Comments on: Reader Question: Role of a Company President? http://www.leanblog.org/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-company/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:59:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mark Graban http://www.leanblog.org/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-company/#comment-2335 Mark Graban Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:43:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-a-company-president/#comment-2335 Mike T makes a lot of good points, but I'll nitpick this one thing.<br/><br/>It's great that the VP is dedicated to his standard work. But, when asked about "why," I wish he'd have a better answer than "my standard work says so." That's a pretty superficial answer and might sound silly, since he probably has a lot of control over his own standard work.<br/><br/>Better answers to "why are you out here, Mr. VP?" might include:<br/><br/>* "I'm here to oversee the ongoing discipline of our lean efforts, so I can follow up with my managers or employees if I see things that need attention."<br/><br/>* "I'm here to be available if you have any concerns that aren't being addressed by your management. What can I help with?"<br/><br/>Things like that. Mike T makes a lot of good points, but I’ll nitpick this one thing.

It’s great that the VP is dedicated to his standard work. But, when asked about “why,” I wish he’d have a better answer than “my standard work says so.” That’s a pretty superficial answer and might sound silly, since he probably has a lot of control over his own standard work.

Better answers to “why are you out here, Mr. VP?” might include:

* “I’m here to oversee the ongoing discipline of our lean efforts, so I can follow up with my managers or employees if I see things that need attention.”

* “I’m here to be available if you have any concerns that aren’t being addressed by your management. What can I help with?”

Things like that.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Mike T http://www.leanblog.org/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-company/#comment-2334 Mike T Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:38:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-a-company-president/#comment-2334 Without Senior leadership, plant direction will be extremely difficult. Our VP (highest ranking individual in our facility) will break out of conference calls to make the daily walk (ours is scheduled to accomodate the participants). If the VP isn't on the walk, operators are not afraid to ask if he isn't available.<br/><br/>Being a Union shop, he's fielded comments from the Union workforce concerning the value of his (and others') presence daily. He explains it this way, "you have standard work as an operator. I have standard work as the VP that includes getting to the floor every day..." That is a POWERFUL message that cannot be delivered by someone else.<br/><br/>If your top management doesn't have buy-in, or is only partially involved, the operators will see that. It will make the same impression on them. You'll never achieve total commitment from one without total commitment from the other.<br/><br/>I wish you the best. The difficulty of your position is multiplied due to his example. Not just for Lean, but it will foster the "us versus them" attitude between labor and management. On the bright side, if you can pull the transition off, your learning experience will be incredible. He may be a "turtle" who needs more time, which is better than a "fox" who is only leading you on... Without Senior leadership, plant direction will be extremely difficult. Our VP (highest ranking individual in our facility) will break out of conference calls to make the daily walk (ours is scheduled to accomodate the participants). If the VP isn’t on the walk, operators are not afraid to ask if he isn’t available.

Being a Union shop, he’s fielded comments from the Union workforce concerning the value of his (and others’) presence daily. He explains it this way, “you have standard work as an operator. I have standard work as the VP that includes getting to the floor every day…” That is a POWERFUL message that cannot be delivered by someone else.

If your top management doesn’t have buy-in, or is only partially involved, the operators will see that. It will make the same impression on them. You’ll never achieve total commitment from one without total commitment from the other.

I wish you the best. The difficulty of your position is multiplied due to his example. Not just for Lean, but it will foster the “us versus them” attitude between labor and management. On the bright side, if you can pull the transition off, your learning experience will be incredible. He may be a “turtle” who needs more time, which is better than a “fox” who is only leading you on…

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.leanblog.org/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-company/#comment-2333 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:31:00 +0000 http://leanblog.bigbigdesign.net/2007/07/reader-question-role-of-a-company-president/#comment-2333 Supposing the president is on-site, his role should be to lead and drive the lean transformation publicly. He should participate, lead by example, and give public recognition to others.<br/><br/>If the president is not on-site, which is the case in many larger companies, he should do as much as possible from a distance and visit the gemba as much as his schedule allows. In this case, the plant manger assumes the lean leadership role. (One of my company's plants currently has a Japanese plant manager who only goes to the plant floor on a rare occasion and will not change. What a horrible example.) Supposing the president is on-site, his role should be to lead and drive the lean transformation publicly. He should participate, lead by example, and give public recognition to others.

If the president is not on-site, which is the case in many larger companies, he should do as much as possible from a distance and visit the gemba as much as his schedule allows. In this case, the plant manger assumes the lean leadership role. (One of my company’s plants currently has a Japanese plant manager who only goes to the plant floor on a rare occasion and will not change. What a horrible example.)

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>