Can Convis Turn Dana Around?

toledoblade.com -- Dana CEO, veteran of Toyota, hailed as mentor

Here's another nice article that gives an overview of the leadership style of Gary Convis, a long-time Toyota exec who is now CEO of parts maker Dana.

IF DANA Holding Corp.'s new chief executive officer has any words of wisdom that he tries to impart to those younger than his 65 years, Gary Convis tells them this: "Manage as if you have no power."

It was advice that the longtime Toyota Motor Corp. manufacturing executive received from his management mentor many years ago.

I could quote and comment until the cows come home -- but I'll just invite you to click on the article and take a look.

We'd all be better off if we had more leaders like Gary Convis.

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The Dispersion of Toyota Talent

One of the most fascinating trends out of there is the spread of Toyota folks into other old-line automakers or parts suppliers -- Gary Convis, Jim Press, and Jim Farley, to name three. What impact can they have outside of Toyota? It remains to be seen and it's a story worth following. How much impact can one man have on the culture of an entire organization, even if they're at the top?

The big news this week was the hiring of retired Toyota executive Gary Convis as CEO at Dana, a parts maker and auto supplier. Convis is one of my favorite role models and examples of Lean leadership. Even though Dana has had some success with Lean practices (including some Shingo Prizes), it didn't save the company from bankruptcy.

Dana Puts Convis at the Wheel - WSJ.com

From the WSJ article:

Toledo automobile-components supplier Dana Corp. will announce Thursday the hiring of longtime Toyota Motor Corp. manufacturing whiz Gary Convis as its new chief executive.

I'd argue that "manufacturing whiz" only scratches the surface of his leadership talent. When you see quotes from Convis like this (from previous articles):

•

“You respect people, you listen to them, you work together. You don’t blame them. Maybe the process was not set up well, so it was easy to make a mistake.”

That type of mindset and leadership should translate well to an entire company. Will Convis be able to stem the tide of traditional blaming and strict top-down leadership? Will Convis be able to spread the "respect for people" philosophy throughout Dana? Will he have the runway to be able to do that? Or will Wall Street and the investors want short-term focus? Will Convis be able to live the Toyota Way? Will he even try, given this is Dana?

Back to the WSJ article, it gives the required analyst quote, for whatever dubious value they add to the conversation:

Lehman Brothers automotive analyst Brian Johnson said the paring of Mr. Convis with Mr. Devine should give the company a management team that is capable of strengthening relations with customers and Wall Street.

He said Mr. Convis's immediate challenge is "delivering the performance improvement" and driving the company "to a leaner manufacturing philosophy."

Well, duh, of course Convis is supposed to help improve performance. You might think, from his choice of words, that this analyst doesn't understand the Lean approach. "Leaner?" Lean isn't an end point, it's a philosophy and a business system. What does "leaner" mean? That Dana will have MORE of a long-term focus than Toyota? What the heck does that mean? It would be more accurate to say something like "driving the company to more fully implement the lean manufacturing methods and philosophies." Or how else would you put it?

Either way, I hope Convis is wildly successful at Dana. That would be a nice data point to prove that the Toyota Production System works well in other companies.

A Star a Toyota, a Believer at Ford - NY Times

The second related story is about Jim Farley and his move from Toyota to Ford. It's a fascinating profile - we learn, among other things, that he is a cousin of the departed comedian Chris Farley (there is a passing resemblance).

More importantly, Farley shares his passion for Ford and his drive to help save the company.

Now Farley isn't leading change from the top, but he can influence the culture. Hopefully, he can bring the customer obsession from Toyota:

Mr. Farley rode the fast track at Toyota. He moved to Europe in 1995 and helped introduce versions of the Yaris minicar and the Corolla compact. He also became obsessed with what cars people drove and why.

“I used to walk parking lots all the time, all over Europe,” he said. “When I’m in a new situation, my formula is to really find the truth in things, to observe and get close to the truth.”

