LITTLE LESSONS ALONG THE WAY TO LEAN

2003-09-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lean Is Hot!!!

It would stroke my ego mightily, but I'm simply not talented and inspiring enough as a writer to be the Pied Piper of Lean. Although one might mistakenly jump to that conclusion just by looking at my metrics:

Over 600 members in my various Lean discussion groups (see list below).
Over 300 members in the recently-formed International Lean Association.
Over 24,000 hits since April 10, 2003 at Little Lean Lessons.
Over 1000 downloads of Lean: The Mayberry Approach
Over 100 downloads of Lean Bingo
Etc., etc.

No, as much as I'd like to say it's me, it's really all about Lean. Lean is hot!!!

Have you done anything to help your organization become Lean today?

While you're surfing, take a look at:

High Performing Lean Teams
Lean Examples
Leaned
Liars Are Not Lean
Office Lean
365 Days of Lean

2003-09-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

LEAN BINGO

Who said Lean training had to be dull?

You can have fun and get your Lean points across. Visit Lean Bingo for your very own set. Use it to introduce Lean concepts to event teams, Lean newbies, etc. Let me know how you like it, its effectiveness, suggested changes, etc. We can even make custom Lean Bingo packages, if the changes may appeal to a wide group.

2003-09-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Is There A Downside To The High Productivity Of The American Worker?

A USA Today article poses some interesting questions. We are highly productive, but seriously unhappy as a group. Have Lean organizations failed to fairly reward those laboring in the trenches? I'd love to hear what you think, especially if you are really, really happy or really, really unhappy. Please let me know how you feel.

2003-09-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Who Knew? I Though Mayberry Was "Universal"

I've always worn many hats and I've just added another to my wardrobe. I'm now an "internationally read author of management books." Please realize I say that tongue-in-cheek and completely in jest. But I do have a critic in France and he makes a very good point. Having been born in 1957, I was at just the right age to catch the original Mayberry episodes and the reruns have long been a regular part of my television viewing. I just assumed everyone knew about Mayberry. I mean it's just like Mom, apple pie, and the American flag, which I think was Michel's point exactly:

Hello Gary,

Since you consider yourself as International I hope you won't mind getting some remarks from a non-American reader. It was very difficult for me to read the first seven chapters of your book, because I have never heard of this "Mayberry TV classic". "Dallas" being worldwide known, would probably been a better support to spread your ideas
internationally.

But was it your intention? However, many thanks for your nice offer to communicate it or its link. Just two questions:

1 - May we translate it (at least the non too "American" chapters) or some chapters, mentioning of course its origin?
2 - Since you write that you have taken some ideas or contents from other authors could you give us the corresponding credits and references?

Many thanks in advance,

Michel GAVAUD, CFPIM, CIRM, A.P.P.
MGCM
10 rue des Trois Fontanot
92022 NANTERRE CEDEX
tél : 33(0)1 49 67 06 06
Fax: 33(0)1 46 92 09 67
www.mgcm.com

Well, I needed a new project anyway. Now if I can just get my hands on a few Dallas scripts. I'm sure I can find some Lean in there somewhere!

What about it, you Dallas fans? Do you recall any instances where Lean was employed in Dallas? If so, please email me so I can let Michel and the rest of my non-American readers in on finding Lean in everyday circumstances.

2003-09-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

It's True!!! People Like Free Stuff!!!

Despite a business magazine editor's accolades of " ..... Lean and Mayberry and everything else. Nice relief from the sanctimoniousness of some of the zealots and utter serious of business these days. Keep on plugging away .....", Lean: The Mayberry Approach is not much better and not much worse than most the tons of Lean literature out there. It has at least two distinctions, however. It is free and it is being read.

In fact, it is being read quite frequently. The number of downloads already astonish me and they keep growing. Since the book isn't sold, I’ll never be a best-selling author, but I am quickly becoming a widely-read author. I think that's pretty cool. In fact, it might even impress my fifteen-year-old who is decidedly difficult to impress. You can get your own free copy of Lean: The Mayberry Approach at the International Lean Association's site or at any of the following locations:

http://www.ecommercedealers.com/ebook_ads.htm
http://ecomdeal.addr.com/ebook.htm
http://mdsouza.addr.com/ebookdirectory.htm
http://www.crescentglobal.com/classifieds.htm
http://www.geocities.com/ebooktrader/ebooks.htm
http://ecomdeal.addr.com/freeads.htm
http://www.retakaful.com/ebooklist.htm
http://www.altameen.com/ebook_links.htm
http://www.qatarisk.com/ebookads.htm
http://www.ecommercedealers.com/bepractical/infoproducts.htm

2003-09-04T06:17:00.000-07:00

Lean Leader Becomes A Sales Leader

Wow!!! What a milestone!!!

The folks who gave us Lean Manufacturing have another first. Toyota has taken the number three spot in monthly sales in the United States for August 2003. In selling 200,482 units, Toyota displaced DaimlerChrysler, whose sales were 190,388 units. Although industry analysts noted that this may have been partly due to seasonal sales, this is still recognized as a significant breakthrough for Japanese automakers. Looks like the Lean pioneers are doing something right.

2003-08-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

What Could Be More Lean Than Free?

If you've enjoyed my posts to this blog I think you'll also enjoy Lean: The Mayberry Approach. You can download a copy by visiting the International Lean Association's web site or in the "Library" folder of the "Files" section of the ILA's Yahoo discussion group.

You might find it useful in your quality or Lean training program. It is interesting and seems to capture the attention of the Lean and non-Lean alike. I think it is very cool that a timeless TV classic can help us apply the principles of Lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System in surprising places.

If you use it and like it, please let me know. If you'd like to be a part of future projects like this such as our 2004 365 Days of Lean calendar or High Performance Lean Teams, take a look around our web site or stop by our calendar collection site or High Lean.

Hope you enjoy Lean: The Mayberry Approach!

2003-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

International Lean Association's Web Site Up and Running

In true Lean fashion, we've limited (read that extremely limited) the
amount of money we've invested in our web site. We've depended upon
volunteers, free hosting, donations, etc. But at long last it
appears to be up and running. When you have a moment, check out
www.i-lean-a.com.

Please let me know what you think. We'll get updates and changes
made as quickly as possible. And if someone would like to to volunteer
to be the OFFICIAL ILA WEBMASTER, that would be WONDERFUL!!!

2003-08-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

High Performance Lean Teams

Have you ever worked on a GREAT team? Do you remember what it felt like? It was wonderful wasn't it? And the focus on common goals? If you've ever had the good fortune to work on such a team, it's something you want to repeat and continue throughout your career. If you've never worked on such a team, you don't know what you're missing.

If you've learned to appreciate and leverage the strengths of individual team members into a high performance Lean team, the business community and Lean Community of Practice (CoP) would like to hear from you. Spotlight yourself and your team. Become a Lean Team champion. You'll be glad you did. To share your Lean Team lessons, please visit High Lean. When we have one hundred examples, we'll publish a book and share the good news with everyone. Submitters of examples get unlimited free copies of the e-book and unlimited hard copies purchased at cost.

Make your team a part of High Performance Lean Teams. Won't it make a nice memento of an outstanding Lean career?

2003-08-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

Mistakes Happen

Did you know that the Rolling Stone magazine put Peewee Herman on its cover not once but twice? Mistakes happen!

They do, it's just an unfortunate fact of life. But smart people learn from their mistakes, and being the smart folks that we are, I know we can learn from ours.

Have you ever made a mistake on your Lean journey? One that you'll admit?

Share it with us so we can learn from it. You may save a fellow Lean practitioner from making the same mistake. Drop me a line at ILAPresident@netocmmander.com and do us all a favor. Chances are that we've all made a similar mistake. And sharing it with us isn't like putting it on the cover of the Rolling Stone magazine.

2003-08-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

That Isn't Lean

While some managers may pooh-pooh the potential ROI of poka-yoke, baka-yoke, idiot-proofing, error-proofing, call-it-what-you will, clearly processes intended to help employees avoid mistakes have some merit and value. The absence of such processes often carry costs. In Tuesday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the costs associated with a simple mix-up of materials was made clear:

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Last fall, a few days before Thanksgiving, a technician at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle nuclear reactor made a costly mistake.

Asked to fetch a chemical intended to prevent corrosion inside the reactor, he came back instead with a chemical that was itself a corrosive, a kissing cousin of salt.

It would be 24 days before Plant Vogtle in eastern Georgia was up and running again. In the interim, Georgia Power spent more than $6.3 million buying enough natural gas to pick up the downed plant's slack.

Now Georgia Power wants ratepayers to pay for that mistake, plus 13 percent interest.

As a consumer of electricity from Georgia Power, I'm now expected to help pay for this mistake.

I sure do wish Georgia Power was a Lean organization. You can see the whole article here.

2003-08-13T06:07:00.000-07:00

LEANed Anything Lately?

Lean Enterprise Managers and Change Agents, what did you accomplish today? Have you thought about it? You should. Senior Management is increasingly concerned about the ROI for Lean efforts. We need to become better at articulating our Lean accomplishments.

We can start small. What did you Lean today? Once you've collected your thoughts, visit What I LEANed Today and share it with the rest of us.

You (and we) will be glad you did.

2003-08-07T05:31:00.001-07:00

Take The Lean Floor

Join Jim Womack, Dan Jones, John Shook, Mike Rother, and others. They’ve graciously given me quotes for the International Lean Association’s 2004 365 Days of Lean calendar. You can be in distinguished company and provide the Lean Community of Practice (Lean CoP) your opinion on Lean.

There are still days that aren't taken. Take a moment to submit an original thought, a favorite quote, a brief story, etc. Tell us if there is a day that is special to you such as a birthday or anniversary and if it's still open, it's yours. You'll have the entire Lean CoP floor on your special day!

Visit the collection site . You can join immediately and post your thoughts. Full credit will be given when the "box" style calendar is published later this year. Submitters get unlimited free e-copies. You'll also be able to purchase unlimited copies of the printed calendar at cost.

So join the experts, the Lean pioneers! Share your thoughts with the whole Lean CoP.

2003-08-07T05:31:00.000-07:00

2003-08-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

I Hate To Say I Told You So -- Well, Not Really

On May 23, 2003, I posted the story of my experience with thinly-disguised Delta and ASA Airlines. I've re-posted it for a bit of validation and a reminder of the Lean lesson that it is the customer who defines value. Seems others agree with me (please see AJC Artiicle). Perhaps now the folks at ASA will get the message, but I doubt it.

