Lean Leaders Blog- "THE" Voice of Lean Leadership

Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing…Creating Teams with Punch

2011-03-07T18:01:00.001-05:00

I wanted to share this great article by my good friend Dennis Narlock, US Navy Lieutenant and six sigma black belt...many thanks Dennis for allowing us to share on our site...Billy

Lieutenant Dennis Narlock is currently the Continuous Process Improvement Officer aboard USS RONALD REAGAN CVN-76. He has been on active duty with the U.S. Navy for 23 years, where he has served as a leader in both the Enlisted and Officer ranks. He is a DON/ASQ certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Theory of Constraints Jonah. He can be reached at narlockda@cvn76.navy.mil

Variation and mistake proofing

2011-03-07T09:52:00.001-05:00

This is a great presentation on variation and mistake proofing from the Jacksonville Six Sigma Symposium (JSSS).

Variation and mistake proofing

View more presentations from Leanleaders.org.

125th fw dsg hotel reservation process training edited fouo

2011-02-12T19:25:00.001-05:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

125th fw dsg hotel reservation process training edited fouo

View more presentations from willeetee.

What are the key process indicators (KPI's) for your agency or individual units?

2011-01-30T08:57:00.000-05:00

I am constantly looking for other law enforcement agencies that are using key process indicators as metrics for unit performance. Basically, how does your agency, or individual units, know if they are performing well or not? How are they measuring the impact of their services? I went to an agency's Crimes/Compstat meeting recently, and heard high level executives say things such as, "we are making progress" We are on the right track" "our numbers are down from last year." As a lean six sigma practitioner, I was baffled that these statements were accepted by the CEO without any questioning at all. My first thought was, how is he validating those statements? What is he using as a benchmark? To me, it was fluff. I would ask, if someone makes a statement such as, "we are making progress," I want to know exactly what we did so that we can model that ideology throughout the rest of the districts. What problem solving model, and how was it employed specifically, that caused the drop in crime numbers?

So, here is the challenge...which agencies out there are performing exceptionally well, and can validate such with tactics that are tied to specific metrics. In the end, if you do not know what you did that made crimes go down, you really can't prove that you did anything at all. It could be nothing more than an anomoly or national or local trend that worked in your agencies favor.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI): Developing, Implementing, and Using Winning KPIs

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

Developing a Continuous Process Improvement Culture, and Sustaining It

2010-12-26T20:17:00.008-05:00

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

2010-12-12T19:04:00.000-05:00

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?

2010-12-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

(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

2010-12-04T05:09:00.000-05:00

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

2010-12-02T22:45:00.000-05:00

(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.

Connecting is at the Heart of Developing People: Relationships

2010-11-30T18:46:00.000-05:00

(Perspective 2 in a series of weekly perspectives on Lean Six Sigma Mentoring/Coaching principles)

Last week in part 1 of this series on Lean Six Sigma Mentoring/Coaching principles, we introduced the concept of Explosive Growth and how you generate it: Through Leaders Developing Leaders. This week we expound on the ingredients that produce the glue and the environment to successfully mentor and coach: People + Connection = Relationships.

The wording in the title is very intentional: Connecting at the Heart.

People. Regardless if you are manufacturing cars, fixing planes, providing service at a hotel, seeing a patient, doing transactions at a bank, investigating a crime, or running a back office, People are the Company. No matter what we do, we do not lead machines, paperwork, or any other inanimate object: We lead, mentor, and coach human beings that have Hearts. If you see any company mantra, vision, or mission statement that reads “People are our competitive advantage,” “People are our greatest assets,” or something to that effect: RUN. I could provide you loads of data, but all you need to know is that when those companies hit a hard patch, their layoff actions speak louder than words: “People are our greatest liabilities.”

Connection. Going back to the virtuous circle diagram, see how the inner circle now overlaps with the middle. For those who have “think 4 hours ahead of your student/team mindset,” you can see how powerful a Venn diagram can be to illustrate points:

In a nutshell: Leaders engaging people create connections and relationships. We cannot begin to discuss mentoring and coaching principles, even more importantly, successful coaching and mentoring until we can fully grasp that that you must get at the heart of people (people are the company) and the only way you can do this is with engagement and trust to build an enduring relationship.

Relationship. No relationships = No Mentoring and Coaching.

As a CPI Leader, you cannot even begin to have the mentoring and coaching discussion until you understand that you must have a relationship with your people:

Successful mentoring and coaching begin with a great relationship with the people you work with. In the next perspective, we will discuss and define what successful mentoring/coaching is and a way to measure it.

Problems are Just Mile Markers and Turning Adversity into Opportunity Mindsets

2010-11-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

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

As Lean Six Sigma Practitioner Professionals, these ARE the mindsets we need to live by and a core practitioner skill we need to have honed and some may call it our weapon: Structured Problem Solving. Mindsets we also, need to ingrain into the culture of the organization we live in or support.

You may be wondering why there are two titles. For me, each of them were epiphanies, and although they are essentially the same, they truly are different “states” along a continuum of a CPI Structured Problem Solving mindset.

“Problems are Just Mile Markers” is the mindset of incremental and continuous process improvement. As you tackle each problem, additional challenges arise because you never stop growing and learning about your processes. Although it can feel stressful and confusing, it is also very powerful as continual engagement of people (both between the employees themselves and also your engagement with teams) create such awesome effects.

The only thing constant in life is change. Good change framed in a virtuous cycle of process improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Act or Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Check or Observe-Orient-Decide-Act) looks at problems as opportunities, so problems become mile markers. Each one we pass, means we’ve gotten better. I cannot stress enough: A journey of a 365 days/steps starts with a single step.

“Turning Adversity into Opportunity,” on the other hand, assumes we already understand that problems are indeed opportunities; however the mindset here takes it a giant leap forward. The mindset is about Failing Forward or Falling Up. What does that mean? It will take a little bit more time (and space!) to fully illustrate Falling up and it will be the topic of Part II of this series, but as a primer think about this phrase: Lasting success is more than about simple resilience, it is about using that downward momentum to propel ourselves in the opposite direction -- you can create a third opportunity when adversity happens.

Here is a visual depiction:

Your Culture is Your Brand

2010-11-25T18:19:00.000-05:00

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

Where have you heard about this before? Does Tony Hsieh, CEO of the billion dollar company Zappos that was recently acquired by Amazon.com, sound familiar? When I heard Tony Hsieh utter the phrase “Your Culture is Your Brand” in his audiobook, “Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose,” all other thoughts ceased. This was so deep and I knew right away that the interpretation was so clear-cut and unambiguous in nature, but the awareness (self and organizational) and execution are so distorted that people believe they know what culture is and believe they are working on culture when indeed, they may not.

