The Anatomy of Success? and Perseverance

2/8/15…Something remarkable occurred. After five years of tilling the soil, we are now seeing something special. To cap it off, our plant just won the Lean Award for the plant furthest along the journey within our global company. Of the three times we were eligible for the award, this now makes a 1st, 2nd, and 1st finish. I should feel really good about this, especially since I am the CI Manager and responsible for championing the journey. But I don’t…necessarily. The worldly me feels good. The spiritual side, not so much. After all, I don’t think God is really in this. I never heard a prayer by anyone submitting ourselves to Him. In fact what we produce are 80 million bags a year, most of which contributes to obesity in the United States, and diverts natural resources to the richest country in the world. 

The only tie in I can find is we are like the ants, who in part work hard. We do provide for our families which is part of living in this world. God is not a fan of laziness and our company certainly is not lazy. Myself, I am responsible for a wife and also a son going through college. I am grateful for the company, and yet…

I started this blog five years ago. Part of reflecting on the Toil was understanding how to glorify God in my work. There are glimpses of when I tied in spiritual with work, but as of today, I see little synergy. I just see a company making profits and demanding more and more from their people. Some of this is not bad in that to stay in business we must remain competitive and ever improving. Yet sometimes, I feel we are just part of a game with every year measured against the last. And I also feel, what is the next crisis? Seems every year there is some burning platform which unexpectedly comes up and drains resources. Alas, maybe this is the manufacturing world…

Or maybe this is the Toil.

VPP, God and Pull

8/27/14…Over the last few years, our plant is considering pursuing a Virginia VPP certification in safety. We believe using this process may change our plant culture, ultimately driving reduction in injuries. However, like other third party auditing such as SQF, ISO, etc., there are wastes in this process. Typically auditors, at times, take certain elements to extremes, which may bring no value into the system and increases costs. VPP is a great example of this. We are hearing from other companies, that although VPP helps drive safety culture improvement, the downside is the process drives up costs and ties up significant resources within a company.

What I find interesting about VPP is the approach. Virginia’s OSHA agency created this program. A significant part of their customer base is manufacturers. Their challenge is how, under limited people resources, do we enforce compliance within the state of Virginia? In part, the way they answered this question was creating a gap analysis to communicate the elements, required mentorship by fellow industry members and most importantly a prestigious certification and award. The approach, with the marketing and branding, is genius. Their customers, including our plant, are using their resources, energy and passion to go after this prestigious certification and even mentor other manufacturers. OSHA added no resources. From a lean perspective, they created a pull versus a push system.

  

I have also seen this experience within our company. Our global group created a Lean Assessment to communicate and convey how far each plant is on their Lean journey. By creating this and attaching an award along with the prestige, they created a pull system, whereby some, but not all of our plants worldwide are going after this award. In essence, this is also a pull system because plants are asking for knowledge, help, etc. from the global group versus the global group pushing compliance.

With these examples, I also wonder where else can a pull versus push system succeed. Leadership generally pushes down. Instead, how do we create pull with initiatives? Most training programs I am involved in are push. After the training, most people do not apply the knowledge or soon forget. 

In looking at this from the TOIL perspective, I find God’s approach is pull. In the Bible, He conveys to me, the closer I am to Him, the closer He is to me.

Indeed…a pull system.

Consultant Road

3/7/14…Here are the steps I notice about most consultants I encounter, and how they approach their business…

1. Come up with an idea; not necessarily original
2. In the idea, ensure there is an element of truth people can relate to
3. Use your experience to offer broad insight with examples
4. Repackage the elements; use one’s own jargon
5. Brand it
6. Package it
7. Blog, lecture, write articles, etc. as a knowledge authority
8. Finally, license others to consult

The Book of ACTS and Social Media

2/8/15…In the Book of Acts, Luke writes about the beginnings of the Church. During this early time after Jesus death, the Church is growing rapidly and as the growth occurs, believers are diligent in their prayers and adhering to the teachings of Christ. One of the early verses depicts what was going on; “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”

This brings to mind another passage in Luke regarding a rich young ruler asking Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. After some back and forth discussion, Jesus says to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But when he (the rich young ruler) heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”

Indeed, maybe the believers mentioned in Acts took Jesus teaching of the rich young ruler to heart. Instead of holding onto their possessions and goods, they sold them and divided them among those in need. To me, these verses have more in common with socialist or communist values rather than capitalist values. 

Certainly when the greed of capitalism occurs, the gap between those with little and those with much widens. Teachings of Jesus repeatedly warn the rich of the dangers of being rich. How much is considered rich? Well, I don’t know. But in the Acts passage, it did not seem to matter, because everyone sold what they had. True, they were all of common accord, which is not necessarily true in my work environment, but still this gives me pause.

I am also reminded of social media. In today’s world, people are on Facebook and share pages with common interests, such as work. One comment circulates within minutes among a hundred or even thousands. As an example, social media contributed to the Arab Spring uprising, which in turn toppled dictators. Indeed, social media topples those whose desire is hoarding their riches while others are in need.

A good reminder of us leaders in the TOIL.

VPP, God and Pull

9/17/14...Over the last few years, our plant is considering pursuing a Virginia VPP certification in safety. We believe using this process may change our plant culture, ultimately driving reduction in injuries. However, like other third party auditing such as SQF, ISO, etc., there are wastes in this process. Typically auditors, at times, take certain elements to extremes, which may bring no value into the system and increases costs. VPP is a great example of this. We are hearing from other companies, that although VPP helps drive safety culture improvement, the downside is the process drives up costs and ties up significant resources within a company.