Thanks! I Feel So Much Better Now.

Not!!!

I'm a frequent flier. I spend a lot of time waiting at the end of Terminal C of a major airport in my neck of the woods. Invariably, my fellow waiters are grumpy, irritable, and angry at XYZ Airlines, a Yazoo Connection and a wholly owned subsidiary of Yazoo Air Lines.

We are angry because of incredibly poor service. We're not poorly served by all Yazoo Connection subsidiaries. I took another Connection flight to another airport before Yazoo flew me to the major airport. It wasn't bad. Actually, it was rather nice (as flights go). And the Yazoo Air Lines flight wasn't bad. Nope, it's just XYZ that's dropping the ball. So I decided to exercise my rights as a customer and demand acceptable service. I went to Yazoo's web page. It was easy to navigate and I quickly found the customer comments section.

I vented and logged off satisfied, sure that someone would say "We're sorry. We were wrong. We'll do it better next time."

Boy, was I wrong.

I got an e-mail from Yazoo Air Lines, pointing the finger at XYZ, saying my flight was "solely the responsibility of XYZ" and they had forwarded my comments and were sure someone would be in touch. They were -- after weeks.

I finally got a letter from a "Customer Care Representative." Except for the flight number and airline names, I'm going to quote him verbatim:

Mr. Lister, Flight xxxx was delayed due to a late flight release. I am confident that our team members would not intentionally misdirect you or keep information from you. Rather, it is a matter of technology and resource constraints which inhibit their ability to meet your needs. I realize you expect XYZ customer service agents to have access to the same information you are accustomed to receiving from Yazoo agents. However, today, that is not the case. This is being addressed.

Let's see now. Yazoo owns (wholly, mind you) XYZ, but XYZ agents do not have access to the same technology. In the same airport. What a way to run an airline.

I wish Mr. Customer Care Rep had just said I'm sorry or We screwed up or anything except that the airline I had entrusted with my time, my schedule, my life couldn't help poor customer service because they didn't have access to same technology as their parent organization.

Right!

Is this anyway to run a wholly owned subsidiary?

2003-08-06T06:01:00.000-07:00

The World's MOST PERFECT Lean Glossary

One of the things I most appreciate about the Lean Community of Practice is the willingness of its members to share their knowledge and experience. Several weeks back, many of you helped me compile one of the most comprehensive Lean glossaries I've ever seen. I included every suggestion, even those that were only "slightly Lean" or "sonewhat Lean." It's a VERY comprehensive glossary. It's nearly perfect.

To be the perfect Lean glossary, I think it only needs real-life examples. And as usual, the Lean Community of Practice is helping me make something that is already good better.

If you'd like to share an example or illustration of a Lean term to be included in our glossary, please visit Lean Examples. You can join and post immediately. Visit today and be a part of the worlds most perfect Lean glossary.

2003-07-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

365 Days of Lean

I'll bet there are 365 of you out there that:

1. Have an inspirational Lean message
2. Are willing to share it
3. Would like a bit of publicity for yourself or your organization's Lean efforts

The International Lean Association is sponsoring a 2004 "365 Days of Lean" calendar. Send in your material. You'll get full credit and your very own day in 2004 to share your opinions on Lean with the world. Submissions should be sent to ILAPresident@netcommander.com.

2003-07-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

Wow!!!

I'm Impressed!!!

It's usually hard to impress yourself, even if you have a healthy ego, but I've done it. "Lean Leader?" I guess so. At least someone thinks so. I'm speaking at "North America's Largest Lean Manufacturing Conference -- Ever!" in October in Toronto. I'll try not to pay too much attention to their press releases. Of course, it feels really great to be included in the group described as "Lean leaders from around the world will gather in Toronto, Canada at the largest Lean conference ever to share their breakthrough success in leading their organizations to measure-up and win by applying Lean thinking. " Lean Leader. Breakthrough success. The AME thinks almost as much of me as I do.

And sharing a stage with keynote speaker Rudy Giuliani is more than a little cool.

Who would have believed that a good ol' boy from South Georgia would find himself in such high cotton -- in Ontario of all places!!!!!

My presentation is even identified as an "Advanced" session for those "well along the path who are looking for tools."

Best practices. Advanced session. Lean Leader. Breakthrough success.

I'm impressed!!!

2003-07-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

New International Lean Association Off To A Great Start!!!

The International Lean Association has been very well received by those working in the trenches to lead the transformation to Lean organizations. We now have over one hundred members. It is truly an international organization with members from Belgium, Canada, Ireland, France, England, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, India, and the United States.

Thanks to very sharing members, we have a growing reference library and several helpful article and guides stored in the files section. If you are working with Lean or are interested in finding waste and eliminating it in your organization, you might find a visit to the ILA discussion site helpful.

2003-06-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

ILA Membership Application

A membership application for the International Lean Association can be found in the "files" section of the ILA discussion group. Yahoo should automatically send you the PDF file when you ask to join. Please help spread the word about ILA. A newer, smaller, faster, more responsive group should help focus on Lean and the people and organizations who practice it.

2003-06-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

Survey Says .......

You Want a Lean Association

OK, we'll do it.

Check out the International Lean Association web page. We'll see if there really is a need and a desire. I believe there is. In addition to strong support on the survey, there were comments that we needed a place to showcase our projects, resumes, etc., and some of the more established organizations were just to big now for that sort of thing. We'll start small and grow to what the membership wants.

Take a look, and recommend it to someone else.

2003-06-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

Ready For Prime Time?

Survey Results Show Support for New Organization

While there are those who (rightly so) will say that Lean is merely one of many tools in the Quality Toolbox, is seems to be the Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) method of choice in many cases. This prompted me to wonder if it is time for a formal association of Lean practitioners. I'd like your opinion. You can find a brief survey here that will allow you to weigh in.

Here's what you've said so far:

78% feel there is a need for such an organization
86% might, probably, or would definitely join
84% would expect such an organization to help them improve their Lean skills
76% feel employers would view such an organizations as either on par with or more important than similar organizations
62% would be willing to seek certification from such an organization

Please let me hear from you. It may be time for a new Lean organization.

2003-06-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet!

Those of you who feel Lean's 5 Whys are a bit excessive should take a look at the "The Why? Files"

Just as I was getting comfortable with asking "Why?" five (or more) times, I discover The Why? Files, with more "Whys" than one can imagine. It's a good, central, Lean site to find answers to some of your "Whys?"

2003-06-04T09:13:00.000-07:00

Lean Energy

An informed consumer is a smart consumer. Now, thanks to ENERGY STAR, we energy consumers can make smart, informed, and Lean decisions. ENERGY STAR is "a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency." They live up to their advertising. They recognize energy-efficient models in thirty-eight product categories. The categories include things we use - at home and at work; lighting, computers, water coolers, refrigerators, etc.

Unless you enjoy paying higher utility bills, you should visit and become a Leaner energy consumer.

2003-06-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

Are You Bad Enough To Drink This Brew?

It's Mighty Fine Coffee, Despite The Name

A thoughtful friend gave me several pounds of Bad Ass Coffee. Despite the fact that he immediately thought of me when he saw the label, it was a delightful gift, especially for a coffee lover like me. The story behind the name made it an even better gift. I've been accused of finding Lean in anything, and I certainly saw it here.

Before PETA, coffee harvesters of Kona, Hawaii apparently took Lean to the extreme. So much so that the overload donkeys complained, braying up and down the mountainsides as they bore their heavy burdens. The local term for these poor beasts was the "bad ass ones". The bellows of the donkeys echoing through the mountains caused them to be known as the "Kona Nightingales." These hard working donkeys eventually achieved immortality, as their story inspired the name of this coffee company.

There's probably a management lesson here. If your employees are braying and complaining, you might need to ease up a bit.

2003-06-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

Who Knew Bears Could Read?

This polar bear apparently read and comprehended the delightful Who Moved My Cheese? Instead of waiting around for Old Cheese (seals), he appears quite ready to help himself to New Cheese (US Navy submarine). Way to go, Mr. Bear!

2003-06-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Affordable Training

I have allowed myself to be talked into becoming a contributing editor to SuiteUniversity's Suite101 topic Administrative Lean and Office Kaizen. Most of you are far too advanced on your lean journey to benefit from the basic presentations offered, but if you have co-workers or colleagues who are not quite so advanced and have an interest in this topic, it may be worth their time to check out Administrative Lean and Office Kaizen. Plus, Suite101 provides a discussion forum, so we're all likely to benefit from the contributions of others. Check it out!

2003-05-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

If I Had Pumped Gas, I Would Have Told You So

Better Consumers Equal Better Suppliers?

I stopped by one of our local "convenience" stores the other day. I was in a hurry. I just needed a bag of ice. It was our turn to supply drinks to the team after my son's baseball game and we were running a bit late.

After standing in line behind lots of folks buying those must-have convenience items like cigarettes, beer, and lottery tickets, it was finally my turn at the counter. I put the bag of ice down, just wanting to pay and be on my way. The clerk asked me the same question she had been asking all the others: "Did you get any gas?"

I was in a hurry, but couldn't let it go with a simple "No."

"If I had pumped any gas, I would have told you so."

"Maybe, but lots of others wouldn't."

That's a classic case of we consumers harming our collective selves. I didn't take very long for the clerk to ask the question and the customer to respond, but when you have a line of people in front of you and the process time for each one is increasing, it eventually begins to impact you - especially if you are in a hurry.

What a choice! Give up a bit of speed and convenience at the very store designed to be lean and quickly and efficiently get you in and out or pay higher prices for gasoline for drive-offs.

Isn't that the way it happens so often? The remaining 99% of us pay for the misdeeds of the 1%. If you've got a similar experience to share, please send me an e-mail at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com.

2003-05-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

Fat Product, Lean Operation

How do you know what your customers want? You could always try asking.

One might think that doughnuts would sell themselves. Not KrispyKreme. Despite producing a nearly universally loved product, they don't take us for granted. They ask questions like "How are we doing?" and "What can we do to better meet your needs?" They even have a Friends of KrispyKreme Newsletter to help you keep doughnuts on the brain (as if that was needed) and to keep you informed on new store openings, new products, etc.

With a Lean approach like that, it's not surprising their metrics are moving "up and to the right." Great job, KrispyKreme. I just wish you'd share some of your lessons learned with the gasoline industry, the insurance industry, the banking industry, the airline industry, etc.

2003-05-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

What a Cool (and Lean) Site!

