Lean Quote: To Succeed, One Must Be Creative and Persistent

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.

"To succeed, one must be creative and persistent." — John H. Johnson

People just give up too easily. They’re robbing themselves of their more interesting ideas by giving up too soon. Perseverance is what allows creative geniuses to keep pressing on through failures and bad ideas in order to uncover truly valuable concepts. No matter what your endeavor may be: if you aren’t invested to make it through the work until the end, you don’t stand a chance at succeeding. Persistence matters.

As far as creativity is concerned, in my mind it is not enough to just have ideas, or to be able to appraise them critically, or to sell, translate, or market them. What separates truly creative greats from those who are less creative is the aspect of persistence. It is through dogged determination that highly creative persons take their energies and translate their dreams into realities. Sometimes this means that they literally breathe life into mere wisps of visions and then work tirelessly until these threads are completed as something that can be viewed, felt, or understood by others.

It’s all well and good to talk about being persistent and working with Herculean effort, but how do we get ourselves to that state of mind? If we have no guarantees, how do we keep ourselves motivated when the work gets tough? (And it always does.)

The best creative minds and innovators don’t just succeed right away. Hell, they don’t even succeed consistently. All of us face at least the prospect of failure every single day. Failing really just means being open to experimentation—to working on things outside of our comfort zone without fear of repercussions if things don’t pan out. The freedom to fail is what will eventually make you look like an overnight success.

The winner of a long race, as creativity can be, is not the person with the best idea, but the person who finishes first. The world is littered with abandoned works and too-late arrivals. So knuckle down! Get on with it and never, ever give in!

 

Lean Tips Edition #112 (1681-1695)

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 #1681 - Encourage Employees to Recognize One Another

Of course, a manager’s appreciation is important. But workplace recognition can come from colleagues too. Consider creating “thank-you” slips for your staff members to write notes of gratitude to coworkers. Expressing thanks, even for small helpful acts, can go a long way toward building a cohesive team.

Lean Tip #1682 - Maintain an Open-Door Policy

Happy workplaces are environments where employees feel comfortable voicing their ideas and concerns. Set the right tone by letting your employees know that you welcome their thoughts for improving business operations and workplace culture. Also, provide and ask for regular feedback. Don’t limit yourself to one format: You could offer an idea board, suggestion box or monthly brown bag Q&A with company leadership.

Lean Tip #1683 - Recognize Outstanding Work

Want to boost employee morale? Place an article in the company newsletter or a note on a bulletin board in the office in recognition of a special achievement. Praise employees for their good work in front of their peers. You don’t have to spend a dime to reward hardworking employees for their actions and achievements. Your gesture lets employees know their unique contributions and positive attitudes make a difference for your company and the team.

Lean Tip #1684 - Offer Professional Development Opportunities

Training programs are an employee retention strategy that pays off big time. Your employees benefit by expanding their skills. You benefit by getting a more productive and versatile workforce. Everyone wins when you grow together.

Lean Tip #1685 - Promote From Within

Your employees will feel discouraged if they sense they’ll be sitting in their current cubicle forever. If you want employees to invest in the business, then invest in them, too. Many managers fail to consider that the talent they seek could very well be right under their nose. Wise leaders consider “internal employees” — professionals who are among your current workforce — first when a position is created or vacated.

Lean Tip #1686 - Keep Information Flowing

Employees might worry when they don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, creating an environment in which speculation can take root and rumors thrive. If you don’t give people information, they’re going to start making guesses. This doesn’t mean employees have to know everything you know, but keeping the team informed about issues that may affect them creates a sense of transparency. It lifts the fog.

Lean Tip #1687 - If You See Something You Like, Say It

This doesn’t have to be constant, but if you see an employee going above and beyond, thank them. Say how much you appreciate their work and how it’s not going unnoticed. You may think this is unnecessary and it “goes without saying” because they know what they’re doing is good, but trust us, a little positive re-enforcement is always a good thing. Not to mention, this may cause some friendly competition within the workplace -- which I have experienced firsthand to help drive innovation and collaboration.

