OPERATIONAL
CADENCE FUELS SUCCESS
In the numerous high performing
companies I have visited in recent years, one
word keeps popping up: cadence. Systems to recognize
problems, discuss and prioritize them, solve
them, and keep everyone informed are most successful
when they follow an established cadence. The
same is true for communication with employees,
highlighting market and supply chain conditions,
and meeting with customers and suppliers.
Leader Standard Work (LSW) is
the best known and proven method for creating
a cadence to learn, improve, and inform, but
not the only way. Whatever mechanism you use,
it must provide an unquestioned and repeatable
process that clearly communicates and addresses
priorities and expectations.
If you have a monthly "all
hands" meeting, never cancel it. If you
have a daily walk through each department to
listen, learn, and communicate, do not cancel
or reschedule it. Organize outside visits and
other meetings around the cadence you document
and establish. Do not accept excuses for being
unprepared. If someone is out of the building,
s/he is responsible for arranging for her/his
prepared replacement.
Without a predictable cadence,
it is easy for employees to believe that whatever
is hot this minute outweighs everything else.
Without required preparation and attendance,
it is easy to see that the cadenced activity
isn't really important. A company that cannot
maintain a cadence cannot be disciplined in
any other area either. And success requires
discipline. Develop a cadence to add fuel to
your success.
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 24-25, 2010:
Go to Minnesota to prepare for and take the
only Lean
Certification exam validated in North
America. Jointly developed and supported by
AME, SME, Shingo, and ASQ, this 1-1/2 day
exam prep course, followed by the exam itself,
is designed for individuals who believe they
understand lean and have hands-on lean experience.
This event is for the Bronze
(entry) level exam. To become Bronze certified,
you will also need to submit a written portfolio
for examination after passing the test.
September 13-14, 2010:
The Association for Manufacturing Excellence
(AME) is presenting a 2-day workshop on Lean
Product Design for 3P Implementation.
If your company designs new products, this
workshop will introduce you to lean processes
for doing so. Since over 85% of product cost
is determined at design, understanding lean
methodologies for controlling those costs
in the design process is valuable.
October 13 - 15, 2010:
The Supply
Chain Council (SCOR) Executive Summit
will be in Houston, Texas. Presenters include
operations and supply chain executives with
DuPont, Coca-Cola, and Kraft as well as industry
observers (economist, professor, and research
companies).
November 15 - 19, 2010:
Baltimore MD is the host city for the AME
2010 international conference. Don't miss
this opportunity to tour world class operations,
hear from practitioners, participate in small
group workshops, and network with 2000 of
your peers -- people who can help you and
your company move forward with operational
excellence.
THE
POWER OF NETWORKING
It's easy to be too busy to look
outside your operations, but that is deadly
to competitive position. Getting better every
day is important; learning from others adds
speed to that process.
I'm personally uncomfortable at
the social gathering in which attendees tend
to hang with those they already know, especially
when I don't know anyone there. I work on developing
those networking skills, but more frequently
turn to an environment I like better.
Manufacturing companies feel like
home to me. It's easy to discover manufacturers
doing great things. Newspapers, the internet,
and social media all provide information about
innovative and successful companies. Most businesses
we drive by every day can teach us something
and provide a non-threatening environment to
meet and share with peers.
Participating in manufacturing-oriented
associations like AME, or ones local convenient
to your daily commute is one way to meet peers.
Reaching out to management of a company you've
read about to schedule a visit is easy. If not
a competitor, I find most welcome the opportunity.
Customers and suppliers are also easy sites
to visit.
If you are not meeting and visiting
with professionals external to your company
on a regular basis, you are missing a great
opportunity to learn, to share, and to grow.
Make it happen at least once in the next two
months. Then use what you learn to enhance your
competitive position. You don't have to know
everything yourself to build an even greater
company.
FINISH STRONG®
The Starting Pistol
Winston Churchill:
“Courage is what it takes to stand up
and speak; courage is also what it takes to
sit down and listen.”
The Tape
Rebecca Morgan:
"Managers have the first type of courage;
Leaders have mastered the second kind as well."
TALK WITH FULCRUM
VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

ABOUT
REBECCA A. MORGAN
Rebecca A. Morgan has been an authoritative
voice in business operations for over 30 years.
Founder and President of Fulcrum ConsultingWorks,
Inc. her wide-ranging experience includes operations,
supply chain management, accounting systems, information
systems, strategic planning, consulting and academia.
Rebecca held senior management positions with
Stouffer Foods, TRW, Precision Castparts Corporation,
Cleveland Trust (since acquired by KeyBank) and
Perdue Farms. She also taught undergraduate economics
courses for Salisbury State in Maryland and numerous
manufacturing courses for other colleges and universities.
She has owned and operated her consulting business
since 1990.
Rebecca holds BA and MS degrees in Economics
and has completed additional post-graduate work
in Business Administration. She is Board Approved
in Operations Management by the Society for Advancement
of Consulting and is certified as a Fellow by
The Association for Operations Management (APICS).
She contributes generously of her time to professional
organizations, including current leadership responsibilities
with international groups: The Association for
Operations Management (APICS), the Association
for Manufacturing Excellence(AME) and the Cleveland
OH based Entrepreneurs Association.
In addition to serving as INC Magazine’s
INC.com Operations Expert for several years, Rebecca’s
expertise is frequently tapped by national and
local publications on topics ranging from lean
manufacturing to steel tariffs to B2B relationships.
To learn more, check out http://www.fulcrumcwi.com/ab_rebecca.htm
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