I treasure my old books, revisiting with them time and time again like old friends. Bookcrossing has developed a really cool way to share your love with others.

Bookcrossing doesn't market itself as a Lean site, but it's one of the leanest I've seen. Like a cyber-version of the note in a bottle or postcard attached to a balloon, it allows donors to release books "into the wild" and track their travels.

In addition to sharing books, you have the added benefit of an on-line record of where the book has been, the impact it had on readers, etc. If you've ever tossed a bottle containing a note into the ocean, Bookcrossing is for you.

And you don't just give. You can also receive. With over 120,000 members and nearly 400,000 books released, you're bound to come across one soon in public places. Keep your eyes peeled for the logo. If you'd like to track the progress of the book I released, click here. There's also a Bookcrossing link / icon at the bottom of this page.

2003-05-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Tell the Truth

"If you're selling something, you should tell the people the truth about it, or else it ain't honest.

- Opie, repeating Andy's rule of fair dealing in Episode #143, "Barney Fife, Realtor"

Has someone ever lied to you? How did it make you feel?

Even if it was a little half-truth about cost, schedule, or performance, lies can be costly mistakes. You can lose customers. Relationships that have endured for years can be suddenly ruined. Shortcuts, especially dishonest shortcuts, can be terribly expensive.

Lean is honest. It doesn't take shortcuts for the sake of short-term profits. Share your experiences with the rest of us. Nominate a lying business to the Liars Hall of Fame. Join and post at the Yahoo group Liars Ain’t Lean. I look forward to hearing your contributions.

2003-05-28T04:58:00.000-07:00

Great Fast Company Article on Meetings -- Wish I'd Said It First!

You can find The Seven Sins of Deadly Meetings here. More than just complaints, it also offers seven steps to salvation, plus tools, techniques, and technologies to make your meetings less painful and more productive. It's worth a visit.

2003-05-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Best Practices? Perhaps.

Best Sharing? No Way.

Pella Corporation's lean journey was highlighted in the current edition of Industry Week. That's great. I'm happy for my fellow Lean practitioners at Pella. But they still have a ways to go in learning to share information. I sent a nice e-mail congratulating Pella on the article and asked about sharing information. Sharing is a good thing you know. After all, none of us came in the world as Lean experts.

Pella's response (and complete misreading of my message) surprised me. Kathy Krafka-Harkema, quoted in the Industry Week article, had this to say:

Dear Mr. Lister:

Thank you for your interest in Pella Corporation and our continuous improvement program. At this time, please remove us from your solicitation list, as we are not interested in pursuing any joint marketing or communication efforts with your firm.

Kathy Krafka Harkema
Corporate Public Relations Specialist
Pella Corporation
102 Main Street
Pella, IA 50219
E-mail: krafka-harkemakk@pella.com

Seems to me Ms. Karfka-Harkema, and Pella, could stand to read a few of my posts about the value of sharing information.

2003-05-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

That's Remarkable!

Just two weeks after its release, Purple Cow has hit the best-sellers list. It's number 13 on the New York Times list and number 10 on the Wall Street Journal list. That's really amazing. And the companion e-book, 99 Cows, isn't doing too bad either.

2003-05-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Get Your Free Copy of 99 Cows

This is a great book and well worth your time to read. Of course, I've got to offer a disclaimer here. I'm Cow # 73, so that might have influenced my opinion a tad (surely not). You can visit 99 Cows to get your very own copy. Someone you know may like their own copy. There's a box about midway down in the red area on the left you can use to send them a link to this site. Send as many as you like. Who knows, they may thank you (this IS a pretty cool site, after all).

2003-05-24T16:26:00.000-07:00

Note to Nike: "Sooie!"

My grandfather was a fine man. He was a fiscal conservative with little tolerance for waste. He could also be blunt, much to the dismay of my strict Baptist grandmother. My grandfather's stock response when he saw waste was, "Son, that's like shoving money up a wild hog's a__ and yelling sooie."

Nike, you just shoved $90,000,000 up a wild hog's a__. Assume for a moment that LeBron James helps Nike sell shoes. Further assume, just for the sake of the math, that the average price of each pair of shoes that LeBron helps Nike sell is $200. Assume Nike makes 100% profit or $100 on each pair of those shoes. Nike will have to sell nearly a million more pairs of shoes than they would have sold anyway before they begin to see a return on their "investment." Sooie.

I'm sorry, Nike, but I just don't believe LaBron James will help you sell a million pairs of shoes. Demand just isn't that sensitive to celebrity endorsements. And there's alway a new and more talented LaBron waiting in the wings.

If I'm right, you've wasted a lot of money (and that ain't Lean). If you're right, congratulations. It's a bold, gutsy (and possibly stupid) move.

Sooie.

And thank you, Lord, that I don't own any Nike stock.

2003-05-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks! I Feel So Much Better Now.

Not!!!

I'm a frequent flier. I spend a lot of time waiting at the end of Terminal C of a major airport in my neck of the woods. Invariably, my fellow waiters are grumpy, irritable, and angry at XYZ Airlines, a Yazoo Connection and a wholly owned subsidiary of Yazoo Air Lines.

We are angry because of incredibly poor service. We're not poorly served by all Yazoo Connection subsidiaries. I took another Connection flight to another airport before Yazoo flew me to the major airport. It wasn't bad. Actually, it was rather nice (as flights go). And the Yazoo Air Lines flight wasn't bad. Nope, it's just XYZ that's dropping the ball. So I decided to exercise my rights as a customer and demand acceptable service. I went to Yazoo's web page. It was easy to navigate and I quickly found the customer comments section.

I vented and logged off satisfied, sure that someone would say "We're sorry. We were wrong. We'll do it better next time."

Boy, was I wrong.

I got an e-mail from Yazoo Air Lines, pointing the finger at XYZ, saying my flight was "solely the responsibility of XYZ" and they had forwarded my comments and were sure someone would be in touch. They were -- after weeks.

I finally got a letter from a "Customer Care Representative." Except for the flight number and airline names, I'm going to quote him verbatim:

Mr. Lister, Flight xxxx was delayed due to a late flight release. I am confident that our team members would not intentionally misdirect you or keep information from you. Rather, it is a matter of technology and resource constraints which inhibit their ability to meet your needs. I realize you expect XYZ customer service agents to have access to the same information you are accustomed to receiving from Yazoo agents. However, today, that is not the case. This is being addressed.

Let's see now. Yazoo owns (wholly, mind you) XYZ, but XYZ agents do not have access to the same technology. In the same airport. What a way to run an airline.

I wish Mr. Customer Care Rep had just said I'm sorry or We screwed up or anything except that the airline I had entrusted with my time, my schedule, my life couldn't help poor customer service because they didn't have access to same technology as their parent organization.

Right!

Is this anyway to run a wholly owned subsidiary?

2003-05-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

A Lean Mule

My uncle retired from the Army. His last duty assignment was at Fort Gordon, Georgia, near Augusta. He bought himself a mini-farm between Harlem and Grovetown and planned to return to his roots in his retirement years. His next-door neighbors were an eccentric old bachelor and his old maid sister. The sister was nearly normal. The bachelor got more and more weird as he aged, but the sister kept him in line as long as she was alive. When she died, the brother took a dramatic turn for the worse.

The bachelor really farmed. He kept cows and chickens and pigs and sheep and goats and he still plowed his garden with an old mule. One day while visiting over the fence that separated their gardens, the old man told my uncle that he planned to train his mule to eat pine straw.

"Pine straw!!!"

"Mr. Jackson, you can't train that mule to eat pine straw."

"I shore can. Yep. Just watch me. I started out with a little straw mixed in with his feed. Every week I'll give him a little less feed and a little more straw. Pretty soon he'll be eating nothing but pine straw."

Several weeks passed before they were both in the garden at the same time. My uncle called to Mr. Jackson, "I haven't seen that mule of yours in a while. How's he doing?"

"That scoundrel! Just about the time I got him trained to eat nothing by pine straw he up and died on me!"

For some reason, we're very attuned to changes if they are positive, even when they are minor and gradual. We're usually less attuned to negative changes. Our personal performance, our organization's performance, relationships, health, weight, etc., can gradually degrade over time and catch us unaware. Be on guard against this - you'd hate to end up with a dead mule.

2003-05-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Frank Patrick Is A Dog .....

.... and I mean that in the kindest terms possible, as Barney did when he divided the whole world into dogs (good) and giraffes (bad) (see Mayberry Episode # 93 "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs" or my post from May 14, 2003). Frank's web site and blog are quite good and well worth a visit. Stop by when you have a moment.

Thanks, Frank, for the kind words.

Frank Patrick's Focused Performance Business Blog

Tuesday, May 20, 2003

Little Lessons Along the Way to Lean -- I've come across another weblogger out there, Gary Lister from the USAF, with an entertaining view of "lean" and of continuous process improvement. Anyone who features lean lessons distilled from Andy, Opie, and Barney, not to mention Aunt Bee, is someone worth watching. Watching for what, I'm not sure, but definitely worth watching.

An excerpt from May 7...

"Will Rogers said "There are three kinds of men. One learns by reading. A few learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."

Coarse allegory aside, change agents sometimes have to help folks pee on a fence. You have to help them learn that, despite their natural resistance to it, change can be beneficial.

There are three basic elements in creating successful change:

1. The desire to change
2. The ability to change
3. The permission to change

The Desire to Change

Most humans will not change their beliefs, habits, or behaviors unless they are motivated to do so. Most will not change, even if change is for the better, unless there is come compelling reason. As long as the perceived rewards of staying as we are remain greater than the rewards of changing, we will likely stay as we are. Or, conversely, as long as the perceived risks of changing are greater than the risks for staying the same, we will be unlikely to change.

The Ability to Change

Then even if the motivation for change exists, people will still need some assistance in changing. Those who ignore the dynamics of human behavior, assume that once people understand the need for change, they will miraculously move in that direction.

What holds us back is our ingrained beliefs and resulting behaviors. You may want to become a participative manager but all your previous training has conditioned you to be controlling and directing and, clearly, in charge. And down deep inside, you might really have doubts about this employee involvement stuff. To change your beliefs and ultimately your behaviors significantly, you will need some help.

The Permission to Change

Finally there is the issue of permission. When a change is personal, we only have to give ourselves permission to change. But when the change is in an organizational context, those in power must grant permission.

You may have the desire to change, and you may have the knowledge and ability to change. But if you work in an environment that doesn't enable you to change, very little will happen. Desire and ability are there, but permission is not.

