"Where there's a will, there's a way; where there's a team, there's more than one way." Rex Murphy The biggest challenge in process improvement and cultural transformation isn't identifying the problems. It's execution: implementing and sustaining the solutions. Until there is authentic respect for the people, there will not be authentic buy-in to the Lean initiative and the gains will not be sustained. Blue-Collar Kaizen is a resource for anyone in any position who is, or will be, leading a team through process improvement and change. This book will help you take the lead in creating a meaningful, and sustainable kaizen culture one kaizen team at a time. Learn to engage, empower, and encourage your team for long term buy-in and sustained gains. Learn what it means to truly have authentic "respect for the people." The people will always know if there is authentic respect. Not because they hear it, but because they feel it. Mack Story has over 11,000 hours of experience leading hundreds of leaders and thousands of their cross-functional kaizen team members through process improvement, organizational change, and cultural transformation. He shares lessons learned from his experience and many years of studying, teaching, and applying leadership principles.
"It's easier to compete when you're attracting great people instead of searching for good people." Mack Story"We just can't find any good people." is a phrase Mack hears far too often as he speaks to and interacts with leaders all across the USA. If you or a member of your leadership team has ever spoken these words, this book was written specifically for you. It doesn't have to be this way.Blue-Collar Leadership(R) & Culture will help you understand why culture is the key to becoming a sought after employer of choice within your industry.Culture matters because those who work there will determine who wants to work there.Becoming a sought after employer means, "People who don't work at your organization have a strong desire to work there."Becoming an employer of choice means, "People who already work at your organization have a strong desire to continue working there."Mack wrote Blue-Collar Leadership(R) & Culture specifically for leaders who want to become THE sought after employer of choice within their industry and in their area of operations.Sought after employers of choice attract great people and don't spend their time and resources constantly searching for good people.Mack has logged over 11,000 hours leading leaders and their blue-collar teams through process improvement, organizational change, and cultural transformation and speaks with his wife, Ria Story, on personal growth and leadership development throughout the USA as they help leaders transform their cultures and develop high performance teams.Although leaders in all industries at all levels will benefit greatly from this book, Mack structured the content specifically for the top leader who has never led a cultural transformation but is curious to find out what will be required. He'll help you not only discover why you should transform your culture, but also what to do and how to do it. Therefore, Mack includes many references and links to additional resources throughout the book that will support and accelerate your cultural transformation.Blue-Collar Leadership(R) & Culture is intended to not only teach, but also to serve as a tool, a guide, and a transformational road map for leaders who want to create a high impact culture that will become their greatest competitive advantage. It's a starting point for those who don't know how to start or those who want to become more intentional and methodical as they take their team to the next level and beyond.In Blue-Collar Leadership(R) & Culture, you'll also discover how to leverage the components of The Transformation Equation to create a culture that will support, attract, and retain high performance team members. To learn more about The Transformation Equation, visit GetTheTransformationEquation.com "My first words are, GET SIGNED UP! This training is not, and I stress, not your everyday leadership seminar! I have never been a part of anything like it. After 30 years in technology and two years in Concrete Construction, I have attended dozens and sent hundreds to the so-called 'Leadership-Training'...while all of the courses, classes, webinars, and seminars, had good intentions, nothing can touch what Mack and Ria Story provide...100% of the team that attended said that they were 'blown-away.'" Sam McLamb, VP Sam M. VP/COO
Finally, there is a book specifically created for the often overlooked and underdeveloped blue-collar workers on the front lines. My passion is to help leaders and organizations invest in those on the front lines or to help you invest in yourself. For the blue-collar workers I value so much: I've written the book I wish someone would have given me this book nearly 30 years ago when I started my career on the front lines. It would have changed my life then. It can change your life now. Separate yourself from the crowd quickly by learning how to master the traits High Impact leaders value most. You will learn how to get noticed for the right reasons and how to get promoted for the right reasons. You will learn how to become recognized as a front line leader worth following, and you don't need formal authority (position) because you will develop something better: moral authority (influence). I've made this book easy to read for the non-readers on the front lines. There are 30 chapters with 3 pages each. If you read a chapter a day (3 pages) you will easily complete the book in 1 month even if you're a non-reader. I've written this book specifically for the often overlooked great people with so much untapped potential on the front lines. If you're on the front lines it will help you better understand: - how to make an impact from where you are - how to be recognized for your abilities - how to position yourself well for promotions - how to increase your influence with your leaders and your teammates - how to be a better team player - how & why you should accept more responsibility - how to intentionally become more valuable to the company - how to become more valuable and successful as an individual - how to lead yourself well in order to create a better future for yourself This book will actually be great for anyone at any level in any industry, but the greatest value will be for those in the blue-collar world on the front lines along with the first few layers of front line leaders. Of course, higher level leaders also need to know and understand what's in this book to multiply the potential of those on the front lines.