The truth, as he saw it at Toyota, was all about the customer — unlike at some other automakers that let executives dictate what cars to build.

“One of the many things that Toyota does really, really well is that it can put the voice of the customer right there at the table in front of the chairman of the company, in a way that even he can’t change it,” he said.

Farley learned to go to the "gemba," to actually observe and talk with customers. This is a long-standing pattern in Toyota (including the stories of Japanese employees coming to the U.S. to drive minivans across the continent to understand customer needs here).

It also sounds like he will open up channels of communication:

“At Ford, it was like the boss was always right,” he said. “But it is fascinating how quickly the people I work with were able to shift to where they had their own opinions and expressed them.”

Tie that back to the Convis quote. Convis is a servant leader. He listens to his employees. That's the magic. I hope that's what they can both help bring to Dana and Ford. If it can work there, it can work anywhere.

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Gary Convis on Lean Leadership

Role of Management in a Lean Manufacturing Environment

If you want to learn about the Toyota style of leading people, one of the best sources is Gary Convis. Here is a link to a column written directly by him.

For anyone who is struggling with a "Lean tools" implementation attempt, but sure to check this out. I always find it inspiring to read his approach or to hear him talk about it. Gary is also featured pretty prominently in the David Magee book, How Toyota Became #1: Leadership Lessons from the World's Greatest Car Company.

A highlight from the Convis piece:

"In my opinion, the key to the successful implementation of TPS at NUMMI, and TMMK, and at the other Toyota plants in North America, has been the total commitment on the part of everyone to make it work. By that I mean, all levels of the organization, from team members to the senior managers, have to be aware of the fundamentals of TPS and have to make their best efforts to practice and improve them day-by-day."

While Lean requires employee engagement and involvement, Lean is not something that can be delegated completely. Leadership needs to understand TPS, not just front-line supervisors. As I've said before, Lean requires commitment and dedication. "Lean" does not succeed or fail. Leaders succeed or leaders fail. Sometimes we fail by giving up too quickly or by not learning more beyond an initial Lean attempt (which might have just been an attempt at a single tool, like 5S or kanban).

He continues to explain the ties between philosophy, tools, and management approaches:

"TPS is an interlocking set of three underlying elements: the philosophical underpinnings, the managerial culture and the technical tools. The philosophical underpinnings include a joint shop-floor, customer-first focus, an emphasis on people first, a commitment to continuous improvement or kaizen, and a belief that harmony with the environment is of critical importance. The managerial culture for TPS is rooted in several factors, including developing and sustaining a sense of trust, a commitment to involving those affected by first, teamwork, equal and fair treatment for all, and finally, fact-based decision making and long-term thinking."

He also explains the wonderful phrase "to lead the organization as if I had no power."

Great reading, the whole thing. A great "intro to Lean" if you need something to send to your senior management, maybe. The headline really could read "Role of Management in ANY Lean Environment".

Clearing out my "WIP"

It's time for another segment of "cleaning out the backlog," those articles I meant to blog about, but didn't get to. These are also articles that don't demand too much commentary.... so enjoy:

Where is Gary Convis going now that he's retired from Toyota?

Gary Convis, who we've written about a lot here, is joining up with a private equity firm that is looking to acquire and consolidate auto suppliers. It will be interesting to see who will contribute more for Lean in the auto world, Convis, Jim Press (at Chrysler) or Alan Mulally (at Ford).

Lean Thinking Network | Competing Podcast » Dr. Steven Spear interview, Part 2: Healthcare

This is another outstanding podcast from Dwight Bowen, his second with Professor Spear, this time focusing on healthcare. But, I'd encourage everyone to listen, as Prof. Spear does such a good job of articulating the thought processes behind Toyota Production System thinking.