Many people feel they are constrained by those above them and they don't know what to do. Too many of us throw up our hands and ask "What can I do?" rather than say "Here's what I can do."

What you can do as change agent, is help them change. Help them pee on a fence, if you will. The results will be - dare I say it - electrifying."
Zap!!!

I know I'm going to probably go back to "Little Lessons..." from time to time, and suspect that Gary's work will end up on my blogroll sooner or later.

posted by Frank Patrick at 9:26 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2003-05-20T05:24:00.000-07:00

SARS Ijo-kanri (Abnormality Management)

Ijo-kanri or Abnormality Management entails being able to see and quickly take action to correct abnormalities (any straying from the standard). This is the goal of standardization and visual management. Continuous problem solving and waste elimination are only possible when the abnormalities are visible.

Singapore's Changi airport has installed infrared cameras that can detect travelers with a fever over 99.5 degrees. One of the main symptoms of SARS is a fever of 100 degrees or more. The cameras quickly and unobtrusively scan each passenger. Those with high fevers are displayed as red images. Upon identification as feverish, the passenger is examined by a nurse to validate the results of the cameras. Those with high temperatures must be certified SARS-free before being allowed to enter the county or board a plane.

Leave it to our friends in Asia to solve real-world problems with CPI tools. This process works and works well. No longer must arriving or departing passengers face a gauntlet of masked nurses with thermometers. Most passengers aren't even aware of the cameras. The goal is achieved quickly, accurately, and painlessly. Now if these innovators could just give their attention to the Colonoscopy process.

2003-05-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Worth Repeating

One of the disadvantages of a blog is that posts that you'd like to keep in front of the audience keep getting pushed further and further down the list as you add posts. This post is one that I'm very interested in and will re-post occasionally to allow viewers that may not have read it before to see it. If you've read it before, please excuse the repeat.

==========================================

Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Lightning Bolts for Selfish Giraffes

"Boy, giraffes are selfish, just run around looking out for number one, getting hit by lightning ......"

- Barney from Episode #93, "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs"

As I read Seth Godin's Purple Cow and 99 Cows, it occurred to me that, in addition to good examples, we can also learn from bad examples. What not to do, if you will; how to be Lean from the Fat, etc. I think you get the picture. After all, the very bad deserve to be singled out for special recognition just as much as the very good.

So, with inspiration from Seth and Barney, I decided we should collectively look at a few giraffes. We'll award a fat lightning bolt to those that especially deserve it. To nominate an organization that is especially fat, wasteful, or provides exceptionally poor customer service, drop me a line at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

Hopefully we won't come up with anything close to ninety-nine, but there may be a lot of bad actors out there. Stay tuned for the results, it should be interesting.

2003-05-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

A Lean Road

Although many of you may know Tobacco Road only as the title of an Erskine Caldwell novel, there really was (and is) an actual road, a lean road. It is an outstanding example of early change, standard work, and elimination of waste.

Today's Tobacco Road looks like many other roads in the South. It is five lanes and connects Fort Gordon's Gate Five with Bush Field airport. Yesterday's Tobacco Road was a stretch of hard-packed sandy road atop a ridge that tobacco farmers used to get their crop the port in the Savannah River. Farmers used rolling barrels to transport their crop to the port. The route along the sandhills was not the most direct route, but it avoided crossing streams. This was crucial because the barrels were not waterproof. If the tobacco leaf had gotten wet while crossing a stream or creek, it would have been ruined.

Our ancestors worked hard and conserved energy whenever they could. They had to in order to survive the rigors they faced every day just to keep body and soul together. Their roads, trails, and footpaths were usually as the crow flies, a direct route from point A to point B. Tobacco Road, despite its association with the then-infamous novel by the same name, is an excellent example of workers eliminating waste from their processes. From the late 1700s to the early 1900s, the hard-packed sandy road was a testimony of the standard process followed by Piedmont farmers getting there tobacco crop to port so it could be shipped to market.

Can you think of a long-standing process or tradition that might have its roots in Lean? If so, I'd love to hear from you at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

2003-05-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

Old Dogs Get Lean In The Hot Georgia Sun

This is one of my very first poems accepted for publication. It was published years ago in an obscure, little literary journal called Nomad's Choir. I, of course, was thrilled. The editor, a very nice man named Joshua Meander, felt that it was full of meaning. It was really just about the dogs in my neighborhood. As I look throught my windows today, so thankful for central air, the dogs are drooping and I marvel at how lean they are, with not a single wasted motion. They move from shady spot to shady spot with frequent stops by the water bowl. This raises an interesting question: If Lean is instinctive for dogs, why isn't it instinctive for us? Anyway hope you enjoy my poem. If you don't, then there's likely a reason why I'm a change agent instead of a poet.

Wild Dogs

In our tame suburban neighborhood,
The dogs vaguely feel old instincts
And dream of less domesticated days.

We're at the end of a road leading out of town.
We're surrounded by woods, swamps, and fields.
Coyotes love to tease our dogs, especially when the moon is full.

They sprint through the darkness,
A ghostly shadow here, a quick glimpse there.
The dogs go wild, from the first house to the last.

Impotently raging against their distant cousins,
They know they're there, they just
Won't stop long enough to be caught.

But these wily tormentors have awakened ancient urges,
Demonstrated to the accompaniment of a modern locomotive.
A railroad track makes a long gentle curve around us.

It's skirting the edge of a hundred year flood plain and
We hear the train for a very long time as it comes around
Again instead of passing right by.

Those pampered pets, each and every one,
Poodles, labradors, collies, shepards, and mutts,
Lift their muzzles and howl their old songs.

We know them all by name and even scold
Them home occassionally when they're up to mischief.
But they've become quite good at the ancient rite.

In the dead of night, especially when they hear
The approaching train before us and begin their chorus,
Their combined voices remind us of distant days.

Days when we weren't quite so snug and safe,
We halfway remember old things, briefly shudder,
And the hairs on the back of our neck stand on end.

Now be Lean. Even lazy ol' hounds can.

2003-05-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Today's The Day

From Episode #40, "Opie's Hobo Friend"

Buddy Ebsen guest stars as David Browne, an irresponsible vagrant. To Opie, "Mr. Dave" has a lifestyle that seems gloriously free. He's too young and inexperienced to recognize the pitfalls of such an aimless, wandering existence.

When Barney arrests Mr. Dave for loitering, Andy doesn't want to jail him, so he gives him a job trimming hedges. When Andy leaves, Mr. Dave discusses the situation with Opie and decides he will cut the hedges tomorrow, with tomorrow being "the perfect day to start any job."

Mr. Dave makes an impression and Opie decides to "wait until tomorrow" to clean his room and do his other chores. Opie eventually learns a lesson and we should too.

Today - not tomorrow - is the perfect day to begin or continue your Lean Journey. If you've got an interesting story to share with us about your Lean journey, please tell me about it at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

2003-05-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

Change or Perish

One of my family's favorite vacation spots is St. Simons Island. It is a beautiful barrier island off the coast of Georgia. There's a place on St. Simons that speaks volumes about change. It's called Ebo Landing.

The Ebo tribe was (and still is) one of the proudest tribes in Africa. Slave traders raided an Ebo village and brought a ship full of tribesmen to Georgia. When they were unloaded (in chains) on St. Simons Island, they began their native death chant, marched into the water, and disappeared beneath the waves. Preferring death to slavery, they had made a group suicide pact on the way to America. The spot where this happened is know today as Ebo Landing and is avoided by the superstitious who claim they can still hear the clanking chains and jungle chant.

We rarely see group suicide pacts in today's organizations. Or do we? When we refuse to change, aren't we sealing our fate? There are plenty of examples of organizations and industries that were doomed because they couldn't or wouldn't change. Consider the American consumer electronics and steel industries of a few years back. Do you know of organizations today whose stubborn refusal to change is impacting their very survival? If so, I'd love to hear from you. Please drop me a line at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

2003-05-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

A Lean Glossary or "You know, I believe that's a rose."

Some of the Lean terms remind me of one of my grandfather's favorite stories:

My grandfather had a friend, Mr. John, whose wife, Miss Bessie (I am from South Georgia, after all), was a wonderful flower gardener. She had the most beautiful flowers in town. Something was always blooming in her garden and it was usually bigger, brighter, and prettier than anything else in town. Mr. John's involvement was strictly limited to hauling and spreading Miss Bessie's secret ingredient - chicken manure - from a farm outside of town. His involvement was limited that is, until the Garden Club came to visit. Miss Bessie had to have an emergency appendectomy a couple of days before, but was insistent that Mr. John be there to show the Garden Club ladies around. My grandmother was a member of the Garden Club and insisted that my grandfather accompany her so poor Mr. John would have someone to talk to besides all those "hens."

The visit was going very well. The garden was beautiful as usual. Mr. John was rising to the task, being a perfect host to the Garden Club ladies. As the came upon a particularly stunning bed of blooms, Mr. John plucked one and held it up for all to see and asked "Isn't that something?"

"Is sure is, John," chimed in my grandfather.

"What do you call it?"

"Why that's a chrysanthemum."

"Chrysanthemum? Never heard of it. How do you spell that?"

"Er .... um .... cry .... er .... chris .... You know, I believe that's a rose."

Having said all that, use the following Lean Glossary as you can. But don't ask me about the spelling.

I may just have to tell you that a gembutsu is a rose.

One of my fellow change agents has pointed out (and I believe rightly so upon reflection) that the Lean Glossary was too lengthy to post in a blog. I have a companion site for more serious Lean business like file sharing, etc. If you'd like a fairly comprehensive (thanks to the many contributors) Lean Glossary, you can visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Office_LEAN/ and join the discussion group. There are several files on that site that may interest change agents.

2003-05-14T08:15:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Lightning Bolts for Selfish Giraffes

"Boy, giraffes are selfish, just run around looking out for number one, getting hit by lightning ......"

- Barney from Episode #93, "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs"

As I read Seth Godin's Purple Cow and 99 Cows, it occurred to me that, in addition to good examples, we can also learn from bad examples. What not to do, if you will; how to be Lean from the Fat, etc. I think you get the picture. After all, the very bad deserve to be singled out for special recognition just as much as the very good.

So, with inspiration from Seth and Barney, I decided we should collectively look at a few giraffes. We'll award a fat lightning bolt to those that especially deserve it. To nominate an organization that is especially fat, wasteful, or provides exceptionally poor customer service, drop me a line at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

Hopefully we won't come up with anything close to ninety-nine, but there may be a lot of bad actors out there. Stay tuned for the results, it should be interesting.

