Book Review: The Dark Matter and Dark Energy of Lean Thinking

Lean Thinking promises much, but delivers at best a thirty percent success rate. Author Bob Brown, a certified Lean Thinking leader, attacks this problem the same way astrophysicists understand the workings of the universe. Assuming there is a reason for the abysmal results of change management, especially with Lean Thinking initiatives, he postulated Lean Thinking dark matter and dark energy, identifies what it is, and provides concrete solutions for every organization. The Dark Matter and Dark Energy of Lean Thinking identifies flaws in Lean Thinking and provides a new way of implementing Lean, especially to knowledge workers.

The tools of Lean work fine, it is the people side that contains hidden strengths and weaknesses. Bob Brown explores Lean beyond the classic seven wastes to create a balanced understanding of Toyota's two pillars of success; continuous improvement and respect for people.

He introduces the new Lean "Seven Assets". They are:

1. Teamwork
2. Leadership
3. Communication
4. Problem solving
5. Engagement
6. Reward
7. Knowledge

The key is to identify how each asset is operating in an organization and continually enhance it. The reader will be able to create a balanced approach to continuous improvement and achieve much better results when focusing on the people side of Lean.

This book is about people. It is designed for people who want satisfied employees and seek better ways to enhance employee impact. It focuses people development and people interactions.

Brown’s book it a very quick read at under 2 hours. It’s strength is in the thought provoking approach to people factors of change. This is deeper dive into the psyche of employees and how if over looked will lead us astray.

Note: The author provided a copy of this book for review.

 

Lean Quote: Learning Requires Knowledge and Practice

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.

"Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it." — Lao Tzu

Human beings can definitely learn by hearing, reading, watching, seeing, and analyzing…but when it comes to getting results you simply cannot learn better than to learn by doing. 

There is really only one way to learn how to do something and that is to do it. If you want to learn to throw a football, drive a car, build a mousetrap, design a building, cook a stir-fry, or be a management consultant, you must have a go at doing it. Throughout history, youths have been apprenticed to masters in order to learn a trade. We understand that learning a skill means eventually trying your hand at the skill. When there is no real harm in simply trying we allow novices to "give it a shot."

One of the places where real life learning takes place is in the workplace, "on the job." The reason for this seems simple enough. Humans are natural learners. They learn from everything they do. When they watch television, they learn about the day's events. When they take a trip, they learn about how to get where they are going and what it is like to be there. This constant learning also takes place as one works. If you want an employee to learn his job, then, it stands to reason that the best way is to simply let him do his job. Motivation is not a problem in such situations since employees know that if they don't learn to do their job well, they won't keep it for long.

If you do something often enough, you get better at it -- simple and obvious. When people really care about what they are doing, they may even learn how to do their jobs better than anyone had hoped. They themselves wonder how to improve their own performance. They innovate.

Learning requires two elements to be truly successful overtime:

Practice: After completing a learning experience, create opportunities to apply what you learned as soon as possible and many times to refine your ability.

Experiment: Take a risk and try something new, even if you aren’t all that comfortable. We can learn as much, sometimes more, from our mistakes than from getting it right the first time.

We must, as best as we can, teach employees to do things, rather than having them be told about what others have done. Learning is the accumulation of experience and thinking about new situations. We must encourage explanation, exploration, generalization, and knowledge accumulation.

 

5 Low Cost Ways to Develop Your Team

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is the ability and desire to develop their employees. Taking an active role in the development of your team demonstrates confidence and concern for the future of the organization.

In order to get the most from your employees, you need to invest time and resources in their development. Annual performance reviews simply aren’t enough. Make a point to sit down with each employee regularly and provide them with specific feedback and areas of improvement.

Here are 5 inexpensive ways to offer development to a team:

1. Read a book together. There is an unlimited supply of highly rated books available to help you succeed. Find some good ones, read and digest them as a team. Many companies have their own libraries and training that are available for the asking. Start your collection today.

2. Conduct “lunch and learn” sessions. Chances are good that everyone on your team has something to offer that can make the team better. Bring in your lunch or buy lunch for the team. Take turns sharing with each other something you already know or are learning over lunch.  Ask employees to come prepared to talk about a topic ahead of time.

3. Network and visit other businesses. Allow the team to visit other businesses in the area, either individually or as a group. Sometimes the quickest ways to promote change is to introduce leaders to other environments. It is a great way to develop new ideas and improve upon what you are doing as you see what others are doing firsthand. Be sure everyone goes expecting to bring something back to the team they have learned. Local groups that share your interest in a particular topic, offer a great forum to learn and share information for little or no cost.

