Lean Enterprise Training has just released the 2007 schedule for our popular 40-hour Lean Leader Workshop. This 5-day session provides a clear, repeatable and time tested roadmap defining the necessary steps in transforming to the Lean Manufacturing approach.
(PRWeb) February 21, 2007 -- Tuesday, Febr. 14, 2007 found Chrysler announcing 13,000 layoffs. This brings the running total among the big three automakers to around 80,000.
The trickle down effect of these layoffs on second and third tier suppliers could be unfathomable.
The Lean Manufacturing techniques developed and perfected at Toyota, are often given lip service at best here in the States, this is a major contributor to why our fragile economic position continues to erode.
"Do the same thing and expect a different result" is one definition of insanity.
Instead of paying people to retire, a likely Japanese alternative would be to put people on kaizen (continuous improvement) teams, capitalizing on their experience and problem solving potential instead of paying them to stay at home.
A very interesting cultural difference exists between Japan and the US. On visiting Japan it was noticed that a number of vehicles were parked, unlocked, with keys left in the ignition. Upon querying the tour guide it was explained "To steal something from our neighbor would be to dishonor our family for 400 years."
The Japanese manufacturing teams took a similar approach to their careers, and to the companies they worked for. They came to work everyday looking for any potential idea to improve; any incremental gain. While they did have reward systems in place, the people looked for improvement potential, not because of any financial bonus, but to ensure that their great-grandchild would have a job opportunity. This culture was made up of people who are long-term thinkers.
In America managers tend to think about the end of the month, quarter, and fiscal year. The competition is busy thinking about the next decade, the next century. Managers need a new paradigm.
World Class Manufacturing is not a short-term concept. Justifying the hard work and application of resources to the improvement process is difficult if the focus is on quarterly reports. A fundamentally change in the way success is measured must be adopted if our economy is to remain viable and sustainable.
Success may be the enemy. Our parents and grandparents were so successful for so long that there is a risk of being lulled into a mental paradigm that customers will always be willing to buy products, regardless of the methodology used to produce them.
Companies that have adopted Lean-Six Sigma Enterprise Principles have seen improvements such as 50% productivity improvements, 80% inventory reductions, 90% lead time reductions, 75% floorspace utilization improvements, and 80% reductions in quality defects (source: NIST)
In a satellite conference in the late 1980's; The famed quality guru Dr. W. Edwards Deming spoke with no lack of frustration to Manufacturing Leaders. They had basically run him out of the country two decades earlier. And now they were begging him to share the "Magic Bullet" solution that he had used to help turn around the Japanese manufacturing system. The frustration in his voice was obvious, he knew that there was no magic bullet.
In his typical deep booming voice he looked up from the table, shaking his head and said, "You don't have to do this (continuous improvement)..." he paused "...survival is not mandatory!"
Twenty years later and a dozen years since Dr. Deming passing, his words are more true than ever. A prophet shown no honor in his own land, not until years later and after his return from Japan did he receive the respect that he was due.
The answer is education, first educate self, then educate others.
Lean Enterprise Training has just released the 2007 schedule for our popular 40-hour Lean Leader Workshop. This 5-day session provides a clear, repeatable and time tested roadmap defining the necessary steps in transforming to the Lean Manufacturing approach. Particular attention is provided to the unique nature of small to medium sized companies, often referred to as "make-to-order" shops.
A six city tour will kick off in Portland Oregon on March 30, 2007 at the Monarch Hotel and Convention Center. This one time free session will be held from 9:00 AM - 12:00 noon. Pre-registration is required.
Seating is limited to two participants from any one organization.
We encourage you to reserve your seats immediately to ensure availability.
Visit our website for details: www.leanenterprise.bigstep.com
Lean Enterprise Training 2007 calendar of events
March 5-9 Las Vegas (just added)
April 16-20 Portland, Oregon
June 18-22 Denver, Colorado
August 13-17 Boise, Idaho
October 8-12 Reno Nevada
Dec 10-14 Las Vegas, NV
Lean Enterprise Training is proud to announce the release of a brand new product. Available immediately, a 4 CD set of Audio CD ROM's containing over five hours of material, narrated by 2002 Shingo Prize recipient Gary Conner. Visit our website for details on obtaining your copy.
If you would like to download a free sample of our audio CD's, contact us by email.
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