In Developing Lean Leaders at all Levels we build on the theory in the original book, The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership, and answer the questions: How can I apply this in my organization? What concrete actions can I take to begin the journey of becoming a lean leader? How can I spread this learning to all parts of the organization? What critical tools are needed to turn the theory to practice? This book adds examples from over twenty years of experience by Dr. Liker in working with companies outside of Toyota. The book treats you as a student who will be actively engaged in developing lean leader skills as you read. It acts as a tutorial for beginning the journey.
This book offers a comprehensive guide to implementing a company-wide management system (CWMS), utilising up-to-date methodologies of lean-six sigma in order to achieve high levels of business excellence. It builds the foundation for quality and continuous improvement, which can be implemented in any organization. The book begins with an introduction to and an overview of CWMSs, and reviews the existing literature on various management systems. It then discusses the integration and implementation of lean-six sigma in supply chain management. The integration approach presented highlights the link between the existing management systems and shows how continuous improvement methodologies are incorporated. The book then examines the components of CWMS, comparing them to other systems. It also explores Kano-based six sigma and concludes with further recommendations for reading. This book covers five management systems integrated into one novel approach that can be followed by organizations wishing to achieve quality and business excellence. Covering lean-six sigma – an essential element of management systems – it is a valuable resource for practitioners and academics alike.
"[This book] is the first book published by the ABA to employ the graphic novel to teach business lessons. Follow the engaging story of lawyer Carson Wright, who suddenll finds himself responsible for saving a small law firm, as his mentor Guy Chapman imparts the lean techniques that transformed his factory from the brink of bankruptcy to new heights of profitability."--Back cover.
Change Happens: Leading Yourself and Others Through Change gives readers two different perspectives (personal and professional) on 15 principles of dealing with change. Included are key lessons on overcoming resistance to change, leading change, communicating and overcoming fear of change, and more. Learning how to respond effectively to upcoming changes will allow you to turn challenges into opportunities.
Discover the power of KAIZEN to make lasting and powerful change in your organization “Maurer uses his knowledge of the brain and human psychology to show what I have promoted for the past three decades—that continuous improvement is built on the foundation of people courageously using their creativity. Kaizen is much more than a world-class management practice; it is a technique to remove fear from our mind’s mind, enabling us to take small steps to better things. The process of change starts with awareness and desire in our minds and then leads to action and change in the physical world. Readers of this book will surely fi nd new ideas and encouragement to make improvements in personal health, performance at work, and their own well-being.” —Masaaki Imai, Chariman, Kaizen Institute KAIZEN: The Small-Step Step Solution for You and Your Company Today’s businesses love the idea of revolutionary, immediate change. But major “disruptive” efforts often fail because radical change sets off alarms in our brains and shuts down our power to think clearly and creatively. There is, however, a more effective path to change. Change that is lasting and powerful. Change that begins with one small step . . . It’s The Spirit of Kaizen—a proven system for implementing small, incremental steps that can have a big impact in reaching your goals. This step-by-step guide from renowned psychologist and consultant Dr. Robert Maurer shows you how to: Lower costs—by offering little rewards Raise quality—by reducing mistakes Manage difficult people— one step at a time Boost morale and productivity— in five minutes a day Implement big ideas—through small but steady actions Sell more—in less time Filled with practical tips and ready-to-use tools for managers, innovators, and entrepreneurs, The Spirit of Kaizen is the essential handbook for a changing world. You’ll learn how to think outside the suggestion box, remove mental blindfolds, manage stress with one-minute exercises, and handle rising health-care costs. You’ll discover the “small step” secrets for dealing with all kinds of people, from tough bosses and listless workers to stubborn clients and fussy customers. These simple but powerful techniques can be applied to almost any workplace situation, especially when you’re trying to navigate the stormy waters of radical change, high-pressure deadlines, and cutthroat competition. These are the same methods of small, continual improvement that have been tested by the largest companies, such as Boeing, Toyota, and the U.S. Navy—methods that will work for you, too. No matter how big the obstacle or how big the dream, The Spirit of Kaizen has a small-step solution to help you succeed.
