Session Title: Managing to Learn Facilitator: Tracey Richardson


Session Abstract:

Coaching and mentoring by a leader is an essential role/action in developing engaged thinkers who are empowered to make a difference in their daily work.  Managing to Learn (MTL), written by John Shook, allows participants to experience and understand the thinking and actions behind a good leader and the infrastructure running in the background within a culture of problem solvers. A good coach is present at the gemba (where the work is happening) asking questions regarding the value added processes that support the order to the customer.  In the MTL book we will take a look and summarize the thinking process of the two characters (Porter and Sanderson) as they embark on a coaching journey of the PDCA process and the thinking behind it, which evolves into an A3 (Porters’ 5 iterations). Good coaches/mentors must be a servant leader, one who works for their people ensuring they have the proper resources to be successful. If leaders such as the character “Sanderson” in Managing to Learn are aligning the questions to support the key performance indicators (KPI’s) such as quality, safety, productivity, and cost then they should be asking what should be happening versus what is currently happening vertically and horizontally across the organization. Sanderson encourages Porter throughout this process and participants will get to role play within groups asking similar questions. These questions taught within MTL and within the session should uncover gaps using the participant’s real life problem requested to bring to the session. We will try to measure the participant’s gap(s) and learn to break it down into manageable pieces looking at processes, point of occurrences, and root cause. This coaching and mentoring process should be 50% of the role and responsibility of a leader.

 

At the end of this session, you should be able to understand at a high level:

  • The culture and infrastructure behind the problem solving process (PDCA)
  • The coaching and mentoring process by the characters in MTL (Porter and Sanderson)
  • The role standardization plays in leadership practices/behaviors
  • The daily actions of a Leader/Manager to engage their people in a problem solving/A3
  • Hands on practice in teams playing the role of Sanderson and Porter in the MTL book using their own problem brought to class
  • Practice the first couple of steps of the left side of the A3

 

Participants will be given helpful handouts to ensure they can begin to practice after the conference.

Facilitator Biography: 

Tracey has over 24 years experience in different roles within Toyota and learned lean practices as a Group Leader at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky from 1988-1998. She was one of the first team members hired, with the fortunate opportunity to learn directly from the Japanese trainers. As a Group Leader and Quality Circle Advisor, she learned first-hand about lean tools and culture development. Now, as President of Teaching Lean, Inc. Tracey currently works within Toyota Motor Manufacturing plants and suppliers and other companies on their lean journeys, helping them develop the capabilities of employees – from the team-member level up to company leadership – through problem-solving and aligning daily activities with company business plans (PDCA-hoshin), enabling these companies to create a lean culture that is the foundation for success and long term sustainability. Tracey is an active coach and contributor to LEI’s MTL A3 Dojo available on lean.org. Tracey also teaches several problem-solving and A3 workshops as an LEI faculty member.