Developing a Continuous Process Improvement Culture, and Sustaining It

I have always heard, but never understood, that a process is a process is a process. This didn't click for me until about three weeks ago when I was teaching a Senior Leader course designed to introduce Continuous Process Improvement and basic problem solving to those senior leaders assigned to squadrons within the Maintenance Group of the Air Force Base I am assigned to.

This course, originally developed by the Air Force Reserve Command and lent to me for trial runs, was designed to teach the principles of Lean, learn how to identify Waste, understand how to complete the Air Force 8-step Problem Solving Model, and most importantly teach these leaders how to identify inefficiencies at their own level of control. As we neared the end of my very first class I taught the course to, it was time to brainstorm opportunities for improvement that could go back to their sections and implement these new tools learned.

It was during the brainstorming session one of the attendees ideas was to develop a CPI culture within his section. I quickly thought about this as the class tried to use a PIC chart to say whether his idea had a high or low impact on the mission and would be easy or hard to implement using his position of authority and tools learned. The class was quickly jumping to a High mission Impact, but a Hard Chance for implementation. It was here that it all clicked.

If a process is a process is a process, then I can use CPI tools to address developing a CPI culture. I had him verbally walk through the 8-step as I: one, tried to show the class that it isn't hard to do, and two, prove to myself my new understanding of the phrase.

Step 1: Identify the problem
This section leader did not currently have an environment within the section he led that fostered a culture of CPI.

Step 2: Identify Performance Gaps (quantify the Problem to prove it's existence)
I asked him how many ideas are discussed in his section, how many CPI efforts have been made. The answer: 0

Step 3: Set a Target
We figured one idea per person and three CPI efforts a year

Step 4: Root Cause
After we asked "why" a few times we learned that previous leadership was quick to dismiss ideas essentially shutting down the "Idea Mill." Furthermore, leaders felt bound by policy and directives that no one ever bothered to question or pursue their legitimacy.

Step 5: Brainstorm Countermeasures
We quickly devised a idea board that had pre-printed Idea forms that asked the employees what type of Waste was in their process. What type of S (from the 5S or 6S) would be affected? Then gave room for their Idea on the back of the form. All implemented Ideas would earn the person some time off; while a display board would track the progress of the Idea.

Step 6: Implement Countermeasures
We devised an action plan and assigned a POC and timeline of implementation

Step 7: Validate Countermeasures
The boards are currently in development and are showing promise with those assigned. It appears this one easy step will allow this leader to achieve his goal.

Step 8: Standardize Results
I quickly briefed the Maintenance Group leadership and now all units are looking into their own boards.

This showed the team that not every task is impossible to achieve. You just have to scope things down to your level of control. Finally, something we all learn as we help to facilitate change, is that there is always a lacking in sustainment. I briefed the class of why they, the senior leaders assigned to their units, were in attendance of this inaugural course. It all got summed up with this:




1. It takes our Senior Leaders to direct change. That course would have never happened if their commanders would of never had asked for it.

2. Process Workers must develop their improved processes. As the section leader, he knew a traditional Idea Suggestion program wouldn't work. Controlling the idea flow by forcing the presenter to identify the Waste in advance allowed Value Added Ideas to be presented rather than the traditional gripes of what type of hand soap should be used in the restrooms.

3. Finally, our Process Managers, those attending the course, are key to sustainment. This is part of that culture change where we empower at the lowest level, and ask our process managers to support and defend those process workers. This is no longer "Fire Fighting," but "Fire Prevention." This is tough to swallow for most as Fire Fighters are labeled as true heroes when they save lives and property by putting out fires; more so, then when handing out batteries for the smoke detectors.

It takes these three components working in harmony if you truly want to see sustainment in the development of a CPI Culture.

Sheriff John Rutherford...Leading a Lean Culture

On December 6th, 2010, Sheriff John Rutherford, Jacksonville Florida Sheriff's Office, paid a visit to the Florida Air National Guard, 125th Fighter Wing, and shared his agency's view of process improvement. Sheriff Rutherford also shared his agency's vision to be "THE" premier law enforcement agency in the nation, and described how creating the balance between developing people, and having "LEAN" processes are key to aligning with that vision. Two rapid improvement event teams were beginning their projects that day at the Air national Guard, and took a "time out" to listen to the Sheriff and learn from his agency's experiences.