What I find interesting about VPP is the approach. Virginia’s OSHA agency created this program. A significant part of their customer base is manufacturers. Their challenge is how, under limited people resources, do we enforce compliance within the state of Virginia? In part, the way they answered this question was creating a program called VPP. Elements were developed which communicated information. Requirements were created such as requiring those with VPP certification mentoring other companies. Finally they created a gap analysis which helped interested companies understand their current state and what their future state should look like. The approach, with the marketing and branding of a certification and award, is genius. Their customers, including our plant, are using their resources, energy and passion to go after this prestigious certification and even mentor other manufacturers. OSHA added no resources. From a lean perspective, they created a pull versus a push system.  

I am experiencing this same genius within our company. Our global CI group created a Lean Gap Assessment. This assessment, when filled out, conveys how far a plant is on their Lean journey. The group also created an award and a small monetary thank you. More importantly though are the bragging rights between Plant Managers. Most of our plants worldwide are now going after this award. So in essence, this is a pull system. Instead of the global group pushing compliance, our plants are asking, sometimes begging, for knowledge, help, etc.

With these examples, I also wonder where else can a pull versus push system succeed. Leadership generally pushes down. Instead, how do we create pull with initiatives? 

Once again, I believe my God is already two steps ahead of all of us. Spiritually, from a Toil perspective, I find God’s approach is pull. Is it not true in the Bible, He conveys to me, the closer I am to Him, the closer He is to me.

Indeed…a pull system.

Firing Someone

6/9/14…Today, I found out our company is considering firing someone for willfully bypassing a guard on a machine and hurting themselves. The injury is a recordable but easily could have resulted in a lost time work accident. This is tearing me up inside for a number of reasons. Not long ago, another employee was fired due to cheating on a Pay for Skills re-examination. The person, who was fired, in fact, was a good employee, and her personality was always cheerful. I loved being around her. She always showed up for work and did anything asked of her. I believe part of her cheating on this exam was due to her education level. But the problem is I never, as a Christian leader, took it upon myself to insert myself in this process to understand the nuances of why we felt it necessary to fire her instead of offering forgiveness with a lesser consequence. I am supposed to stand up for those who need justice. In this case, I did not bother. Yes, this person was in another department and was not my direct responsibility, but as a Christian leader, I failed to stand up for another person who may have needed justice. I turned a blind eye. I promised myself after this occasion, that I would not repeat my sin of apathy. I am thankful the Spirit within me convicted me of this sin.

One year later, I face the same issue. This time, due to the Spirit sensitizing me to my previous sin, I inserted myself in the process. I paraphrased the story below of the apostle John observing Jesus:

John 8:11 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 

She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

In the situation our company is facing, we can learn from this story. Our employee admits she knew the rule of not bypassing a guard, and yet she did it and got hurt. What is troubling is she is a member of our safety committee. She, as part of the safety committee, also came up with our cardinal rules of safety which is a short list of a be all end all key safety rules all of us live by, and understand we can be fired for just cause without any warnings if not followed. As it relates to the story above, our employee was caught in the act and is now standing before members of our leadership team.

There are stones in our leader’s hands. We are ready to throw them (fire her) and according to the law (company policy), we are justified. And yet, let those of us as leaders who are without failings cast the first stone. In this circumstance, where is the justice to the employee? If God forgives us leaders of our failings, then are we not expected to forgive others in their shortcomings?

However, I will acknowledge sin results in consequences. Jesus does not tell the woman to go and sin some more. In our case, a disciplinary write-up or suspension are just given the nature of the act. After all, if we spare this person and they commit the same act in the future, then termination will be a consequence. This employee not only affects their own safety, but they affect the safety of their co-workers which indirectly impacts their families.

I believe the caveat in this is remorse. Although scripture does not say the woman is remorseful for her actions, I can’t help but think she was. Jesus talks many times regarding when we humble ourselves, forgiveness is offered. I remember early in my career, I was promoted to a Printing Department Manager position. One time, when walking the floor, I was caught not wearing earplugs by a know-it-all employee named Mike. Have you ever been around know-it-alls? When you mess up, and they point it out, you really don’t want to admit you were wrong because it makes you mad. Well, I got mad, and walked away. However, a few minutes later, after calming down, I realized how wrong I was. I went back out on the floor, went up to Mike, and asked him to forgive me for not setting an example of a safety rule in my own department. Because I offered remorse to him and humbled myself, he forgave me and became one of my biggest advocates in my new management role.

So I think in our case, if our employee is remorseful for her actions, then we should not cast stones at her. We should also realize when we forgive others; they sometimes become our biggest advocates. In this case, our employee could turn around and become one of our most vocal advocates in creating a safe environment. Indeed, I imagine the woman whose life was spared and forgiven by Jesus, left the temple and became one of Jesus’ biggest advocates in her circle of influence.

One last thought on this matter. There was another employee involved in this accident. She started the machine and did not see this person bypassing the guard. She is unfairly getting blamed by other employees for her role in this. I would hope we as leaders are justified as part of the consequences, to ask the employee who got hurt, to ask her fellow co-worker for forgiveness for putting her in this position. If our employee feels she cannot do this, then who are we as leaders to forgive her if she is unable to ask forgiveness from her co-worker.

