take ownership of their growth and development. It aligns with the idea that everyone has untapped potential, and with the right guidance, individuals can unlock their capabilities, enhance their skills, and contribute more effectively to the organization's success.

Consider the following benefits of a coaching culture, and you won’t have to wonder why your company needs it — you’ll be wondering why everyone’s not doing it.

1. Empowered employees

Coaching helps empower employees to come up with solutions and implement their ideas. This benefits the organization because empowered employees know they have the freedom to be proactive and make decisions that will improve the company.

When employees understand the boundaries and freedoms that have been defined for them, they are able to use their knowledge and skills to the fullest. Research shows that employees who work for organizations that promote employee empowerment are more engaged, take more initiative, and report greater job satisfaction. When employees are granted the autonomy to make decisions within their scope of expertise, not only do they feel valued, but they also make their organization more responsive, more innovative, and, ultimately, more productive.

2. Improved performance

Another benefit of coaching is that it can greatly improve individual performance. Most employees want to do a great job. In addition to providing training and the necessary resources to do the work, organizations that also provide one-on-one coaching are able to improve individual performance, which ultimately leads to better organizational performance.

The importance of ongoing interactions in a coaching relationship cannot be overstated, especially when the goal is to improve performance. It starts with providing clear direction for a specific task or goal and laying out a path to achieving it. A good coach will periodically check in—ideally, at least once a week—to discuss the progress that has been made, help overcome any hurdles, and highlight areas for improvement. When coaches explain why something is done a certain way and how that method evolved, employees gain new knowledge and can apply it to other work.

3. Higher engagement

Improving employee engagement is a goal for many companies, and coaching is one way to get individuals to stay tuned in. Gallup estimates that the cost of poor management and lost productivity from employees who are either not engaged or are actively disengaged is between $960 billion and $1.2 trillion per year. This loss can have a major impact on the bottom line, especially for companies with larger workforces.

Despite this dismal statistic, the modern workforce wants to be engaged. Employees want to understand how their roles connect to the larger team and to the organization as a whole. According to the Gallup study referenced above, employees who strongly agree that they can link their goals to the organization’s goals are 3.5 times more likely to be engaged. Unfortunately, only 44 percent of employees say that they can see this connection.

Engagement is directly linked to the frequency of communication with a manager and the content of those conversations. The same Gallup report indicates that employees who receive daily feedback from their manager are 3 times more likely to be engaged than those who receive feedback once a year or less.

Creating accountability through coaching and goal-setting also helps improve engagement because employees own the results of their actions and behaviors and are accountable to both themselves and their coach. When individuals know that they are responsible for completing a task or behaving a certain way—and have the skills and competencies to do it—they are motivated to stay engaged and meet their goals.

The benefits of coaching extend beyond just increased engagement, better performance, and empowered employees. Developing leaders from within the organization helps build the leadership pipeline and grows institutional knowledge.

Teaching leaders how to be coaches also helps them become better at their jobs. They learn how to give and receive feedback, set measurable goals, and track milestones. They must also model the behavior they want to see in their employees, which means they are more accountable for their own actions and behaviors. All of these skills can be applied in future leadership positions, as well.