2003-05-13T11:12:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Yes, the toothbrush is wet, but are the teeth brushed?

Episode #58, "Wedding Bells for Aunt Bee" has many memorable scenes, but I want to focus on one that quickly gets to the heart of the matter.

After Aunt Bee and her brief love interest leave for a picture show, Andy goes upstairs to check on Opie. Just as Andy enters the hallway, Opie exits the bathroom. Andy asks if Opie has brushed his teeth.

"Just feel how wet the toothbrush is," replies Opie.

Andy tells Opie a story about a boy who thought it was funny to wet his toothbrush instead of brushing his teeth. Andy said, "To him, it was a right funny joke. Every time he thought about it, he'd smile. And then one day, he quit smiling, never smiled again the rest of his days - he couldn't , he didn't have any teeth."

Opie rushes back into the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Which brings me to my question. I know you are reading my Lean postings, the counter is 20,600 plus since April 10th. But are your teeth brushed? Are you learning (and sharing) anything about Lean from this site? You tell me you enjoy visiting, so I know it's entertaining, and that's one of my goals, albeit a minor one. But, more importantly, are the examples and illustrations useful? Do they help you communicate the concepts of Lean to your management and workforce?

I hope so.

I'm presenting in Toronto at the largest Lean conference ever held. My topic will be the use of technology (both old and new) to share information on Lean. The conference is in October, so I have a few months to continue my learning journey and work out any problems, but if you've got an opinion on this site (good or bad), I'd love to hear from you at ThePurpleCow@netcommander.com

If you'd like information on the Lean Conference you can get it at the Association for Manufacturing Excellence site (http://www.ame.org) or at http://www.measureupforsuccess.com

2003-05-12T11:49:00.000-07:00
Purple Cows

I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one;
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one.

- Gelett Burgess

Actually, I'm delighted to be one. And I'm honored to be included in the company of Coachville, Fast Company, PeopleWorks, Starbucks, Tivo, Tony Robbins, the Weather Channel, Don Wildmon, John Malkovich, Tracy Sheridan, Revival Soy, and others. Seth Godin's new e-book 99 Purple Cows has just been released. I'm Purple Cow Number 73. I think that's cool, very cool. It might even impress my fifteen-year-old son.

As one of the chosen ninety-nine, I have unlimited free copies of the book. If you'd like one, let me know at gary.lister@robins.af.mil.

If you'd like to collaborate with or benchmark with a Purple Cow, please let me know. We've got some exciting things going on. You'll be pleased as a taxpayer and impressed as a professional.

2003-05-08T07:39:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: We Dogs Have To Stick Together

To all you dogs out there, "Thanks!"

To all you giraffes out there, "What's the problem?"

From Episode #93, "Dogs, Dogs, Dogs"

Opie: Pa, them dogs are out there. They are out there in that open field. (Thunder) I'm worried about 'em Pa.

Andy: Well, you needn't be.

Barney: Opie, you don't have to worry about 'em. What could happen?

Opie: Well, that lightning, what about that?

Barney: Oh, a dog can't get struck by lightning. You know why? Because he's too close to the ground. See, lightning strikes tall things. Now if they were giraffes out there, then we'd be in trouble. You sure don't have to worry about dogs. (Thunder)

Opie: I'm worried about 'em, Pa.

Andy: Ahh .......

Barney: What were dogs a million years ago, wild animals, right? Wolves, coyotes, they know how to hunt and fish and look for shelter. You take them two big Airedales. Why they looked as healthy as horses to me. And the little spotted one, he was in fine shape.

Opie: But the little one I first came in with, he was a trembler, wasn't he?

Barney: Him? why, the big ones will take care of him. The big ones take care of their own. (Thunder) And you know dogs have a way of keepin' dry. Ya know that, They're insulated, you see, they've got this fur...it keeps them cool in the summer and warm and dry in the winter. They're really set up better than human beings as far as that goes. (Thunder and lightning) And as far as the little one goes, why the big ones, they'll take care of him...the little trembly one...(Thunder) and they're short, you see, close to the ground, that way they can't get struck by lightning. Now if they wuz giraffes they'd have been hit by now, uh .... , but dogs are short and they take care of their own. Giraffes don't. No, giraffes don't at all. Boy, giraffes are selfish, just run around looking out for number one, getting hit by lightning, but dogs ........ (Thunder)

You just gonna sit there or you coming with me?

Andy: What?

Barney: To get them dogs, are you coming with me?

===================================

One of the things I like best about maintaining a blog is hearing from readers. It really doesn't matter if you like what I write or not, I still like to hear from you. And the suggestions for future topics are always outstanding!

Thank you, fellow dogs, for supporting and sharing. Now when are you selfish giraffes going to chime in? We're all in the change business and have a lot to share. In the words of Barney, "let's take care of our own." Drop me a line at gary.lister@robins.af.mil Let me know what's happening in your world of Lean and change.

And watch out for them lightning bolts!

2003-05-07T12:27:00.000-07:00
Have you assisted anyone lately in urinating upon an electrically enhanced barrier intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary? No? Why not?

Will Rogers said "There are three kinds of men. One learns by reading. A few learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."

Coarse allegory aside, change agents sometimes have to help folks pee on a fence. You have to help them learn that, despite their natural resistance to it, change can be beneficial.

There are three basic elements in creating successful change:

1. The desire to change
2. The ability to change
3. The permission to change

The Desire to Change

Most humans will not change their beliefs, habits, or behaviors unless they are motivated to do so. Most will not change, even if change is for the better, unless there is come compelling reason. As long as the perceived rewards of staying as we are remain greater than the rewards of changing, we will likely stay as we are. Or, conversely, as long as the perceived risks of changing are greater than the risks for staying the same, we will be unlikely to change.

The Ability to Change

Then even if the motivation for change exists, people will still need some assistance in changing. Those who ignore the dynamics of human behavior, assume that once people understand the need for change, they will miraculously move in that direction.

What holds us back is our ingrained beliefs and resulting behaviors. You may want to become a participative manager but all your previous training has conditioned you to be controlling and directing and, clearly, in charge. And down deep inside, you might really have doubts about this employee involvement stuff. To change your beliefs and ultimately your behaviors significantly, you will need some help.

The Permission to Change

Finally there is the issue of permission. When a change is personal, we only have to give ourselves permission to change. But when the change is in an organizational context, those in power must grant permission.

You may have the desire to change, and you may have the knowledge and ability to change. But if you work in an environment that doesn't enable you to change, very little will happen. Desire and ability are there, but permission is not.

Many people feel they are constrained by those above them and they don't know what to do. Too many of us throw up our hands and ask "What can I do?" rather than say "Here's what I can do."

What you can do as change agent, is help them change. Help them pee on a fence, if you will. The results will be - dare I say it - electrifying.

2003-05-06T07:26:00.000-07:00
Do You Have The Will To Change?

Will

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate,
Can circumvent or hinder or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing; will alone is great;
All things give way before it, soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Or cause the ascending orb of day to wait?

Each well-born must win what it deserves.
Let the fool prate of luck. The fortunate
Is he whose earnest purpose never swerves,
Whose slightest action or inaction serves
The one great aim. Why, even Death stands still,
And waits an hour sometimes for such a will.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

2003-05-05T09:58:00.000-07:00
Signs You Might Be A Change Agent:

This is an international list. I was amazed to learn that in some places, milk is still delivered to your door.

With appreciation to the following contributors: Ralph Woodhead, Robert Tristani, David Gearig, Aaron Rhoades, and Steve Wells. If you can help us expand the list, please e-mail me at gary.lister@robins.af.mil

You refer to an intimate moment with your significant other as a value-added, win-win encounter.

You own stock in 3M because of your excessive use of Sticky Notes.

You believe the solutions to all the world's problems can be found in either an office supply store or the hardware store.

You unconsciously 5-S the register area while waiting in checkout lines.

You love taking out the garbage: all that waste!

Your children know the difference between Operation Cycle Time and Shop Lead Time.

Your garage is 5-S'ed with labels and shadow boards.

You load the dishwasher using the Theory of Constraints, and prefer to load small batches for a mathematical reason.

You refer to your ex-spouse as "Non-Value Added / Corrected".

You and your children decorate cupcakes using single piece flow.

You ask your husband what work center he is in when he sits in the recliner, with the remote control in his hand, watching the football game. You ask him how many target hours he has for that work center, because the dishwasher work center is next for him, and it must be loaded using the theory of constraints.

You buy bread and milk in accordance to a takt rate. You know the ex-wife never did figure out that takt rate.

Your progress using "Weight Watchers" diet is plotted in Excel and hung on your bathroom wall. The graph has a baseline, and a goal. When you reach your goal, you establish upper control limits on the chart. The chart is mounted directly above the scale in the bathroom as a visual reminder for you to weigh in each morning.

You keep two egg crates in the fridge. The forward one is the one in use. When that one is empty, you bring the back one forward, and use the empty crate as a visual reminder to buy more eggs.

You hate the fact that milk is not delivered on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays when you need one bottle per day.

You have stopped wearing a white shirt and tie but still change your razor weekly - on Sunday morning.

Your to-do list is organized into 10 minute tasks.

You like continuous improvement and have changed your kitchen noticeboard for a T-card rack.

You call yourself a facilitator, rather than consultant, and now listen more.

If you cannot go to Burger King for lunch without doing a paper Kaizen of their layout and flow, on the back of one of their napkins.

When you drive by past car dealership your wife sees a lot of shiny new cars on the lot, but you say "Look at all that waste" (Inventory).

Your entire family groans and rolls their eyes every time someone asks what you do for a living.

You ask the waiter what are the restaurant's core competencies.

You decide to reorganize your family into a "team-based organization."

You think that it's actually efficient to write a ten-page paper with six other people you don't know.

You believe you never have any problems in your life, just "issues" and "improvement opportunities."

You explain to your bank manager that you prefer to think of yourself as "highly leveraged" as opposed to "in debt."

You can explain the difference between "down-sizing," "right-sizing," and "firing people," and you actually believe your explanation.

You can spell "paradigm" and you actually know what a paradigm is.

2003-05-05T05:53:00.000-07:00
Double Standard for Spam?

Do you treat all Spam the same? Or do you find more time to read Spam at work?

I hate Spam!!! As do many of us, judging from the recent headlines.

I'm encouraged to see potential legislation to limit Spam. Even if I really, really wanted something offered via a Spam e-mail, I wouldn't buy it, just as a matter of principle. I know some of you feel just as strongly.