What a day.

A Tennis Ball Part 2 of 3

3/5/14…At the end of Part 1, I shared my loss of hope in the three F’s concept. A couple of weeks later, I thought more about this. I did not want to give up on the concept, but felt the spiritual side of the TOIL lacking in the approach. Then on a Sunday afternoon, after attending Church in the morning, the following verse from Matthew 22:37 entered my thoughts: Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Suddenly, these three words in this verse connected with the three F’s the coach spoke of: Mind is the Focus, Soul is the Faith, and Heart is the Fire. From a spiritual perspective, this ties in nicely. The question then becomes, can I tie this to the TOIL? How do I tie everyone’s mind to focus on their TOIL as an expression of love to God? How do I tie everyone’s soul to their TOIL as an expression of faith in God’s promises, obedience, and guidance? How do I tie everyone’s heart to their TOIL so they are passionate about glorifying God in their work, no matter how mundane or exciting the work is?

A Tennis Ball Part 1 of 3

2/21/14…The other week our leadership attended InsideOut training. We wanted to improve our coaching skills, especially in the realm of our high performance teams. The first part of attending this training caught my attention. The founder of this program, a tennis coach, picked someone at random on a local tennis court. The person agree to be part of an instructional video. Using S.M.A.R.T. goal setting, the founder first asked the person, what would you like to work on? Through a series of questions, the coach got the person to verbally express they would desire to hit 5 out of 10 backhands in the right hand opponents court. The person thought the goal reasonable, but lacked the confidence in his ability. The coach, standing at the net, began hitting balls to the person who was standing on baseline. Out of 10 balls, the person only hit 2 in his desired spot on the court.

Then the coach did something miraculous. Instead of having the person focus on the result, he slowly got the person to change their focus by asking a series of questions, all the while hitting balls to the person. First he asked the person, what do you see as I hit this ball towards you? Response: the lines on the ball as the ball spins towards me. Ok, can you tell me how fast the ball is spinning? Response: slow. Ok, can you tell me on a scale of 1-10 how fast the ball is spinning when looking at the lines.

During this whole process, the person was oblivious to their backhand accuracy improving. By the end of this exercise the person went from 2 out of 10 to 6 out of 10 in their accuracy. I was impressed! I was excited! Just by changing a person’s focus, their performance improved. The coach consultant called his approach the three F’s; with Focus being the first F. Impressive. Then my excitement increased when I heard the next F; Faith. Finally, an acknowledgment regarding how faith is a necessary component in the TOIL. Next, the coach discussed how most organizations approach performance deficiencies by giving people more knowledge. Yes I thought, organizations inundate people with more knowledge thinking performance will improve. However, the coach’s premise was people already have most of the knowledge they need to perform, so building on more knowledge will not result in a dramatic increase in performance. Instead the focus must go on the inside of a person, or back to the three F’s, Focus, Faith, Fire. Up until now, I bought into everything this consultant said. But...my excitement was short-lived as the coach started going in depth about the faith component. Why? When discussing the faith component of the three F’s, faith was expressed as the belief in oneself, not in God or the Spirit within. I sigh. I hope no-one around me heard.

Once again, answers sought in the secular world will at best only lead to short term contentment…

STOP!

2/8/14…”I’m just tired of hearing all this negativity,” says one of our managers. Can’t say I blame her but as I told her, I don’t know what to do with what she is conveying to us. Apparently, a vocal few are voicing displeasure regarding coming in for a two hour meeting every other month.  Not sure this is the real reason or not. As I stated in previous blogs, complaining seems a normal part of human nature.

 

As I sat and listened, I wanted to throw my hands up. After almost four years into high performance teams, I felt like some of our leadership wants to stop. At my core I know this is not the right answer. So I addressed the group. Over the last four years, 359 problems were solved as improvements with an 85% sustainment rate.

 

So I wonder aloud to the group. What if we stop? As of today, no more meetings, no more employees working on improvements. What will happen? I ask everyone to think about this. Every day in manufacturing, employees will encounter problems. Most problems are disguised as frustrations and may even fester for years. If we stop, the only avenue for employees to resolve these frustrations is through their supervisors. But when a supervisor has 20 or more people reporting to them, they may desire to help solve problems but due to the sheer quantity accumulating on a daily basis, they are unable. There is only so much time in a day. They also have those above them asking them to solve problems.

 

I challenge the group with this thought. If we stop, yes complaining will cease…regarding coming in for meetings. Instead a new complaining will arise. The complaints will instead center on, “leadership is not solving our problems”.

 

I also am afraid we will hear another type of complaint return. Before high performance teams began four years ago, I used to consistently hear complaints regarding how one shift left another in bad condition and vice versa. After teaming started, these complaints nearly evaporated. So if we stop, I am afraid shift to shift bickering will once again start.

 

Unfortunately complaining is part of human nature. Why? I believe at its core is a spiritual longing, of which most people do not realize. In a TOIL environment, people look to leadership to solve this longing within, but even the best leaders with the best intentions, will find it difficult to fill a void never meant to be filled while on this earth.

