Life Coach - 82 of 100 - Lean Management techniques

While implementing the Lean Enterprise framework the following techniques are critical.

Ability to diagram the work processes: Every person in the organization exists to serve a purpose. He has an output he is responsible for and uses processes to convert an input into output. Many a time I have observed that the top management is clueless how the work gets done as long as it gets done. But then that is what exactly attracts inefficiencies and buffers. Does the top brass need to know how everything works - no, but there is a need to have the employees map every value stream. Having done that it is easy to identify and erase any steps that do not add value. Just because it works does not mean that is should not be understood

Dig for root causes: Identifying a bottleneck isint the same as understanding it. We need to dig into details, go to the root to weed out the issue. Generally what is seen is only a symptom of an underlying malaise.

Develop standard procedures: Once the team has figured out the most efficient method of handling a process, it must create tools - checklists, templates, escalation levels - so that employees follow the same steps every time. Consider the actions taken on the firing range - all established procedures to ensure that no one gets hurt and firing happens in an efficient manner

Keep taking small steps: Employees practice continuous improvement, cutting waste where ever it appears. And one has to empower the employees the front line folks, the ones in the trenches to get involved because they alone know where the waste is.