Hudson company goes to the 'Extreme' - Hudson, MA - Hudson Sun

Here's a story about a company using Lean. Not too much detail, but this quote struck me as odd (and inaccurate):

``Lean manufacturing - it's like McDonald's - make it fresh, ship it fresh,'' said Savage, as nearby workers stacked multi-colored cubicle panels to be shipped

For one, McDonald's lets product sit in finished goods inventory... which means it's not really fresh, right? I'd use Subway or Quiznos of a better example of "fresh" since the sandwiches are build-to-order. Secondly, is McDonald's the first example people think of when trying to describe Lean to people? Odd.

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Toyota's Convis Retires

Georgetown News-Graphic: News

This was already announced, so maybe his retirement has just now taken effect, Gary Convis, the former leader of the Toyota Georgetown plant (TMMK):

"Gary really knows how to listen," Steve St. Angelo, Georgetown plant president, said, in an in-house newsletter. "He absorbs facts and details, and I will miss having him as a mentor. However, even after his retirement, he will continue with Toyota as an executive adviser, so I'm sure we'll stay in touch."

St. Angelo said Convis' management style was a perfect fit for the Toyota plant.

"Gary leads people the way Toyota manages business," he said. "He empowers them to do better and he displays a genuine respect for the work they do."

For more on Convis, click the "Convis" link below. I'm trying, through a contact, to get him on a LeanBlog Podcast, but we'll have to wait and see....

Toyota's Convis to Retire

Press Named to Toyota Board - The Car Connection

Toyota's Gary Convis, a leader who I have admired greatly, is retiring in June:

Toyota also announced that Gary Convis will retire in June from his positions as a managing officer and chairman of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc.

There is a quote from Convis that I often use in training sessions and presentations:

“You respect people, you listen to them, you work together. You don’t blame them. Maybe the process was not set up well, so it was easy to make a mistake.”

Hopefully he can do more to educate us about the Toyota leadership mindset after his retirement.

Click the "Convis" link below for more articles that feature him. Best wishes to Mr. Convis in his retirement.

A Speech by Toyota's Gary Convis

"Toyota's Globalization Takes Shape through the Camry"

The link above the full text of a speech by Gary Convis, who I really admire as a lean leader.

Some excerpts:

"To be a successful automaker or supplier in today's competitive world, I believe every single person involved in your value chain must fully understand the company's mission and direction, and execute their roles perfectly to move toward shared goals."

This statement is true even if you replace "automaker" with "hospital" or "software company."

Convis talks about the development of their new Camry, a pretty striking-looking car for a family sedan, in my opinion.

He talks about the global nature of Camry development and production -- proof that Toyota trusts and values those outside of Japan:

"The last generation Camry was produced in five plants. For this generation, we nearly doubled the number of plants to eight. And the new Camry would be introduced around the globe at a pace that was 20 percent faster.

So we had to find a better way. In the past, a "global" vehicle such as the Camry or Corolla would have design functions centered in Japan. And while manufacturing was closely involved in the process, each plant would be responsible for their individual tooling and assembly procedures.

But not this time… thanks to something we call the Global Production Center, or GPC. .....

Each of the eight Camry plants around the world was assigned a certain set of processes to develop… and share the details with the other plants."

Convis mentions all of the languages involved in the process ("Conversations went back and forth in English and Japanese, of course, but there was also Chinese, Russian, and Thai. And there might have been a few others that I didn't recognize!"). So how did they communicate? Using technology and visual methods, in this case a video:

"We accomplished this by using a number of methods, but one of the key ones was something we call visual manuals. A visual manual is a short video of a specific Camry process that supplements our written materials, with the details and key points highlighted in the five languages I mentioned earlier."

There is also a great story about using "creativity over capital" in solving what would have otherwise been a problem in the handoff between design and manufacturing.

Anyway, lots of good stuff, check out his speech. Here are more links to blog posts I've written about Convis.

'Breaking the rice ceiling'

Battle Creek Enquirer - www.battlecreekenquirer.com

Here is an outstanding profile of Gary Convis, the President of the Toyota Georgetown (KY) plant and the highest-ranking American executive in the company.