Building Up…the Body of Management

12/16/13…I continue to find the Bible full of TOIL truths if I keep my mind open. Today in a discussion with a colleague, numerous thoughts finally came together regarding the SILO effect in management. In today’s manufacturing environment, as I am sure in other sector environments, there are leadership job functions with specific job titles. In ours, there is a Supply Chain Manager, a Continuous Improvement/Quality Manager, an Office Manager, a Human Resources Manager, a Compliance Manager, an Employee Performance Specialist, a Technical Manager and a Production Manager. Within each of these job functions, there are job duties. The problem is every duty each of these manager’s performs is not a strength and yet these duties are a requirement of the job. As an example every manager probably has some administrative duties, some training duties, some oversight duties, some strategic duties, etc. Each manager is in their role because they show an aptitude for certain functions within the role. Unfortunately this is short sighted. Not every manager is a good administrative person. Not every manager is a good trainer. Not every manager is a good strategist and on and on.

 

In tying back to a post I did on Strengthsfinder, I am aware I am made in the image of God and in His wisdom, he has built certain strengths into my DNA. The journey in my maturity is embracing my strengths, and not dwelling on my weaknesses. Using the 80/20 rule, I can spend 20% of my effort on strengths and accomplish 80% or I can futilely spend 80% of my effort on my weaknesses and accomplish only 20%. And this is where I think we are missing the boat in our thinking of management. Most management functions in SILO’s. There has to be another way. I think to a Bible passage where Paul conveys each of us has a gift and when all of use our gifts, it builds up the body of Christ. Indeed, something beautiful happens.

 

I once involved myself in a community group through Grace Fellowship church. I experienced first-hand what Paul conveyed to us. Karen’s gift of hospitality, Jen’s gift of friendship, Jeff and Denise’s gift of wisdom, David and Pam’s gift of discernment, and others in our group all came together and built up the body of Christ. This group individually were special, but when they all came together, something beautiful occurred. We served others at a whole different level because each of us optimized our gifts.

 

So why can this not be applied in management. For example, I wonder if a Plant Manager could bring in a group of eight leaders with nothing more than a job title of Leader. That is it. Leader. Maybe add some marketing and call the position a Performance Leader. The Plant Manager hires aptitudes, not job functions. Strategic objectives are developed. Then the Plant Manager lets go, sits back, and patiently sees what happens. Indeed, I wonder if each person gravitates towards their strengths. Let’s use administration as an example. Now instead of everyone focusing on administrative duties within their SILO, the person whose strength is administration focuses their effort in helping everyone else. Same thing for training, planning, leading Six Sigma projects, etc. Using the example of Christ as the body, everyone uses their strengths and builds up the body of a Leader.

 

So I wonder. If we really dig into God’s Word, and keep our minds open, I wonder if paradigm shifts can occur within the TOIL.

Laundry and Expectations

12/20/13…What happens when desires become expectations? The answer. Not much fun. I find some parallels between the Toil and Marriage. Let me explain. Recently I listened to a sermon by Tom Oyler, pastor of Grace Fellowship Church. The message centered on this idea of desires and expectations. Desires before a marriage are ok. Desires in a marriage are ok. However, Tom cautions desires in a marriage should be kept as desires and not moved into an expectation box. Once desires become expectations, there is no acknowledgement of appreciation from the other party. He also cautions against delight becoming duty and covenant becoming a contract. For now though, I would like to comment more about desires versus expectations.

There can be many desires one brings into a marriage. Here is one I thought of. I do not expect my wife to make dinner for me but she does a lot. And I consciously make a point of saying thank you on numerous occasions. I really do appreciate how she expresses her love for me in this act of cooking dinner. But honestly, I am a big boy and I can take care of myself regarding finding something to eat. So although I have a desire for a prepared meal after a long day’s work, I do not expect it. On the other hand, laundry is a different matter. I was single for almost 8 years. If I do some quick math, I probably washed, dried and hung clothes over 500 times during this time period. So I know how to do laundry. When I married Melody, she began washing my clothes on a regular basis. At some point around year two though, I realized my desire of having clean clothes became an expectation. I acknowledge at this point in our marriage, if the laundry has not been done, I actually am a little miffed about it. Tom Oyler would point out my desire for clean clothes suddenly became an expectation. Why? For one, I never thank my wife for clean clothes. After all, why would I express gratitude for an expectation? There are no kind words for the countless hours she spends cleaning my dirty socks, and I try to rationalize my lack of gratitude by saying I work all day while she stays home. This is a sure sign of an expectation. And if I am not careful, my expectations put on her will soon cause her delight in doing my laundry to become a duty. This is what Tom warns me of. When desire on my part becomes expectations, then soon Melody will feel doing my laundry is a duty more than a delight. Once the other party begins feeling like the delight is really a duty, the relationship is in trouble.

Now I think of this in a work mode. In particular between leadership and employees. I wish this category did not exist but it does, and no matter how one tries to break this down, the categories still and will always exist. When the leadership of a company or a plant does something for the employees, the newness of it generally energizes people. But repeat this a number of times and watch what happens. Expectations creep in. Once employees expect something, there is no longer appreciation or gratitude. Now leadership begins feeling like the activity is more of a duty and they become worn down. Pretty soon the activity has no meaning to anyone. The reverse also happens with employees who desire to please leadership.

So this is the question. How as leadership do we move expectations by employees back to the desire box, so we can continue feeling delight in serving them and doing what we can to make their work life joyful?

I end with this. Last week, I carried all the laundry down and started two loads of laundry. First time in two years.

