ARE OPERATIONS MISSING THEIR PERFORMANCE TARGETS?
Your people are going around and around your operations, chasing solutions to reduce costs and improve performances, but they are not achieving the targets.
They try a lot of little stuff here and there, a lot of fluff, and sometimes they are convinced that only by spending millions they can get the improvements the operations are craving.
So the time pass, money is spent, results are not coming, and the plant goes into jeopardy.
What's wrong?
Usually: too many voices, some louder than others, no commonsense, no industrial philosophy, and, first of all, no genuine willingness to challenge the existing set-up.
They are locked in their box of misleading perceptions.
IT'S THEIR PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIORS
Many managers and middle managers usually do not know too much about what it means to manage operations with a lean thinking approach. They never had management teachings. At the university, no professor teaches how to manage; they teach the what but seldom the how; however, no professor is usually qualified.
Managers don't know that they have to visit their processes with a clinical eye regularly; when they do what we call a Gemba walk, it's only for a few minutes because they have another urgent meeting.
They think to understand problems and lead their people through charts and reports interpretation, but these bring to:
- Misunderstanding: the whole puzzle, the problems, and the possibles solutions
- Loss of the right angle to interpret the reality of the operations
These two points explain the causes for missing the targeted performance but not the root cause.
The root cause is that they don't have a consistent management approach of any type, so they start the day in a random mode, funneled by many pre-scheduled meetings in which they speak about the data, but they don't work on them.
YOUR PEOPLE ALONE CAN'T GET THE BEST IMPROVEMENTS IDEAS
When they look at the operations to find improvements ideas, they do this with all their biases, and they could be related to:
- Their working experience in that industrial field
- Their experience with that specific process
- Their theoretical knowledge acquired at university or other teaching institutions
- Their thoughts influenced by coworkers, managers, and gossip
- Their good or bad opinions about other collaborators.
Considering that everybody involved in analyzing possible improvements could have their own biases, it's easy to understand that finding shared improvement solutions and a shared transformation plan is challenging.
Biases VEIL the REALITY and block the arising ideas of the best possible improvements.
Getting through the biases needs two primary resources: an authentic kaizen coach and an industrial management philosophy of reference.
Why do you need a "true" kaizen coach to overcome biases?
Working on a transformation plan that will improve the operation's performance needs teamwork. When you have a group of participants to make them in high productivity mode, it's necessary to transform them into a TEAM.
Holding together a group of participants with their own biases and transforming them into a Team capable of getting out a transformation plan requires a skilled person.
Usually, this is the mission of an experienced kaizen coach.
Why a kaizen coach and not a regular coach? Because in the case of an industrial transformation plan, it's also necessary to mold the team around the same management philosophy. The best-confirmed management philosophy today is lean thinking.
The kaizen coach is a certified change agent skilled in lean manufacturing & kaizen philosophy.
A kaizen coach integrates all the following skills:
- Consultant
- Coach
- Trainer
- Professional experience
- Mentor
A kaizen coach is all this together!
ARE YOU DRIVING OPERATIONS WITH LIGHTS OFF?
To understand why operations are missing their targets, we can use the metaphor of driving with lights off on a very dark night.
The managers and their collaborators improve with many concerns and are very slow. Every time a shadow or a un uncertain form appears in the distance, they struggle to decide if to keep the speed, cruise, steer, slow down, or eventually stop to get out of the car for a better understanding.
The above-outlined situation results from not having a clear vision about managing and improving operations, and this is a consequence of a lack of management philosophy.
LACK OF MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY
FORD, TAYLOR, DEMING, OHNO, TOYODA, WELCH, JOBS, BEZOS, etc.
They had great management results because of their companies' management schools and their people's integration of consequent congruent behaviors.
Have you ever thought to ask your managers and middle managers which methods they use to improve quality, productivity, and delivery? They will stare at you, there will be long seconds for a pause of reflection, and you will see that the question destabilizes them, and in most cases, no answers will arise.
Many don't have a recognized driving management philosophy upon which to act; they only have the uncharted personal experience they are trying to feed their collaborators.
CAN YOU IMAGINE DRIVING OPERATIONS WITH LIGHTS ON?
DO YOUR MANAGERS HAVE A PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN?
When there is a lack of management philosophy, getting a meaningful performance improvement plan is impossible.
A plan that brings results is sound in all its components when it is developed and accepted by managers that share the same points of perceptions and management philosophy.
A good plan benefits the whole system and aligns all the different parts of the supply chain because developed by a representative team that works it out with a teamwork spirit.
Today teamwork is a fundamental management component, we are no anymore in the command and control era, and managers have to learn and apply the teambuilding methods.
THE LEAN MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY VS THE SELF-MADE ONE
Some time ago, a manager told me he doesn't like the lean thinking philosophy; he prefers his way of managing.
