Centered Business Solutions, LLC

No, not everyone in your company needs to be certified in Process Improvement (PI). But… Everyone needs to understand Process Improvement principles & methodologies. The best companies who have executed PI programs and successfully established a culture where everyone was contributing to improving the business, were those that educated 100% of their workforce. During on-boarding, Process Improvement leaders were given the opportunity to introduce PI, the culture and priority it held within the business. Annual training included refreshers on basic methodologies and principles. Leaders attended more in-depth training, learning how to apply PI to daily work and leadership. PI tools, like Huddle Boards, were part of everyday standard work. Information flowed up, not down, to give frontline workers a voice in solving problems. The company made a decision to be "ALL-IN" and did not have a “see if this works” mentality. I have seen companies that required belting programs, but did not train the masses, and fail at Process Improvement. Yet, I have also seen those as I described above excel incredibly who did not have any likeness of a certification program. Why? Because everyone knew how to approach problem solving. It was known that there was not an option. PI was the way of doing business. Take a moment to imagine your business. What if 100% of your team understood PI, and was engaged in finding ways to improve your processes? What if everyone knew what waste was, and not just how to identify it, but was also empowered to eliminate it? What would be different about your business? Would it stand out from the rest? What about profitability? At Centered Business Solutions, LLC we offer Process Improvement training through workshops, seminars and certifications. Our programs are specifically catered to your business needs. Email us today at [email protected] to schedule a free call to discuss how we can help your business become more efficient and profitable today.

THE FA?ADE OF COST SAVINGS Robert Simmons, Owner Centered Business Solutions, LLC We have all seen it happen time and again. The company’s budget gets tight, and the bean counters begin looking for where cuts can be made. Mr. CFO looks at the PI compensation and dollar symbols fill his pupils. There are sirens, fireworks and more celebration happening than if he had just won a million dollars on a slot machine! He quickly does the math in his head, “10 black belts at $200k a year. That is $2 million that we could save!” He runs to the CEO’s office with his discovery, receives a pat on the back, and HR plans the dismissal of the company’s well developed PI program. Great job Mr. CFO! But before we celebrate too soon, let’s think about this a little more carefully. Yes. 10 Black Belts (BB) are requiring $2 million a year, but what about the ROI that will be lost? Each BB saves the company 7 – 10 times their salary as they remove waste through projects and training others. That adds up to $14 - $20 million annually that is about to be sent packing! Guess you’ll have to change that presentation! “Mr. CEO, I have found a way can spend more than we have to! $14 to $20 million a year!” Not so sexy is it? Not only are the financial opportunities lost when removing a PI program, there are other consequences. Quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, morale, innovation, engagement and creative ideas that are either diminished or totally lost. PI are the silent heroes of the company. The PI team is made up of individuals who have learned that giving credit away is much more valuable than receiving credit. Black Belts know how to facilitate and lead teams to gather ideas. Even when the Black Belt knows the answers, they take the time to ask the right questions so that the answers come from the team; not themselves. PI leaders don't boast or brag. Their joy comes from seeing others succeed. This is why it is important for PI and C-Suite leadership to work together, hand-in-hand. Leaders should not depend on quarterly, bi-annual nor annual reports from PI to determine the value being yielded. Each day should be a collaborative and unified effort between executive leaders, PI and the business to drive change. C-Suite leaders will not have to ask what value is PI having if they are part of the PI team and culture. Centered Business Solutions offers workshops, seminars, coaching and certifications that meets any company’s needs. With more than 20 years’ experience in multiple industries driving change and developing leaders Centered Business Solutions can develop custom training to any industry. For more information visit our website https://lnkd.in/e4eBrb8c.

