Book Review: 12 Principles of Manufacturing Excellence

Explaining how to implement and sustain a top-down strategy for manufacturing excellence, The 12 Principles of Manufacturing Excellence: A Leader’s Guide to Achieving and Sustaining Excellence, by Larry E. Fast (CRC Press, 2011), provides a comprehensive, proven approach for delivering world-class performance while also cultivating the right culture through leadership and mentoring.

Written for operations and manufacturing leaders and supervisors, this book provides a blueprint for virtually anyone that is challenged to find efficiency and profitability in their business. The text's comprehensive approach provides guidance on cultivating the right culture through leadership and mentoring. The author guides readers along the path to achieving organization alignment, both vertically and horizontally, across the entire structure of their organization. He provides readers with a method for tracking progress-plant by plant, and function by function.

Tapping into four decades of leadership experience, 35 years of it in the manufacturing industry, Larry Fast explains how to achieve vertical and horizontal alignment across your organization. He details a clear pathway to excellence via the 12 Principles of Manufacturing Excellence and provides a method for tracking progress—plant by plant and function by function. Emphasizing the importance of using Lean and Six Sigma tools to improve your business, the book chapters:

THE 12 PRINCIPLES OF MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

The Manufacturing Excellence Strategy

Manufacturing Principle 1: Safety

Manufacturing Principle 2: Good Housekeeping and Organization

Manufacturing Principle 3: Authorized Formal Systems

Manufacturing Principle 4: Preventive and Predictive Maintenance

Manufacturing Principle 5: Process Capability

Manufacturing Principle 6: Product Quality

Manufacturing Principle 7: Delivery Performance

Manufacturing Principle 8: Visual Management

Manufacturing Principle 9: Continuous Improvement

Manufacturing Principle 10: Communication

Manufacturing Principle 11: Training

Manufacturing Principle 12: Operator-Led Process Control

The Plant Manager’s Role

The Manufacturing Manager’s Role

The Materials Manager’s Role

The Process Engineering Manager’s Role

The Maintenance Manager’s Role

The Quality Manager’s Role

The Human Resource Manager’s Role

The Finance Manager’s Role

Sustaining Manufacturing Excellence

12 Principles of Manufacturing Excellence was a best seller in its category and a 2nd Edition was published Sept. 24, 2015. It features a new Chapter 1 on leadership, various updates of anecdotes, and new electronic tools on the accompanying CD.

This resource-rich book will allow you to spell out leadership expectations and provide your employees and associates with a clear understanding of their individual roles. Helping you keep everyone in your organization focused during the quest towards sustainable manufacturing excellence, the accompanying CD supplies the tools you and your team will need to pursue it with passion, confidence, and urgency.

Fast’s book encompasses most if not all of the areas of manufacturing excellence that are important to our business and leadership culture. It is full of common sense examples of implementations, and ideas that, when embraced by leadership, can be sold to associates that are committed to the journey. The simplicity in which these principles are described and the requirements of various management roles in driving excellence through these principles are of great value to any organization that is serious about driving change and improvement.

I strongly recommend this book to others either thinking about how to begin your journey, or those who may need to re-energize your team that's already on this journey to transform manufacturing!

Lean Assessments Are Valuable on Your Journey

Anyone who has done a search on Lean Assessments online knows there are dozens of models.  Are they necessary? I would say yes. If you do not know where you are, how do you know where you’re going? Peter Drucker’s famous saying “what gets measured, gets done” is popular because it is true. An assessment is not merely an audit of the current status. It also suggests the wanted position. It creates a strong “expected-to-improve” environment, and it indicates were to go next. Thus, an assessment provides focus for the improvement, fosters attention from management, and creates a desire for good scores throughout the organization.

Leaders often think they understand what needs to be improved; however, that isn’t always true. Most companies use external auditors to perform financial audits and for ISO9000 compliance so why not Lean. Lean has a greater chance of being successfully deployed if it is viewed as strategic and is driven from the top by the CEO who has established a compelling reason to engage in Lean.

Lean Assessments are intended to provide a sense of where your company is at any one time along its lean journey. The assessment helps to investigate, evaluate, and measure key areas of maturity as your organizations progresses along the Lean journey. They are intended to be used as a guide for setting priorities for transformation and improvement efforts.

Because assessments motivate actions, one should not go easy with them. If not designed carefully they drive the wrong behaviors. One should take great care in developing assessments that are helpful for the organization. Blindly copying other firm’s assessments is a dangerous route. What gets measured, gets done, so be sure to measure what you want to be done.

What is your experience with Lean Assessments?  What advice would you give others?

Lean Quote: Leadership and Learning are Indispensable to Each Other

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.

