"The typical way managers think about major changes is in terms of big programs, armies of consultants, coffee mugs, banners, and weeks of training from fat binders in expensive hotels. We take a much different approach: Start small."
"This went against everything I had learned when I was a manager, but there was a particular day when the lights went on for me. I was working with a guy from Toyota, Scott Borg, who was helping me in the engine plant at Harley-Davidson. Scott was having a hard time getting a point through to me, and I was getting frustrated. Finally, he said, "Let's just take a walk.""
"He took me out to the center of the plant, a 300,000-square-foot area with 800 people at the two main aisles. We called those main aisles Hollywood and Vine. There were people moving everywhere. It was busy. He made me stand there and asked me, "Don, tell me what you see." I noted that it's a busy place. He repeated, "Just tell me what you see." I took a breath and described the scen"
Managers often face many employees working hard while little real work gets completed. Workflow design problems and obstructive process elements prevent effective delivery. Cross-industry solutions exist that focus on practical, local changes rather than grand programs. Major-change approaches rely on consultants, broad campaigns, and extensive training, but small, targeted experiments produce faster learning and improvement. Observing frontline work, walking the workspace, and asking simple, direct questions uncover hidden obstacles. Engaging workers in small iterations and removing specific workflow impediments enables steady delivery of real results and continuous operational improvement.
Read at Fast Company
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