A concrete head is someone who is resistant to the changes that Lean brings. Obviously, this is a derogatory term. The term “concrete head’ is the result of a translation from Japanese. In working with Japanese consultants, it appeared that the term was applied to individuals who displayed resistance, but Read more…
A rule of thumb is simply a general process applied to a broad condition. They tend to have a wide-ranging application and are more based on accumulated experience and tribal knowledge than actual science. This is different from rules, regulations, Standard Work, and other forms of documented instructions. In those Read more…
Usually used in connection with a capital investment, a payback period is the length of time it will take to recoup the amount of money put into a project. The exact methodology for determining a payback period varies based on the way assumptions are made, and the formula used to Read more…
One of the most frequent quotes I encounter when helping people improve their processes is “Our process is different.” People who have not been exposed to continuous improvement efforts frequently believe that their process is so unusual that Lean or Six Sigma or whatever methodology you are using does not Read more…
A manager is a person in a formal position of authority, generally responsible for guiding a team or process towards an established goal. In virtually all cases, a manager is in a formal position, as opposed to a leader who may be in either a designated or an informal role. Read more…
Marketing is the combination of art and science used to determine which products or services a customer will buy, and then crafting a message to make those offerings more appealing. There is a veritable library of information available on marketing, so this term focuses on the impact continuous improvement efforts Read more…
Problems are generally looked at as a situation in which the current condition does not match the “should be” state. Opportunities, on the other hand, occur when you are meeting current expectations, but there is a potential “should be” state, further out, that would provide you substantial reward if you Read more…
Dictionary.com defines an opinion as “a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to product complete certainty. “ In the world of continuous improvement, people seldom have the luxury of complete certainty. But, unfortunately, they often act with a clear deficit of facts and data to make an informed Read more…
Leaders are the people who can envision a destination and inspire a group of others to join them on the journey to that goal. Leadership can be both formal and informal. In formal leadership roles, the leader is designated by someone of higher authority to act in that capacity. The Read more…
The process of giving instructions often leaves a significant amount of room for misinterpretation. People are often distracted during the briefing, or skim the email containing instructions. Or, the recipient may just make some different assumptions than the person delivering the instructions. Regardless, as in the childhood game of “telephone”, Read more…
Spend any time around Lean, or any other continuous improvement methodology, for that matter, and you will undoubtedly hear the term “Respect for People.” It is a simple concept that should act as a moral compass in how people do business. The fact is that a company does not have Read more…
Micromanagement is the act of giving overly excessive instructions to employees. It tends to reduce the effectiveness of an organization for a variety of reasons. If a manager is micromanaging an employee, he is not doing his own work, limiting his effectiveness. If a manager micromanages, her employees will be Read more…