Why is this important? If you create a strong culture at all levels (more on that in the picture below), you build lasting success in your organization. Some people talk about fixing it, some just think it is so tough they give it some effort, and there are those that let it go because “culture” it is too soft. Successful people and organizations work on culture and then work on it some more and never take it for granted.

Why is this important for you as a Lean Six Sigma Practitioner Professionals? Because building a culture of Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) creates a powerful environment for success to breed. Two distinct and critical concepts here: 1) Building a culture and 2) Creating a CPI Environment. You need to understand the first to create the second.

Understanding what culture is and analyzing at what level it manifests itself, is the subject of Part II of this series. But as a teaser, here is a visual to get you thinking:

Creating Explosive Growth for Your Organization: Leaders Developing Leaders!

2010-11-23T18:47:00.000-05:00

(First in a series of weekly perspectives on Lean Six Sigma Mentoring/Coaching principles)

First things first, this is about you: The Lean Six Sigma Practitioner Professional. You are a leader of a powerful methodology that can create huge success and growth for your organization. That is the first point that you must keenly grasp when you take on this role. Too often, we think of ourselves as internal or external consultants, and that is ok to keep you going daily, but ultimately you are leader that develops other leaders. Leaders who develop leaders create explosive growth! Explosive growth is measured by the extensive impact that a multitude of leaders can accomplish versus a single “CEO Type” of leader. Imagine the impact of a shared vision created and executed by multiple leaders versus just the vision of one person.

Visually, it is a virtuous circle:

Before you get upset with me for downplaying the role of an internal/external consultant, let me explain. If you consider yourself as mainly a consultant, you are focused on creating successful outcomes, or worse yet, achievement. At best, these practitioners are creating followers, not leaders. It is all about your mindset: Developing the people you serve first, creates the short and long term successful outcomes. This is the essence of Servant Leadership.

If you’ve stuck with me this far, then the question becomes: How, as Lean Six Sigma Practitioner Professionals, do we develop leaders? It is all about successful Mentoring and Coaching. And that is the subject of Perspective 2 and beyond of this series.

Now launching our new website...www.leanleaders.org

2010-11-22T12:34:00.000-05:00

I am happy to announce the launch of my new website http://www.leanleaders.org/ . Please take a look and sign the guest book....many thanks for all that have supported me in this endeavor...Billy

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

Has "Big Brass Fever" Infected Your Agency

2010-10-25T20:05:00.001-04:00

Recently, I had the privilege of viewing several Air Force presentations that introduced lean six sigma methodologies to senior leaders. The training was developed by the University of Tennessee's, Center for Executive Education. I highly recommend their courses of instruction for any agency moving forward with Lean Six Sigma. I found particularly useful one of the presentations that dealt with the cultural dynamics that can occur between leaders and the layers of personnel ranks beneath them. One topic, "Big Brass Fever," stood out for me the most, as I have seen this in both my military and law enforcement careers.

Here are a few of the symptoms you may have observed in your careers, many times attributable to, "Big Brass Fever."

Fear of disappointing leader drives to over production
Simple tasks become gold plated efforts
Casual question or comment treated as tasking for briefing or action
Briefings reviewed at multiple levels
Yes men-ism isolates leader from reality

The course gives a humorous, but true, example of this leadership challenge that you may find all too familiar at your agency.

The Secretary for the Department of Energy was touring a national laboratory’s grounds when a snake crossed her path. She casually asked: “I wonder if there are poisonous snakes here?” Six weeks later she received a report prepared by the lab’s top biologist entitled “Census of Venomous Snake Population”.

One has to wonder how much valuable time and taxpayer dollars were spent on this outbreak of "Big Brass Fever." How much of this goes on at your agency? Better yet, how much of it are you causing?

The above example happens all too often, and usually very innocently, as many leaders never expect people to take the whimsical remarks they say so literally. Sadly enough, there is also the opposite out there among the leadership ranks. Some leaders feel that personnel should jump at every word they say because they have finally earned their stripes, bars, or stars. To me, this is an indication that they have been promoted beyond their ability to lead and are reduced to using positional authority to get things done. A sad, but true condition of, "Big Brass Fever."

The best protocol is to learn to recognize "Big Brass Fever," from both perspectives of the leadership realm; as leader, and subordinate.

As a leader, it is important to remember that everyone is going to do their best to try and please you and to deliver well on what they believe you want. After all, you're the boss. Sometimes even the passing phrase or statement can be misconstrued in a subordinates mind to send them on a mission so full of waste that it halts any real work for days, weeks, or even months. Sometimes the best thing a leader can do is simply listen, and say, "keep up the great work." At least then he or she isn't adding to the workflow with unintended consequences.

As a subordinate, try to remember that your leaders do not want you tied up doing busy work that has no relevancy to the overall mission. This is where employee empowerment and challenging status quo by asking "why" becomes more and more important everyday. Never be intimidated to ask your boss for clarity before going on a wild goose chase. Whether in police work, or the military, lives may count on it one day. Get in the habit of consistently asking your boss, "what actions would you like me to take next?"

The University of Tennessee's presentation gives of few points as well for controlling, "Big Brass Fever" that I also found to be quite helpful.

Talk about it
Explicitly state “I don’t want action on this – we’re just considering options”
Be critical of over production and gold plating
Imagine the unintended consequences of your requests taken to their ill-logical extremes
Be clear on your expectations and test for active listening
Remind your people to stay focused on the top priority and not the side issues
Make a point of asking for bad news and thanking the individual who delivers it

I will close with one final phrase from the presentation:

"Remember, the stronger you are as a leader, the greater the threat of Big Brass Fever becomes."

Search Amazon.com for it's your ship

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

Is Military Leadership and Police Leadership Really Similar?...You decide

2010-10-21T12:30:00.000-04:00

I came across this link to a story in reference to the differences of police leadership and its comparison to military leadership. I found it so intriguing that I could not resist reposting here for others to view. Would love to hear comments from anyone that a view about this topic.