Lean Tip #1688 - Give More Responsibility To Encourage Employee Empowerment

If you want to empower your employees, hand them a little more responsibility. Let them make important decisions in regard to the company. It’ll build your team members' confidence when you recognize and trust their expertise.

Lean Tip #1689 - Give Employees a Voice

Feeling like they are part of the process, that their thoughts and ideas matter, and that they have a voice in their work performance gives employees a sense that they have an impact on their company. Plus, they’re on the front lines and know best about how work should be performed. Actively soliciting employee feedback and incorporating employee thoughts and ideas into how the organization operates is a very effective way to engage employees.

Lean Tip #1690 - Remember that Culture Happens from the Top Down

You cannot delegate culture-building and then forget about it. Culture always starts and ends with the leaders of an organization. If you have a toxic team culture, you should look in the mirror. As the leader, always stay involved in the staff culture. Be the biggest champion of your core values. Attend every event. If you don’t set the tone for the culture you want or participate in all the team events, how can you expect great culture from your staff?

Lean Tip #1691 - Actively Manage Risks and Learn Early

Implementing project risk management and early learning principles will help your team identify roadblocks and issues before they occur and either eliminate them, or manage them effectively. There has been a lot written on early learning (iterative development, Agile, fast feedback, modular design). But no matter what approach you choose, the purpose is the same - learn early and the impact can be either entirely avoided or managed. Learn later, and it will cost the project time and the organization money.

Lean Tip #1692 - By Failing to Plan, You are Planning to Fail

Good planning mitigates risks and promotes learning early. While planning, teams consider, talk through, and eliminate ‘flow’ blockages before they occur. The ROI on planning is huge. A good plan has enough detail for it to be predictive of how much work is really going to be involved, and therefore when you will be done. Records of past plans can also help, as an input into how much work will really be involved in the various tasks, and how much unpredicted work there typically is in a project.

Lean Tip #1693 - Figure Out How the Work Gets Done.

We have lots of assumptions about how work gets done that don’t mirror exactly what happens. After all, during the day-to-day grind, we don’t think about how we do the work, we often just do it. Ask an outside observer to record the steps of the process in a way that he/she could repeat it themselves if they had to, without assistance.

Lean Tip #1694 - Remove Inefficiencies and Waste.

Once you know what the workflow of your process looks like, take a second look at any step in the process that doesn’t directly create value for the customer. Manage, improve, and smooth your process flow to eliminate non-valued-added activity (e.g., wasted time, wasted movement, wasted inventory due to overproduction, customer delays, waiting for approvals, delays due to batching of work, unnecessary steps, duplication of effort, and errors and rework).

Lean Tip #1695 - Have a Strong Lean Improvement Strategy

You'll need a solid plan and some attainable targets before implementing Lean. Utilize checklists and to-do lists, and you’ll always be working towards a goal. Look at every step in your process from the customer’s perspective: Is all that you’re doing something that he or she would be willing to pay for? If not, it is time to get back to the drawing board.

Lean Quote: Build Commitment by Engaging Employees

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.

"No single seminar, classroom experience, or “colored belt” will provide you bottom-line Lean results.  Lean happens at the process…with your people, trained and motivated, fully engaged in the hot pursuit of excellence, as they follow your lead and learn to share and support your Lean Vision." — Bill Hanover, CCO, TPS – ThroughPut Solutions

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.

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.

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.

The best way to build commitment is by involving people. This way they will have a sense of ownership. By involving your frontline teams in selecting the project that they believe will make a difference, you’ll build ownership, engagement, and have their commitment.

 

5 Questions to Ask When Drawing A Process Map

A process map is like a flowchart. It is constructed for the purpose of showing the flow of a process or cycle over time. The detailed sequences of activities, inputs, and outputs for a particular process is the key information needed to construct the map. The way in which this information is obtained is by asking a series of questions aimed at tracking the flow through each function or activity.