4. Use online resources. Technology allows for some great online training. Gather the team around a computer and learn without leaving the office. Find a great webinar or blog post that you feel would help develop employees and encourage them to spend some time out of their day to watch and participate in the webinar or read the blog.

5. Hold in-house classes. In-house training is an excellent way to provide training to a large portion of the workforce without a hefty price tag. Use the experts you already have. If one of your employees excels at topic or subject you are learning, have them present to the rest of your team. Your internal experts could also serve as coaches and mentors.

An organization’s goals are achieved through its employees, the company’s most valuable asset. Employees need ongoing training to ensure that they are learning new and best practices while contributing to the success of the company. Best-in-class organizations place high value on the development of their people.

You don’t need a huge training budget to make substantial changes in your organization. Though it can be argued that the more you invest, the more return on your investment you are likely to see. Consider these methods to stretch your training dollars.

Top 15 Ways to Lead by Example

Whether you realize it or not, if you're a leader, your employees are watching every move you make. Good leaders must lead by example. By walking your talk, you become a person others want to follow. When leaders say one thing, but do another, they erode trust--a critical element of productive leadership.

Leading by example sounds easy, but few leaders are consistent with this one. Successful leaders practice what they preach and are mindful of their actions. They know everyone is watching them and therefore are incredibly intuitive about detecting those who are observing their every move, waiting to detect a performance shortfall.

There are many ways leaders can set an example to others, but here are 15 of those ways.

1. Take responsibility. Blame costs you your credibility, keeps team members on the defensive and ultimately sabotages real growth. Great leaders know when to accept that mistakes have been made and take it upon themselves to fix them.

2. Be truthful. Inaccurate representation affects everyone. Show that honesty really is the best policy. Promote an office environment of truthfulness.

3. Be courageous. Walk through fire (a crisis) first. Take calculated risks that demonstrate commitment to a larger purpose.

4. Acknowledge failure. It makes it OK for your team to do the same and defines failure as part of the process of becoming extraordinary. We always learn more from mistakes than successes, provided we seek to understand the point of failure and eliminate that particular issue.

5. Be persistent. Try, try again. Go over, under or around any hurdles to show that obstacles don’t define your company or team.

6. Create solutions. Don’t dwell on problems; instead be the first to offer solutions and then ask your team for more.

7. Listen. Practice patience and try to not interrupt when someone is talking. Be attentive, make eye contact, nod and ask pertinent questions. Ask questions. Seek to understand. You’ll receive valuable insights and set a tone that encourages healthy dialogue.

8. Let the team do their thing. Stop micromanaging. Communicate the mission, vision, values, and goals. Then step back and let the team innovate. Setting this example for the team will encourage your other managers to do the same.

9. Take care of yourself. The more you take care of yourself, the more energy you will have and the better work you will do. Exercise, don’t overwork, take a break. A balanced team, mentally and physically, is a successful team. Model it, encourage it, support it!

10. Roll up your sleeves. Show that when a job needs to be done, everyone at every level needs to chip in and participate. Do your part, and make sure that what needs to get done, gets done.

11. Demonstrate integrity. Inspiring your employees is important, but they must believe in you as well. They’ll look up to you if you fulfill your commitments, even if it’s something as basic as showing up for a scheduled meeting.

12. Establish an impeccable standard of excellence. The best way to establish a standard is by modeling the expected behavior yourself. Showcase excellence. When your actions have the potential to affect everyone around you and the bottom line, don't dabble in mediocrity. Reflecting excellence is critical to exercising effective leadership.

13. Share the credit. Collaboration is the key to success. You will quickly lose respect with your colleagues and co-workers if you tune them out and refuse to share the spotlight with them.

14. Be a fearless problem solver. Instead of freaking out in a bad situation, focus on ways to deal with problems. Be fearless and create solutions. How a leader reacts in a bad situation speaks a lot about his personality. So, make sure that you create a good example for others.

15. Praise improvement, even minor improvements. Psychologists discovered long ago that when you positively reinforce a desired behavior, people are far more likely to repeat that behavior. Most people want to do the right thing, which means you will find far more success in leading a team if you focus on using positive reinforcement rather than negative actions like threats and fear tactics.

When you “walk the talk,” your behavior becomes a catalyst for people’s trust and faith in you. And it also emphasizes what you stand for. Leading by example shows people exactly what you expect and gives them living proof that it can be done. On a deeper level, leading by example and being as good as your words builds trust. It’s a sign that you take what you say seriously so they can, too.