Meeting Based or Event Based Empowerment

12/19/13...Which is best for a functional team? Meeting based empowerment, event based empowerment, or project based empowerment? Factors such as plant culture dictate which one or ones are most appropriate on the journey. Over the last three years, most of our teams met (meeting based) on a regular basis with Point Kaizens (event based) sporadically dotting their journey. Let me spend a moment clarifying what I mean in regards to each of these empowerment approaches. However, let me first explain a functional team.

In our organization, empowerment centers on the functional team. A typical functional team can be a department, an area, or a machine. Examples are customer service or in the case of our company, a bag making machine. The thought is harnessing the power of function versus cross-function. With cross-functional groups, the challenge for the team members is carrying back decisions to the rest of the group who had no input into what they are being asked. The challenge with functional groups is coming up with fresh ideas and perspective. Neither is the end all, it is just a matter of intentional choice which most fits within the mission and objectives of the organization. For us, we decided functional teams were most appropriate in addressing low effort/low impact items. For higher effort/higher impact opportunities we would use cross functional Kaizen or Six Sigma teams.

Further, empowerment in our plant culture means the teams are not self-directed, but do exhibit behaviors of a self-directed work team, such as deciding roles like team leader, minute taker or knowledge experts. Now there is more to this, but I think this is enough to move on to this idea of choosing meeting based, event based, or project based empowerment.

Meeting based empowerment means the functional team meets on a regular basis, typically weekly, every other week, or monthly. Frequency depends on the situation. The main benefit I see from meeting based is regular work area communication and promoting working together as a team. Once these teams start meeting, the complaining of shift leaving shift in such an undesirable manner virtually evaporates. However, one of the keys in this approach in a manufacturing environment is support from the maintenance, technical and engineering group.

Event based empowerment means the functional team focuses on a specific area of focus in a Point Kaizen event. Examples are 5S, SOC, JSA, PFMEA, etc. Instead of a meeting lasting 1-2 hours, the team comes together in 1-2 day event. The advantages in this approach are the team rallies around a common goal in a short amount of time. The objectives are usually clear, and the topic focuses more on what the team is in control of. There is also satisfaction in doing the work and seeing the results all within the 1-2 day period. Everyone parts ways feeling good about the time spent working on improvement. In meeting based empowerment, teams sometimes lose sight of what they are accomplishing because activities are spread out over time between meetings.

Project based empowerment is similar to a Kaizen or Six Sigma event. A Kaizen event focuses activity within a week’s time frame. A Six Sigma event focuses activity over the course of typically 6 months and the focus centers mostly around the DMAIC process. Project based events center around a topic and may not be as data driven as a Six Sigma event. Cross functional teams are primarily used in Kaizen and Six Sigma projects because different perspectives bring strengths to the process. Project based typically are cross functional but can be functional. Overall project based empowerment the less used of all the approaches in our business.

So I hope this offers some insight into what I see as the differences between types of empowerment.

Stiffnecked

12/16/13...Stiffnecked. The word keeps creeping into my thoughts. This word was used by God and through God by the prophets in the Old Testament. The general meaning most people associate with stiffnecked is stubborn. But I am curious to go a little deeper. I look up the word in the iPhone app, dictionary.com. I start to piece together threads of a larger picture. One definition leads to another and then another. Below are some key words and their linked definitions I pieced together.

 

Stiffnecked - haughty and obstinate; refractory

 

Haughty - scornfully arrogant

 

Obstinate - not easily overcome

 

Refractory - stubbornly disobedient; hard to deal with; hard to please or satisfy

 

I think the last phrase sums it up for me; hard to please or satisfy. When I think of what I've read in the Old Testament, this is what comes to mind. Over and over again the Israelites rejoice, but then soon forget and start complaining again. This is a reoccurring pattern from the time they exit Egypt until the demise of their nation. I have read through the Old Testament three times and I realize the story never gets better. I wonder why God created us when he knew the deficiencies in our free will. Maybe this is what happened to satan. Was the arch angel not satisfied or stiffnecked which led to his fall? Maybe he wanted more. Was the arch angel created with free will and God knew this would happen? I do not know, but I wonder.

 

Maybe part of the purpose in our journey on earth is God testing us to understand who will embrace Him and not turn from Him. I am sure He does not want more satans. Throughout the Bible, God directly or through others promises trials, tribulations and tests of our faith. Is he testing me to understand if I can find satisfaction in Him or will I turn from Him to seek what I want?

 

How does this relate to the Toil? Well, over the last six months or so I am getting worn down by all the complaining from a select group of people at our plant. I am finding it hard to please or satisfy the complaining. It seems no matter the good intentions of leadership, it is never enough. Once certain levels of needs, either realized or unrealized are met, forgetfulness creeps in, and a whole new level of unrealized or realized expectations crops up. Seemingly what the leadership group does is never enough. We are unable to satisfy. This is where I have talked about the spiritual component missing in teaming. In Eastern culture, I have read work and personal life are integrated. If so, this may somewhat explain the dilemma. In Western culture, typically work and personal life are kept separate. I know this holds true for me. Any relationships I develop at work typically do not carry over when I go to work for another company. The compartmentalizing means work relationships may only be superficial at best.

 

Back to my dilemma at work. In writing about this dilemma I am experiencing, I must admit my natural inclination is to retreat, but this only makes matters worse. I must one, accept I am in the same boat. I am just as stiffnecked as those I am writing about. I must realize patience. I must seek out God in relationship with zeal to continually overcome my stiffneckedness. My only hope is in the fruit of the Spirit. By engaging in relationship and letting the fruit of the Spirit overcome me, maybe I have a chance. No longer will I have to depend on my own power in overcoming complaining, because my satisfaction is no longer rooted in those who are complaining. My eyes are on the things above.