About Lean Leaders Founder: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant and 21 year veteran with the National Guard. He is currently assigned to his agency's Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. Many public service agencies have been using continuous process improvement to streamline their processes for the past several years to much success. If you are a "Lean Leader" for your agency, please contact Billy about writing on this blog and being added as a Lean Leaders Associate at www.leanleaders.org . Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

Falling Up vs. Burning Platforms: Culture, Mindset, or Stimulus?

(Perspective 2 in a series of weekly perspectives on Structured Problem Solving)

Last week in Part 1 of this series on Structured Problem Solving, we introduced the Turning Adversity into Opportunity Mindset.  This week we will enlarge our knowledge of “Falling Up” and discuss its lesser cousin “burning platforms.” 

Do you remember the 3 Paths in Falling Up?  

There are two scenarios to illustrate this concept: 

Scenario #1:  Falling Up.  Think of yourself as an employee (or company) in today’s tough economic times and you’ve just been laid off (if a company, you’ve just declared bankruptcy). Conventional thinking leaves you with two outcomes:

1.       How can I survive this?  Reactive in nature.  Not very positive.

2.       Woe is me!  Worst case scenario and very negative. 

However, there is a third option!

3.       Use this adversity as a way to not only pick yourself up, but as an opportunity to get better than before.  You create your own future!  Real transformation happens here.

Remember, we often undermine our ability to tackle our challenges when we don’t use other options.  We become helpless.  We create self-fulfilling prophecies.  This is a sure fire route to failure and what positive psychologists call “learned helplessness.” 

Scenario #2:  Burning Platforms. 

This is similar to scenario #1, except the adverse event hasn’t occurred yet and you face a looming black cloud (for the Federal sector this is the Secretary of Defense’s Efficiency Cuts).  Again, conventional thinking leaves you with the same two outcomes:

1.       How can I survive this?  Reactive in nature.  Not very positive.

2.       Woe is me!  Worst case scenario and very negative. 

Again, there is a third option!

3.       Use this looming adversity as an opportunity for growth and get even better.  

However, the difference in this scenario is the “looming” condition.  This is where I disagree with many change advocates who enjoy using (or just talk about) burning platforms as catalysts for change.   When working with teams, there are differing levels of social engineering going on.  Using looming, negative events is a very reactive and poor way to get teams to gel for lasting success.  Yes, they may band together to get the problem solved, but once the looming event passes or a decision is made, most teams go back to business as usual. 

Is that real change?  Have you affected the culture?  In my book, NO.

But I digress, the key here is that we must create an organizational culture that considers problems (even looming ones) as an opportunity to improve, which leads to the key methodology in our Lean Six Sigma Practitioner Professional toolbox: Structured Problem Solving.  Perspective three in this series will look at Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA), Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC), and Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA).   I will leave you with a thought from Shawn Achor, the author of The Happiness Advantage:

“…..And above all remember that success is not about never falling down, or even simply about falling down and getting up over and over.  Success is more than about simple resilience, it is about using that downward momentum to propel ourselves in the opposite direction.  It is about capitalizing on setbacks and adversity to become even happier, even more motivated, and even more successful.  It is not falling down, it is falling up.”

About the Author: Ernie Shishido is a Master Black Belt with the US Air Force’s Business Transformation Office with 29+ years of uniformed military service.  Ernie can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/ernieshishido or by email at er.shishido@gmail.com / ernest.shishido@pentagon.af.mil (until 10 Dec 2010).  