But I've noted an interesting trend among some co-workers and acquaintances recently. While we almost universally hit the "delete" button at home, some of us have a little more tolerance for Spam at work. Could a different valuation of "my time" vs. "company time" explain this?

I'd be interesting in hearing from you. I've usually found Lean lessons we learn at work spills over into our personal lives and we realize benefits there also. If there really are two approaches to Spam, this will be one of the first cases I've noticed where Lean approaches at work and at home are different.

Please send your thoughts on this to gary.lister@robins.af.mil I'd love to hear from you.

2003-05-05T05:16:00.000-07:00
Why Isn't The Medical Community Getting Lean?

A recent New England Journal of Medicine study found that doctors leave medical instruments inside 1,500 patients each year after surgery. 1,500 patients! In 2003!

Doctors and nurses are intelligent people. They are well trained and have years of experience. But they are human, and we all make mistakes. These are costly mistakes, causing pain and suffering (and even potential death), increased medical expenses, and lost time from work. If the total costs were calculated, we'd likely all be shocked.

Yet a large portion of these costs can be avoided. Much pain and suffering can be alleviated. How? You know - think about it. We should avoid the mistake in the first place. A little Poka - Yoke is in order. Mistake-proof the process.

Unfortunately, doctor's fear of liability might be keeping them for discussing errors and prevention techniques with change agents and Lean professionals suggests a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Their fear is preventing medical personnel from reducing their potential exposure to malpractice judgments. It's also allowing 1,500 patients to suffer needlessly this year.

It's time we helped medicine get Lean. The pain and suffering you help prevent may be your own.

2003-05-01T07:14:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: Aunt Bee's Pickle Line Could Have Used A Little Jidoka

Jidoka is one of the pillars of the Toyota Production System (TPS) and would have eliminated a lot of waste and trouble by stopping the production of pickles of unacceptable quality.

In the episode "Pickle Story" everyone's intentions are good (sounds a lot like real life, doesn't it?), but the results aren't so good. The story begins with Clara Johnson and Aunt Bee visiting in the kitchen. Both women have recently made pickles and Clara has brought over a jar of hers for Aunt Bee to try. They sample each other's pickles. Clara's are "simply delicious." Aunt Bee's are "very nice" and need just a few changes. Aunt Bee is an excellent cook - except for pickles. Both women have entered the pickle contest for the past eleven years. Clara won each year (and Aunt Bee lost).

Clara's delicately put "very nice" represents the first missed opportunity to stop the process and eliminate waste (time, materials, capacity, etc.). The second comes when Aunt Bee brings lunch (including her pickles) to the courthouse for Andy and Barney. Andy and Barney don't want to eat the pickles, but they try them to satisfy Aunt Bee. They are terrible. When she leaves, they decide to trash the whole batch and replace them with store bought pickles.

After the replacement, Aunt Bee notices that Andy, Opie, and Barney really seem to enjoy her pickles. She decides to enter the pickle contest again this year. The annual contest really means a lot to Clara and Andy says that he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if "she got nosed out by a store pickle." The guys decide the only thing to do is eat up all the pickles so there won't be any to judge for the contest.

Aunt Bee makes more pickles for the contest and the results are predictable. She's not upset, however, and says that as long as her family enjoys her pickles "that's blue ribbon enough for me." On the way home Aunt Bee announces that since they like her pickles so much, she's made another batch - sixteen jars this time!

When the results are bad, stop producing. Discover the root cause of the problem, correct it, and move on. It may just keep you from having to consume a lot of "kerosene cucumbers."

2003-04-30T06:14:00.000-07:00
Why Don't South Georgia Groceries Have Shojinka?

OK, I admit it. I'm impatient, seriously impatient. I take it to an art form. Just ask my family. And nothing yanks my chain like a trip to the grocery.

You see, I'm not very good at shopping. It's not uncommon for fellow shoppers to witness me turning in circles in the aisles, trying to decide which item to place in the cart. I never get it right. Typically (from my wife's point of view), I buy something that was not on the list, or (from my children's point of view) I didn't buy something that I should have known we needed / wanted (without being told, of course).

After excruciatingly making my way through the maze, I just want to go home, put away the groceries, get my chastising for what I did or didn't bring home, and retreat to my recliner with a Diet Coke. But there's one more obstacle - checkout!

No matter when I shop, there are never enough checkout counters open. Management fails to continually optimize the number of workers to meet the volume of customers, which is the essence of shojinka. Oh, they give lip service. If someone has constipated the flow with an improper ATM transaction, or a register is suddenly out of tape, or any one of a host of other "gotchyas" occurs, they'll amble over to the PA system and make some tepid announcement like "All available help to checkout, please." There usually isn't "available" help. The announcement is just designed to keep the mouth-frothing in people like me to a minimum.

Rather than eliminate profit through excess labor costs, shojinka would increase profit and customer satisfaction dramatically. True, it would require the managers to actually manage, or empower the workers, but it is a proven concept. Even for grocery stores.

Adherence to Shojinka results in workers trained in multiple disciplines, a work center layout that supports a variable number of workers performing the required tasks, and the capability to vary the process as appropriate to fit the demand profile. You should give it a try. And point your local grocer to this web site (especially if he's in South Georgia).

2003-04-29T08:02:00.000-07:00
Hello, Hello, Hello ....

I have a friend whose job requires her to occasionally accept telephone calls at odd hours. In order to convey a professional image, she must be instantly awake, alert, thinking, and sound as if she had merely turned away from another task to answer the telephone. If you've ever been awakened from a sound sleep, you know how difficult this can be.

You've got a choice. You can stay awake on the off chance that someone may call and miss much needed sleep. Or you can sleep and risk sounding like Rip Van Winkle. My friend has found a truly Lean solution to this problem. She neither overproduces nor under produces. She produces upon demand.

When awakened by the telephone, she has a routine. She repeats "Hello, Hello, Hello ...." until she at least sounds awake. This gives her a precious few moments to actually get awake and sound alert, attentive, professional, etc., despite the fact that she was having sweet dreams just seconds before.

2003-04-25T12:03:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: It's Personal

The episode "Bailey's Bad Boy" begins with a traffic mishap. Nineteen-year-old Ronald Bailey is driving recklessly, runs a farmer's truck off the road, and leaves the scene of the accident. When Andy and Barney catch up with him, Ron lets them know that his father is an influential man in their state and he expects special treatment.

Andy knows Ron's father by reputation, but isn't inclined to treat Ron any differently than he would anyone else. He's most concerned that Ron left the scene of that accident in complete disregard as to whether someone was injured. Ron has different concerns and just wants to be on his way. He asks Andy how much it will cost for everyone to just forget the whole thing.

Of course, things don't work that way in Mayberry. Andy takes Ron in. It's the weekend and Ron can't reach his father on the phone. It looks as if he's going to be spending a little time in Mayberry. Andy, wise as always, recognizes a young man in need of a little guidance. Andy takes a special interest in him. Instead of just leaving him in jail, he lets Ron spend the weekend with him and his family. Ron misreads Andy and suspects he is being nice just because he's afraid of his father. But Andy is patient, and doesn't give up.

After Sunday lunch, the men are talking on the front porch. Opie admits that he broke a neighbor's window while playing baseball and asks, "Are ya mad, Pa?"

"Nah," drawls Andy, "but I don't want you to get mad when I tell you that you ain't going to get an allowance until that window is paid for.'

Opie thinks for a moment and accepts his punishment without complaint.

Ron later asks Andy why he didn't bail Opie out. Andy explains that if he bails Opie out now, he will come to expect it and depend upon it when he is older.

Despite himself, Ron begins to see the wisdom in Andy's logic.

On Monday morning, Ron's Dad's lawyer shows up at the courthouse and attempts to "handle" the matter. When he can't get Andy to drop the charges, the lawyer brings in the farmer, who now says the accident was all his fault.

Andy suspects that the farmer has been bought off, but begins to let Ron out of the cell anyway. But his efforts all weekend haven't been in vain. Ron refuses to go with his father's lawyer. He says the accident was his fault and he wants to stay and face the music.

The lawyer asks Ron what he should tell his father.

Andy said tell him his son "broke a window and wants to stand on his own two feet."

Some of us learn the lessons of personal responsibility sooner than others. Our performance, our support, our dedication, the quality of our work is personal.

Are you standing on your own two feet?

2003-04-25T08:40:00.000-07:00
Sharing Lean Lessons

Senior Vice President & General Manager Harry Gregory can be proud of the progress he and his folks have made on their Lean journey at Collins Aviation Services (CAS) at Rockwell Collins. I recently had the opportunity to tour their "Lean Electronics" area and was most impressed. Mr. Gregory will be presenting the CAS story at the Georgia International Lean Symposium (
http://ugatiftonconference.org/registration/lean2003.htm ) June 18 - 19, 2003.

I was amazed to see the heads of the various business units tell their own stories, instead of sending for the "Lean Guy." It is oblivious that they understand and have embraced the concepts of Lean. Such a demonstrated approach is contagious. I could see and hear it on the plant floor and in the offices. The workforce knows their manager and his or her manager and all the way up to Mr. Gregory are Lean advocates. That makes a profound impact. Of course, there are a few nay-sayers in every organization and a few that take the attitude "this too shall pass" but, by and large, the folks at CAS know that Lean is a way of life. Just as the majority of cast members at Disney know that their main job is to create happiness for their guests, the CAS team has gotten on with their Lean journey as a normal part of day-to-day operations.

CAS has made great progress in the approximately four years they've been on their journey. I hope to have the opportunity to visit again within the next couple of years, and expect to see even greater accomplishments. I'm especially grateful to Dave Fastenow, Richard Brown, Jeff Spires, Dean Bliss, and all who made my visit such a learning experience. I’d love the opportunity to repay their hospitality should any of the CAS team come South.

2003-04-25T06:08:00.000-07:00
Where's the soodan (discussion)?

Can you recall the last time a seemingly arbitrary mandate was delivered from on high? If you are an employee of an American organization, chances are you do. That's the way we do things here; it happens often, to all of us.

Not so with many Japanese organizations. Managers often leave decision making to their employees, rather than imposing their own will. Workers feel a sense of participation, as decisions are reached through lengthy discussions involving the entire team. The buy-in that results is often unmatched in American organizations, with employees fully supporting the group consensus, even when it isn't their personal preference.