Lean Quote: Action is the Cure for Inaction

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.

"Perfectionism is a disease. Procrastination is a disease. ACTION is the cure." — Richie Norton

Perfection is futile.  To be sure, perfection is the goal but it can not be achieved in one single initiative.

If we all waited for perfection, we'd still be reading by candlelight and riding horses to work. The problem in the real world is that nothing is perfect. It sounds obvious, but it is not quite as obvious.

Often managers spot a chance to do something valuable for their company, but for some reason, they cannot get started. Even if they begin the project, they give up when they see the first big hurdle. The inability to take purposeful action seems to be pervasive across companies. Managers tend to ignore or postpone dealing with crucial issues which require reflection, systematic planning, creative thinking, and above all, time.

For leaders, action is one of the most important traits they can embody.  Taking action means getting things done.  It means seizing the initiative.  It conveys momentum, and energy, and creating something new, something that didn’t exist before.  And this excites followers and others who understand that going towards something is always better than sitting around staring at the wall.

The only cure for procrastination is action. That’s why the first step in creating a successful culture of execution is creating a bias toward action. People who make things happen need to be praised and rewarded. People who don’t should be coached to change, or weeded out. Failure cannot be unduly punished. Unless people feel free to make mistakes, they will not feel free to take bold actions.

 

The Best Meeting of the Day, The Standup Meeting

Photo Courtesy of Visual Management Blog

A stand-up meeting is a daily team meeting held to provide a status update to the team members. This meeting is also referred to as Obeya in Japanese, meaning “the big room”; in agile circles a “scrum” or huddle; and in the automotive industry “fast response”.

The purpose of these meetings is essentially the same:
         • Alignment through communication with the team
         • Identification and remedies for roadblocks

So what do we talk about during the daily stand-up? Well, Yesterday, Today, and Obstacles.

Some people are talkative and tend to wander off into story telling. Some people want to engage in problem solving immediately after hearing a problem. Meetings that take too long tend to have low energy and participants not directly related to a long discussion will tend to be distracted. `

Therefore, focus the meeting using the following format:

         • Start the meeting early in the day.
         • Should last no more than 15 minutes.
         • The entire team should attend (use a delegate or liaison
            for support).
         • The meeting leader (facilitator) should ask these simple
           questions:
                   o What did I accomplish yesterday?
                   o What will I do today?
                   o What obstacles are impeding my progress?

The frequency of stand-up meetings depends on the criticality of items discussed or the urgency of the project. More critical, more urgent items like customer complaints or high level projects may be daily to twice daily while other activities could meet less often. This doesn’t replace necessary team meeting to accomplish the project milestones.

Stand-up meeting provide a number of powerful benefits for teams:

          • Creates a shared language among team members
          • Allows for real-time reallocation of resources
          • Enables a focus on value-creating activities
          • Established a clear work plan for each day
          • Provides a mechanism for cultural change
          • Builds team identity and emotional commitment

From experience I have learned the following tips can help improve the effectiveness of your stand-up meetings:

         • Consider the use of a kitchen timer to ensure your
           meetings won’t last more 15 minutes.
         • A speaker phone can be used to include team members
           that are off-site.
         • Keep the attendance limited to those team members
           who actually create deliverables and perform actions.
         • Include “extended team” members only when their
           activity level on the project is high.
         • Pass a talking stick around so there is less cross-talk.
           (A strong facilitator is beneficial.)
         • Stand around the story/task board so you can focus and
           keep the board up to date as well.
         • Highlight issues but solve them later, this meeting is not
           for extended conversations.

Although, the daily stand up is a wonderful tool for collaboration, it is also useful to highlight a lot of obstacles and things that are stopping the team from reaching excellence. Management’s main role is to remove the obstacles and create conditions for the team to do their work efficiently.

Lean Tips Edition #93 (1396-1410)

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 #1396 - Create Sense of Ownership for Employees

Many companies try to use money as the primary factor to drive employee ideas. This usually doesn’t work well. Employees also need the feeling of ownership—a sense that it is their duty and their right to be involved. Taking pride in their company and knowing that their ideas are helping the company succeed are important motivating factors.

Lean Tip #1397 – Let Them Do Their Jobs

Having your hands in every pot is tempting. Don’t micromanage. Offer guidance, but let employees learn how to do their jobs by actually doing them. An autonomous workforce will keep your company running smoothly, and you’ll free up time for yourself to focus on the big picture.

