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

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

Has "Big Brass Fever" Infected Your Agency

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."

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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

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."


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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

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.

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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

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.

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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

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!

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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

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

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

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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 .

Five Why...The Voice of the Next Generation

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

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!

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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 .

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

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

"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 .

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

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

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

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

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.

Chain of Command and its Effect on Empowering Employees

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

Social Media is Changing the Way We Work

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.

A Tale of Two "Lean" Cities

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

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.