It is only fitting that I give credit and refer to the site for which I found it... www.policefuturists.org . Appears to be a truly spectacular site as well.

http://www.policefuturists.org/pdf/The_Myth_of_the_Military_Model_ofLeadership_in_Law_Enforcement.pdf

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

Airmen...Our Number One Mission

2010-09-19T23:20:00.003-04:00

I've seen it over and over again. An airman makes a mistake and then the reprimands begin, "He should know better," says one sergeant. "Put a letter of counseling in his file." says another sergeant. "Let's not recommend him for promotion." says even another sergeant, etc., etc. To me, these are all examples of when root cause analysis should be done. It seems as process improvement professionals, it is easy to get hyperfocused on processes, but in reality, I believe people should be our main focus. If an airman makes a mistake, whose fault is it really? What is the root cause of the airman's mistake? Can we do a five why analysis and determine the root cause? A fishbone diagram perhaps? Perhaps the root cause is a lack of good leadership from their initial onboarding. We often say and hear that our people are our greatest assets. If that is true, and I believe it is, then they should have an entire team of professionals ensuring their individual success. Not unlike an F-15 fighter crew. I can assure you, if something goes wrong with an airplane, the crew works diligently to attack the problem, and get it back ready for flight as soon as possible...they don't blame the plane !Same should be true for our young Airmen. When something goes wrong, supervisors need to ensure they are doing everything possible to help them be successful. Never start off blaming the airman. For example, it should never take two to three months for a new airman to show up on my pay roster after being reassigned from student flight. I should never have an airman come to me and tell me he has not been paid for the last three drills. I should never have an airman tell me that his hotel reservation did not get reserved properly, therefore he has to pay the full rate himself. I think you get the idea. If these recurring issues were happening to our birds we would have serious issues. Fortunately, we treat our planes with high regard, as they are one of our greatest assets; second only to our Airmen! The moral to the story is simple. If we treat our Airmen like our greatest asset, even better than we treat our planes, then we are assured we will maintain air superiority...have you made developing Airmen your number one mission?

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at Billy@Leanleaders.org

It's always about the people

2010-08-03T17:47:00.001-04:00

Recently, someone asked me what I thought to be the biggest mistake of a manager. I believe that managers can get so caught up with processes that they forget about the people. People are what drives an organization. People are not machines, they are emotional. A manager needs to be able to sense the emotional response of the people around him, then respond in a positive way that helps the person stay on track while working within their process. Behaviour of the workforce changes whenever there is a significant emotional event...good or bad. You'll see it at work a lot. Someone is going through a divorce, their work product is impacted. Someone gets engaged, also impacts their work product. As a manager myself, I have found my job to be less about the processes I am responsible for, and more about the people reponsible for carrying out the work. When I think of servant leadership, this quote comes to mind..."I work for my people, but I report to my boss."

Search Amazon.com for servant leadership greenleaf

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Emotional Intelligence...The Hidden Component of Great Organizations

2010-07-28T05:48:00.000-04:00

Daniel Goleman, Author of Emotional Intelligence wrote, "The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds."

After my brain quit hurting from reading this, I started to understand what he meant. So, I decided to take the quote and break it down into a leadership perspective. Here goes:

1) "The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice" - I was in a meeting not long ago with some very high ranking individuals. In the blink of an eye, a well thought out decision made by a process improvement team was overturned. The high ranking individuals gave little reason. Basicially, they limited their thinking to what they "failed to notice." That a team of highly skilled people already came up with a good solution, which addressed the same concerns that they were citing. I have to wonder, how engaged will this team be once they go back to their normal work environments? How much extended damage did these, "leaders" just do by "failing to notice" someone else's hard work? Certainly, decisions need careful review by leadership. But, careful review and servant leadership models show that dialogue between leadership and the people who do the job should take place before overturning and disempowering a team. Only then will they believe that you care, and trust you as a leader.

2) "And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds." - The "leaders" in part one are not bad people. Nor do I consider them to be poor leaders necessarily. Having worked with them, I have come to understand the constraints on their time. I also understand that law enforcement, by its very nature, is a system known for quick decision making. In several instances, this can be a very good thing, as hesitation can get someone killed.

As the second sentence reads, they simply failed to notice what they failed to notice. Leaders sometimes do not recognize the impact of their decisions on the people that do the work, until long after they have made their decision, if ever. This equates to the beginning of, 'What were they thinking," by line personnel. After that, the shut down starts. Line personnel and middle managers quit offering ideas because they believe, "leadership" doesn't care about what I say anyway. Leadership then starts to believe people need constant guidance since they never offer solutions. Line personnel then start feeling micromanaged and disengage...it goes on and on and on, until you have a culture of followers. This happens until one day, a leader realizes that he "failed to notice" an important factor in his decision...input from the people that do the job. From then on, he becomes the people's advocate.

How much do your leaders,"fail to notice?" What is your organization doing to realign and prevent this from happening in the future? Do you have the courage to tell leaders that they are "failing to notice?" Someone's I can only ...Ponder.

Search Amazon.com for emotional intelligence

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Leaders and Managers

2010-07-26T09:58:00.001-04:00

Leaders have a vision, along with the charisma (art of influence and persuasion), and trust (down to someone's core belief system) of people to buy into that vision. The manager then takes the processes involved in making that vision a reality and ensures that they are performed in an efficient, and effective manner, while constantly doing his best to keep the workforce engaged.

Search Amazon.com for leadership and the one minute manager

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

MBWA = Management by Walking Around

2010-07-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

Whether you wear stripes, bars, or stars on your shirt, the environment needed for open communication begins with you. Unfortunately, it is easy to become over-directive in our management styles when burdened with deadlines and our other "important" issues. With so much going on, who has time for idle chat, right? Well, it should be you. After all, if the manager/leader is too busy to take time to listen, then how can subordinates ever value listening as a leadership trait.

I have a coffee pot that sits in my office. I seldom ever use it. Instead, I get coffee from a pot that is shared with several others in the work area. "Why," you ask. Because it gives me a reason to get away from my desk, go to an area where I will see people I work with, and start smalltalk...yes, smalltalk.

In order to initiate and sustain positive change, managers/leaders have to be able to get buy-in from those that do the job every day. To get buy-in, a manager/leader must first build trust. Trust starts by letting people know that you truly care about them. A good manager/leader should always be interested in how someone's day is going, and if there is anything they can do to assist.