Lean Tip #1398 - Remember That Hands-Off Doesn’t Mean Invisible

Even though you’re determined to let people carry on with their work, that doesn’t mean you should hole up in your office all day every day. Getting in face time with your employees is just as important as letting them get on with their jobs. Get to know them. Find out what inspires them, what makes them tick, what makes them the people they are. Ask them about their families and passions from time to time. It’ll allow you to build on common interests and connect on another level.

Lean Tip #1399 - Challenge and Motivate Employees

As a leader, it’s your job to take your company in the right direction. But you’re only as strong as the weakest member of your team. Challenge employees to be the best they can be. Give them tasks that put them outside their comfort zones every now and again. Then guide and motivate them. It’s not only a good way to keep your employees striving for excellence; it’s also a way for you to see how certain people will react in certain situations.

Lean Tip #1400 - Involve and Work Through People

Avoid being prescriptive with each step of your approach, rather opting to use a facilitated approach to get support and buy in from the teams involved. Always be open to a team using a different approach though still aligned to the overall objectives. Forcing things down people’s throats doesn’t really work well. Good facilitation should allow for a team to reach a pre-conceived conclusion on their own accord. On the same vein, allow the teams to decide what tasks and actions are to be done and offer to help rather than allocate tasks directly to the different people.

Lean Tip #1401 - Be Transparent to Gain Trust

If your company is doing well and goals are being met, let your employees know. Likewise, if the company is lagging behind in a few areas, make sure employees see the big picture. If an employee has questions about his or her standing, be frank. In short, be trustworthy. How can you expect your employees to trust you if you don’t trust them with certain information?

Lean Tip #1402 – Listen To Your Employees

It can be hard to hear what others have to say if you’re constantly touting your accomplishments and barking orders. Listen to your employees’ suggestions, then do something about it. Continue to encourage, support, and implement their ideas whenever possible. You’re a team, after all.

Lean Tip #1403 - Look Beyond Technical Know-How

Skills can be taught. Character can’t. When you’re vetting potential employees, look for those people who can provide additional value to the company. That doesn’t mean you should overlook technical aptitude, though. Encourage current employees to keep learning in order to stay ahead of the technical curve. Keeping their skills sharp and learning new ones won’t only help them do their job now, but will help prepare them for the future.

Lean Tip #1404 - Respect Your Employees’ Ideas

The real expert at a job is the person doing the job. Your employees will often have ideas to improve the product, service or processes that managers may not spot. But this means that managers and senior leaders need to be enthusiastic about the idea and committed to it.

Lean Tip #1405 - Encourage Employees to Collaborate on Ideas

Employee ideas don’t need to be a solo effort, so ensure that your system allows both individual ideas and collaborative ideas. Collaborating on ideas can improve the concept further and generate additional input. However, you need to encourage a culture where employees are enthusiastic about engaging with their co-workers and unafraid to share their ideas.

Lean Tip #1406 – Promote Responsiveness

Along with good listening, organizations should promote responsiveness — to employees, internal and external audiences, leaders, and more — in good times and bad. Open communication and responsiveness, as well as honesty, helps facilitate discourse with employees with issues and working together to fix them.

Lean Tip #1407 – Set Realistic Goals

You can’t build Rome in a day, and you can’t expect your employees to do so, either. Change is implemented gradually and strategically. Setting realistic goals eliminates unnecessary stress that can hinder quality and quantity of work, create unhappy employees and impede progress in your organization.

Lean Tip #1408 – Promote Insatiable Learning

Insatiable hunger for knowledge keeps leaders, employees and companies fresh and cutting edge. Always be open to learning new things and promoting education for all employees, no matter how much you think you or they already know. Webinars and courses to help with operations and teamwork keep your employees engaged and improve your company’s profitability.

Lean Tip #1409 – Embrace Innovation to Grow

Along with being open to learning new things, it’s important to be ready to implement what develops. Embracing change and adapting to new demands not only keeps a company relevant, but also presents exciting challenges for employees that can make work less routine and even boring. Challenges engage and help employees — not just the organization — grow.

Lean Tip #1410 – Make Work Enjoyable

Make sure employees don’t dread work every morning. Generating a comfortable and enjoyable space, physically and mentally, where employees feel welcome and supported by their peers, is crucial to happiness and productivity. While company growth and profitability may be the overarching goals, you should also be invested in helping your employees grow — whether it is to promote them within your own organization or help them move onto bigger opportunities. These employees will be not only grateful, but also productive and loyal.