The Cutting Edge™ - February 2004

Manufacturing Strategies

By David Berger, (david@wmc.on.ca)
David Berger is with Western Management Consultants, and will be facilitating two workshops at the 13th Annual Woodworking Industry Conference, on Saturday, April 24th, 2004. The topic of his discussions will be, “Increasing Profitability through Lean Manufacturing.” The hands-on workshop applies the principles of Lean, and presents the benefits of incorporating a Lean strategy over traditional improvement philosophies, tools and techniques. Please set aside time in your schedule on Saturday to participate in this session. The article below is a contribution of Mr. Berger to “Advanced Manufacturing Magazine” and is a sample of advice which he will personally offer at the WIC.

One of the greatest challenges management faces in implementing lean manufacturing is ensuring that real behavioral change takes place at all levels of the organization. Even the most well-intentioned, fair and respected management team, without the enthusiastic embracing of the changes contemplated, will watch their plant revert back to old and familiar ways. Without a solid change management program weaved into the lean manufacturing initiative, as well as strong leadership, the project is doomed from the start.

The term lean manufacturing itself can be problematic in that some workers see lean = job loss. Unless management identifies and deals openly with this and other significant barriers, real change can never be sustained.

Management must see the world through the eyes of those being asked to embrace the lean initiative, and answer the simple question on each stakeholder's mind: What's in it for me? Research has shown that the person most likely to credibly answer this question for the line workers is their immediate supervisor.

Unfortunately, the first-line supervisor is usually the most ill-equipped to provide the answers. This is because typically first-line supervisors get little management training especially in the area of change management. They are also tightly sandwiched between the performance expectations demanded by senior management and the day-to-day pressures of dealing with the front line resources.

Here are 10 tips to assist line employees and their immediate supervisors understand and fully embrace the changes required for lean to succeed:

1. Develop a shared vision of where the corporation is headed over the long term, and make it clear how the lean manufacturing initiative supports that vision.

2. Ensure there are strong signs of top management support such as showing up for meetings, allocation of proper funding, and ensuring actions are consistent with words. This support should translate into commitments by middle and front-line management, such as change management training and involvement in project planning and communication.

3. The implementers of the change, ie, the front line, must understand and embrace the change. Understanding and readiness for the change can be tested at key milestones in the project through formal interviews and surveys, and / or informal channels such as meetings with first-line supervisors.

4. Senior business people with solid leadership skills should be removed from their regular duties to focus on implementing the lean program. They should be properly trained in lean techniques and given adequate support such as internal and external project resources.

5. Allow sufficient time for implementation, typically six months to several years. This should not be confused with the very short-term focus of a given Kaizen blitz or the coming and going of a given manager.

6. Establish performance measurement targets to define what a successful lean implementation looks like.

7. Create a communications plan that provides regular updates to all stakeholders, and provides a feedback mechanism for those managing the lean program.

8. Education / training must be provided for each stakeholder group, with respect to the nature and benefits of the changes anticipated.

9. Anticipate resistance to change, especially if there is a history of poorly implemented changes. Develop a plan for managing that resistance. Make sure that the pain of implementing lean is seen to be less of a pain than the status quo.

10. Offer rewards for the early adopters of lean manufacturing, and consequences for those that continue to resist. Rewards can be as simple as pizza brought in for lunch when performance targets are met. Consequences such as peer rejection or isolation can be effective when someone does not try to make a change work.

A regular contributor to Advanced Manufacturing, and other manufacturing journals, David Berger P. Eng. is with Western Management Consultants. You can reach him at (416) 362-6863 or by email at: david@wmc.on.ca.