getting started with continuous improvement: lessons and reflections

Mark Graban VP of Customer Success

mark@kainexus.com

Getting Started with Continuous Improvement: Lessons and Reflections

Dr. Gregory Jacobson Chief Product Officer greg@KaiNexus.com

Webinar Logistics •  Presenta(on  (40  minutes)  •  Q&A  (15  minutes)  – Use  the  GoToWebinar    Mee(ng  Panel  to    submit  a  ques(on  at  any  (me  

•  Recording  link  will  be    sent  via  email  

Getting Started is Hard •  We’re  con(nually  improving  our  approach  •  We’re  likely  not  good  at  improvement  ini(ally  – Lack  of  knowledge  (a  liLle  bit  is  dangerous)  – Lack  of  experience  – Reliance  on  “what  ____  says”  instead  of  thinking  

Be Kind to Those Who Are New

•  We  shouldn’t  be  too  hard  on  those  who  are  just  star(ng  – Mistakes  will  be  made    – Good  mistakes  vs.  bad  mistakes  

•  Should  try  to  coach,  not  cri(cize…  –  If  they  are  con(nuing  to  learn  &  improve  

Professional Progressions Practicing Law Practicing Medicine

Certification as an End?

Implementing Lean? Implementing Six Sigma?

Professional Progressions Practicing Law Practicing Medicine

Certification as a Beginning

Practicing Lean Practicing Six Sigma

Over Time…

Learn to Do

Learn to Teach

Learn to Teach How to Teach

Greg’s First Year at Vanderbilt

Lessons Learned •  Permission  and  encouraged  to  implement  Kaizen  at  the  top  leader  posi(on  

•  I  went  to  the  front  staff  •  Completely  le[  out  everyone  in  between  •  Change  Management  Issue  

Positive Lessons •  Front  line  staff  can  be  easily  trained  •  Guide  them  specifically  •  Don’t  get  lost  in  the  tools  •  Baby  Steps  •  Develop  Habits  

Mark’s First Year at GM

Lessons Learned •  Too  “me  driven”  instead  of  team  driven  •  We  were  generally  implemen(ng  tools  •  Didn’t  track  ideas  visually  •  Spent  too  much  (me  playing  with  simula(ons  –  Find  the  “right”  answer  or  use  PDSA?  

•  Didn’t  build  great  rela(onships  with  front-­‐line  supervisors  (“old  school”)  

•  Be  careful  about  gecng  emo(onal  

Positive Lessons •  Build  rela(onships  with  employees  &  union  leaders  •  You  can  go  against  the  grain  of  “the  culture”  –  Engaging  front-­‐line  staff  

•  Learned  quality  &  cost  have  to  go  together  •  Spend  lots  of  (me  in  the  gemba  –  “I  know  what  the  answers  probably  are,  but  they  don’t  know  that  I  know”  

First Year in Healthcare

Lessons Learned •  It’s  OK  to  be  honest  about  what  you  don’t  know  •  Partner  up  with  a  clinician  •  Relied  too  much  on  manufacturing  history  and  factory  examples  at  first  

•  Struggle  to  find  balance  of  do  vs.  teach  – “Go  slow  to  learn”  vs.  “go  fast  to  get  it  done”  

Michael Lombard

@MikeLombard        

http://www.kainexus.com/toyota-kata-with-kainexus

Michael’s First Year of C.I.

Michael’s First Year in Healthcare

Next Webinar

Hosted by: Allan Wilson, CEO Mark Graban, VP of Customer Success

Register at www.KaiNexus.com/webinar

Other Resources

www.KaiNexus.com/webinar

Next Webinar: September 25

blog.KaiNexus.com

Other Resources

www.kainexus.com/ebooks

Q&A Session •  Web:  

–  www.KaiNexus.com  –  Blog.KaiNexus.com    

•  Webinars:  –  www.KaiNexus.com/webinar  

•  Social  media:  –  www.twiLer.com/KaiNexus  –  www.linkedin.com/company/KaiNexus  –  www.facebook.com/KaiNexus  

•  Email:  –  greg@KaiNexus.com  –  mark@KaiNexus.com    

Mark Graban

VP of Customer Success

mark@kainexus.com

Dr. Gregory Jacobson

Chief Product Officer

greg@KaiNexus.com