Lean For Everyone

Lean: The greater the change the more critical the transition plan - Integrated Busing

The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) played a significant role  in the transition from segregated to desegregated busing.

 

On my recent trip to the Henry Ford Museum I snapped these pictures to remind myself that the greater the change, the more important the transition plan is.

Images taken at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI (2011)

Not a very Lean route - Shipping via Fed Ex

I just sent a package via Fed-Ex and was amazed at the long route it took.

 

 

What should have been: 27 miles  (31 min)

The actual route taken: 142 miles (2 hrs and 38 min)

Below is the "spaghetti chart" via Google!

LFE Podcast #2 Dr. James Bellini - Future Proofing Your Organization for the Coming Change

The skills companies and their leaders will need to adopt to succeed in the new digital age.

This podcast was done in conjunction with the PEX (Process Excellence Network), a division of IQPC and the Process Excellence Week Europe which will be taking place April 4th - April 8th 2011.

 

I'm talking today with Dr. James Bellini, a leading futurologist and the author of "The Bullshit Factor: The truth About Corporate Disguises, Lies and Denial."

While James states that he's not like a future telling wizard from Harry Potter,  his insights and predictions make me think that he really has some magic in him!

 

 

Is your company prepared for the future?

We talk about why companies succeed and fail and what it means for your company to have a healthy psyche.

We also discuss what it means to have an authentic company in the corporate world of tomorrow.

 

What are the top three trends we need to look out for and be aware of in 2011?

1. Integration of social networks into a companies longer term startegy.
2. A more cautious consumer who is going to think twice before purchasing goods and services.
3. Maturing technology and the greater adoption of cloud computing.

 

Listen to the podcast below to hear the entire interivew.

Download Podcast transcript with Dr. James Bellini

You can hear more from Dr. James Bellini and other experts at the IQPC Process Excellence Week Europe, which will take place on April 4^th - 8^th 2011 at The Brewery in London, UK. For details about the event  visit www.processexcellencelondon.co.uk, call the IQPC enquiries team at 0800 652 2363, or email [email protected].

Lean Book Review: The Truth About Leadership by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner

Based on 30 years of research and more than one million responses to their leadership assessment they have created a list of the ten tested truths about leadership.

This book was amazing.  I normally just get my books from the library however I will be adding this to my own selection of purchased materials.

Kouzes and Posner have crafted a book that is a bare bones laundry list of what you need to be a great leader and how to achieve it. 

 

I would recommend this book to everyone. 

Workers, supervisors, managers and most importantly executive staff, will quickly realize what everyone wants in their leaders and how to provide true leadership.

 

The subtitle: "The No-Fads, Heart-Of-The-Matter Facts You Need To Know" tells it all.

What I enjoyed most is that the book is supported by facts.  It's not a touchy feely book written by a person talking about what they feel makes a good leader.  It uses solid data to come to conclusions.

 

While the context of leadership has changed a lot,  the content has not. So what makes great leadership?

1. You believe that you can make a difference
2. Credibility is the foundation of leadership
3. Your values drive commitment from your team
4. You focus on the future (long-view)
5. You know that you can't do it alone
6. Trust rules - it's the social glue that holds individuals and groups together
7. Challenge is the crucible for greatness.  Change involves challenge and challenge test you.
8. You either lead by example or you don't lead at all (My Favorite)
9. The best leaders are the best learners
10. Leadership is an affair of the heart.  If you don't love what you do - you won't work hard enough to become great.

 

This book does not make assumptions, the provide facts and data to support their conclusions!

Below is one truncated data set from their book.

Top 4 Characteristics of Admired Leaders (only ones that received 60% or more votes from a list of 20 qualities)

1. Honest                         85%
2. Forward-Looking          70%
3. Inspiring                       69%
4. Competent                   64%

     TOTAL   =                         Credibility is the foundation of leadership!

The book displays all 20 with their percentages.  NOTE only 16% said that maturity was needed to be an admired leader.  They then give several examples of great leaders who were as youg as 10 years old.

 

This is a powerful look into what makes a great leader and I think that I will be a better one just for having read it.  I've only scratched the surface with my review above and implore you to get a copy and have a read for yourself.  You won't regret it!