People are naturally emotional. If someone's day started out bad before they came to work, then it will most likely continue to be bad at work. This may lead to loss of productivity, or poor work quality throughout the rest of the day. How many rudeness complaints could agencies avoid with this simple philosophy? But what about lost productivity by walking so far for coffee you ask. Think of it this way. We like to say that our people are our biggest asset. Then think of them as you would any other asset...such as your 401k. By managing your 401k properly, and by making deposits at regular intervals, you ensure the best return possible. People are no different. A good manager/leader invests his time and energy in his people, and the rewards of trust and loyalty are overwhelming. Your taking time to allow someone to vent may set them on a course for a better day. Cheerfulness is contagious.

I often hear the term, "it's not what you know, but who you know." I twist it around a little..."it's not who you know, but who you know that likes you." You can know lots of people, but if they all think you are difficult to be around, they are less likely to offer help when you need it. They will eventually disengage and only perform at minimum levels. Law enforcement needs and deserves people who strive to go above and beyond...the community deserves it too.

So, get up and go get a cup of coffee already!

Search Amazon.com for trust

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Starting Your Lean Six Sigma Program? - Try Email

2010-07-18T10:56:00.001-04:00

Not long ago, I was emailed and asked a few questions by an agency Captain about Lean Six Sigma. Here is a brief article that highlights a few of his questions.

-------------------------------------

Hello Billy,

This is a very interesting concept you have implemented at your department. I had just placed the question to may group when I found you on Linkedin. How similar is this mythology to problem-oriented policing? What was the learning curve for the officers when you first established this program? How does a agency get started in a program of this nature? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Captain

---------------------------

Hi Captain,
It is truly a pleasure when we hear of other agencies looking to start down the LEAN road. I will do my best to answer your questions, but I believe it is fair to say that every agency, or company, is unique. That being said, police tend to be police minded wherever they go. My experience is that everything revolves back around to the belief system of the troops. If they trust the administration, they will believe in LEAN. If they believe it is in their best interest, they will believe in LEAN, etc., etc. It is also fair to say that it may come with a fair amount of resistance due to the poor execution of Total Quality Management (TQM), that was pushed in the nineties.

1) How similar is this mythology to problem-oriented policing?
Although Lean Six Sigma uses a problem solving model (DMAIC - define, measure, analyze, improve, control), similar to that used in problem oriented policing or community policing (SARA - scan, analyze, response, assess), the approach is somewhat different. Overall, our agency is tasked with building relationships with the community to determine root causes of crimes and the fear of, through the use of community partnerships and policing strategies. Lean Six SIgma is more of an internal process review geared towards making the way we do business better. I.e., process for filing cases, process for reducing overtime costs, saving fuel, transportation of prisoners, etc. It is geared arounf the 8 types of waste used for LEAN thinking, and the quality statndards contained within six sigma. So, they are similar in many ways, but different as well.

2) What was the learning curve for the officers when you first established this program?
The learning curve is relatively small. We have a 4 hour orientation that all employees reveive upon being hired. We have also made it a part of our leaderhsip development academy. The issue is not so much the learning curve of the material, but the sustainment of the mindset that goes back to the belief system that is in place...the culture. Will your officers believe this to be a fad? is it something they are being forced to do? Will leadership champion the movement? All are questions that will arise once you start down the path. We (JSO) are nowhere near where we want to be with LEAN. Basically, if we had a continuous improvement culture, we would not need a continuous improvement unit. This will most likely take several years.

3) How does a agency get started in a program of this nature?
I highly recommend searching for a consortioum similar the the Jacksonville Lean Consortium. If one is not available in your area, try searching for the local MEP (manufacturers entension partnership). Also, many times other portion of loval government have already started a similar program. For instance, our local Air National Guard base, and local electric and water utility have well designed programs in place with experts in the field of LEAN Six Sigma, just a field trip or phone call away. The EPA has also created an excellent guide for governement agecies. Here is their link.

http://www.epa.gov/lean/starterkit/index.htm

In the end, all of this comes down to having a committed leader that is willing to champion the culture change. Without buy - in from the top, a successful program is highly unlikely.

Hope that is helpful,

Billy

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 21 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Hats off to the Environmental Protection Agency - A Government Model for LEAN

2010-07-10T11:20:00.000-04:00

For those of us involved with "LEAN" it is easy to understand the challenges that come from starting a process improvement program from the ground floor. I would like to personally thank the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for providing such a great model for all government agencies to follow. There website is a great resource, packed full with examples of how they are applying "LEAN" principles, and even give a free download for their "Lean in Government Starter Kit."

To all at the EPA - I salute you for being the leaders you have shown yourselves to be, and thank you for helping government agencies, the world over, rethink the way they do business.

Here is a link to their "Lean in Government Starter Kit."

http://www.epa.gov/lean/starterkit/index.htm

Search Amazon.com for lean in government

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Five Why...The Voice of the Next Generation

2010-07-07T16:44:00.000-04:00

The "Y" generation is definitely living up to its name. Why, why, why...everything is why these days. It appears that the good old days of say it and obey it are over and behind us. Blind faith leadership is becoming a thing of the past. Personally, I say thank goodness. After all, as Colin Powell said, "if you have a yes man working for you, one of you is redundant." Yes men, and women, add no value to problem solving. This is not to be confused with the need for command structure on a emerging emergency scene. But, when there is time, "WHY" has its place.
Today's challenges are more complex than ever before. With twitter, facebook, linkedin, google, iPhone, etc., technology is changing the way we interact with the world, and the "Y" generation is changing the way we once blindly accepted the status quo. This generation will redefine problem solving. By not being afraid to ask why, they will learn instinctually how to solve problems at the root cause level. They force the previous generations to intelligently support their methods of doing business with facts. And when they can't, this forces them to change. Without even realizing it, the "Y" generation is leading us into the future...thereby demonstrating their true ability to lead. I'm excited that we have young police officers and military members, willing to stand up and ask the hard questions...keep it up!

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About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Training Leaders to think LEAN

2010-06-24T21:05:00.000-04:00

Since 2004, Sheriff John Rutherford has being fostering a culture of continuous improvement throughout the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO). With over 3000 employees having received initial roll out training, a full fledged division that bears the continuous improvement title, a dedicated steering committee comprised of top level executives to help ensure every project's success, and now as part of the JSO Leadership Development Academy. It's no wonder things are going so well in Jacksonville.
In the years to come, JSO will be dedicating resources towards training the leaders of tomorrow. Topics include Situational Leadership II, Emotional Intelligence, Continuous Improvement philosophies such as LEAN and Six Sigma, as well as demonstrating how each are directly related to the Sheriff's recurring theme of "can I trust you?" "are you committed to excellence?" and "do you care about me?" This piece is presented by the Sheriff himself. How is that for Lean Leadership?
Many agencies and corporations are focusing on JSO as a leading agency in LEAN thinking. Notice the word "thinking?" Yes, to be part of the culture it needs to be something that is a part of your everyday thought process. LEAN is a way of thinking, not just doing. But, thinking and doing go hand in hand. After all, LEAN has a bias for action..to get people thinking LEAN...start doing LEAN.
Several people have asked me for the slide show that we present during our leadership academy, so I have included it below. Some of the links may be inoperable, but if you read, "It's Your Ship" by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff, you will be able to fill in most of the gaps...enjoy!

