JANUARY & FEBRUARY LEAN IMPROVEMENTS ZQUARED LEAN 1

In 2016, Joe Byers joined our team from General Motors Automotive facility. He and I took a tour of GM to learn from their fine-tuned efficiencies and productivity workflows. Around the same time, a workplace neighbor shared “2 Second Lean” with me – a book about one piece flow, fixing what bugs you, and eliminating waste. These two events propelled our team into a new mindset, as we began to implement daily “Lean Improvements”. Making daily two-second improvements continuously add up, and over time can have exponential results.

One Piece Flow

Setting up your daily processes so that each step connects to the previous one can save time and energy. Begin making efforts to avoid any form of backtracking, and focus on a continual workflow without interruptions. Step 1 should seamlessly lead into step 2, which flows into step 3, and so on.

Fix What Bugs You

A critical component of the Lean mentality is addressing the little things that irritate you and potentially slow you down. For example, at home, where do you keep your favorite coffee mug? Is it conveniently stowed in the cabinet by the coffee pot, or do you have to walk to the other side of the kitchen to find your cup? Fix what bugs you!

Eliminate Waste

Are you spending your time, energy, or money on things that boil down to a waste of time in the long run? Are there things you can outsource, reconfigure, or eliminate altogether to improve your efficiency? Look for ways to “cut the fat” and eliminate the tasks and items that are wasting your resources.