For any process map generated, the questions are similar in content and purpose, but are phrased to elicit the process flow being mapped. Start your questions at the beginning of the process:

Question 1: Where does the process begin – what is the very first thing that happens to initiate the process – and who does it?

Question 2: What happens next and who does that?

On the simplest level, the map may be constructed by repeating question 2 until the entire process is mapped. However, there are some specific situations and items that you should know how to represent on your map.

It is likely that there will be some “if/then” situations in the product or information flow. These are decision points that will necessarily create branches in the map illustrating alternate routes for the product or information to flow, depending on decisions made. It is important that these situations be identified and mapped, which can be done by asking:

Question 3: Is there a decision to be made after step x ?

If so, what is the decision and what are the branches that the process might take after this decision? What are the first steps in each of the branches? Continue with Question 2 for each of the branches.

The product or information flow may cut across different functional areas, or the same step may occur at the same time. Also, different steps may occur in different functional areas at the same time. This usually means there are various product or information components that will be rejoined. To cover this type of situation ask:

Question 4: Regarding the last step performed by function x, is there another function that is performing that same step simultaneously?

Or, is there another different step that is happening simultaneously, and if so, what is it and who does it?

You should also identify the inputs and outputs from each step in the process flow. Inputs are the products or information required for a step to be completed. Inputs can include orders, decisions, policies, specifications, subassemblies, raw materials, etc. Outputs are the outcomes from a step that are passed on to the next step. The outputs from one step become the inputs to other steps. Ask:

Question 5: What are the inputs and outputs associated with step x ?

Often there is an issue among team members over what level of detail is appropriate for mapping. Additionally, it is sometimes unclear if a step should be included as part of the process if it doesn’t happen all the time. This is where I use the 20% rule. This rule states that you should map a step if it occurs 20% or more of the time. This is not, however, a hard-and-fast rule, and there are exceptions. Think of this rule as a way to help you determine whether to map a step if there are no obvious indications for or against including it.

It is important that you clarify and confirm the map. Review it with those who provided the information and expect changes. Building the map is and iterative process. 

9 Phases of Cycle Time Reduction

The overriding goal of cycle time reduction is total customer satisfaction. Changes in areas to reduce cycle time should result in improved operation of the cycle, given current resources, technology, and capital. These should set the stage for continuous improvement.

There are nine phases in cycle time reduction efforts:

Phase 1: Identify Critical Business Issue – This phase involves identifying the overall business issues with which you are concerned.

Phase 2: Identify Critical Process – This phase involve identifying a specific process or cycle for which you will construct a process map.

Phase 3: Form Cross-functional Process Team – This team should be familiar with and be impacted by the issue.

Phase 4: Draw Cross-functional “Current State” Process Map – This phase involves drawing a map of a particular process or cycle as it currently operates. Analyze the “As Is” process map and identify disconnects.

Phase 5: Establish “Current State” Cycle Time – This phase involves calculating total cycle time for a particular cycle as it currently operates.

Phase 6: Draw a Cross-functional “Future State” Process Map – This phase involves drawing a map of a particular process or cycle as it should operate. Include the cycle time for a cycle as it should operate.

Phase 7: Produce Action Plan to Support “Future State” Process Map and Cycle Time – This phase involves documenting detailed action steps on how to fix the problems within a particular cycle, or how to go from “Current State” to “Future State.”

Phase 8: Implement and Monitor “Future State” Action Plan – This phase focuses on the follow-up required to implement changes.

Phase 9: Use Tools for “Best in Class” Pursuit – The purpose of phase 9 is to benchmark “Best in Class” performers and competition to help determine the “Ideal” level of performance.

It should be the goal of each business function to move from a current state “As Is” to a future state “Should Be” level of performance in the parameters critical to the business.

Lean Quote: Brains, Like Hearts, Go Where They Are Appreciated

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.