All About Pull Production is a practical guide for anyone looking to implement pull systems. It focuses on practical application and values functionality over theory, albeit it explains the underlying relations. It is not a high-level philosophical discussion of lean, but a book to help you roll up your sleeves and get the job done. It is written for the practitioner. If you are working in production or logistics and want to implement pull, then this book is for you. It also serves as a useful reference for students and researchers of lean manufacturing. With a foreword by John Shook. Praise for All About Pull Production "This book provides you the means to create supply systems for the rapidly evolving complexities of the twenty-first century, anywhere, in any industry."-John Shook, Chairman, Lean Global Network "Prof. Roser is the go-to source for anything about lean. With this comprehensive book on pull production he has written an authoritative work. Highly recommended for anyone interested in getting to the heart of Toyota's pull principle."-Dr. Torbjørn Netland, Professor of Production and Operations Management, ETH Zürich "This book explains pull production very well and in an excellent style. The book definitely demystifies pull. Without doubt, the book will be the go-to guide for both beginners and experienced practitioners."-Cheong Tsang, Bosch Plant Manager (Retired) "Readers will definitely obtain a lot of valuable insights and new ideas from this book on pull production."-Dr. Masaru Nakano, Professor, Keio University; Former Toyota Manager "This is by far the best in-depth exploration of pull. It is amazingly comprehensive, including warnings, common errors, and applicability of various pull systems. I am sure that it will become THE standard reference book on pull systems."-Dr. John Bicheno, Emeritus Professor of Lean Enterprise, University of Buckingham "This book presents pull production control in a comprehensive and practice-oriented way for students and practitioners alike."-Dr.-Ing. Jochen Deuse, Professor, Head of Institute of Production Systems, TU Dortmund University; Director Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, University of Technology Sydney "The book provides well structured, in-depth insights in the application of pull systems, from Kanban to less-known but powerful alternatives. The book is a valuable source for students and practitioners in industry, from lean experts to production managers."-Dr.-Ing. Ralph Richter, Former Head of the Bosch Production System and Plant Manager at Bosch "With this deeply researched and considered book, Prof. Roser goes beyond the simple explanations of pull to reveal pull production in its compelling simplicity. The results provide a convincing case and trusty guide."-Peter Willats, Professor, University of Buckingham, Co-Founder, Kaizen Institute of Europe "Anyone considering a pull system should read this book."-Mark Warren, Manufacturing Engineer and Production Historian "What you have put together in this book is amazing-this may become your magnum opus in due course! It's going to be a great reference resource for practitioners and academics."-Dr. Rajan Suri, Emeritus Professor of Industrial Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Inventor of POLCA "This book is excellent material for understanding and using pull production. It is very informative and written in a very polite and pleasant personal style with good reflections and clarifications."-Dr. Björn Johansson, Professor of Sustainable Production, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Success isn't about being the best. It's about always getting better. Can you step outside your comfort zone? Bounce back from failure? Build new skills? Tapping into your true potential is no idle endeavor. It demands creativity, dedication, and a whole lot of hustle. With wisdom from 21 leading creative minds, 99U's Maximize Your Potential will show you how to generate new opportunities, cultivate your creative expertise, build valuable relationships, and take bold, new risks so that you can utilize your talents to the fullest. Maximize Your Potential features contributions from: Teresa Amabile, Sunny Bates, Michael Bungay Stanier, David Burkus, John Caddell, Ben Casnocha, Jack Cheng, Jonathan Fields, Joshua Foer, Jocelyn K. Glei, Heidi Grant Halvorson, Frans Johansson, Steffen Landauer, Mark McGuinness, Cal Newport, Robert Safian, Michael Schwalbe, Tony Schwartz, Tina Seelig, and Scott H. Young. Plus, a foreword from Behance founder & CEO Scott Belsky. “A no-nonsense, experience-tested, life-approved cookbook for creative intelligence, exploring everything from harnessing the power of habit to cultivating meaningful relationships that enrich your work to overcoming the fear of failure.” —Maria Popova, Brain Pickings
