Three Big Reasons Why We Procrastinate –and What We Can Do About Them November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation, personal productivity.Tags: Creativity & Innovation, personal productivity
add a comment
Julian Fong, writing at Lateral Action, talks about procrastination and how it can be handled. Fong highlights several key reasons for procrastination, including not knowing what to do, not knowing how to do it, and various forms of psychological resistance.
Check out Mr. Fong’s Lateral Action post here.
Three Big Reasons Why We Procrastinate –and What We Can Do About Them November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation, personal productivity.Tags: Creativity & Innovation, personal productivity
add a comment
Julian Fong, writing at Lateral Action, talks about procrastination and how it can be handled. Fong highlights several key reasons for procrastination, including not knowing what to do, not knowing how to do it, and various forms of psychological resistance.
Check out Mr. Fong’s Lateral Action post here.
The Last Step to 5 Whys Process – The “So What?” Test November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
add a comment
Best accomplished with a team, the 5 Whys Process “So What” test is a root cause analysis technique of addressing a problem. Once a problem or issue is discovered, tracing the source of the problem comes next. (For example, the milk is sour because milk was on sale, too much milk was purchased to save money, which led to more milk than could be consumed before expiration.) Though it may seem like common sense and a waste of time, asking “so what?” is more useful than one might think.
Check out the LSS Academy post here.
The Last Step to 5 Whys Process – The “So What?” Test November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean, Lean Thinking
add a comment
Best accomplished with a team, the 5 Whys Process “So What” test is a root cause analysis technique of addressing a problem. Once a problem or issue is discovered, tracing the source of the problem comes next. (For example, the milk is sour because milk was on sale, too much milk was purchased to save money, which led to more milk than could be consumed before expiration.) Though it may seem like common sense and a waste of time, asking “so what?” is more useful than one might think.
Check out the LSS Academy post here.
Work Smart: Overcoming “Reactionary Workflow” To Make Your Vision A Reality November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, strategy.Tags: personal productivity, strategy
add a comment
Long-term goals can be undone by short-term obstacles or distractions. Scott Belsky, in a video from Fast Company, talks about how reactionary workflow can be overcome. Among the ideas he offers is making sure to take the reins on how you manage your work, and not become subservient to things like answering e-mails for others.
Take a look at the text and video here.
Work Smart: Overcoming “Reactionary Workflow” To Make Your Vision A Reality November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, strategy.Tags: personal productivity, strategy
add a comment
Long-term goals can be undone by short-term obstacles or distractions. Scott Belsky, in a video from Fast Company, talks about how reactionary workflow can be overcome. Among the ideas he offers is making sure to take the reins on how you manage your work, and not become subservient to things like answering e-mails for others.
Take a look at the text and video here.
Six Strategies for Dealing With Workplace Distractions November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, work-life balance, workforce.Tags: personal productivity, work-life balance, workforce
add a comment
In a Fast Company blog post, David Lavenda writes about ways that workers can deal with workplace distractions. He divides these ideas into individual and organization strategies. On the individual level, for example, workers can put their technology distractions to rest by turning off things like e-mail alerts. Organizationally, meetings can be made shorter, during which time cell phones and other devices must be turned off.
Check out these and other ideas for handling distractions here.
Six Strategies for Dealing With Workplace Distractions November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in personal productivity, work-life balance, workforce.Tags: personal productivity, work-life balance, workforce
add a comment
In a Fast Company blog post, David Lavenda writes about ways that workers can deal with workplace distractions. He divides these ideas into individual and organization strategies. On the individual level, for example, workers can put their technology distractions to rest by turning off things like e-mail alerts. Organizationally, meetings can be made shorter, during which time cell phones and other devices must be turned off.
Check out these and other ideas for handling distractions here.
Mise-en-Place, 5S, and Why Tape Outlines on the Desk are Stupid November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: 5S, 5S & Visual Management, Lean Tools & Techniques
add a comment
Dan at TimeBack Management writes about the confusion that can come with implementing 5S. He believes this occurs because emphasis is placed on the visibility of the tool, rather than actually understanding the tool. The issue for offices isn’t where staplers are positioned, but how information is managed.
Read his insightful post on TimeBack Management here.
Mise-en-Place, 5S, and Why Tape Outlines on the Desk are Stupid November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management, Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: 5S, 5S & Visual Management, Lean Tools & Techniques
add a comment
Dan at TimeBack Management writes about the confusion that can come with implementing 5S. He believes this occurs because emphasis is placed on the visibility of the tool, rather than actually understanding the tool. The issue for offices isn’t where staplers are positioned, but how information is managed.
Read his insightful post on TimeBack Management here.
Ambiguous Visual Controls: Too Much Information November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management.Tags: 5S & Visual Management
add a comment
Despite the tempting idea of visual controls, sometimes there is simply too much information presented at once. Jon Miller of Gemba Panta Rei recounts a recent experience he had with visual excess at a hotel, where four images clustered closely together present a confusing array of information.
For anyone using visual controls, this post shares a great example that the method can be misused and overused.
Check out Mr. Miller’s post – and a photo of the visual excess – here.
Ambiguous Visual Controls: Too Much Information November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management.Tags: 5S & Visual Management
add a comment
Despite the tempting idea of visual controls, sometimes there is simply too much information presented at once. Jon Miller of Gemba Panta Rei recounts a recent experience he had with visual excess at a hotel, where four images clustered closely together present a confusing array of information.
For anyone using visual controls, this post shares a great example that the method can be misused and overused.
Check out Mr. Miller’s post – and a photo of the visual excess – here.
