Federal Heath

What’s your most important product? If the pandemic-rattled world of 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how quickly even that physical product’s positioning can be challenged by the unexpected. So, the product that might be even more important in these fragmented times is something cohesive that you build internally, a culture of continuous improvement practices that equip the organization to deal with both seismic and incremental shifts.A strong Lean foundation positions you to do just that, with tenants equally applicable for a company withone or multiple locations, multiple or repetitive product lines, and high mix-low volume or high volume-low mix approaches.

This year hasn’t made it easy. Robert Strauss sums up the struggle: “Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired; you quit when the gorilla is tired.”No matter which gorilla is in play – the marketplace, pandemic, company culture, etc. – it can be relentless and requires constant adjustment, adaptation and reflection. Inherently we must connect authentically and often, which to me is the key strategy regarding technology and Lean today. While there’s plenty of technology that supports the Lean approach, platforms that mimic face-to-face interaction have come to the forefront this year in our key areas of emphasis: leadership development, coaching, emotional intelligence, and engagement.

Let’s start with leadership development. My mentor John Maxwell states, “The only way to improve an organization is to grow and improve the leaders. If you want to make an impact, start with yourself.”Each month our four Lean champion teams meet incross-functional discussion groups focused on key topics. The practice helps improve continuity, collaboration and community among the groups of 8-10 team members from multiple functions across six different plant locations.

"A strong Lean foundation positions you to do just that, with tenants equally applicable for a company with one or multiple locations, multiple or repetitive product lines, and high mix-low volume or high volume-low mix approaches"

Go-To-Meeting and conference call platforms allow for voice or visual sharing as appropriate for building improved futures together. The platforms also serve well for book studies, such as The Coaching Habit, Crucial Conversations, You Are the Team, and Becoming a Person of Influence. These groups are full of great dialogue and a close-out question, “What specific action will you take to implement a key learning point in the next 30 days?” We also encourage our Lean champions to take advantage of podcasts, webinars, Zoom peer-interactive discussions, etc. for additional learning experiences, each one amazingly powered by easily-accessible technology.

Next is one of the most impactful trends within Lean and continuous improvement, leadership coaching. Certainly COVID-19 has presented some serious constraints in having face-to-face coaching sessions on the front lines. Yet technology has really closed the gap to some extent. We’ve taken advantage of tablets to Gemba walk and engage for product and process layouts in multiple plants, to audit 5S, to review improvement actions from month to month, etc. While in-person engagements are preferable, we’ve found alternative meeting options to be most helpful in connecting with team members and the real work being done.

These Gemba Engagements involve a highly-interactive Socratic Coaching approach where ideas go through a catch ball reflection on the current state, potential improvements, and recognition. As Lean leaders we’re eagerto go where the work is being done. With multiple plants, the tablets with Skype, GTM, or Google Hangouts help keep us engaged at a deeper level without travel. And here’s a key point: The ability to sustain a Lean transformation must have consistent connection with those doing the work. Christine Kane once said, “If you don’t connect, you’ll have to convince.”

Meanwhile, let’s not forget that the heart of the organization is its people, who come wired with emotions as well as logic. Whether connecting on a Zoom interactive call, a Gemba engagement or a simple phone call, I believe it’s important to maintain a level of awareness and empathy for all stakeholders in today’s environment. Technology presents amazing tools to connect, but like any other element it can introduce its own forms of the very wastes that Lean is designed to eliminate. If we automate waste it’s still waste, and if we automate chaos it’s still chaos. I’ve seen great success on digital meetings where people are intentionally listening and providing timely feedback into the discussion. It’s a bit counterintuitive within the hecticmanufacturing world to slow down, reflect, and adjust the approach, but the pay-off can be immense. Even ifyou’re a predominantly automated organization, people are still the key to improving the automation. An engaged workforce is proven to make a huge impact on productivity at all levels.

Here are a few points to keep in mindwhen thinking of technology and Lean to bring your teams together as a community of cross-functional problem solvers:

• Embrace leadership development and let it begin with you. As rubber band stretch from the inside out.

• AsJohn Maxwell states, “Growth stops when you lose the tension between where you are and where you could or should be.” Water at 211 degrees is hot, but at 212 degrees it produces steam thatcan move a locomotive. Reflect on the possibilities of “Plus 1” every day.

• If we’re not pouring into ourselves how can we pour into others?

• Get connected, connect others, and connect now, everywhere and across functions within your organization.

• Connect using tablets, Zoom, GTM, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. Make it intentional, which means scheduling it on a calendar. “Keep it Lean” with micro-engagements, 15-20-30 minutes twice per month or weekly with different team members.

• Those executing the processes every day are the catalysts for improvement and how technology might help. Go ask!

• Change your mindsetfrom “Gemba walk” to “Gemba engagement.” People connection isn’t a checklist.

• Be kind and grateful! People don’t know we care unless we show it. Practice awareness.

The long-term health of an organization depends on connecting authentically and often. I’ve been super disappointed by not visiting the plants in person on a regular basis. Yet through technology we’ve gained a significant portion of that back, which is refreshing because it’s hard to add value without connection.