 

Yea, seeking my satisfaction in this world will lead to disappointment. As a result, I will complain. Seeking my satisfaction in God rises me above worldly disappointment. Is this what the Israelites failed to understand? Is this what I am failing to understand?

A Team Vision

 

 

S.M.A.R.T. Performance Reviews

9/18/13...Within scripture is there any support in giving people performance reviews with rankings? I wonder about this, mostly because I am sitting here rating myself on a scale of 1-5 in fifteen different core value and skill competencies. Here is how this process works. I must self-rate myself. Then I must submit this review of myself to my boss. Then my boss rates me on a scale of 1-5. Then we sit down together and agree on the rating. Then I leave feeling a mixed range of emotions, mostly why I am unable to achieve a 5. My boss is relieved because this exercise does not have to occur again for another 6 months at the mid-year review.

 

Inherently I see nothing wrong with the performance review. In Proverbs, Solomon talks about the wise person who seeks counsel. The performance review is a good format for this. The problem comes in when ranking is part of the process. The whole dynamic changes. The focus becomes on a number versus the content. It is demeaning to me, the person who is rated, and for me as a boss, I agonize in "rating" somebody, as if I am on some judgment pedestal.

 

Think about this. Most people are married. Most people who are married generally discuss the health of their relationship at some point. Sometimes the discussions are proactive, sometimes they center on issues. Now imagine if I gave my spouse fifteen different focus areas; maybe doing chores, financial responsibility, lovemaking, consideration, etc. Now what if I decide to give a formal feedback session on these focus areas called a performance review. I now will rank my spouse on a scale of 1-5 in each of these areas. This I know. I am not going to feel good about doing this nor is she. Now, what if I was on the receiving end of her doing this to me? This I also know. I am not going to feel good about this either. I probably will become defensive, maybe demoralized and certainly not encouraged.

 

Maybe this is why Deming advised against ranking people. When ranking someone 1-5, the implicit expectation is a 5, but the problem is no one is ever a 5 in every category. When expectations are placed on people, this robs them of their inherent desire to do a good job, or as Deming puts it, "pride of workmanship."

 

Indeed, I wonder if ranking belongs in performance reviews.

Festering

12/5/13...I need to take a moment and capture a kernel of enlightenment. This hit me in a team meeting on Tuesday. My day had already been long. The meeting started at 6pm. And within minutes, complaining started. I thought to myself, oh no, not again. Here I am as a coach thinking I just want to abandon ship. In this case however, the complaint is a legitimate issue. Part of the problem is an ongoing issue with a support department communicating effectively with the team regarding an improvement status. For three years, I have fought this battle, mostly because the person in charge is finding difficulty in embracing teaming. So anyway, one of the operators talked about a problem with a roller in the machine. Work orders were put in, and no response. None. The poor operator is exasperated. His shoulders slump. The team's body language responds in the same manner. This is a major problem on a machine creating substantial downtime and scrap.

 

And then the thought hits me. Come to the Tier 3 meeting and explain the problem. The Tier 3 is a Plant Leadership meeting everyday at 9am. With standing room only, updates and problems are escalated to this group. The Plant Manager then decides if someone needs to work on the problem, resources it, and documents the problem on a kaizen newspaper. Every day this paper is reviewed until the item is complete.

 

Since the entire group is there, the person representing the team with the problem is heard by all.

 

In the past, the hands of team coaches were somewhat tied because at our plant they do not all have the authority or ability to resource. So now I am going to encourage coaches to determine if an item is out of scope. If it is, then ask someone on the team to come to the Tier 3 to discuss the problem. This is big! I have no doubt this will prevent problems from festering...and maybe help me retain some of my sanity.

A Compelling Narrative

9/23/13...Today I led the first day of a week long Policy Deployment event for our plant. Policy Deployment is a strategic process which helps an organization select the "critical few" items amongst many possibilities. This is the fourth time I am leading this type of event. In years past, the energy level was high from the start. Not so this year. The leadership team seems "worn out." Why? There are plenty of potential narratives to work on for next year. However, I am going to argue there is no "compelling narrative."  

 

I think a video a co-worker shared with me last week may help explain some of what I am feeling and maybe what the leadership team is feeling. The video is from RSA, an organization seeking social change through shared ideas and actions. This particular ten minute video focused on what drives or motivates people. There were a number of findings; 1) monetary rewards drive motivation for tasks requiring no cognizant thinking, 2) monetary rewards are a dis-incentive when cognizant thinking comes into play, 3) as long as people are paid as they perceive "fairly", their motivation then focuses on autonomy, mastery, and purpose, and 4) when profits are divorced from purpose, bad things begin happening. To me, these findings make sense.

 

This is the crossroads. I shared this video with the leadership group today. It fell flat. Seemingly, no connection. And yet, Father, I am a seed. Indeed, I feel today was nothing more than planting a seed. The thing is, with some watering, even I have no idea if a plant will sprout or if the seed will remain in the ground for some time. Indeed, two years ago I wrote about purpose in teaming, and now I find some water pouring on the seed.

