Lean Summit

Lean Sustainability and Knowledge Transfer

September 30, 2015

Kathryn Douglass
Rika Mead

Lean Program Best Practice Areas

We dont have a budget, so well just
do this on a shoestring.
We dont need a strategic plan - this is intuitive.
The program will just run itself.

People dont like to be

monitored.

Program and Staff

Monitoring and
Evaluation

A communications plan is not

needed word of mouth will do
fine.

We are afraid to get

customers involved; they
will slow us down.

We can set aside some leftover

funds - perhaps $50k for the
whole program.

Strategic Plan

Performance Budget

Sustainability

Program Operation
and Improvement
We dont have time or budget to
connect everything, so well just do a
few projects and see what happens.

It cant be that hard.

Employee Coaching
and Training

Customer Input and

Impact Measurement

Department Managers wont

get involved, so well go
around them.

We will use a train the

trainer approach.
Well just train a few folks
and they will be the change
agents.

We dont have the staff to set

up and manage a program.

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Sustainability
People always ask, 'Is the change over, can we stop now?' You've got
to tell them, 'No, it's just begun!'
Jack Welch

Define Terms
Lean Sustainability
Sustainability is a state that can be
maintained indefinitely at a certain
level.
A Sustainable Lean Environment is one
that continually changes, while
maintaining a state of self-monitoring
and improvement.

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Performance

The Expectation

Future State

Current State

Time

Lean Summit 09.30.2015 Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability 7

The Reality

Performance

Future State
Vision

Transition State

Actual with Sustainment

Current State
Actual without Sustainment

Time

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Sustainability - Philosophy
Build your program for sustainability
from the start.
If you arent thinking about sustainability
and change management when you
begin, your program will struggle.
Sustainability is everyones
responsibility.
Develop and evaluate leaders on how
they help employees improve
themselves, their services, and the
process.
Encourage, recognize, motivate and
celebrate success every day.
.

You cant sustain a mindset of

improvement unless all the
management systems form a solid
basis, constant reminders and reward
for continuous improvement efforts.
Build a safe working environment,
characterized by trust, that enables
every individual to effectively solve
problems without being dinged.
Enable cross-organizational
collaboration and cooperation.
"Failures" can be as instructive, or
more so, than "successes." Debrief
both neutrally. Emphasize learn rather
than blame.

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Sustainability
Sustainability Framework
Framework
Strategy

Ensure organizations strategy is clearly

understood by all employees.
Revisit strategy at least once per year, ensure
linkage with all activities.

Governance

Deployment

Adoption

Governance

Strategy

Redesign and synch all management systems to

support organizational transformation and future
state.
Revisit annually.

Adoption

Implement training, coaching, reward and

incentives for all employees.
Remove old systems and processes to
encourage adoption of the new.
Monitor consistently and continuing.

Deployment

Roll out scope incrementally and continuously.

Carefully plan and monitor deployments;
measure and publish results.
Celebrate successes, review and understand
failures.

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Reinforcement
Make reinforcement meaningful
Apply to the person being recognized
Come from a respected source
Is relevant and valuable to the individual

Associate reinforcement with

accomplishment.
Eliminate negative consequences.
Remove incentives to revert or stay
stuck to old habits and methods.
Provide a sound foundation of
governance and management
systems.

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Sustainability Ideas
Recognition:
Newsletters
Webpage
Announcements in local papers
Certifications
Parties & celebrations
Meetings with senior leader(s)
Promotions

Rewards:
Personal trips, business conferences
Time off
Money
Meaningful gifts

Lean Summit 09.30.2015 Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability 12

Sustainability Ideas, continued

Reinforcement:
Banners/graphics in work areas
Group working sessions involving multiple levels
Problem solving or brainstorming lunches
External speakers
Visits to other organizations
Customer & stakeholder involvement & feedback
Innovation encouragement
Communication from & with leaders
Leadership role modeling
Teamwork and team projects
Audits & performance measurement systems
Accountability systems
Mentors, coaches and champions

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The Brain that Changes Itself: Roadmap to Sustainable Lean

