Do"I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end."
Abraham Lincoln
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Eliminate wasteAll natural or man-made processes have waste. Consider waste as an inappropriate use of your resources and use it to make performance gains!
Lean tools show the way but their implementation needs to be carefully applied “as the medicine might be too strong for the patient”. |
Reduce variabilityThe average might hide very serious problems - statistical analysis tools are very handy as they reach to the core of the problems whilst making visible to all the weight of variability in the processes.
Six sigma methods could provide the right balance but don’t keep it too exoteric and elitist. This method is known to create internal fractures and bad for the morale, when applied in as a careerist or self-righteous way. |
Promote flexibilityMachines can be easily moved, grouped or even transformed - people are not. A manager needs to think ahead about the people he is leading, so that they too, can find how to better contribute to the success of the enterprise.
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Create and Pilot improvement planThis is a more tactical and operational planning activity, it's the culmination of the 3 previous steps - eliminate waste, reduce variability and promote flexibility. Thus the reason I've integrated it in the "Do".
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GEMBABe present! "Invest" in knowing people and their problems in the actual place they both meet. The "Return" will be immense in control, motivation but also in actual gains!
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