Search Amazon.com for lean government

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Everything leads back to the overall project...Engaging Employees

2010-06-06T16:54:00.001-04:00

I have facilitated and experienced the benefits of Lean Six Sigma in both military and law enforcement. My experience tells me this. Everyone looking at making improvements, whether in the corporate setting, or in the public service sector, have one, and only one, main overarching project...figuring out how to get its workforce engaged enough to recognize opportunities for positive change on behalf of the customer, then being empowered to act upon those opportunities...in essence, it is the culture of the organization that is the project we should all be looking into making better. Every project I have been associated with, is really attributable to the main project...culture change. Certainly, not everyone will want to be a LEAN Facilitator or Six Sigma Black Belt, nor should they be. But, at some point, everyone seems to remember those days when we were all the newbies, sitting by idly as crazy things happened daily and made us go....hmmmmm, I wonder why they do that instead of just doing (insert your experience here). We then tell ourselves, I reckon they know what they are doing since they have been here the longest. From there on out, it became a shut up and listen, do what you are told atmoshere. This is the root cause of every project...A lack of a Continuous Improvement Culture...so herein lies the challenge for leadership. Are your people empowered enough to make change when necessary? Have you taught how to recognize when the need arises? Food for thought.

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

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Thanks Chief, but you really aren't in charge...The talk that has to happen

2010-06-05T11:19:00.000-04:00

Thanks Chief, but you really aren't in charge...The talk that has to happen.

In most organizations there are several layers of decision makers. Each layer has more authority to make decisions than the one before. Military and law enforcement know this to be called, "chain of command."

Several times, I have had a high ranking individual come to me and inquire about starting an improvement project. Sounds simple enough doesn't it? After all, who doesn't want to help someone make a process better? Unfortunately, I am left telling that high ranking person that their authority is too limited for the project to be successful. Being much lower in rank than they are can make this a very intimidating conversation to have, but still very necessary.

When it comes to making improvements, the facilitator has to have total honesty and integrity, which requires being very candid with everyone involved. Without these elements, almost all projects are doomed for failure. As a facilitator, Six Sigma Black Belt, or whatever title you go by in your organization, remember that you work directly for the CEO's best interest. Be careful about getting reeled into the idea that since someone that outranks you wants something done, then you have no choice but to do it. This will eventually lead to your demise and destroy the credibility of your process improvement program.

Speak the truth to all you meet. Let them know who the Champion would be for the improvement they want to make. Have them leave your conversation with the understanding that you will help in any way possible, including setting up a meeting with your agency Champion. Without the Champion's buy in from the inception of the project, you run the risk of failure when new ideas are brought forward that he/she was not ready to pursue. This will in turn tell every member of the improvement team that process improvement doesn't work and was a waste of their time...don't let that happen.

If the Chief, or other high ranking person believes themselves to be the decision maker, take the hard road and inform them why they aren't...your program will thank you.

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

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Know the Goal...Are you being productive, or are you just busy?

2010-05-10T16:28:00.000-04:00

"In the absence of clearly-defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily trivia until ultimately we become enslaved by it." Quote by Robert Heinlein, US science fiction author (1907 - 1988)

Many times I will read a quote and reflect on how much it lends towards a LEAN, process improvement philosophy of leadership and everyday good business. This quote by Robert Heinlein is one of those with which I can definitely identify.

I challenge you to ask yourself, "how many meetings do I go to where I leave still wondering why we had the meeting?" This happens more often than you may think. I will receive several meetings requests a month from several different people, on an array of topics. Something I have noticed is that few meeting requests ever have any notes included about the topic, goals of the meeting, expected outcome or benefits, etc. Or, more importantly to me, why was I invited and what is the expectation from my input?

After reading the quote it is apparent that this is a large phenomena that reaches well beyond my agency. It is most likely in all forms of business around the globe. And yes, it goes well beyond the unclear meeting requests. Lack of clearly defined goals seem to be a constant driver for "busy work." The important piece to this is teaching managers and leadership the difference between being busy and being productive. Trust me, they are not always synonymous.

About the Author: William "Billy" Wilkerson is a Police Sergeant with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and 20 Year veteran with the Florida Air National Guard. He is currently assigned to Sheriff's Office Continuous Improvement Division and also supervises the Staff Inspections Unit. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has been using Lean Six Sigma to streamline many of its processes for the past several years to much success. Billy has also been assisting with the Florida Air National Guard's rollout of their CPI Program (Continuous Process Improvement). Billy can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billywilkerson or by email at 7388wtw@gmail.com .

Search Amazon.com for Robert Heinlein

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office On the Cutting Edge

2010-03-19T11:56:00.000-04:00

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office On the Cutting Edge

LeanBlog Podcast #60 – Lt. Randy Russell, Lean in Law Enforcement, Part 2

2010-03-17T17:33:00.000-04:00

LeanBlog Podcast #60 – Lt. Randy Russell, Lean in Law Enforcement, Part 2

What's in your leadership toolbox? Is it enough?

2010-03-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

Supervisors never "earn" the privilege to be disrespectful to subordinates simply because they have achieved a higher rank. This can be an indication that they have been promoted beyond their ability to lead and digress to using intimidation as a resource to get things done. If you find yourself using positional authority to get things done, it might be time to re-evaluate the tools that are in your leadership toolbox.

We Need Leaders Like This to Succeed

2010-03-13T23:17:00.002-05:00

Lean Six Sigma for Law Enforcement takes more than just a group of people that can interpret data or write up a good business case case. It takes great leaders who are willing to create and champion a climate for change. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Sheriff John Rutherford, is such a leader. Sheriff Rutherford understands the difficult challenges that a culture shift brings with it, and discusses some of those challenges during his speech at the 2007 Shingo Awards.