Transformation
70% - 90% of all change related
initiatives will fail resistance to
change is a natural reaction
6 -10 months for brain to physically
remap neural pathways *
35 - 40 repetitions to change old habits
or develop new ones (longer for deeply
ingrained behaviors) *
Cultural transformation requires:
Carefully planned enterprise-wide
implementation strategy
Consistent coaching, encouragement,
tracking, feedback, reward and repetition

* The Brain That Changes Itself

by Dr. Norman Doidge

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Transformation Framework - Example

Design approach
Implement
Training
change
Communication
management
Change mgmt
Rollout comm,
Sustainability
training
Conduct training
Engage change
Identify change agents
agents/mentors

Deployment

Conduct VSAs for

50%
Calibrate strategic
alignment

Sustain
Conduct VSAs for
100%
Review & renew

Design infrastructure
KPI/metrics
Governance
structure
Templates

Conduct pilot
Evaluate results
Followup

Expand

Conduct value
stream
analyses for
25%

Governance

Assess and align

Identify and
prioritize value
streams
Define KPIs
Determine mgmt
system changes

Traction

Adoption

Strategy

JumpStart

Form VS teams
Implement
governance structure
Track & report

Rollout Lean
process to 25%
of scope

Expand VS teams
Track & report
results
Update program
Update mgmt
systems

Expand VS teams
Track & report
results
Monitor
accountability

Expand training &

communication
Professional
development
Increase mentoring
& coaching

Complete training
rollout
Monitor &
encourage
employee
engagement &
recognition

Rollout Lean
process to 50%
of scope
Prepare staff for
mgmt sys
deployment

Rollout Lean
process to 100%
of scope
Rollout mgmt
systems changes

Program Management

18-24 months+

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Lean Program Best Practice Areas

Strategic Plan

Program and Staff

Monitoring and
Evaluation

Performance Budget

Sustainability

Employee Coaching
and Training

Customer Input and

Impact Measurement

Program Operation
and Improvement

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Knowledge Transfer
Several things must be done to move from Lean Six Sigma
capacity to Lean Six Sigma culture. Knowledge transfer may
be the most important.

Carey and McConnell - Knowledge Transfer is the Key to Lean Six

Sigma Culture

Define Terms
Knowledge Transfer
Transferring knowledge from one part
of the organization to another, or from
one person to another.
Knowledge transfer seeks to organize,
create, capture or distribute
knowledge and ensure its availability
for future users.

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Knowledge Transfer Philosophy

Keep knowledge repositories, handy

reference guides, information
resources.

Classroom training is best as a

supplement to hands on learning - not
the other way around!
Reserve classroom training for project
participants and champions.

Utilize coaches, sponsors, and

champions.

Train just in time dont overwhelm

participants with unnecessary training.

Focus on skills acquisition.

Classroom training is just one of many ways to
transfer knowledge.

Create excitement around projects through

access to formal training.

Hands on, experiential learning and coaching is

more effective than classroom training.

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Knowledge Transfer Framework

Observe
s

Attend the orientation and observe

the methodologies.

Participate

Own

Repeat

Participate

Observe

Participate in the Value Stream

Mapping and Focus events led by
Lean experts.
Repeat
Repeat learning by leading portions
of Focus events in conjunction with
Lean expert.
Attend formal training.
Own
Own the process; lead all Focus
events with participation and/or
review of Lean expert.
Attend in-depth formal training.

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Knowledge Transfer Ideas

Involve mentors, coaches and champions
Joint teamwork and projects with experienced
leaders
Short, consumable videos accessible online (JIT)
Regular, short workshops/ interval training
specific to a topic, tool or problem, ex: How do I ?
Online self-tests and certifications
Speakers from other organizations
Discussion groups /panel discussions
Problem-solving lunches/coffees
Blogs
Online Q&A with Master Black Belts or Consultants

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Three Final Thoughts

Remember that all Lean efforts will cost

more, take longer and be more stressful
than you imagine at the beginning.
Begin thinking about sustainability in the
early stages of planning a Lean effort.
Make sure you have adequate
resources to not only get the Lean effort
underway, but to sustain it over time.

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Questions? Feedback?

Lean Summit 09.30.2015 Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability 23

WillowTree Advisors, LLC

3773 Cherry Creek North Drive
Suite 575
Denver, Colorado 80209
888-998-0008

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