Why has the DMAIC approach found success in so many organizations and with all types of people and challenges? What does it mean for your industry and customers? As an industry executive and college professor, I have had the privilege of teaching thousands of people across a multitude of industries how to accomplish real positive…

Hiring managers are looking for people who can transition quickly from the university to the working environment. Lean Six Sigma Project management bridges from textbook to workforce. Young engineers and technical leaders who can hit the ground running with knowledge of project management, problem-solving and facilitation skills will rapidly distinguish themselves from their peers.  Lean…

Or at least is seems that way when you need to optimize locations and layout to drive customer satisfaction. Are you leaking money to service customers and markets? Have you wondered how retail stores have what you need regardless of how obscure it may be.  A Fortune 100 company learned a valuable lesson when it…

Have you experienced or heard of shared service consolidation failures?  Shared Services is a concept that is easy to throw around but can be difficult to execute.  Many of us have participated in a board room session to draw up a plan to share services among locations only to see it take longer to execute…

Having a clear Operations path for capital investments and cost management ensures that customers and other stakeholders are satisfied. Ultimately this also drives long term success. But often, Operations seems to be forgotten when it comes to setting strategy. How much time does your organization spend on finance, marketing and commercial strategy and execution?  What…

Achieving productivity year-after-year requires a creative, employee driven approach to operational excellence. Taking cost out of your operations is easy, if you know where to look. But taking cost out consistently year-after-year can be very challenging, especially if your Corporate Strategy focuses only on bottom-line productivity as an alternative to top-line sales growth.  I recall…

The automotive industry is digitizing operations to manage data more effectively. Who’s leading the pack? Powerful macro-economic forces are imposing changes across all business sectors; one could argue the transportation sector is experiencing the most drastic and rapidly changing conditions. Car makers have constantly shifted gears to adapt to consumer demand. Recent trends include autonomous…

While it may seem counter-intuitive, an objective 3rd party can often bring out the best in your organization. Such an outsider can bring a fresh and objective perspective to “uncover the rock” and stimulate change. When I led a small fabricating and stamping operation in the Caribbean, I was particularly proud of our six. Okuma…

Do you really need to tweak your current process? Your competitors are not sleeping, so you too need to “stay awake” to thrive in the current business climate. Let’s say your organization overcomes a major obstacle that’s been dragging down service levels over the past quarter. Now it’s time for “high 5’s” all around, perhaps…

Value is a term that is over-used but often under-appreciated. It’s not enough to claim you’re providing goods or services at a fair market price, with perhaps an extra feature versus a competitor’s product. This tactic could work in the short run, but eventually it may not hold up over time as competitors replicate your…