 

The plant within the seed is this. I must have a "compelling narrative" to find purpose in my life once my primal needs are met (including "pay" as no longer a driving issue). The "compelling narrative" of business only takes me so far. Does this hold true for others? For the first three years at my company, I found some compelling narratives, such as 1) empowering people so they can make their work lives better through teaming and activist committees, 2) reducing customer complaints so our customers (line workers and leaders) do not face the frustrations of dealing with poor product and thus in turn negatively affecting their families and neighbors, 3) learning lean versus traditional leadership methods in order to engage people and improve, 4) achieving SQF requirements so we retain business and our people have job security, and 5) achieving a 5 year contract with Coke so we help everyone attain job security. These are all noteworthy compelling narratives in a business environment. However, after three years, are these type of narratives starting to fall flat?

 

I believe the challenge ahead, as a business, is connecting purpose with profits. I fear our company may be losing sight of "compelling narratives." Over the last four of five years, our company is enjoying record profits. This in lieu of the Great Recession. But as the speaker via RSA shared, profits divided from purpose, is a minefield. All I hear from leadership is the need to drive, drive, drive sales, profits, and cost reduction. Where is the purpose beyond profits?

 

Only when we find our "compelling narrative" within the necessary profits, will we find purpose. Herein lies my continued challenge in the Toil. Grace is my "compelling narrative." However, as a business leader, weaving in Grace with the Toil in a secular business environment eludes me.

 

 

 

Team Based Empowerment, St. Augustine and My Brain Cell

9/17/13...Today I experienced, with the help of others, an epiphany of wisdom regarding team based empowerment. Later, I wondered where this came from. In my head, there are brain cells causing thought. Somehow these cell tissues create and capture a thought from nothing. Think about this.  There is no encyclopedia in my head. There is no internet device where I can google knowledge. Somehow wisdom forms in my flesh, in my cell tissues. When I die and a coroner examines my brain, this person will find no evidence this thought ever existed. There is nothing for them to read. There is nothing for them to google search. I find this a remarkable miracle and I am not even sure if you, the reader, can really appreciate the magnitude of this realization. St. Augustine, one of the pillars of Christianity, once wrote, "men go abroad, to wonder at the height of mountains, the huge waves of the sea, the long course of rivers, the vast compass of the oceans, the circular motion of the stars, but they pass by themselves and don't even notice." How true. Then I remembered reading a recent passage in the Book of Job. In the Book, God responds to Job's cries, "Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart?" Indeed. I am perplexed regarding why this is resonating with me so much today. I feel this strong compulsion to one, write the wisdom down, and two, acknowledge God.

Here is the wisdom. There  are three approaches in empowering work based teams; meeting based empowerment, event based empowerment and project based empowerment. Seemingly, a simple realization, but the depth within this realization is nothing less than monumental. Yesterday this wisdom eluded me. Today the parts coalesced in an epiphany of which I was able to verbally communicate to my boss and a peer. The threads of this thought came from others, but in my DNA, God planted the ability of Connectedness. According to Strengthsfinder, a firm who coined this word, anyone with a trait of Connectedness is able to see how all the parts connect. Once again, I think to the Book of Jeremiah where God speaks this truth, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." God formed this trait in me and knew the purposes behind the trait, sometimes which seemingly elude me.

Indeed, I am a creature, a human being, known by God before I was born. My formation is nothing less than a miracle of life, of whom God is the ultimate mother and father. This trait bestowed upon me connected today in a toil realization. I started writing about this experience without acknowledging God in it. After writing a page and reading the words, I realized how hollow this wisdom was. Why? No where in the words did I acknowledge my Creator who bestowed this gift on me. My words were empty, and prideful. Most strikingly there was no depth in what I wrote. Realizing this, I scratched over an hour's worth of words. I then thought about God and started writing again. And suddenly I felt energized, appreciative, and grateful for this gift today. No longer do my words seem hollow, without depth nor prideful, instead they feel alive.

Continuous Decay Manager

1/9/13...Underappreciating decay seems somewhat of a misnomer. After all, why should I appreciate decay? Well maybe because I underappreciated the effects of decay in  my past work experiences. Not until recently did I finally begin understanding the true depth of this concept and the effects in a manufacturing environment. Since my role is continuous improvement, my focus is naturally on improvement. However I wonder if there should be a counterpart to a Continuous Improvement Manager called a Continuous Decay Manager.

Dr. Donald Wheeler, a renown statistician, illustrates this better than any other person I have come across (see diagram below). Check out his website at www.spcpress.com. In his book, Understanding Statistical Process Control, Wheeler discusses the 4 possible states all processes are in, but more importantly, how entropy or decay is constantly counteracting improvement. Wheeler's focus is SPC, but conceptually I understand how his diagram applies to everything in an organization, including a Lean Transformation.

In my experience, I have found most people love improving something or making something better. This is gratifying. Once our improvement is complete, pat ourselves on the back and let's move on to the next improvement. Managerial levels within an organization from Plant Manager down to Team Leads exhibit this behavior. But according to Wheeler, as soon as improvement is complete, decay begins. How true this is. From a cultural standpoint, more people are rewarded for making something better versus preventing something from decay. I believe this is ingrained in all of us. Certainly in my career, it is more about what I accomplished (i.e. improved) lately versus what decay I prevented.

Dr. Wheeler also helped me understand both decay and improvement take effort. I wonder if I conducted a poll, how many people if given a choice would rather place their efforts in addressing decay or making improvements. My guess is most people love putting forth effort to improve but far fewer enjoy addressing the decay. There is more glory in hitting home runs then there is in laying down sacrifice bunts.

TBM, a Lean consulting firm, in part addresses this issue with what they call MDI or Managing for Daily Improvement. I found most of the concepts of MDI are from a book originally wrote by Ryuji Fukuda called Managerial Engineering, a book published in 1982. In part, such use of tools as T-cards, layered auditing, tiered meetings, kaizen newspapers, and A3's if used correctly will help this problem of decay. From my perspective, which I acknowledge is limited, I am not sure regarding the effectiveness of these tools. Based on how I was taught, there seems to be alot of room for system improvement.

In this coming year, I hope to make a "step change" in my thinking and execution of this topic. Maybe I should ask my Plant Manager to change my title to Continuous Decay Manager for an entire year. I wonder if I did, what changes would occur in my thinking and those I work with?

Complaining

10/3/12...My energy level is sapped. By what? Hearing complaining. A team meeting I attended last night was full of complaints; here is a sampling:

* why did so and so team get to do this and we did not; they stole our ideas
* why do we have to meet twice a month now
* i knew sooner or later attendance would be part of our reviews
* management only does an idea they can take credit for
* the new bathroom blowers are disgusting because they blow air from the bathroom air
* the new blowers blow water in my face
* we don't want a free dinner if we have to come in to work and not be able to change
* we don't want to go to that restaurant for a free dinner because they made the last team wait an hour
* people are not made to crosstrain on changeovers, not fair
* some packers still refuse to come over and work and they get away with it
* I put in a work order, I don't know why it is not getting done; just take it off the list
* the production wheel is not followed at all; management does not know what they want

One definition of complaining is this; to express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, censure, resentment, or grief; find fault. Complaining occurs, in part, when one does not want to be part of the solution for a myriad of reasons, but still feels the need to express dissatisfaction, resentment or find fault. What I listed above represents most of the discussion in our 1 1/2 hour meeting. At one point, I just listened and marveled. After the meeting, I went home exhausted. Then during the night I thought about this. Why do people complain? What is really at the heart of complaining? At the church I am attending, people were complaining regarding where the capital campaign money would go; a brother talked about running into someone at a convenience store and the person complained about the hypocrites at the church; at work people complained they couldn't read the writing, it was too small; at work someone complained about too much administration in Lean; the Israelites complained to God so much over and over He called them stiffnecked; I complained to the Plant Manager about being on a team with someone I don't really get along with; and on and on and on and on and on and on. In a typical day, I wonder how many people at some point in our work lives or family lives complain. I bet the number would be staggering.

When anyone complains, I think there is underlying discontentment in a person's soul. We expect and desire perfection but human beings are imperfect. We see the imperfections and complain because we know this is not right. This is not how it is supposed to be. I don't have control or perceive I have control over the situation so therefore all I can do is complain about the injustice or unfairness or...the way it makes me feel. Therein lies the problem. I believe when I complain, the complaint reveals my own self-centeredness. After all, when I complain, the complaint is generally about how it makes me feel, or the injustice to me, or the unfairness to me. The root is my selfishness. 

I find there are times in my life when my spirit-filled joy in Christ ceases the complaining. Unfortunately, to date, I have not been able to maintain this spiritual high. Therefore I still complain. I wonder if people like Mother Teresa or C.S. Lewis ever complained. Were they able to rise above complaining? Is it not true spiritual joy does not cohabitate with complaining? The two seem at odds. Is it also true loving others and complaining are incompatible?

From now on, when I hear others complaining, this is what I want to say.

"I would like to share something with you. When I complain, and there are times I do, I find the reason why is two fold. One I do not want to be part of the solution for any number of reasons, but still feel a need to express the perceived injustice or unfairness to me. I want the easy way out so complaining is alot better than working with someone on a solution. Plus, when I complain to someone else, I put the burden on their shoulders. Two, when I place these burdens on others, I find my complaining is rooted in my own selfishness and self-centeredness, because complaining is indeed about me wanting others to do or treat me in a certain way. I am not really wanting to love others, because I would rather have my own selfish needs met."

This is sort of a rambling post. I may come back and add some more thoughts later. Why? Because in my work career, hearing complaining regarding The Toil is a reality. Somehow, I need to express to others something deeper by being open with my own admissions.

Ok, I am done complaining about how others complain. And yes...I understand my own irony in writing this post. Stop complaining about it.


Update: Later on I talked with the Production Manager about the team meeting which generated this post. Part of what the team wanted to do was invite him to their next meeting and unload all this stuff. Again, when one complains to someone else, they relieve their responsibility to be part of the solution, and perceive because they voiced it, the other person is now responsible. Then three months later when nothing has been done because the Production Manager has 100 other priorities to work on, they complain about their complaint not being heard. Not fair. The reason behind teaming is not to pawn off complaints on to someone else, but to be part of the solution to their own voiced issues.

What we talked about was the team has to tell the Production Manager what they want to complain about. He responds, great ideas, please work with your team leader to complete an A3 with solutions and I would be glad to come to the next meeting to hear about the wonderful fixes.

Also in team meetings, we have joked, everytime a complaint is voiced and no one wants to work on the solution, write it on a post-it-chart with the heading "Complaints". Then at the end of the meeting, in front of the team, wad it up and throw it in the trash. I wonder what the reaction would be?