This kind of affirmation reveals that he doesn't know lean thinking. (by the way, he is also a certified lean black belt)
Maybe he studied it but did not understand it, so he prefers to utilize his random self-made management method, which often translates into a daily work schedule of chaos and fuzziness.
Very often, this also translates into a kind of tribal style management, where facts do not count too much, but what instead count is the leader's adoration and belonging to the leader's circle.
This kind of leader cannot stand lean thinking because lean is based first on principles and concepts and, after this, on people's participation in the process improvements. It is the opposite of his way of doing things.
Lean philosophy starts from a very rigorous and different way of perceiving the workplace; here, below, you find a typical sequence of reasonings when you look at processes with the value stream mapping methodology well ingrained in mind:
- Distinguish the value-added activities from the non-value-added activities
- Believe that all the non-value-added activities are waste
- Understand which type of waste is affecting your processes
- Quantify each kind of waste plaguing your processes
- Decide which waste you are going to tackle first
- Chose the correct lean methodology to reduce or eliminate the waste
- Take the actions to eliminate or reduce the waste
- Measure the results
- Tweak and standardize the changes
- Stabilize processes and results
When people learn and integrate lean principles and concepts into their muscles, thinking differently and developing coherent lean reasoning sequences becomes a natural output. You have to consider that the effect is much more extensive when an entire group of people does this, and when it happens, you can say that the whole company culture is changed.
But what are the lean principles and concepts that are necessary to learn?
These below are mandatory:
Lean Management 7 Concepts:
- From SDCA to PDCA
- Quality first
- Early management
- The next process is the client
- Speak with data
- Variability control
- Market-oriented
Lean Foundations
- Value vs. Waste concept
- Seven types of Waste
- 16 types of Losses
3 Kaizen Principles:
- Processes quality affects the quality of the results
- Think globally, act locally
- Don't judge, don't blame people
You can understand that a precise mindset helps to read what is happening in the operations very differently. From a mindset like this, it becomes very natural to elaborate an improvement performance action plan, and you can prepare it with the help of the value stream mapping methodology.
THESE ARE THE REASONS CURRENTLY HOLDING BACK YOUR OPERATIONS FROM GETTING THE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT:
- Management is lacking in lean management philosophy
- Be trapped in your own industrial perception biases
- No methodology in planning operations performance improvement
Based on these missing points, we created a NEW PROGRAM based on the Value Stream Mapping methodology that efficiently combines all the best of our lean knowledge so that our KAIZEN COACHES can run it with your people with a 100% success rate in your company.
We call it:
"VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE"
In this program, we will teach and assist you in achieving a double-digit performance improvement through value stream mapping and other lean methods.
These are the benefits of this workshop program:
- Double digits performance improvement
- Maximize your industrial capacity
- Maintain/Improve quality
- Improve customer service level
- Raise your managers' capabilities
- Huge costs reduction
Fill out the information request here below,
and we will send you for FREE! all the information about the program
YES! I Want To Receive More Information about the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program
What is Value Stream Mapping?
Value stream mapping is a lean diagnostic methodology that helps to identify the non-value-added activities inside any company's process.
In the first step of the methodology, the working team produces a visual actual state map of the processes, enriched with information about wastes, bottlenecks, capabilities, performance, etc.
VSM is not a classic flowchart or work diagram because, contrary to these old traditional tools, it is built from a lean thinking perspective, highlighting the value and wastes belonging to any process step through the lens of the 7 Muda and the 16 losses of the TPM.
In the second step of the methodology, the team produces an improved future state map that arises from an intensive brainstorming session that aims to waste reduction or elimination. The team's knowledge of lean methodologies activates the brainstorming session.
A precise and sequenced transformational action plan is the methodology's 3rd step output. The plan, when executed, will bring the company processes from the actual state to the benefits of the designed future condition within the calculated period.
This methodology applies to all company processes in all kinds of business, from marketing to supply chain distribution loops.
You can also use the value stream mapping methodology where standard processes don't yet exist. In particular, it is beneficial when it is necessary to build or rebuild any standard process from scratch, avoiding costly errors by doing it right from the start.
Situations like company turnaround or new business design, plant layout, product, or supply chain design are where this methodology can help managers achieve their goals smoothly and without mistakes.
Why learn Value Stream Mapping?
Learning value stream mapping is necessary for managers who want to build a meaningful strategy to improve the company's performance.
VSM obliges the management team to look at the company processes from a different point of view. This new view is often an incredible experience because it can turn upside down common beliefs about how things are going.
The contraposition between value-added and non-value-added activities triggered in a VSM workshop produces a cascade of improvements and ideas that sometimes bring to the complete redesign of the business.
