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Organizations that have developed true Lean cultures share similar beginings Characteristics they all have in common...   Gaining Cultural Traction

& ... Read more

It’s an all too common problem, executives launch a Lean initiative and then watch it run into obstacles right out of the gate.  This well documented fact is even more alarming when you consider all of the typical steps taken to prepare the organization for success – training, consultants, h ... Read more

Many organizations struggle in their pursuit of Lean and never achieve the results expected. Certain symptoms are often present that lead to underachievement. Are you experiencing any of the following?

Symptom # 1 Improvement plans put together without fully involving tho ... Read more

Lean leaders know that resistance to change is a major obstacle they must overcome. But they may not know something that has been kept virtually a secr ... Read more

Center Stage Management is a simple approach that practically guarantees your team’s best performance. Leaders are responsible for motivating their teams to give their best performance. Some leaders prefer to push, prod, and cajole. Others rely on more subtle methods. They prefer to set ... Read more

How to discover untapped potential in your organization… Natural leaders crave the opportunity to take on more responsibility. You do not have to look for natural leaders, they make themselves known. Sounds like a reasonable statement, right? Though it sounds reasonable, it is not always true. Yo ... Read more

The boss is relying on you to make some major improvements. So you do the usual. You come up with a plan and put a team together to get it done. You are a good leader and you know how to inspire the team to action. Everyone is full of energy and commitment at the beginning; success seems just a m ... Read more

1. Interruptions
2. Searching for Information
3. Inadequate Buy-In
4. Obstacle Avoidance
5. Insufficient Planning
6. Too Many Choices (too many projects open at the same time)
7. Lack of Cooperation
8. Changing Priorities

It is ve ... Read more

Buying software is like buying a car;  there is more to consider than just the sticker price.  When buying a car you consider gas mileage, maintenance, loan interest, resale value, etc. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the right software.

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In the most recent waves of information about how best to implement Lean, an old piece of wisdom is surfacing once again.  Employee involvement is essential and you cannot maximize employee involvement without a blame-free culture.   At first glance, a blame free culture seems to b ... Read more

The mere mention that management has decided to purchase a new software product instantly produces groans and complaints from the end users. Sarcasm often kicks into high gear right away with comments like, "I love it when management decides to help me do my job." Why do people react this way? Is ... Read more

Implementing a significant business process change is difficult. Choose a strong facilitator to lead and monitor the transition. A strong facilitator will have a passion for improvement and the skills to guide your transition from start to finish. The facilitator should be enthusiastic, determine ... Read more

Do not convince yourself that you need software in order to fix a broken business process. You will waste time, money and risk failure. Instead:

1. Put the resources in place to fix the broken process.
2. Involve the people that work the process.
3. Require th ... Read more