BUSINESS RESEARCH

Leading a lean revolution in performance improvement

Many businesses have been subjected to latest fad in performance improvement over the years, each promising to be better than the previous one. From ‘management by objectives’ to TQM through to knowledge management and six sigma, there has been an ongoing quest for the performance holy grail. Whilst there are specific techniques that every manager should have in their repertoire (such as statistical process control or creative problem solving), it can be argued that the essence of leading improv

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November 2011

Drawing on a couple of articles referenced below and elsewhere, here are some questions from a lean perspective which, if asked carefully, will almost certainly generate new options for performance improvement:

  • If you asked yourself why something happens the way it does five times, what final answer would you get?
  • We know about the big wastes in our company / process, but what are the small wastes that we may be overlooking?
  • What is it that we do that leads to success and how can we codify these activities so that others might replicate our performance around the company?
  • If we could run one more experiment to test an important hypothesis in our business, what would it be (and what would be the experiment)?
  • How often do we achieve significantly less than we could because of poor communication and what should we now do about this?
  • How could we create a process / business where people are enabled and empowered to solve problems when and where they occur?
  • What needs to happen so that we are better at learning from our mistakes or inefficiencies?
  • How can we champion tireless improvement without us all becoming tired?
  • What changes in the world or our market place would disrupt our business model fundamentally? How are we preparing for these?
  • What is the one less thing that we could be doing?

Referenced techniques

Technique

Lean Manufacturing / Production

The concept explains Lean manufacturing theory and techniques for its implementation. It reviews success factors and practical case evidence of organisations using this strategic approach.

Technique

Lean Supply Chain

This concept reviews the lean supply chain model and discusses how lean logistics and information technology can help companies smooth out and facilitate supply chain flows. It also offers practical implementation guidance along with success factors and real examples.

Technique

Pay-For-Performance

The concept reviews pay-for-performance and offers a guide on how the approach can be applied as a strategy within your organisation.

Technique

Performance Appraisal

Performance Appraisal is a systematic evaluation of employee performance that can be used to understand their personal abilities for further growth and development. The concept reviews the objectives of performance appraisal, its advantages, and implementation steps.

Technique

Person-Organisation Fit

Person–organisation (P–O) fit refers to the compatibility between individuals and organisations, especially in terms of shared values, expectations, and culture. It is central to talent attraction, selection, and retention strategies, as employers shift from hiring solely on technical skill to selecting based on cultural fit and potential.

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