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Showing posts from September, 2015

The Power of Continuous Application for Achieving Results

There is an ongoing fight between 'good' and 'bad' when it comes to business processes. Some people want to do things in the right way, with the right processes, consistently. Some people don't appreciate the need for doing things in the right way consistently. Over time this can make a huge difference to the results we obtain as a business.

Focus on one thing when you are trying to make improvement projects happen.

We have so many pressures on us at times to improve. Trying to make progress becomes one of the most important things we have to do. There can be so many opportunities too. A myriad of ideas that we could get our teeth into. So, why do many of us get limited results?

A great lesson in continuous improvement

There was a really interesting article on the BBC News Magazine website yesterday about continuous improvement and not ignoring the small things that can make a big difference. I agree that there are many small disciplines that a lot of businesses give lip service to that could make a big difference in terms of their performance; developing a productive routine is one way to get around this. The article is definitely worth a read, you can view it here -  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34247629 . Giles Johnston Creator of the ' Making It Happen ' online course for discovering change management strategies.

Do the right people 'feel the pain' in your business?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a great tool. True, they can be used to confuse and baffle. True, also, that they can really help you to drive the performance of a business process if you use them correctly. But, do the right people 'feel the pain'?

Do you overload your factory?

I'm often asked what is one of the best ways to improve the on time delivery performance of a factory; my glib answer is to stop overloading it. Of course, most people don't intentionally overload their businesses. It is common, however, for businesses to have inadequate methods of measuring how busy they are. This means that they are unsure of the effect of their decision, when accepting new orders into their business, until after the event. Continue reading... Giles Johnston Creator of the ' Making It Happen ' online course for discovering change management strategies.

Do you keep adding value to lemons?

We all know intuitively that we shouldn't try and add value to something that is broken. We know that we should get the person who broke the item to fix it before we carry on. They learn a lesson and we maximise our contribution... So why do we accept this so much in business?

Do you embrace exception reporting?

If you are responsible for the running of a business process you will probably be required to regularly review certain reports that help you to manage the process. Many people switch off when they have to do this on an ongoing basis. They don't make the best decisions when the information isn't reviewed...

Is your 5S programme falling over?

5S is a popular, simple and effective improvement approach. It is used effectively by many businesses, but for others it can be a struggle. I have just published my short report on how to make 5S really work for businesses. If you have already attempted a 5S implementation, but aren't happy with how it is working out, then my report can help you to get it back on track. The report includes my recommendations on improving how 5S programmes work, based on my hands on experience of helping businesses to get their 5S implementations working and actually delivering tangible results. For more details - click here. Giles Johnston Creator of the ' Making It Happen ' online course for improving personal change management skills.

OTIF Survey

I'm trying to find out a little more about the challenges that people face when trying to improve their on time delivery performance. If you have ten seconds to spare, could you let me know your current challenge? What's the main reason that stops your business from achieving a consistent on time delivery performance? A lack of robust business processes. Constantly changing customer demand. The senior management team haven't bought in to the need for change. No structure, or routine, to the way the business operates. Poor computerised systems (e.g. MRP / ERP / CRM). Other Please Specify: Poll Maker Thanks, Giles Johnston Creator of the ' Making It Happen ' online course for improving personal change management skills.

Can saying 'no' improve a process?

How many processes do you have in your business that you bend and twist, trying to accommodate the way people work? I know of many businesses that feel this same frustration. They design a process for their business, to improve how it works, and then find that no one uses it.