Learning Value Stream Mapping is a top-notch skill for all the components of a management team. It is the best way to achieve a higher level of team spirit because this is built during brainstorming to discover a common shared vision and fixation on the principles of how to look at the company's operations.
Who should learn Value Stream Mapping
This methodology is mainly for the company's actual or future decision-makers; however, every person that possesses knowledge about the processes of the mapped value stream can influence or make the necessary decisions to change them should participate in a VSM workshop or take a course.
Participants
3 PHASES OF THE VALUE STREAM MAPPING METHODOLOGY
ACTUAL STATE DESIGN
This phase starts with a deep enough teaching of the lean thinking theory; as soon as the team is ready, the ideas are translated into physical walking through the processes in the quest for waste and value.
In this framework, the kaizen coach will be there to enlighten or create awareness about what the dedicated team is observing and mapping.
This phase is not easy because the team participants (if they don't have previous lean experience) tend to observe the process's reality as usual without thinking out of the box.
The deliverable of this phase is an actual state map where the bottlenecks are evident, and the missing points for performance and the imbalances are also.
All the problems stopping the process from getting to the targeted performance are clear, visual, and quantified.
FUTURE STATE DESIGN
This phase is creative because we must imagine new solutions to eliminate or reduce waste. Usually, suppose the team doesn't know very well the various lean-specific methodologies designed to treat every single form of waste. In that case, drawing a meaningful, transformative plan will not be possible.
The kaizen coach's role is to recall and remind the theoretical teaching he gave at the beginning of the workshop so the participants can make sense of the learning, building an excellent transformation plan.
TRANSFORMATION PHASE
After producing a shared future state map, the risk is that the leadership team gets distracted by other contingencies and abandons executing the transformation plan.
This risk could happen when there are not enough integration of the lean principles and a lack of discipline and commitment to execution.
It also happens because it is more difficult to install a virtue on the mind than a vice, and it is in this framework that the Kaizen Coach has his most challenging work.
DO YOU URGENTLY NEED PERFORMANCE RESULTS?
If this is your goal, the best way to accomplish this is by organizing a VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program at your company facilities.
In this case, your company will ask for more information about the program, and with one of our Kaizen Coaches, you will prepare a plan based on your needs that we will roll out for the necessary number of days, the necessary number of Kaizen Coaches until the achievement of your goals.
The program is built on the principle of learning by doing; your team will work on an actual company process, facing the challenges related to your business sector with the team components that know the process and, simultaneously, are decision-makers.
Your team will be trained and coached by a VSM expert who, step by step, will:
- Teach the theory of lean thinking and value stream mapping
- Guide the team along the three phases of the methodology
- Help to create the needed teambuilding atmosphere
- Moderate between the participant's different points of view
- Create awareness about blind spots in the processes
- Coach the team to achieve the expected improvement results
The VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE is based on the Value Stream Mapping method
You will learn Value Stream Mapping by applying the methodology to your company's internal ed external chosen flows.
Duration
- 2 days of preparation (to be confirmed after information request)
- 5 days of intensive training on-site (to be confirmed after information request)
- 3 days follow-up (to be confirmed after information request)
Fees
To be defined with the client company.
What will you be able to do after the Intra Value Stream Mapping
After the internal workshop, you will be able to:
- Replicate a similar workshop for another flow internal to your company
- Periodically review the performance of your flows utilizing the VSM methodology
- Teach other company collaborators the value stream mapping methodology
Fill out the information request here below,
and we will send you for FREE! all the information about the program
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How Does This program Work?
A: Test-drive the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program without sending us a dime. No gimmicks. Then, if you agree with us, we'll continue to roll out the program on the plan we agreed on.
Q: When will I get the first performance improvements?
A: When you ask for more information about the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program, you will receive instant access to one of our experts for immediate assistance and analysis of your needs. After this first contact and if you agree on a built-together program you can count on, you can start to measure the first improvements in performance results after 90 days.
Q: When do I will receive full results from the program?
A: After the initial phase ending with the transformation plan preparation, you'll then pass to the implementation phase. The full results achievement depends on the company organization and capability to take actions. With our support, we will help you to improve your capability to take action. Expect the full-blown results after one year from the starting of the implementation phase." Our goal is for you to receive assistance from us so you have something new to learn and implement so you can constantly be moving the needle in your business.
Q: Is All Of This Real Value? What's the catch?
A: There is no catch! If we are capable of building a meaningful plan, we will succeed. If not, we will fail. This is why we need to analyze your needs and organization before starting any program.
This program isn't some kind of theoretical training. We will descend into the trenches with you, and we will pass you all our experience ... that, once implemented, can and will transform your business, and in the right direction, you want it to go!
Fill out the information request here below,
and we will send you for FREE! all the information about the program
YES! I Want To Receive More Information about the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program
Q: Who Is This For?