Humility, Respect, and… Ignorance November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, lean office
add a comment
Kevin Meyer, writing at the Evolving Excellence blog, talks about the second pillar of lean: respect for people. Mr. Meyer is convinced most lean efforts fail because they focus on waste elimination rather than respect for people. A large part of that respect is a solid ethical foundation, which is severely lacking in leadership, written off as “ignorance”.
Check out Mr. Meyer’s blog post here.
Humility, Respect, and… Ignorance November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership, lean.Tags: leadership, lean office
add a comment
Kevin Meyer, writing at the Evolving Excellence blog, talks about the second pillar of lean: respect for people. Mr. Meyer is convinced most lean efforts fail because they focus on waste elimination rather than respect for people. A large part of that respect is a solid ethical foundation, which is severely lacking in leadership, written off as “ignorance”.
Check out Mr. Meyer’s blog post here.
“Management By Walking Around” vs. “Gemba Walks” November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: Lean Tools & Techniques
add a comment
There is a difference between walking around and actually participating in a Gemba Walk, notes Mark Graban at Lean Blog. A manager simply walking around is not active in asking questions, seeking out problems, staying in one spot long enough, or addressing employee concerns.
Check out Mark’s thoughts here.
“Management By Walking Around” vs. “Gemba Walks” November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: Lean Tools & Techniques
add a comment
There is a difference between walking around and actually participating in a Gemba Walk, notes Mark Graban at Lean Blog. A manager simply walking around is not active in asking questions, seeking out problems, staying in one spot long enough, or addressing employee concerns.
Check out Mark’s thoughts here.
Hoshin Kanri is Key to Success at Orbital Sciences November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, quality.Tags: lean, quality
add a comment
Orbital Sciences, which manufactures rockets and space systems for civilian and defense agencies, had been on a seven year-long lean journey. Because the company must be NASA certified, they have high quality standards to meet, and they do that through the use of lean. Among the actions members of the company take is that of a monthly meeting where progress, processes and objectives are targeted, discussed, and planned.
Check out the IndustryWeek write-up here.
Hoshin Kanri is Key to Success at Orbital Sciences November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, quality.Tags: lean, quality
add a comment
Orbital Sciences, which manufactures rockets and space systems for civilian and defense agencies, had been on a seven year-long lean journey. Because the company must be NASA certified, they have high quality standards to meet, and they do that through the use of lean. Among the actions members of the company take is that of a monthly meeting where progress, processes and objectives are targeted, discussed, and planned.
Check out the IndustryWeek write-up here.
Automakers Leading the Shift to a ‘Demand-Based Economy’ November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in automotive, customer focus.Tags: automotive, customer focus
add a comment
Josh Cable, writing at IndustryWeek, describes how the automotive industry is switching from push to a pull model of production. Rather than mass-producing cars, consumer demands will begin to drive demand-based production. Instead of creating a set supply of cars, auto manufacturers are studying trends and demand through social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, and how receptive people are to ad campaigns. This has allowed them to add “precision” to their method of product, price, place, and promotion.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Automakers Leading the Shift to a ‘Demand-Based Economy’ November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in automotive, customer focus.Tags: automotive, customer focus
add a comment
Josh Cable, writing at IndustryWeek, describes how the automotive industry is switching from push to a pull model of production. Rather than mass-producing cars, consumer demands will begin to drive demand-based production. Instead of creating a set supply of cars, auto manufacturers are studying trends and demand through social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, and how receptive people are to ad campaigns. This has allowed them to add “precision” to their method of product, price, place, and promotion.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Lean Healthcare featured on PBS Nightly Business Report November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
add a comment
Mark Graban highlights that PBS Nightly Reports recently featured a segment on lean healthcare. Despite some generalizations (e.g., that factories are all dusty and dirty), the report focuses on the shift of ideas back and forth across the Pacific to Japan and to America. The report also notes that approximately 25% of hospitals are currently using lean.
Check out the Lean Blog post, and a video, here.
Lean Healthcare featured on PBS Nightly Business Report November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking
add a comment
Mark Graban highlights that PBS Nightly Reports recently featured a segment on lean healthcare. Despite some generalizations (e.g., that factories are all dusty and dirty), the report focuses on the shift of ideas back and forth across the Pacific to Japan and to America. The report also notes that approximately 25% of hospitals are currently using lean.
Check out the Lean Blog post, and a video, here.
What’s the Role of Technology in Continuous Improvement? November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, new products and technologies, Uncategorized.Tags: lean, new products and technologies
add a comment
More than mere technology change is needed for continuous improvement, says Ralph Keller at IndustryWeek. While technology changes may help advance continuous improvement processes, they are not the sole underlying cause. Usually, technology changes aren’t even needed to improve quality and business processes.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
What’s the Role of Technology in Continuous Improvement? November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean, new products and technologies, Uncategorized.Tags: lean, new products and technologies
add a comment
More than mere technology change is needed for continuous improvement, says Ralph Keller at IndustryWeek. While technology changes may help advance continuous improvement processes, they are not the sole underlying cause. Usually, technology changes aren’t even needed to improve quality and business processes.
Check out the IndustryWeek article here.
Maryland’s Healthcare Solution: Regulate Prices November 17, 2011
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in government, healthcare.Tags: government, healthcare
add a comment
In Maryland, healthcare prices are regulated by the state. For the most part, according to Quality News Today, this keeps the healthcare system financially solvent. It also helps to keep prices low, in terms of both healthcare and health insurance.
Check out the Quality News Today article here.