Too many companies miss the value of Process Improvement (PI). Within the more than 20 years of experience I have seen it many times over. Leaders look at PI as an option if things are going good. Not as an opportunity to make things profitable! Let’s talk about the PI side of the house. There is an element of PI where value can be found through straight data analysis. Individuals are able to collect the needed data, conduct complicated statistical analysis and in return, advise leaders where improvements need to be made. But I would argue that this is the exception, not the norm. Leadership is the number one requirement when it comes to PI. Improvement comes from interaction with people. PI is not a solo sport; it is a team sport! Sustainable improvements only come when the people who do the work are involved. I have had colleagues who were successful in the manufacturing realm, sitting behind computers and not having human engagement. I have seen these exact same individuals shift to an industry that required people engagement and they fell way short! Why? They lacked leadership skills. The ability to communicate, facilitate and gather ideas of others were absent. Individuals who would just rather do it themselves, rather than bring the team along and work at the team’s pace, rarely do well. Many times when companies come to the conclusion that "PI doesn't work," it is not because it doesn't. It is because the wrong PI team members were selected. Company leaders. PI Leaders. Let me pass along some advice from my years of experience. Don’t just hire based on the resume and certifications. Investigate and prove that the individuals you bring onto your team can lead, communicate and connect with people! Especially at the Black Belt and above levels. Yellow and Green belts should be seen as leadership development. Only those who desire to grow as leaders should be given these opportunities. Tools and methodologies can be taught. People skills, not so much. And even if the individual is teachable, it takes years to take someone who is not a people person, and develop them into one. If you want your business to see PI as a must, hire right! Centered Business Solutions provides workshops, training and certifications no matter the size of your business. We have workshops that help your team discover how to see opportunities as well as how to solve problems. Reach out today to see how we can create a special training program that fits your company’s needs. Visit our website https://lnkd.in/e4eBrb8c, or email [email protected].

Companies that don't invest in their teams will not have teams who are invested in the business. Leaders who lose sight of the people who do the work and in turn, make the bottomline the only priority are leading their company into a slow demise. It might not be immediate, but eventually quality, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction will plummet! There has never been a more important time to invest in your people! https://lnkd.in/e959CbbX Call Centered Business Solutions today to get going on the right training package that fits your team's needs! [email protected]

AN UNDERSTOOD NEED In 2023 I began to shift my services and experience from big corporate settings, to small businesses. Having had several small businesses through the years, I understand the struggles of hiring, and producing consistent high quality services/products all while trying to remain profitable. When I approached small business owners I quickly learned that most understood the need for developing efficient processes and having a team who was empowered, but nearly all felt it was financially out of reach. A SHIFT IN THINKING No matter the business, owners understand they need to purchase the right tools for the job. Despite the margins, there are investments that need to be made in order to provide the offered services and/or products. I think we would all agree on that. A building contractor needs a truck to pull equipment and get supplies to the work sight. He doesn’t blink an eye to drop over a $100k get what he needs to do the job. An irrigation installer requires a Ditch Witch trencher, so he either rents one at $2000 a month, or purchases for anywhere from $10-$30k. The physician in a local clinic will spend hundreds of thousands on office space, furniture, compensation and the latest medical equipment to diagnose and care for her patients. Yet, when it comes to creating a culture of change, there is not money in the budget. Why is this? A REQUIRED TOOL There is a lack of understanding that process improvement is a tool. Just as trucks, trenchers and medical equipment are tools required to provide the services offered, so is creating a culture of continuous improvement. I would go one step further to say that a culture of continuous improvement brings more ROI than any other tool or piece of equipment a company could buy. THE GREATEST ASSET People are the greatest and most important asset any business has. They are the frontline to seeing and experiencing what happens second by second. They are closest to understanding what works and what does not. Why wouldn’t a business owner want the most important asset trained and equipped to identify problems and empowered to fix them? IMAGINE - WHAT IF? It is all about a change of perspective. Imagine having team members who are capable of saving your business tens of thousands of dollars annually. Think about individuals feeling empowered and trusted enough they see and fix problems as they occur. What if you were not the only one having to think and find solutions? Would your life be different? What would that do for profitability? Customer satisfaction? Employee satisfaction? Quality? At Centered Business Solutions we offer training and workshops of all types that is catered to your business needs. Contact us today to find out how we can begin the shift in your company to creating a culture of change! [email protected] https://lnkd.in/e4eBrb8c

Many small businesses don't even consider process improvement as part of their business model which allows potential revenue to slip right through their fingers. No matter what your business might be or how small or large, if you're team is not trained on how to identify and approach problems, your company is headed in the wrong direction. At Centered Business Solutions we offer training, certification and consulting to help companies develop more efficient processes that lead to increased profitability. Reach out today to find out how Centered Business Solutions can help you and your team get ahead, and stay ahead of the competition.

My beautiful wife and me at her cousins wedding

Centered Business Solutions is ramping up to begin another Green Belt on-line certification course January 2025! DM or email [email protected] to find out more!

Centered Business Solutions donated a pick up truck of dog food and various sizes of diapers to be taken directly to those in need due to the devastation of hurricane Helene.