Session Title:

The Coaching Executive: How Lean Leaders Coach Their Organizations

Facilitator: 

Joe Murli

Session Abstract:

This session is an overview of the elements that comprise the Lean Management System, how they work together to create a system of continuous improvement and how senior leaders can coach their people toward a collaborative problems solving culture.

Traditional organizations manage their people largely through a set of objectives and holding individuals accountable for achieving those objectives through a system of rewards and recognition. While there is generally some importance placed on the methods by which key performance indicators are achieved, those methods are not managed nearly as critically as the objectives for which they were intended.

Lean organizations depend heavily on the management of the processes by which objectives are achieved. Continual performance improvement is achieved through a never ending search for waste in those processes and building capability to identify and solve problems by the entire workforce. While there is still a need for deep expertise in specialty departments the emphasis is on the performance of the entire value stream and the customer which is serves.

The job of creating an environment where problem identification is encouraged, and the mechanisms by which people’s “problem solving muscle” can be continually trained rests on leadership. This is especially related to executive leadership as the tone and culture of the organization is largely shaped by those in senior positions in the organization. In this type of organization the senor leader places equal emphasis on process improvement as they do meeting objectives. This requires management processes and leadership style that is heavily characterized as a coaching role where every opportunity is taken to build problem solving muscle in their organizations. In short every employee interaction is an opportunity to add training, weight, and repetitions to building problem solving capability. No differently than that which would be expected in an athletic endeavor only targeted to intellectual strength at the organizational level.

We will utilize a series of learn-see-do cycles until each element of the LMS is covered along with the leader’s coaching role embedded therein and then examine how the pieces work together to support a problem solving culture typical of a mature lean organization

Course Outline:

  • An overview of popular management systems and their origins
  • Characteristics of Lean organizations, understanding the target condition
  • Summary overview of the Lean Management System, the conditions under which it was developed, and overview of contemporary mature examples in various segments
  • Deep dive into the leader’s coaching role in each element of the Lean Management System with special emphasis on the components of Leader Standard Work. Specifically:
    • Process walks (gemba)
    • Reflection meetings
    • Abnormality responses (andon)
    • Mentoring
  • An examination of how the elements work together as a system to build a problem identifying and solving culture

Benefits:

Understand leadership roles and responsibilities in the lean transformation process and the day to day management of a mature lean organization. Develop and understanding of what it means to manage an organization that embodies a culture of continuously improving customer value and eliminating waste at every level.

Learn how to distill the elements that have made you a successful leader and disseminate these same skills throughout the entire workforce leveraging capability

You will learn how to unlock the potential demonstrated in the islands of improvement in your company and tie them together into an entire value stream of people focused on improving flow each and every day

As a senior leader you will learn what you have to do to engage in the lean transformation process, beyond delegation and project management, so that performance improvements don’t plateau and true cultural transformation takes place

Who Should Attend?

Senior leaders of any organization that is pursuing the development of a lean thinking culture in any industry. CEO’s and their direct reports are encouraged to attend. Also leaders responsible for developing organizational capability and culture at a macro level.

Intact teams encompassing a cross section of leadership in your company are especially effective.

Facilitator Biography: 

Joe has developed the knowledge of lean concepts and principles over the past 18 years while he held senior leadership positions in domestic and international settings. Through extensive coaching by retired executives from Toyota Motor Company in the early 90’s, Joe developed an aptitude for maximizing product velocity and managing operations through simple visual means. This knowledge was further applied as Joe became General Manager of Chengdu Aerotech, China’s first aviation industry joint venture, and was able to integrate the elements of strategy deployment, organizational development, facility design and Lean into one cohesive business management approach. As Director of North American Operations for Ensign Bickford, he led the Company to win the Shingo Prize for operational excellence. He effectively utilized his knowledge of lean manufacturing to help Sterling Collision Centers grow from a startup to a company with 50 locations nationally (now part of Allstate Insurance Company). As Vice President of Manufacturing for the Kamatics division of Kaman Corporation, he restructured operations to double on-time delivery performance while reducing lead times by 88% for 2/3 of products. Since 2003 he has been helping clients achieve superior operating gains through Murli & Associates SP. Joe has undergraduate degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Accounting from the State University of New York, and Post University respectively. Additionally, he holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut.