Variance – OEE’s Silent Partner (Killer)

I was recently involved in a discussion regarding the value of Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).  Of course, I fully supported OEE and confirmed that it can bring tremendous value to any organization that is prepared to embrace it as a key metric.  I also qualified my response by stating that OEE cannot be managed in isolation: OEE and it’s intrinsic […]

Remembering the Space Shuttle Challenger

Although this event happened twenty-five years ago today (28-Jan-1986), it seems like only yesterday.  This tragic event serves to remind us that humans can make mistakes and errors in judgment do occur.  In this case, history is our greatest teacher. Follow this link to CNN’s “Challenger disaster remembered“.  CNN was the only network covering this event as this would be […]

A Paradigm Shift To Profitability

Is the “Automotive Industry On the Rebound” or just the companies that make them?  Our local paper, The Toronto Star, reported some very encouraging news today regarding the state of General Motors.  The headline that caught my eye was “A slimmer GM prospers”.  What is more encouraging though is that GM’s recovery is based on a fundamentally new paradigm shift: […]

Achieve Sustainability Through Integration

It’s no secret that lean is much more than a set of tools and best practices designed to eliminate waste and reduce variance in our operations.  I contend that lean is defined by a culture that embraces the principles on which lean is founded.  An engaged lean culture is evidenced by the continuing development and integration of improved systems, methods, […]

Toyota recalling 1.7 million vehicles

Toyota is tasked once again to deal with another recall.  The details of the recall can be found at the following link:  http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iF7PDtO3qyJdQuqtpwz7rBTXyu7w?docId=5764670 Many people are quick to assume that resolving one recall issue somehow sterilizes or immunizes the full line up of vehicles from having other unrelated defects.  History tells us that this is simply not possible. Although the […]

Why Twitter?

Background You may be wondering what Twitter has to do with lean or anything even related to manufacturing.  While there may not be a direct correlation to Twitter, the fact that it is still relatively new gave me cause to reflect on what it means to introduce a new system or way of doing things in our organization.  I’m going […]

Lean Paralysis

Lean – Breaking Through Paralysis Significant initiatives, including lean, can reach a level of stagnation that eventually cause the project to either lose focus or disappear altogether.  Hundreds of books have already been written that reinforce the concept that the company culture will ultimately determine the success or failure of any initiative.  A sustainable culture of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and continual improvement requires effective leadership to […]

Everyday Greatness

Long nights, extreme snow falls, and sub-zero temperatures are demotivating stressors that can negatively affect employee morale at this time of year, especially during the month of January (Blue Monday).  To re-energize and motivate yourself and your teams, I recommend reading Everyday Greatness by Stephen Covey.  This book is filled with numerous stories, anecdotes, and quotes that are entertaining, inspirational, […]

Business Novels: The Next Best Thing To Reality

I enjoy reading business novels and fondly remember my first read of “The Goal” by Eliyahu Goldratt.  I also had the pleasure of reading another book titled “Velocity:  Combining Lean, Six Sigma, and the Theory of Constraints to Achieve Breakthrough Performance – A Business Novel” by Dee Jacob, Suzan Bergland, and Jeff Cox.  This book is a natural extension of “The Goal” […]