A: This is for the COO that wants to implement real business improvement strategies for demonstrable results. This is for the COO that wants help for him and his managers to get to results
VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE hits you with real, working lean business strategies that have helped countless business owners and companies skyrocket their performance. Let us show you the mistakes, so you can learn and grow without taking on needless frustration.
Q: What If I'm Not Satisfied With The Program?
A: This is highly unlikely. Wait until you enter the program's first phase, and you'll see what we mean. With that said, if you don't find our program even the least bit useful... then you can cancel anytime and we'll part as friends. ;) So, if you are part of the small percentage of people that don't find us useful, then you can cancel and we won't hold it against you.
Q: Do You Have A Guarantee?
A: Yes, we have a guarantee. We guarantee that you will achieve all the results we will agree on.
We guarantee a 100% refund, which means you can test drive us for an entire program, and if you don't like us, then you can simply email us, and we'll refund your money immediately.
We guarantee your success! Once you're entering the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program, you'll have around-the-clock support from our team of professionals who are there to help answer business questions you may have and give you the help you need.
We also have a rare, Kaizen Coach International Ltd Crazy 365-day guarantee... which says if you do not experience positive business results for a full calendar year, then we will still refund your initial investment.
Q: How Much Does It Cost?
A: It depends on your needs; if you need to improve performance on only one value stream, there will be a certain amount of work to do if you need a more broad approach more….For this reason, it is better if you ask us for information about the program, and we will elaborate on a customized approach together.
Then, after the initial 30-day test run, if you love us and agree we're the best lean consulting company to help your business thrive... even in these times... then we'll keep up with the program, and we'll bill you based on the monthly work we have agreed together to do at your company.
YES! I Want To Receive More Information about the VSM 4 MAX PERFORMANCE program
If You only want to learn Value Stream Mapping but:
- You don't have enough time to follow a public training
- Your company does not invest in people training
- You don't want to spend money now
- You want to have a taste only and decide later if to train deeper
You can start with a FREE online course.
The Kaizen Coach Club offers an entry-level course on Value Stream Mapping.
Online Value Stream Mapping training
The Kaizen Coach Club gives access to a FREE first-level course.
You can visit this page to get more information: https://leantrainings.com/
Duration
9 hours of online training
Fees
FREE
What will you be able to do after the Online Value Stream Mapping
- Understanding the three steps of a Value Stream Mapping
- How to choose the flows to map
- Learning the symbology used on a value stream map
- How to search and structure data for understanding flow losses
- How to build a future state Value Stream Map
How to plan to realize the future state Value Stream
IF YOU ONLY WANT TO LEARN ON YOUR OWN HOW TO RUN A VSM WORKSHOP
An INTER PUBLIC Value Stream Mapping training is a valuable solution when you or your company want to train yourself or collaborators to run a VSM workshop autonomously.
In public training, you can learn the theory about lean thinking and VSM, working on examples without constraints and the stress of delivering immediate results.
This case is an optimum solution when:
- You want to share with other participants ideas about your particular situation
- Learn from other people's experiences and points of view
- To have relaxed access to the knowledge of an experienced trainer
- To know all the theory and facets of the methodology deeply without being boxed in a results-oriented workshop
- Get a certified level of knowledge about how to run a VSM workshop before starting workshops in your company.
- Invest in yourself
Inter Value Stream Mapping training
Public training will be held at a location near you.
What will you be able to do after the Inter Value Stream Mapping
- We will train you for all the 3 phases of a VSM workshop
- You will be ready to run your first value stream mapping workshop in a company
Objectives
- Change your beliefs and perceptions about operations flows
- Identify the key elements that create performance excellence in a flow
- Drastically reduce flows' wastes
- Make the value stream mapping methodology a tool to create a shared vision in your company management team
- Identify the flows that could be integrated, reduced, or need to be boosted
- Create a coherent and shared improvement plan
Detailed training program
Day 1:
Day 2:
- How to identify and analyze improvement opportunities:
- Which lean tools and methodologies do we need to utilize to get flow improvement results?
- Establish a future vision of your company' Gemba
- Reconcile resources and deadlines
- Build the road map to reach the future vision
- The practical realization of a future vision map
- Assimilation quiz test
- Issuance of certificates
- Closure session
Duration
Locations and dates
Date: To be defined
Fees
Those who have participated in this module have also participated in:
Lean TRS Kobetsu
The basics of Just In Time
VSM Research and Development
Also available in:
Reviews by some of our participants
Philippe B, Quality, EUROCOPTER
« An actual analysis for finding waste, a constructive exchange among the various functions represented with the participants.»
Jérôme M-B, Strategic Achievement Support, EUROCOPTER
« From the precious details to the practical implementation of VSM.»
Ghyslaine C, Supply Chain Director, HAULOTTE
« The vision of the program in a more structured manner with numerous application exercises»