"Brains, like hearts, go where they are appreciated." — Robert McNamara, Fmr. American Secretary of Defense

Entrepreneur.com recently released an infographic all about why employees quit their jobs. 82% of employees polled report they don't receive enough recognition. There is nothing like pouring your time and heart into a project just to have it go unnoticed and unrecognized by management. It can make employees question why they worked so hard in the first place, and convince them the grass would be greener somewhere else.

Did you know that employee recognition can be one of the best forms of retention? In fact, employee recognition can be thought of in terms of a positive feedback loop. The formula is both easy to remember and easy to put into practice: Employee recognition equals employee productivity equals management gratitude. 

The more employees know that their efforts are appreciated by management and the company as a whole, the more they'll strive to do great work. Employee recognition benefits both the staff and the business itself in several ways:

Benefits of Employee Recognition for Workers

Greater motivation: Employees who know they stand to be rewarded for outstanding performance approach their jobs with greater enthusiasm and creativity. The opposite is unfortunately true: Not being appreciated is commonly cited by departing employees as a reason for moving on to a business where they feel their efforts are more likely to be recognized.

Peer acknowledgement: Chances are, employees who get word of a coworker’s achievement will take the time to offer their own congratulations. It’s hard to image an employee who wouldn’t welcome the acknowledgement.

Empowerment and inclusion: Employee recognition programs can make staff members feel more connected to the company rather than just the recipient of a regular paycheck. That moves loyalty beyond just a financial appeal.

Benefits of Employee Recognition for the Business

Reinforcing positive behavior: If employees excel, others will notice. That can help others raise their performance in hopes of being recognized as well.

Lowering stress levels: If the emphasis is on the positive rather than an overriding concern about snafus, employees are likely to feel less overwhelmed about their job responsibilities.


Increasing customer retention: Higher employee motivation levels typically carry over to satisfied customers and clients. Those you do business with inevitably notice employees who bring a commitment and enthusiasm to what they do. Unfortunately, a disgruntled or frustrated employee can stand out to customers just as much.

 

Looking at Service in the Terms of Cycle Time

Total Cycle Time is the actual time elapsed from when a customer expresses a need for a product until customer's need is satisfied. It includes all the time spend by managers in directing the business, by office personnel in handling and processing the paperwork, by engineers in creating and developing new products and technologies, by direct labor in manufacturing the products, and by marketing and sales staff in generating customer interest in the products. It also includes all wait time; i.e., queue and transport time.

The easiest way to conceptualize Total Cycle Time is to think of a stopwatch in the hands of a customer. Imagine that at the very moment a customer describes a need or desire for a product to any customer representative, that customer presses the button to start the stopwatch. It continues to run until the time the customer receives the product, determines that the product is usable, and sends payment to company.  When the company receives payment, the customer pushes the button to stop the watch. The amount of time recorded on the stopwatch is the Total Cycle Time.

We tend to think of cycle time only as the time that our department or function works on a product. Furthermore, we do not usually count the time that the product just sits and nothing is being done to it at all by anyone. The customer's stopwatch keeps ticking through all the work functions and the wait time.

We realize in today's highly competitive market we cannot survive without creating a strong company culture focused on the customer. Customers demand quality service, attention on the spot, and commitment to solving problems if things go wrong.

If we are not taking care of our customers, we will not be competitive today and beyond.

Some of our existing processes might require a great deal of coordination among departments. Every time there is a hand-off from one department to another, there is a chance for a mistake that can make a negative impression on customers.

One term frequently heard in discussing cycle time is cycle of service. A cycle of service is defined as a complete sequence of events the customer experiences in getting his or her needs met. It starts wit the first moment of truth and continues through a series of related moments of truth until the customer is satisfied with the result and requests products and services again.

Looking at service in terms of a cycle of service is really looking at it from the customer's point of view, not the organization's.  The customer doesn't care about the internal silos, segregation of functions in a business to the point where there is little or no communication between functions. The only thing that matters to the customer is getting his or her needs met.

Analyzing and streamlining our processes are excellent ways for us to think in customer-first terms.