DailyKaizen

One of the greatest challenges of being an internal consultant is being able to distinguish noise from problems. Noise being defined as assumptions, opinions and beliefs that are not based on facts. As we move forward with the Model Line we are creating a tension with the rest of the organization that is resulting in all kinds of noise. The change is massive for not only the operational area, but also for supporting departments. Since we are using Lean to drive our overall business strategy we are not only changing the way that we “do work”, but also how we support and measure it. This is the true value of a Model Line, we are using as a laboratory to figure out how to do all work differently and not just tweaking operational processes. So back to the noise. As we move down the path we have begun to question why we do many of the things that we do. Many of these things are managed in areas outside of our control. Everyday we are questioning logic that has been in place for decades and is backed by professionals that are smart and have a lot of experience. Our questioning has led to a lot of excitement and fear. This generate a lot of noise. We are also using a different process for managing change then we typically use. Instead of doing a lot of upfront “change management” work we are first defining the process and then taking appropriate countermeasures when problems arise. This also creates a lot of noise, because we are running up against a culture of consensus. A year ago I would drop everything anytime a problem, real or perceived would come up. That is no longer possible. To be a good consultant I need to help my leadership team stay focused on the right problems. I need to identify facts and data to bring clarity to their work, because there is never enough resources to manage everything, and the noise can be a powerful distraction.