Click the hyperlink below to watch Sheriff Rutherford's speech:

Sheriff John Rutherford's speech at the 2007 Shingo Awards

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We are now on Facebook too!

2010-03-13T14:49:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone, we are happy to announce our new Facebook page "Lean Six Sigma for Law Enforcement"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lean-Six-Sigma-for-Law-Enforcement/389408743012?v=wall&ref=ts

We hope you will add us to your Facebook fan pages soon!

Thanks all...Billy

Are you thinking "BIG" picture when looking at your processes?

2010-03-06T01:07:00.001-05:00

Do you work for a police department, or a law enforcement agency? Yes, they are essentially the same, but the title can portray significant differences. A police department is just that...Police. A law enforcement agency, on the other hand, can be described as full service, having police, corrections, court security and several other agency operated support services. Why is this important to Lean Six Sigma you ask? Here is why.

When looking at changes throughout a department, one needs to be able to understand the "BIG" picture. When a process is developed, or redesigned with a new future state, be sure that all departments within the agency were thought of before putting the new process in play. This will help ensure the best possible outcome for the agency overall. Time and time again it seems to happen. Someone spends a lot of valuable time and effort on a project, only to realize that they scoped it to include only their department. All the while, another part of the agency could have used a similar solution. If not caught early on, this can lead to several types of waste, to include competing solutions or duplication of efforts, or worse yet, never even realizing that there was a need somewhere else. Don't worry, you are not alone. My agency, your agency, and every other agency out there does it, or probably has in the past...it's the nature of the beast.

About 13 years ago our agency developed a report writing application that made it possible for Police Officers to send General Offense Reports and Arrest and Booking Reports wirelessly, to a supervisor for approval, where it was then saved on a server. This was a huge milestone for us, and today, some agencies are still not to this point yet. But, we totally forgot about our Corrections Department. While the Police Officers were enjoying the paperless system of sending electronic reports from laptop computers in their vehicles, our 800 plus Corrections Officers were still writing reports on a piece of paper. How did they get left out? Why did no one notice, or correct the error, after all these years? Well, there are probably several different answers. The fact of the matter is that when the original system was built, the scope of the project was not broad enough to include the Corrections Department.

Finally, after 13 years, our Corrections Officers are transitioning to our paperless reporting system. Many of these Corrections Officers will become Police Officers in the future. Now, they will bring with them the same report writing skill set that Police Officers learn when they get hired. They will start their new positions ahead of the learning curve. This will allow them to concentrate more closely on other issues during Police Recruit training.

This lack of "BIG" picture thinking is what we call a missed opportunity, or the cost of poor quality. How far did 13 years of missed training and lack of data analysis for an entire department set our agency back on it's journey to be premiere? No one really knows, because you never miss what you never had, right? But, I think everyone agrees that electronic reports should have come to our Corrections Department long ago.

Here is the lesson...think "BIG" picture, then scope down as needed. It is better to include too many people when discussing a new project, than to wish you had included them several years later. Transparency can be your allie.

Difference of making decisions versus coming to conclusions

2010-03-04T10:59:00.002-05:00

Difference of making decisions versus coming to conclusions – real leaders have to make decisions, not just conclusions. Decisions involve a higher degree of calculated risk…anyone can wait long enough and gather enough details to come to a reasonable conclusion. Leaders blend limited subject data, agency core values, voice of internal and external customers, and an overall sense of doing the right thing to form their decisions…even then, they are flexible enough to reshape their decisions when new information comes in…Remember, LEAN has a bias for action. People need to know you are decisive. Make your decision, give purpose and meaning to the troops for how you made the decision, and move on. If they give you additional input...listen to them, and be willing to change the decision...this is the essence of continuous improvement...quick, decisive, incremental improvements.

Being a leader takes courage

2010-03-03T11:39:00.002-05:00

Leadership is not always easy...It means taking calculated risks and showing trust in those who do the job to help come up with better solutions and ways to do business. Some debate that push back from leadership isn't so much a lack of trust in subordinates to come up with good answers, but more of having to face the reality that the best solutions were not theirs.

Sergeant Billy Wilkerson Discusses Lean Six Sigma for Law Enforcement on Blogtalkradio

2010-02-25T22:12:00.002-05:00

On March 4, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Sergeant William Wilkerson, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, on Lean Six Sigma for Law Enforcement.

Program Date: March 4, 2010

Program Time: 1530 Hours Pacific

Topic: Lean Six Sigma for Law Enforcement

Listen Live: http://www.americanheroesradio.com/lean_six_sigma_law_enforcement.html

http://events.linkedin.com/Lean-Six-Sigma-Law-Enforcement/pub/221086

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees

2010-01-11T15:25:00.000-05:00

Lean Six Sigma has special challenges in organizations that have a military styled rank structures. I have personally experienced this as a representive of a law enforcement agency and as a military guardsman. Recently, I have had the good fortune of making the acquaintance or Retired Colonel Billy Asbell, former Director for the Air National Guard's Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program (AFSO21). AFSO21 is the Air Force program geared towards Lean Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies used for years in the public sector. For a more detailed breakdown of the AFSO21 program, this link may prove helpful:

https://acc.dau.mil/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=140227&lang=en-US

Since getting to get to know Colonel Asbell, I was inclined to draw from his years of experience in the military, coupled with his expertise as Director of the AFSO21 program. He was kind enough to give a response to an email that I sent him regarding rank structure and its effect on empowering employees towards continuous improvement. He graciously allowed me to post that email to this blog. For that I am forever grateful. Leadership such as his is what has made, and continues to make, the United States of America the greatest country in the world. Below are the details of the email, titled:

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees

Colonel, as you may know, law enforcement is considered to be "para-military" in that it has a rank structure, consisting of line personnel, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Assistant Chiefs, Chiefs, Directors, etc. I am curious of what someone with your extensive background in CPI could offer as insight as to how the rank structure effects empowerment of the line officers and middle ranks, and how it it relates to CPI. This seems to be a major issue and something that is holding several agencies back from making major leaps forward with its culture change.

Basically, what does an empowered employee look like in a large rank structured organization, how should leaders learn to recognize these traits, and how do we foster that culture to get us out of the "yes man" mentality that the rank structure claims it needs to keep order?

Here is Colonel Asbell's Response:

Billy - you are right - this is a challenge and it takes leadership committment from the top to make it work.

