When Continuous Improvement Becomes Real...
It’s 5 p.m. on a Friday night. You’re standing at the back of the “fast” checkout line at your local supermarket. As if your place in queue isn’t insult enough, there’s a problem.
The teenage cashier motions for assistance. Her elder co-worker saunters from three registers down to answer the call. She checks the customer’s ID and scans his lone bottle of wine.
After money exchanges hands, a brassy ding signals the transaction is complete. The helper walks way and the line inches forward. Seven minutes have already passed. The once ice-cold six-pack of beer you’re holding begins to sweat, forming a puddle at your feet. Your patience thins.
And just before you reach your boiling point, it hits you: This brilliant display of operational ineptitude will replay itself when your turn eventually comes – but not before two patrons in line ahead of you.
You pull the manager aside and offer a “gentle” suggestion for improvement. A week later, you’re standing at the back of the fast checkout line again. You smile. The elder cashier is working the register.
It took me a while to understand the 8 waste. I could tell you the waste Acronym DOWNTIME and understood the concept very quickly. However It takes time to make it a part of who you are. In time, when practicing, seeing the waste just become a part of your DNA. I did not have to tell the manager anything. The manager could have ignored the advice but the fact the advice was taken, there was a better customer experience for a lot of people.
Do you just do Continuous Improvement at work or do you apply it in your daily life? Do you help others see waste? Are you a wasteoligist?
A Wasteologist is someone who "Goes beyond the waste acronym, practices seeing it and eliminating it, and makes it part of their DNA. They pledge to be vigilant in the detection of wastes before them, relentless in the quest to continuously remove waste, and guiding to others who seek the path of wasteology."
Once you learn, there is no turning back. Make something better today, become a wasteologist.
Let me know how you if you’re like me, a wasteologist, and where you have applied continuous improvement in your daily life and helped others along the way.
Lean Blessings,
Dan
#Improve #Lean #Life #Beer #Wine #Waiting #Helpothers #CI #2secondlean #LeanManiac #Fun #justdoit #wasteologist #wasteology
Dan Davis joined Watts Water Technology in 2018 and is responsible for driving Continuous Improvement utilizing the One Watts Performance System. His key focus areas include driving the vision and roadmap for the Company’s continuous improvement initiatives, implementing robust tools and measurement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma, and leading the Company toward best-in-class status in operations and transactional activities.
Prior to his current role Mr. Davis was responsible for the continuous improvement program at Xylem for the AWS division. He held several leadership roles at FMC Technologies, including Continuous improvement Leader & Plant Manager. Prior to that, he served in a series of increasingly responsible leadership roles in the industrial businesses for the Stanley Black & Decker, Global Continuous Improvement Leader and Plant Manager Responsibility. At Tractor Supply Company, Mr. Davis was responsible for launching their Continuous Improvement Program (Tractor Value System).
Mr. Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineer from Milwaukee School of Engineering
Founder of Increase Revenues - Re-engage existing leads with AI and Automation to drive 6 and 7 figure incremental sales.
2 年Dan, your great insights on waste management challenge me to do better in this area in my personal and work life. thanks. Joe
On Secondment to IFS | IFS Cloud >> GAS and CYLINDER Management Services
4 年Reducing waste is a way of life. When many people in a society practice it, national savings happen. It is also indicates responsibility. One thing I do everyday is, I put only so much on plate - which I can eat. Rarely do I throw away food. I learnt it watching my grandmother, At work as a IT functional and customization consultant, my usp is ensuring everything is optimized and made easy.
Driving continuous process improvement to lean manufacturing operations
4 年Great story! Once you learn to see that waste, then your eyes are always open.... Wasteologist for life!
President and CEO, Millennium Global Business Solutions Inc. USA (Senior Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt)
5 年The grocery line cashier and manager have ZERO incentives to render line acceleration. Even in organizations, where lean is deployed, there has to be a benefit for the customer. people, and business to render such change, without which sustenance becomes an issue. In a typical situation, when the line moves faster customer ges his swea-free six pack, while he business heaps faster revenue. This is value-added only if demand is so high compared to capacity and as a result of their poor customer service on check-out time, that customers are walking away to Joe's pick and pay across the street and patronzing his store. On the contrary if customers seem to come here either due to a monopoly and have no reason to abandon and go elsewhere, LEAN is not going to scratch any bottom for any benefits. Understanding TIMWOOD or DOWNTIME or any other acronym has no bearing to what we observe and comprehend. Practicality on applying the principles of LEAN, Six Sigma and other CI initiatives impacts the culture and business at a sustainable level. Otherwise, it just becomes an academic exercise. Thoughts?
President and CEO, Millennium Global Business Solutions Inc. USA (Senior Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt)
5 年Waste exists everywhere around us and it is unfortunately ingrained in the DNA of our thinking to accept it. Why is my garbage bin filled with it / that could be my first question. Why are people losing things while they are delivered at their doorstep - that tells me from my next door neighborhood website that defects exist. When I am engaged with my community around defect prevention and waste elimination I am probably closer to being a CI practitioner so long as I display the same attitude at work at least what I can control. I once Poka-Yoked the microwave, toaster, and the book shelf at my office to eliminate tripping the power line as we were housed in a trailer with limited power distribution. Don’t be shy to apply. Thoughts?