Could this be one of the reasons Japanese workers are sometimes viewed as more committed to their managers and organizations than their American counterparts? Maybe. Perhaps even probably. Managers do not have a monopoly on experience, education, or intelligence. If you find yourself lamenting the lack of commitment in your employees, you should try a little soodan. You may be surprised by the results.

2003-04-25T05:57:00.000-07:00
Lean Airways?

Air Traffic Controllers may not know anything about Lean, but they understand the importance of flow

We were taxing down the runway on Delta flight 6140 when we pulled off to a holding area and sat. Not for very long, just a few minutes. The Captain explained, "They're having a little problem with traffic flow in Cincinnati and they want us to delay our departure just a bit. We'll be underway shortly."

And we were. With flow now restored, we were "pulled" from Atlanta from Cincinnati. The safe, orderly transport of passengers was accomplished and the Air Traffic Controllers in Cincinnati were not overwhelmed by excess WIP.

Isn't it amazing the places you can find Lean?

2003-04-21T10:42:00.000-07:00
Did You Know Dr. Seuss Was A Change Agent?

Those folks at Toyota, who make automotas,
are going to teach us how to be Lean, yes they are!
Can we get Lean with our nose?
Can we get Lean with our toes?
Should we get Lean with a band?
Should we all get Lean by hand?
Let's get Lean standing in our socks!
Shall we Lean this one, who says he unique?
And who shall Lean him, you or me?
We cannot, cannot be Lean enough!
We must not stop, we must be tough!
What do you mean, you're Lean enough?
This is not fun, this is too tough.
Let's get Lean upside down this time.
Let's get Lean until we’re fine.
We should not let this muda stand!
I do not like it, Change Agent that I am!
I'm really ticked, I'm in a snit!
You have not heard the last of it!
I'll Lean them one by one
I'll Lean, re-Lean, and Lean some more!
You'll grow to hate this little chore
But I will not, cannot, let this muda stand
I do not like it, Change Agent that I am!
I find all this muda vile!
I'll Lean them until they smile!
I do not like it, Change Agent that I am!

I WILL NOT LET THIS MUDA STAND!
I DO NOT LIKE IT, CHANGE AGENT THAT I AM!!!!!!

2003-04-21T10:03:00.000-07:00
Lean Lessons from Mayberry: You Can Never Communicate Too Much

Are You Allowing People To Jump To Conclusions Regarding Lean Because of a Failure to Communicate?

In the episode "Opie's Charity," Andy learns that Opie makes a paltry contribution to the Underprivileged Children's Fund at school. He sternly chastises his son and even calls him "stingy." Andy is afraid his son's actions will reflect poorly on him and he doesn't want to be embarrassed.

Aunt Bee points out that, rather than being concerned for the underprivileged, perhaps Andy is letting his pride dictate his actions with Opie. Andy makes amends with his son and offers to forget the whole mess -- only to learn that Opie held back on his contribution because he was saving to buy his girlfriend a much-needed new coat, which her family could not afford.

"You never told me that's what the money was for," Andy complains to Opie.

"You never asked me," Opie responds.

Misunderstandings can be awfully simple. You can't depend upon everyone to ask their questions about Lean. You've got to be proactive; you've got to tell them before they ask.

Try to improve the frequency and quality of your Lean communications. You may be surprised at the misunderstandings you preempt.

2003-04-21T05:43:00.000-07:00
The Lean Umbrella Keeps Getting Larger

Buzzword proliferation aside, more and more companies are adopting some elements of Lean

Functional areas such as administrative, IT, logistics, purchasing, finance, design, development, marketing, sales, etc., are increasingly seeking to gain the benefits their manufacturing counterparts have found through Lean. Quality and productivity initiatives in these areas are generally referred to as "lean thinking," or enough people understand the concepts behind the term that they will more than a vague awareness of what you are referring to if you use the term. Many of the ideas included in lean thinking were developed in Toyota's manufacturing operations, which was referred to as the Toyota Production System (TPS). As an interesting sidebar, Toyota itself is seeking to expand the definition of Lean. It currently has ongoing initiatives in its Toyota Motor Sales, USA, corporate headquarters that include purchasing and backorders processes. Toyota personnel are also members of my electronic discussion group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Office_LEAN/) to learn about new applications of Lean. Clearly, it isn't just Lean Manufacturing anymore.

Waste can (and does) exist in all processes. Whether in the office or on the shop floor, value is defined from the end-customer's perspective and non-value activities are targeted for removal step by step. This identification process is important even when all non-value added activities cannot be eliminated. As an employee of the federal government, I am well aware of steps that are required - by regulation, policy, federal law, etc. - that do not (from the end-customer's vantage point) add values. I suspect all organizations have similar situations. We all have higher headquarters, corporate offices, etc.

For many organizations (perhaps even most), only a small fraction of the total time and effort in any organization actually adds value for the end-customer. For a general frame of reference, commonly published statistics show that in operations only 5% of activities add value, 35% are necessary non-value adding activities, and 60% add no value at all. There is room for improvement. And with the ever-increasing trend to apply Lean and identify and eliminate waste throughout the entire Value Stream, opportunities for us Change Agents grow every day.

Which challenge are you going to tackle today? You can be sure that it fits under the newly redefined Lean Umbrella.

2003-04-18T11:26:00.000-07:00
It's Not Rocket Science

Most of NASA's and the Air Force's rocket scientists are officially classified as GS-1515-XX, Operations Research Analysts. Having served a hitch as an operations research analyst, I've got bragging rights as a former rocket scientist, for what it's worth. Unless, of course, rocket scientists are like Marines, "once a Marine, always a Marine," then I'm still a rocket scientist (also for what it's worth).

But I don't do much with rockets. I'm a change agent, a Lean enterprise manager, a sensi, etc. You name it, and I'm probably it (including middle-aged and fat, but that's a different blog). My point is, despite how difficult some attempt to portray quality initiatives such as continuous process improvement (CPI) and Lean, it's just not that intellectually challenging. What it takes is determination, discipline, support from senior management, and a capable champion. Then, in the words of Nike, all that's left is to "Just Do It."

2003-04-18T05:14:00.000-07:00
But Does It Sell More Coke?

If you are reading this blog, chances are you already know the benefits of Lean. But can you articulate those benefits to senior management, bean counters, and other decision makers? You better be able to.

In his book Purple Cow, Seth Godin makes a point about two of the most popular television commercials of all time: Coke's "I'd like to teach the world to sing," and "Mean Joe Greene." The interesting thing about these commercials is that they didn't sell a single bottle of Coke. They entertained us, became a part of our culture, and reminded us of Coca-Cola, but none of that translated into additional sales. Zip. Nothing. The metrics didn't change. Despite their enormous popularity, these commercials generated no additional incremental revenue. And they cost a bundle.

What is your company spending on Lean? What is it getting in return? That's a question you should spend considerable time pondering because if you haven't yet been asked, you will be - and maybe sooner than you think.

2003-04-18T04:57:00.000-07:00
Get A Sensi

Sensi - An outside master or teacher that assists in implementing lean practices.

Like most challenging journeys, you're better off with a little company. We are fortunate at our installation to have an ongoing relationship with the firm of Simpler Consulting. George Koenigsaecker, noted for his Lean efforts at Jake Brake (Jacobs Vehicle Equipment Company) and the HON Company, is among the ranks of Simpler Consultants.

From Simpler, we get much of our Lean training and event assistance. Simpler's corporate motto is "Creating Lean Excellence Through Involvement" and they consistently live up to that standard with us. They are always available to share guidance or insights. They are just a telephone call or e-mail message away when not physically present at our Air Force Base.

If you are serious about your Lean journey, get a sensi. You'll need one. That will become more and more apparent to you as you progress.

2003-04-17T09:45:00.000-07:00
Lean Over Fat? Not When It Comes To Painting

When people find out you are a change agent working with Lean, they have plenty of anecdotes to share with you, and not all of them apply to our business. I get more than my share because I'm fat, rather than lean.

A painter friend shared this with me. It's the principle to follow if you want your oil paintings to last and not crack. It doesn't have a lot to do with our subject matter, but I thought it made an interesting aside, and illustrated one of the few times when fat is preferable to lean.

"Lean" oil paint is paint mixed with more turpentine than oil. "Fat" oil paint is paint straight from the tube. Mixing oil paint with oil makes it even "fatter". "Lean" oil paint dries faster than "fat" oil paint. A layer in an oil painting should therefore not be "leaner" than the previous layer. If "lean" is painted over "fat," it will dry first, making that layer of paint vulnerable to contraction and cracking when the "fat" layer dries. Hence the desirability of fat-over-lean instead of lean-over-fat when it comes to painting.

2003-04-17T08:22:00.000-07:00
How's Your Communication Skills?

"Men scorn what they don't understand."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Your skill at communicating the reasons, benefits, and possibilities of Lean may be even more important than your technical quality skills. It is human nature to ask WIIFM (what's in it for me)? How much resistance to change are you facing? How well are you communicating? There may be a link between the two that you haven't considered.

"There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no great societies that did not tell stories."
- Ursula K. LeGuin

" 'Thou shalt not' is soon forgotten, but 'Once upon a time lasts forever.' "
- Philip Pullman (in his 1996 Carnegie Medal acceptance speech)

Have you considered storytelling to communicate your Lean message? Maybe you should. Given the obstacles we face in leading change, we need all the tools we can get. A well-told, relevant story may strike a chord with your listeners and communicate a point that all the technical language in the world cannot. Why don't you give it a try ...... and please let me know the results.

2003-04-17T07:58:00.000-07:00
Remember This

On Saturday Night Live years ago, a character named Father Guido Sarducci pitched the "Five Minute University," which was supposed to teach you everything that the average college graduate remembers, five years after graduating. The entire economics course was "supply & demand."

I suppose all of Lean could be "identify & eliminate waste."

Many speakers / trainers / consultants / change agents put a "Remember This" message as the final slide of their presentation. What is the one thing you want your audience to remember about Lean?

2003-04-17T06:24:00.000-07:00
The Little Red House

A story to remind us Change Agents of the hidden value in some processes, lest we be too hasty to remove "waste."

My current position of Change Agent is the too-numerous-to-count iteration of "reinventing Gary." In a former life I was a trainer. Someone gave me this story and I have no idea of the source. If you know, please let me know.

There was once upon a time a little boy named John who was tired of all his toys and tired of all his picture books and tired of all his play.

"What shall I do?" he asked his mother. And his dear mother who always knew beautiful things for little boys to do, said: "You shall go on a journey and find a little red house with no doors and with a star inside."