First you have to get leadership - at all levels - to buy off on the idea that "if they had the answer they would just put it in place - if it is a problem obviously then they don't have the answer so they have to support what ever the subject matter experts come up with..." This is hard but it works. I have seen process owners say this but not do it when the decisions are hard - nothing changes. I have seen ones that mean what they say and hold the team resposible if their solutions don't work to fix them so they will and success goes thru the roof. Here is the approach i take.

1 - when the problem is identified sit down the the process owner and write out a charter for process improvement. You can usually tell in the meeting if they really think it is a problem or if someone told them it was a problem. I normally tell them right then - you have to let the subject matter experts fix this because you don't have the answer - you, as the process owner have to tell them that you don't have the answer and that you will try/accept any solution they provide as long as it does not violate safety and/or cost over x amount of dollars. I state - if you can't do this without reservation then we don't need to address the issue now.

2 - when you have that committment then I do some awareness training with the supervisors - since I will use the front line workers to change the process - I want the supervisors to understand what is going to happen and how they need to support it. I like to do the airplane exercise with them (sure Linda taught you that) so they can see how things can be broken. It is fun to add some goofy rules to the exercise so they can see the impact of policy.

3 - on the first day of the project - the process owner and any supervisors should all meet with the team members and empower them - I usually draft out key points for them to say. The main ones are 1) you are the experts 2) you know what works 3) this is broken I can't fix it 4) I need solutions from you 5) I will support your solutions as long as they do not violate safety or cost over x dollars. The last statement should be "I expect you to fix this problem."

4 - if you do an RIE the mid week vector check with the process owner should be positive - you need to brief the process owner on the key changes being discussed PRIOR to the meeting and tell them they CANNOT MAKE ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS - "we can't do that, that is stupid, what are you smoking, etc." All comments should be directed at them being on track or not based on the charter - and discussion of the discussion looks very good.

5 - outbrief - the process owner has to go in with acceptance in mind - they have to say - this looks good - I am behind you getting this done - they should know who the team leader is and turn to them and say - I am holding you accountable for success of this change. It works great when they set a review schedule in the meeting. The process owner needs to say to the team - if your solutions don't work - I want you to continue to work until you fix this - turning back is not an option.

6 - Then there is the follow up - you or whomever is the CPI lead needs to make sure a tracking mechinism is in place so that you leadership champion can hold the process owners accountable for their projects.

Finally, you have to look at the CPI or LSS projects as outside the chain activities - the only command structure is focused on the process owner and up to the champion. Consider it a detail in LEAN terms - these folks have this side detail that reports thru a different chain. It does work.

Hope that helps.

Billy (aka George "Billy" Asbell, Colonel, USAF, Retired)

Colonel Asbell's profile can be found on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/billyasbell

Are you a leader, or do you just outrank other people?

2010-01-08T20:04:00.000-05:00

Those in positions of authority have the ability to forge the belief system within those they outrank and are meant to serve. When the belief system is one of trust and respect great things can happen...these are key ingredients of servant leadership. When the belief system falls to the level of fear of retaliation and distrust, catastrophic results can occur quickly...hence the arrival of the "yes man" culture. Remember, the higher your rank, the more weight your words and actions have on the belief system within those you outrank...choose your words and actions carefully, as the crew is watching and listening closely to everything you say and do.

Social Media is Changing the Way We Work

2009-12-21T10:50:00.000-05:00

You've heard all the latest buzzwords going around the office...Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, Youtube, Flickr, the list goes on, and on, and on. Many of us have transitioned from hearing these buzzwords, better known as social media sites or networks, to being active participants in their usage. In a recent meeting with some of my agency's top executives, one of them inquired about the usage of social media by employees during work hours. While the details of that conversation are interesting, the more important aspect is that social media is now becoming a part of our culture; regardless if it is endorsed by the agency or not.
Seeing such monumental advancements in such communications media, causes me to ask the question...How will social media change the way law enforcement, the judicial system, or businesses and corporations around the globe do day to day business? Let me be clear as to what I am trying to get across. I'm not saying that every company should endorse employees use of social media at work, or that every company start a Facebook page. What I am wondering is if this type of social media, this engagement of employees, can be capitalized in a way that could make the way we do the business of law enforcement change forever. How can we turn the way we communicate internally and externally, into something that our employees, along with our judicial partners, embrace. How can a social network assist in creating a "LEAN" law enforcement culture?
It seems the more I ask these seemingly obvious questions, the more interesting the concept becomes. Let's forward twenty years or so. Every agency has a website, every officer has a blog, every employee interacts with eachother and the judicial system staff through a social network. Same goes for every business from Microsoft, to Google, to Joe's fish market on the corner. Every cell phone will have internet as a standard feature, along with GPS, and any other advanced feature of today. Cell phones will never have "dead spots." Every five year old will have a cell phone before registering for kindergarten. Home phones will be virtually non existent, as they will be replaced with cell phones, also known as smart phones. Every major corporation will have custom made applications specific to their employees and customer markets. Every vehicle manufactured will have a SIM card, allowing it to be tracked in real time by either the owner, or by law enforcement if stolen. Google maps will be in real time availability for law enforcement, and be able to be rewound to capture specifics to crimes that have occurred; I call this "virtual surveillance." The possibilities are limited only to the imagination...where do you see technology fitting in with your agency?
The key to the story is this, change in the way we do business is occurring whether we like it or not. The best thing for us all is to learn new technologies, and learn how to use them to the betterment of our agencies, and the communities we serve. For an interesting illustration of how social networking it now a part of culture visit http://www.theconversationprism.com/, it is quite impressive.

Tips on Better Law Enforcement Data Integration, By Stephen G. Serrao, Captain, New Jersey State Police (ret.)

2009-12-16T14:17:00.001-05:00

Tips on Better Law Enforcement Data Integration

By Stephen G. Serrao, Captain, New Jersey State Police (ret.)

In the aftermath of 9/11, many law enforcement agencies sought to establish new data repositories to capture information, such as Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR, also known as Tips & Leads), Organized Crime Intelligence, Counter-terrorism Intelligence, and even Web-based and electronic document open-source data. There was a strong focus on collecting new and previously unknown information.

The last three years has seen a shift, however. Quite a few agencies – perhaps a result of the growth of Fusion Centers – are equally interested in setting up information management systems that can mine existing data repositories that they have been populating with records for many years.

A big reason for this shift may have to do with N-DEX (National Data Exchange), the FBI’s criminal justice information-sharing platform. N-DEX is a national system that enables law enforcement agencies to share non-intelligence information much more easily. Such information sharing aids in catching criminals as well as identifying trends and patterns to help prevent crimes and terrorist attacks.