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." — John F. Kennedy

In a Lean organization, learning is critical, and line management's direct responsibility. Lean is based on how people think; simply defined, Lean is shared thinking. Management and employees need common philosophy, ideas, and principles. Leaders can't just put workers into situations, and hope they learn the right things. They should take responsibility for the message, combining real-life experience with direct coaching. An organization's principles should become guideposts to help people make tough decisions.

Lean Leaders must not only be teachers, they must also preach and promote teaching at all levels. Lean Leaders make sure that all of their direct reports are good teachers. In classical leadership, the role of teaching is frequently delegated – not so with the Lean Leaders.

To teach, a leader has to learn, and learning Lean is more than a cerebral exercise. By applying Lean to everything, a leader becomes a more effective teacher. Remember what leadership is really about: It's not a job; it's an act. Leaders have to learn how to teach, build creative tension, and eliminate fear and comfort. Leaders need to actively participate in the transformation of the business, and apply Lean to their own jobs.

 

Remembering the Sacrifice of Those Who Enable Freedom

Memorial Day is a time to remember the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is a day to celebrate former and present service members who protect our freedom.

And I’m proud to be an American,

where at least I know I’m free.

And I won’t forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me. -Lee Greenwood

Memorial Day is a day of reflection and remembrance. It is a day to remember all of our Fallen Heroes from all of the wars. It is a day to think about the families that will forever grieve for their lost loved one. It is a day to be thankful to those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice. They fought and died to win the freedom and democracy that we Americans cherish so dearly. They also fought and died to bring that same freedom and democracy to the people of other countries as well.

Take a moment this Memorial Day to remember all those men and women who have so bravely and honorably served this country. The courage and sacrifice of all who died in military service will not be forgotten.

Lean Quote: You Manage Things; You Lead People

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.

"You manage things; you lead people." — Grace Murray Hopper

While a leader can be a boss, not every boss is a leader. The distinction between being a boss and being a leader may seem small, but it means the world to the people who work for you.

The definition of leadership is “a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal.” That is why it is my belief that if you are a good leader for your organization, then you really don’t need to worry about being The Boss. You will gain more influence and have more positive impact on your organization if your team feels valued and respected and has an understanding of where you expect them to be headed.

Here are few key points on leadership:

• A company is a community, not a machine.  When building a synergy on any team, you have to start by building trust and confidence up and down the chain of command.  Start by developing a vision that is easy to communicate and easy to comprehend. Once your team understands the collective vision and goals of the organization, individual goals become closely tied to the collective goal.  Brainstorm with your team and listen intently to suggestions and incorporate best practices.
• Management is service, not control.  Once a vision is established, a great leader constantly queries his/her managers to see if they have the tools necessary to excel.  Once the tools are determined and obtained, empower your managers to make decisions on their own, but always make it clear that you are available to assist at any time.
• Employees are my peers, not my children.  This point ties into the previous point about providing service.  Nobody in any organization likes to be “talked down to” or constantly second-guessed.  Treat your team members as you would expect to be treated.  Remember, you want to encourage the sharing of ideas

Lean Tips Edition #95 (#1426-1440)

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 #1426 – If You Make a Mistake, Correct it Right Away.

Stuff happens. Accept it, and adjust accordingly. Corrections are necessary along the way. Acknowledge that the mistake happened, especially when it affects other people, then correct it.

Lean Tip #1427 - Do Not Make Excuses.

Start by questioning current practices. Making excuses for not doing something is easy. Again, focus on the outcome. Then, take action. There is no excuse for not trying something.

Lean Tip #1428 - Kaizen Ideas are Infinite.

Kaizen is a process of learning and growing, steadily and continually. There are always ways to "tweak" elements of your life in order to improve them. It has been said that life is a journey, not a destination.  And practicing the philosophy of continuous improvement, of kaizen, will help you to make the most of that journey!

Lean Tip #1429 - Think Small When It Comes to Improvements

Many companies today are only looking for the, “BIG WINS” when it comes to improvements. While big wins are always nice, they really aren’t going to be able to happen very often. A company that identifies small areas of improvement and implements them frequently is going to make much more progress over time than one that ignores the small things and only focuses on bigger issues.

Lean Tip #1430 - Empower Employees to Take Steps Toward Improvement

Good managers are an invaluable part of having a facility that engages in continuous improvement. This is because good managers know that it is often going to be the employees who come up with the next great improvement idea. Employees perform their jobs all day everyday so it is no surprise that they will be the ones to find problems and hopefully the solutions to them.

Lean Tip #1431 - Recognize Successes

When a change is made that results in improvement in the facility it should always be recognized. This recognition could be something as simple as a thank you from the department manager or as large as corporate recognition with a bonus or other reward. To the extent possible, all recognition of improvements made should be done as publicly as possible to help motivate others to work towards improvements.