Qualities of a Leader - Blogcast

On december 2nd, I was fortunate to be asked to discuss my personal views on leadership with Chris Holm, webmaster and author for http://www.qualitiesofaleader.net/ . Below is the blogcast:

http://qualitiesofaleader.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/2010-12-01-time-16_16_53-Outgoing-Peer-to-Peer-Call-willeetee1.mp3

Many thanks to Chris for allowing me to be on his blog. I see many great things coming from him soon...Billy Wilkerson

About Lean Leaders Founder: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant and 21 year veteran with the National Guard. He is currently assigned to his agency's Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. Many public service agencies have been using continuous process improvement to streamline their processes for the past several years to much success. If you are a "Lean Leader" for your agency, please contact Billy about writing on this blog and being added as a Lean Leaders Associate at www.leanleaders.org . Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

Delving Deeper: Levels of Culture

(Perspective 2 in a series of weekly perspectives on Building a Culture based on CPI principles)

Last week in Part 1 of this series on Building a Culture based on CPI principles, we introduced the concept of Your Culture is Your Brand.  This week we will define “culture” and critically analyze the significance of addressing cultures in the context of “levels.”   

Culture is everything.   Good culture= Zappos success.  Bad culture= Enron failure.  Good culture neglected= Toyota quality problems.  Do I have your attention now?

Defining Culture.  To practice what I preach, I attempt to start every kaizen event or enterprise-level project by defining the major term for the week in order to baseline foundational assumptions.  Predictably, a gap exists amongst team members. To define culture (and delve deeper), the guideline I use comes from my Sensei (John Allen of TSD) who had me study Edgar Schein:

“[Culture is] ... a pattern of shared basic assumptions (values, beliefs, norms) that was learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems.”

As you look at the words in bold, the definition seems straightforward enough, but the rub comes in during the analysis.  Most people talk about culture in broad terms, knowing that it is important, good for success, a great goal to strive for, and requires a decade to develop.   That is ok, but those are superficial interpretations.   To truly undertake a culture change effort, one needs to analyze and differentiate the level in which the culture manifests itself, as it is crucial to creating and executing a successful change effort.  I cannot stress this enough. 

I’m a visual (and auditory) person, so let’s show the chart again to point out the different levels of culture:

1^st Level – Artifacts.  Sees, Feels, Hears.  I am sure you’ve seen places where signs hang that say “Quality is Job#1” and “Think Safety 1^st,” or you hear a certain type of music playing in the hallways, you see everyone wearing a certain style/type of clothing, or notice how everyone communicates to each other.  Can you make a good assumption about the real culture at this company?  It is like judging a book by its cover.  You can, but is it wise?  Would it be fair or smart to think a company was not innovative because their office layouts and their dress were stodgy?  That is what is meant by hard to decipher. 

2^nd Level – Espoused Beliefs and Values.  This is straightforward and must not be misunderstood.  To be an espoused value or belief, it cannot solely be trumpeted by the CEO, but evolve by:

1.       Actual joint action on the belief/value by the group (not just the CEO)

2.       The proposed value/belief action must create real success in solving problems.

3.       Finally, it achieves social validation.  I.E. If you don’t comply, you become part of the “out” group (excommunicated).

Essentially, these are your company’s strategies, goals, and philosophies acted out.  However, there still can be some large areas of behavior still unexplained.  

3^rd Level – Underlying Assumptions.  This is where actions stemming from company beliefs and values are taken for granted.  These assumptions are non-confrontable and non-debatable! 

Now, you can see why analyzing culture and developing change actions by understanding levels is so powerful.  Understanding culture at this level helps us understand what the true culture is and what we are up against.  Understanding at this level is priceless, but we seldom delve this deep. 

So, for an organization to learn something new in this realm (the deepest level of culture), requires us to resurrect, reexamine, and possibly change some of the more stable portions of our cognitive structure – How we think.   And that is the subject of Part 3 of this series:  Current way of thinking vs. a Continuous Process Improvement mindset.

P.S. Let me know and I will gladly work with you to share Edgar Schein’s book, Organizational Culture and Leadership.  Once you read it, it will change your thinking about culture. 

About the Author: Ernie Shishido is a Master Black Belt with the US Air Force’s Business Transformation Office with 29+ years of uniformed military service.  Ernie can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/ernieshishido or by email at er.shishido@gmail.com / ernest.shishido@pentagon.af.mil (until 10 Dec 2010).