Favorite Quotes that I don't want to forget

"You can't fast track your way to excellence"

"No one can make you a leader, you have to take this first step yourself"

"Leadership is about reminding people what we can build"

"Optimists have a sixth sense for possibilities that realists can't or won't see"

"When leaders are in tune with the emotions of others, they create resonance between leader and constituent and among constituents, much like the musicians in a an orchestra create resonance when their instruments are in tune"

"The leader merely coordinates and puts into action the wants and desires of the group."

"Leaders must be able to sense the purpose in others"  "They make people feel that they can do more than they thought they could."

"In a 2009 international study, the majority of people said they trust a stranger more than they trust their boss"

"When there is an information vacuum, people will make up their own answers.  And these answers are more likely to be negative and cynical than to be the truth.  Waiting to disseminate information is often justified as a desire to gather more certain and complete information but waiting often contributes to distrust"

"The brick walls are there for a reason.  They're not there to keep us out.  The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something."

"Living in a cave does not make you a geologist and simply being in a management position does not make you a great leader"

"Leadership can't grow in a culture that isn't supportive of continuing development"

"...when people experience a ratio of at least three positive emotions to one negative they are more likely to be lasting and healthy"

"Leaders say YES"

"The worst thing someone can do is to see a problem and think it is someone else's responsibility"

"The next time you see a problem and say "Why doesn't someone do something about this?" take a look in the mirror and say instead, "I'll be someone to do something about it."

LFE Podcast #1 Michelle Ray - Effective Change – A Step-By-Step Plan

Michelle is a Certified Speaking Professional and the CEO of Walkabout Seminars International and an expert in Personal Leadership and Workplace Relationships. 

She's joining me today to discuss steps to encourage positive change and engagement, the role of leadership attitude and inter-company relationships in effective change and how to overcome the biggest negative influencers.

 

This podcast was done in conjunction with the PEX (Process Excellence Network), a division of IQPC and the Process Excellence Week Europe which will be taking place April 4th - April 8th 2011.

I had a great time talking with Michelle although my tongue isn't designed to say "Multigenerational relationships".

 

My favorite section was The top 3 things to deal with change are:

1. Acknowledge the discomfort of change
2. Involve people in the process
3. Point out the positive benefits of change (WIIFM)

We also talk about leadership and creating an open positive atmosphere in the work place using intangible motivators.

Last was her best piece of advice about achieving and managing change in your work and personal life which was ..........listen to the podcast :)

Download Podcast transcript with Michelle Ray 

 

You can hear more from Michelle Ray and other experts at the IQPC Process Excellence Week Europe, which will take place on April 4^th - 8^th 2011 at The Brewery in London, UK. For details about the event  visit www.processexcellencelondon.co.uk, call the IQPC enquiries team at 0800 652 2363, or email [email protected]. If you want to learn more about Michelle Ray you can go to her “Meet Michelle Page” at www.michelleray.com.

 

VOC: Kids have a voice at the Farmington Community Main Library

I've already talked about my book eating friend Igor at the library.  Now let's discuss how the Farmington Community Library (FCL) listens to their younger customers and gives them what they crave.

Puppet theater, music area, coloring, stuffed animals, learning games, free passes to museums and tons of books and DVD's are just a few of things that FCL has to offer (see pics below)

 

According to Sharon Vincent (Branch Head at the library) "The library staff was very involved in the design of that area, visiting various libraries and children's interactive museums."

They even have their own website called FCL Kids that talks about all the kids programs for parents and children.

My daughter D. (age 3)  and wife K. (age -how dumb do you think I am..my wife reads my blog!) have been going to their programs since she was only a few month old. 

D. looks forward to getting her new library books each week and saying hi to "Mrs. Amelia" her favorite staff member.

 

While typing this post she saw the picture above and said that she was going to sit on the Zebra today for story time.  That's having an engaged customer!

Update: I was informed by D. that she did sit on the zebra and was greeted by Mrs. Nancy and Chimpers (the monkey puppet)  I was then treated to a chorus of "Five little monkey's jumping on the bed".

VOC: Great customer service from Belle Tire

While Pep Boys didn't understand the VOC, Belle Tire did and here's why they got my business.

After leaving Pep Boys with a terrible customer experience (read here for post) I knew that I needed tires so I went to the experts.