I've written about Convis before and have seen him speak at a lean conference. He really seems to exemplify what you would want to see in a "lean leader", in his words and his manner.

From the article:

Convis, who relaxes by playing golf and riding a Harley Davidson, describes his management style as leading by example and not asking others to do what he wouldn't do himself.

"You respect people," he said. "You listen to them, you work together. You don't blame them. Maybe the process was not set up well, so it was easy to make a mistake."

Convis also has a dedication to the Toyota production system, knowing it well enough to solve problems and "sell" the solutions to the workers, who, by the way, must be appreciated and cared for, he said.

That's all done in the traditionally humble style of Japanese managers.

These days, Convis still oversees the Georgetown plant and its 7,000 employees. But he's also traveling to other Toyota plants and focusing more on long-term strategic planning.

But he won't give up one activity that dates back to his early days in the auto industry: walking the manufacturing floor.

He does it whenever he can.

"It's my favorite time of the day," he said. "It's where I grew up and that's where we add value. I like to say that the rest of us are all overhead. If I don't add value, there's no reason for me to be there."

Peggy Ferris, a conveyance manager in the Georgetown plant who has known Convis since he came to the plant in 2000, said he's a president who connects well with workers.

"To me, Gary is always teaching," she said. "He's a president that's very involved in the daily activities and projects. When he sees you're at a stumbling block, he offers support and follow-up, and then follow-up on that support to see if it's helped you," she said. "...He's out there on the floor and he's interested, and people respond to that."

She also appreciates his accessibility. "He's very, very busy, but you don't feel he's very, very busy because he makes time for you," she said. "That's very unique."

Convis said it's not about being a boss, but about being a facilitator and a coach. When he became a vice president at Toyota, his supervisor told him to manage as if he had no power.

"I thought about that and I thought 'My goodness — what an amazing approach.' And I thought at the time, would a North American executive in a similar type of business ever say that to a newly promoted person? Never. So I've never forgotten that."

American moves up at Toyota

Detroit Free Press

This is significant, in addition to an American, Gary Convis, running the Georgetown plant in Kentucky.

"It's not coincidental when Toyota is finally trumpeting its presence in American culture, claiming to be as American as any of its competitors, an American gets this job," said Jim Sanfilippo, executive vice president of Automotive Marketing Consultants Inc. in Bloomfield Hills. "This is emblematic of all that's been going on at the company."

More thoughts from Gary Convis of Toyota

Role of Management in a Lean Manufacturing Environment:

Rather than trying to add anything to his comments, read his own words here and in the linked article.

"Another common reason TPS implementations fail is that managers try to implement individual elements instead of the entire TPS approach. Since the elements of TPS are integrated and interdependent, any attempt to implement TPS only partially is bound to produce very unsatisfactory results.

For TPS to work effectively, it needs to be adopted in its entirety, not piecemeal. Each element of TPS will only fully blossom if grown in an environment that contains and nourishes the philosophies and managerial practices needed to support it. I liken this to a greenhouse, where just the right combination of soil, light, temperature, humidity, water and nutrients allow plants to grow and flourish. If any one of these elements is removed, the plants will weaken and eventually die."

Toyota Kentucky (TMMK) President Gary Convis On "The Human Side of Lean"

Quality Digest Magazine

Many lean practictioners have read The Toyota Way, Jeffrey Liker's book on the management system and management principles of Toyota. How many of us see the implementation of tools (like 5S or kanban) without recognizing the need to transform the way managers treat and lead people?

Convis says: "The other pillar of the Toyota way is respect for people and honesty. If you don’t have respect for people who work for the company, you’re in the wrong business. Individuals can tell from your body language, from your voice, whether you respect them for what they bring to the party. Just the fact that they get up every day at 5 a.m., get dressed, make the effort to come to work and do a good job, you must respect them for that. Being a responsible manager in the Toyota entity means you have a great responsibility to take care of the people who are donating their lives to the company."