If someone has an idea that doesn’t work out as planned, it can still be a good idea to recognize that even though it didn’t work out, it was still a good thing that they made the attempt. As the saying goes, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. Even when ideas are unsuccessful it is still a learning opportunity and it may trigger ideas about the next great improvement in the facility. Never punish people for making an attempt at improving the facility.

Lean Tip #1432 - Engage the Full Team to Find Improvement Opportunities

Continuous improvement in a facility is almost never going to be made by a single person. This is why you need to have the entire team involved. This starts with the CEO and leadership team and goes all the way to the front line employees. By creating a teamwork environment where everyone is working together to ensure ongoing improvement you will be much more successful in the long run.

Even when employees propose an unrealistic idea it should still be seen as a positive step. Taking all ideas seriously and trying to find ways to implement them if practical can allow employees to have the confidence in the management team that they need to want to bring new ideas up to the team.

Lean Tip #1433 - Know Your Processes

You can’t make improvements on something if you don’t really know what is going on with it. This is why you should have a clear understanding of everything that is happening in the facility. A great strategy for this is to employ value stream mapping. This will help you pinpoint where all the value for your products is added so that you can eliminate any waste that is involved.

Keeping your value stream maps updated and accurate is important. Every time a change is made to an area, for example, make sure you know how it is impacting the value add to that area. This will ensure you are always evaluating an accurate portrayal of your facility so you can make the needed improvements on an ongoing basis.

Lean Tip #1434 - Never Give Up

Whenever thinking about Kaizen continuous improvement you need to recognize that the ‘continuous’ part of the strategy is extremely important. This is a strategy that should be implemented as soon as possible and then continued indefinitely into the future. As soon as one improvement is made, it is time to start looking at what the next improvement opportunity will be.

It is also important to remember that there will be failures along the way. Some ideas will be tried and found to not produce the results that are needed. When this happens make sure you and your team don’t get discouraged or give up. Instead, start the process of finding and implementing improvements over and you’ll soon achieve the results you were hoping for.

Lean Tip #1435 - Implement Hoshin Planning

Hoshin Planning is a concept where all employees are looked at as the experts in their specific jobs that they are. Since they are seen as experts, they will be held accountable for achieving the desired successes, including continuous improvement. This is different than empowering employees because it not only gives them the ability to identify changes, but actually puts them in the decision making position.

In addition to helping ensure employees are contributing to the continuous successes desired, you are also empowering them with more trust and responsibility. It has been shown that this type of strategy can improve job satisfaction and company results.

Lean Tip #1436 - Collaborate with Employees to Set Goals

According to recent research done by Gallup, only about half of employees understand what is expected of them and even more concerning, managers aren’t even sure of what is expected of them! If employees aren’t aware of what they should be working towards, they are just existing, not developing. Managers can combat this to by including employees in the process of goal setting. They should be just as aware of their strengths and weaknesses as their managers are so they can constantly assess their work, set milestones and think about the big picture. Doing so will help them plan reasonably attainable goals with managers.

Lean Tip #1437 - Make Employee Performance Goals Attainable

Shoot for the stars isn’t really an analogy that works in performance management. Managing employee performance is all about practical, attainable and realistic goal setting. While having ambitious goals shouldn’t be a bad thing, it can negatively impact employee morale and engagement. Managers should assess each employee’s strengths and craft goals based off individual development. One thing that should be avoided is expecting each employee to meet the same goals. They are not the same person and goals should reflect that. Personalization is key.

Lean Tip #1438 - Align Employee Goals with Company Goals

As thoughtful as it might seem, managers don’t just exist to help employees reach their own professional goals. The idea is that those goals should align with the overarching goals of the organization. This is not news!

  

However, alignment can be difficult if managers don’t understand the strengths, weaknesses and intrinsic motivators of their people. One surefire way to familiarize managers with these elements is regular communication with team members. They should try to increase communication to at least once a week, especially during big projects and track each employee’s progress to identify strengths and areas of improvement.

Lean Tip #1439 - Recognize Goal Achievement (or Lack Thereof)

Recognizing employee performance goal achievement (or any goal achievement really) is another motivating factor to continued goal success. Employees will be engaged and motivated from the above tips, but often times, realizing the success of professional development can take time. Managers can keep employees engaged by rewarding them when they’ve met goals. Rewards can come in the form of a bonus, a pay raise, an extra day of vacation, the possibilities are nearly endless. At the very least, managers should take time to personally recognize their team’s successes, whether it’s in one-on-one meetings or in front of the entire company or department.

Lean Tip #1440 - Link Vision With Day-to-Day Reality

Goal setting is the opportunity to link employees’ every day work to the larger strategy of the organization. It has been said that a goal is a “dream with a deadline.” Leaders can take steps to communicate the organization’s vision for the future in inspirational terms as well as in setting practical goals and objectives that demonstrate a clear path to achieving that vision. Managers can then help employees plan their own part in setting individual goals that are aligned to and support the overall vision.