Attend Chief Executive’s 5th Annual Smart Manufacturing Summit May 15-17 in Seattle, Washington. Co-hosted by Boeing, join peer CEOs to discuss the key strategies, tactics and opportunities in 21st-century manufacturing. Registration includes insider tours of Boeing’s largest facility and Microsoft. Click here to save $200 on your registration.
While lean manufacturing principles have been used in some fashion for more than a century, the changing nature of the industry also is altering the application of those principles. Many manufacturers are using technology and analytics to improve these processes; yet to leverage lean manufacturing in today’s environment is increasingly about talent.
Jamie Flinchbaugh, lean advisor, speaker and author, has said the relationship between lean and process is “overstated.” He feels that while a number of lean methods are focused on processes, alone, these processes are not enough. Lean manufacturing calls for placing a higher priority on talent.
“Too many improvement efforts treat talent as a fixed commodity. Certainly, it shouldn’t be an excuse, nor should it be a reason not to improve your processes. You don’t just hire talent and leave it alone,” Flinchbaugh said.
He advises that manufacturers start by having the right talent in place. They then need to make that talent responsible for its own improvement, coaching and training, and then leverage the top talent to build more talent. And much like a manufacturer would strengthen and reduce risk in their material supply chains, they also need to view their talent in the same manner.
Many manufacturers continue to struggle to find skilled and interested workers, and lack plans for long-term success. Jeannie Kunz, vice president of Tooling U-SME, a company that helps manufacturers develop in-house training programs, recently said that many are not balancing capital investments with workforce initiatives to meet the new demands. When the talent isn’t there, productivity, quality, innovation and safety can suffer, regardless of the processes in place.
“Talent plus process can lead to success. Of course, don’t ignore your processes, but also don’t sacrifice talent in the pursuit of process improvement. Talent matters,” Flinchbaugh said.
Jason McGee-Abe, editorial lead at Process Excellence Network, said that not utilizing talent is increasingly being viewed as a source of waste in today’s manufacturing. He said that not using or under-utilizing workers’ skills, talents and knowledge can have a “detrimental” effect on an organization.
Common ways in which manufacturers don’t fully optimize their use of talent include assigning staff to wrong tasks, poor communication, lack of teamwork, poor management and insufficient training. McGee-Abe said many of these are the same things that result in a lack of employee engagement. He feels key solutions include empowering your employees, stopping micromanaging and increase training.
You might also like:
What Manufacturing CEOs Can Learn on the Factory Floor
Why Manufacturers Need a Chief Transformation Officer
Smart Manufacturing will Require Smart Leaders
6 Big Issues that Will Disrupt Manufacturing
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