Then John's eyes grew big with wonder. "Which way shall I go?" he asked, "to find a little red house with no doors and a star inside?"

"Down the lane and past the farmer's house and over the hill," said his mother. "Come back as soon as you can and tell me all about your journey."

So John put on his hat and his jacket and started out. He had not walked very far down the lane when he came to a merry little girl dancing along in the sunshine. "Do you know where I shall find a little red house with no doors and a star inside?" John asked her.

The little girl laughed. "Ask my father, the farmer," she said. "Perhaps he knows."

So John went on until he came to the great brown barn where the farmer kept barrels of fat potatoes and baskets of yellow squashes and golden pumpkins. The farmer himself stood in the doorway looking out over the green pastures and yellow grain fields. "Do you know where I shall find a little red house with no doors and a star inside?" John asked the farmer.

The farmer laughed, too. "I've lived a great many years and I never saw one," he chuckled; "but ask Granny who lives at the foot of the hill. She knows how to make molasses taffy and popcorn balls and red mittens. Perhaps she can direct you."

So John went on farther still, until he came to Granny sitting in her pretty garden of herbs and marigolds. She was as wrinkled as a walnut and as smiling as the sunshine. "Please, dear Granny," said John, "where shall I find a little red house with no doors and a star inside?"

Granny was knitting a red mitten and when she heard the little boy's question, she laughed so cheerily that the wool ball rolled out of her lap and down to the pebbly path. "I should like to find that little house myself," she chuckled. "It would be warm when the frosty nights come and the starlight would be prettier than a candle. But ask the wind, which blows about so much, and listens at all the chimneys. Perhaps the wind can direct you."

So John took off his hat politely to Granny and went on up the hill rather sorrowfully. He wondered if his mother, who usually knew everything, had perhaps made a mistake.

The wind was coming down the hill as the little boy climbed up. As they met, the wind turned about and went along, singing, beside the little boy. It whistled in his ear and pushed him and dropped a pretty leaf into his hands to show what a good comrade it was.

"Oh, Wind," asked John, after they had gone along together quite a way, "can you help me to find a little red house with not doors and a star inside?"

The wind went singing ahead of the little boy until it came to an orchard. There it climbed up into an apple tree and shook the branches. At John's feet fell a rosy apple.

John picked up the apple. It was as much as two hands could hold. It was as red as the sun had been able to paint it, and the thick brown stem stood up as straight as a chimney. It was a little red house. It had no doors. "I wonder," thought John. He took his jack-knife from his pocket and cut the apple through the center. Oh, how wonderful! There inside the apple, lay a star holding brown seeds.

John called to the wind, "Thank you," and the wind whistled back, "You're welcome."

Then John ran home to his mother and gave her the apple.

2003-04-16T12:57:00.000-07:00
First Steps

One of the questions I'm most often asked as a Change Agent is "where do we start?" That's a good question and not that hard to answer. Here are five steps that are generally accepted as good starting points within the Lean community.

· Value
Define value from the perspective of the final customer. Express value in terms of a specific product, which meets the customer's needs at a specific price and at a specific time.

· Map
Identify the value stream, those specific actions required to produce a specific product or service. Create a map of the Current State and the Future State of the value stream. Identify and categorize waste in the Current State, and eliminate it!

· Flow
The steps you leave in the value stream should flow. Eliminate functional barriers and develop a organization that is focused on the desired capability or product and provides it dramatically faster than before.

· Pull
Let the customer pull products or services as needed, eliminating or reducing the need for forecasting.

· Perfection
There is no end to the process of reducing effort, time, space, cost, and mistakes. Return to the first step and begin the next lean transformation, providing a product or service that is closer and closer to what the customer wants.

2003-04-16T11:10:00.000-07:00
Could You Be The Hundredth Lean Monkey?

The original work (The Hundredth Monkey) is not copyrighted. The author, Ken Keyes, Jr., wanted to share it with as many people as possible. While he intended it to address another issue entirely, I feel he would not be opposed to it being used to illustrate a point or two regarding Lean.

He dedicated the story with these words: "This Book is dedicated to the Dinosaurs, who mutely warn us that a species which cannot adapt to changing conditions will become extinct." Hmmm. Seems this story may also make a point about change.

The Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, has been observed in the wild for a period of over 30 years.

In 1952, on the island of Koshima scientists were providing monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkeys liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but they found the dirt unpleasant.

An 18-month-old female named Imo found she could solve the problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream. She taught this trick to her mother. Her playmates also learned this new way and they taught their mothers, too.

This cultural innovation was gradually picked up by various monkeys before the eyes of the scientists.

Between 1952 and 1958, all the young monkeys learned to wash the sandy sweet potatoes to make them more palatable. Only the adults who imitated their children learned this social improvement. Other adults kept eating the dirty sweet potatoes.

Then something starting took place. In the autumn of 1958, a certain number of Koshima monkeys were washing sweet potatoes - the exact number is not known.

Let us suppose that when the sun rose one morning there were 99 monkeys in Koshima Island who had learned to wash their sweet potatoes. Let us further suppose that later that morning, the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes.

THEN IT HAPPENED!

By that evening almost every monkey in the tribe was washing sweet potatoes before eating them.

The added energy of this hundredth monkey somehow created an ideological breakthrough!

But notice.

A most surprising thing observed by these scientists was that the habit of washing sweet potatoes then jumped over the sea. Colonies of monkeys on other islands and the mainland troop of monkeys, at Takasakiyama began washing their sweet potatoes!

Thus, when a certain critical number achieves and awareness, this new awareness may be communicated from mind to mind.

Although the exact number may vary, the Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon means that when only a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the consciousness property of these people.

But there is a point at which if only one more person tunes-in to a new awareness, a field is strengthened so that this awareness is picked up by almost everyone!

Your awareness is needed to help your organization on its Lean journey.

You may be the Hundredth Monkey.

You may furnish the added consciousness energy to create the shared awareness of the urgent necessity to rapidly achieve a state of Leanness.

Don't let us down!! Be a monkey - a Lean monkey!!

2003-04-16T07:55:00.000-07:00
Walking the Talk
Gary observes earlier this morning that most people in the Lean community are very open with each other. Gary is applying this by opening this blog to others who care to contribute. This entire attitude of openness, on a grand scale, was explained in an email Jim Womack (author of "Lean Thinking") sent out a couple days ago, writing about how Toyota shares freely what they have learned:
Freely available: Like Henry Ford, whose ideas on flow production Toyota transformed, the company has always been remarkably open, even to direct competitors. All of its facilities around the world have been open to visitors from the very beginning and Hajime Ohba at the Toyota Supplier Support Center in the USA has been available for more than a decade to teach the Toyota system to anyone willing to learn. Our humble efforts at LEI in North America, the Lean Enterprise Academy in the UK, Lean Institute Brasil, and the Lean Enterprise Institute in Turkey have been directed to writing down the techniques in plain language (and local languages) so anyone can implement them, even without the benefit of a sensei like Ohba-san. Therefore, those failing to apply Toyota techniques in their businesses can't claim that the problem is a lack of access to the details of the system.

This is yet another place to share what we are learning. Open systems work.

Joe Ely

2003-04-16T07:13:00.000-07:00
Why Little Lean Lessons?

Many of us, like Tennessee Williams' wilting heroine Blanche du Bois in A Streetcar Named Desire, " I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Veteran Lean practitioners have been extremely kind to me, sharing freely their expertise and helping me avoid some of the mistakes and pitfalls they encountered early in their Lean journey. I wanted to both return the favor and document some of the important lessons I've been learning before I forget them. Hence, Little Lean Lessons. I hope you find them useful and enjoyable.

2003-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00
I am a Muda Gijibougai (waste buster)

Who said work couldn't be fun? Thanks to the Internet, instantaneous English to Japanese translations are at my (and your fingertips). Those numerous on-line dictionaries / translators identify our primary tasks as:

1. Hanmei muda (identify waste).
2. Torisaru muda (eliminate waste).

There! We've learned something new today. Now if someone would just help me pronounce them.

2003-04-15T07:40:00.000-07:00
Good Intentions Are No Substitute for Discipline

Having made the commitment to share, I intended to do it often, possibly even daily. Imagine my surprise when I realized several days had passed without me posting anything at all. And I had learned something, just not shared it. Bummer!

Thanks to those who have shared longer and better, I am now reminded of the importance of dedication and commitment to post a little lesson each day - just as I intended to do all along. That's a lesson we can all apply to life, lean, and many other areas besides a weblog. I know we've all had excellent intentions and plans for our lean journeys and suddenly discovered that days and days had passed without any accomplishments. Take a moment to commit to ACTION and DISCIPLINE with me. Good intentions are no substitute.

- with thanks to Hal Macomber and Joe Ely (you may wish to check out http://www.halmacomber.com/ and http://joeelylean.blogsport.com/).

2003-04-09T12:42:00.000-07:00
The Pit
A change agent fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out.
A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."
An objective person came along and said, "It's logical that someone would fall down there."
A Christian Scientist came along and said, "You only think you're in the pit."
A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into a pit."
Confucius said, "If you would have listened to me you wouldn't be in that pit."
Buddha said, "You're pit is only a state of mind."
A realist said, "That's a pit."
A scientist calculated the pressure necessary, pounds and square inches, to get him out of the pit.
A geologist told him to appreciate and study the rock strata.
An evolutionist said, "You are a rejected mutant destined to be removed from the evolutionary cycle, in other words he is going to die in the pit so he can't produce any more pit falling offspring."
The country inspector said, "Did you have a permit to dig that pit?"
A professor gave him a lecture on the elementary principles of the pit.
A self-pitying person said, "You haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit."
An optimist said, "Things could get worse."
A pessimist said, "Things are going to get worse."
A helpful fellow Change Agent with a sharing attitude saw the man in the pit, reached down, took him by the hand, and helped him out.

2003-04-09T11:47:00.000-07:00
All I ever needed to know about Lean, I learned in Kindergarten (with apologies to Robert Fulghum)

Most of what I really need to know about Lean, and what to do, and how to be Lean, I learned in kindergarten. Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand box at nursery school.
These are the things I learned. Share everything, including your knowledge and expertise. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Everything should have its own place. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Sort. Straighten. Scrub. Standardize. Insure Safety. Sustain. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why. We are like that.

And then remember that book about Learning to See and the first Lean word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK! Everything you need to know is there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology, politics, and Lean living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon, discussed what we'd learned about Lean, and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put things back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands, stick together, and be Lean.

- adapted