Here are some of the best practices that agencies have been employing:

Use a single-source portal for examining different types of law enforcement data. Such a system empowers intelligence officers and staff with the capabilities of examining all the data in one place, using the same data mining tools without the need to log on and off different systems

Ensure that the system is N-DEX compliant

Avoid “home-grown” systems that often fail to capitalize on the wealth of thought leadership that has been generated in law enforcement circles

Leverage experienced practitioners and their technologies to ensure compliance with civil liberty, privacy and other statutes

Data integration is the beginning – not the end – of sound law enforcement practices.

Captain Stephen G. Serrao is a former New Jersey State Police Counterterrorism Bureau Chief, and now helps shape the direction of intelligence management software as Director of Product Management, Americas Region for Memex, Inc., a worldwide provider of intelligence management, data integration, search and analysis solutions (www.memex.com). Serrao can be reached at steve.serrao@memex.com.

A Tale of Two "Lean" Cities

2009-12-12T23:16:00.000-05:00

In August 2009, I had the distinct honor of facilitating a Rapid Improvement Event with the Alaska Air National Guard, 176 WG. Being a guardsman for the past 20 years, I have come to look forward to these short, but very beneficial trips to new places. The Air Force started its Continuous Process Improvement initiative a fews ago, marketed under the acronym "AFSO21" (Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century). This trip provided an opportunity for me to use my facilitation skills for the betterment of my country. But, this trip was ever more special to me.

Deputy Chief Steve Smith, Anchorage Alaska Police Department, had previously reached out to my full time employer, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, to inquire about implementing "Lean." Recognizing the once in a lifetime opportunity to introduce another law enforcement agency to "Lean" while serving my country at the same time, I quickly invited Deputy Chief Smith to observe our event at the Alaska Air National Guard. I am happy to say that he accepted the invitation.

Since that time great things have happened. Deputy Chief Smith reached out to the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Inc (AMEP), and has started a local Lean Consortium, very similar to the Jacksonville Lean Consortium, which the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is a member.

To read the story in the Jacksonville Lean Consortium's newletter, click here.

Roll Call of Fallen Officers...FOP 5-30 Donates New Memorial Wall

2009-12-12T16:16:00.001-05:00

In May 2009, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Continuous Improvement Unit conducted a 7S event focused on the Police Memorial Building (PMB) entrances. During the event, Team Leader, Sgt. Johnny Mike, asked the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) to update the Wall of Honor at the Bay Street entrance. The 7S event created an excellent opportunity to bring attention to our fallen brothers. All costs for the new wall were paid for by the FOP, Lodge 5-30.

Manchester Police..."Leans" to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for best practices

2009-12-12T15:45:00.001-05:00

Emma Jeffcock, a researcher with the Greater Manchester Police Department, Manchester, England, is conducting research in the United States related to "Lean" in law enforcement. Emma will be in the U.S. for six months visiting various agencies that are incorporating "Lean" methodology as a part of their business practices. According to Emma, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is a role model for other agencies trying to implement "Lean." Shown in the picture above is Emma Jeffcock, left, and Jacksonville, Florida Sheriff John Rutherford, right. Sheriff Rutherford presented Emma with his signature, "Riding for the Brand" coin. The coin is given to those who give to the community by upholding the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office core values of Worthy of Trust, Respect for Others, Community Focused, and Always Improving. Sheriff Rutherford is the first known head of a law enforcement agency to implement 'Lean"

Go for the "better" solutions, not just the "best" solutions

2009-12-12T14:24:00.002-05:00

How do we get to be the “best?” How do we get to be “THE” premier law enforcement agency in the nation? We get there through continuous, gradual improvements you can make after reviewing and updating processes. This can range from things as simple as organizing the trunk of your patrol car, or learning ways to organize your emails, to large department wide initiatives such as Intelligence Led Policing, such as the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) projects. When making things “better”, it’s natural to try and make the process the absolute “best,” all at one time. But sometimes the “best” solution may rely on long term, strategic solutions or involve resources outside of our immediate control. These solutions can sometimes take months or years to put into action. This is the point where enthusiasm and reality collide. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t keep from trying to make a process “better” just because the “best” solution is not immediately attainable. Remember, a little better is still better. Put the easy fixes in place today, all the while keeping your sights on the long term goals that coincide with being the “best.” Continuous improvement is after all ... continuous.

"Lean Six Sigma" as a Law Enforcement Tool

2009-12-12T13:07:00.000-05:00

Like many of the tools available for law enforcement officers today, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) process improvement methodologies are only as good as the officer's skill level, trained in its use. Firearms, TASERs, pepper spray, batons, are all examples of what law enforcement officers, the world over, are required to achieve proficiency with before hitting the streets on their own. Beyond achieving this proficiency, they must aslo maintain certification with these tools of the trade on a recurring basis. Now, insert LSS as the new tool of this fast paced profession and great things can happen. Keep in mind though that this is simply another tool. Being such, some officers may reach the proficiency level, while some will achieve expert.
Think of your agency's special assignment teams such as Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Community Oriented Policing (COPS), Bicycle Unit, Apartment Tasks Force, School Resource Officers (SRO), etc. Each of these teams require a special type of individual to help the team be most successful. Not all officers can meet the rigorous demands of SWAT, nor does every officer want to ride a bicycle all day or work at a school. The point being, each of these specialized teams tend to draw officers that have a "knack" for what the team exemplifies. These groups of officers will then receive specialized training that goes well beyond the average officers level of proficiency for that particular skillset. The same should be true for LSS.
LSS thinking is somewhat of a new mindset for law enforcement, in general. Sure, we may have all used problem solving policing in the past, but this is different. LSS teaches us to look at all processes within our agency, not just the crime trends and patterns. While It is always a great idea to train as many people as possible to look at the processes that they work in and challenge them, keep in mind, some officers will simply have the "knack" for it. This doesn't make them better police officers than the others, or vice versa. What it could mean is that they should be the ones to receive the advanced LSS training. I highly encourage you to give all officers within your agency the basic skillset and understanding of LSS. Then, sit back and watch as those with a passion for improving the core processes begin to emerge. As they emerge, begin building your specialized LSS teams to attack beauracracy and waste within processes. These special advocates for process improvement will not only deliver the greatest return on investment, but they will also set the best example for the changing mindset that is necessary to sustain a LSS culture.