 

Belle Tire

19601 Middlebelt Road
Livonia, MI 48152-2105
(248) 477-1100

 

Belle Tire gave me the info Pep Boys didn't.

I went to Belle Tire knowing that I had at least one faulty tire with the tread falling off.

I arrived and told them I needed at new tire for my 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe (for you tire lingo people I needed a P225/70R/16). 

 

His first question - "Is it AWD (All Wheel Drive)?"  I said "Yes".  That's when I got my tire education regarding all wheel drive systems.

If you have all-wheel-drive your tires have to be close to the same diameter in size otherwise the traction control system can get screwed up. 

Problem: All of my tires had a lot of mileage / wear on them so they were currently equal in diameter.  If I put on a new tire its diameter would be much larger than the others.

At first I thought this was salesmen BS but then he pulled from underneath the counter a printed sheet that explained everything. 

 

He had information/data to back up his statement.  I was now smitten with Belle Tire.

He gave me a quote for $539 for all 4 tires and said he could have it done in 45 minutes.  I waited happily in the customer lounge working on my blog for Cognitive Surplus and left there 40 minutes later a happy customer.

I even learned that I need to put the spare tire into my tire rotation schedule to make sure that it gets similar wear and tear.

 

Belle Tire treated me as a person, informed me of the issue, gave me information to back up their assessment and got the job done on schedule.  They gave me value on all fronts and I am now a positive reference for their work.

It's been a few weeks since I've had this work completed and the vehicle is operating perfectly.  We just had a blizzard here today and I was very pleased with how the traction control system operated.

How a value added penny pony named “Sandy” changed my shopping habits at Meijer

We used to do our grocery shopping exclusively at the Meijer located in Northville, MI until about a month ago when their mechanical pony named “Sandy” broke.

 

Sandy has been the mascot at all 185+ Meijer grocery stores for over 30 years, she even has her own facebook page . 

If she goes missing or breaks down every kid knows it. 

So does every parent, which is where my 3 yr old daughter D. enters the picture.

 

VOC: When expectations meet disappointment

When I enter a Meijer there is the customer expectation on my part that all the items I need will be in stock. 

For D. the expectation is that she is going to:

• visit the fish in the tank
• see the lobsters who have just arrived from a long flight from Nova Scotia and are resting (That's my story and I'm sticking to it)
  
• take a ride on Sandy for the price of 1 cent
  

If any of these things don’t happen she doesn’t cry or throw a fit but from a customer standpoint there is disappointment…an expectation unfulfilled.  As a parent I try to eliminate these as much as possible.

If we had to go to that Meijer I would let her know that “Sandy might not be fixed so we might not go on a ride today”.  Response “You can fix it Daddy”.

 

Meijer is a fun place for my daughter.

Meijer isn’t just a grocery store to my daughter, it’s a destination spot.  Some people quest to IKEA for meatballs while we go to a place with a pony ride. 

When the pony was removed from the equation it didn’t become just another grocery store …it became the store that took something away from her.

 

Don't give your customer a reason to go someplace else.

Recently we’ve been shopping at the Meijer in Livonia, MI because they have a working Sandy, however it is a little more inconvenient for us because of the distance.

Due to the inconvenience we also found ourselves going into closer stores like Kroger, Heartland Market,  Busch’s, Spartan Foods and even Wal-Mart on occasion.  This has given us an opportunity to compare prices and try new store brands.

We still like Meijer the most and have no intention of boycotting it or anything silly like that however we have discovered that we like the taste of some store brand items at other places more than Meijer.

 

All because of a broken pony shifting my shopping habits, Meijer has probably lost 10% - 15% of my dollars spent on a monthly basis.   

When Sandy gets fixed we’ll be heading back to our regular Meijer but the damage is done.  I like Kroger cottage cheese better.

On a side note I did send the Meijer Director of Public Relations  an e-mail about the broken pony.  (Frank Guglielmi - [email protected])   The very same day I received a call from the Northville, MI location that they have called to get Sandy repaired and they will inform me when it’s done. As of yesterday Sandy has been removed for repairs. 

Update: On Feb 4th, 2011 I recieved a call from Pat Fuller, the store director at the Northville Meijer, and Sandy is back and operational.  Thank you Pat!!