by Lee Fried, on 11 May 2008 03:47 pm
The Journey
Question from a Reader
Popularity: 19%
Hi Everyone,
We received the following question from a reader. I thought I would open it up to everyone before I gave my two cents:
We are getting educated about Lean and wonder if you have advice about selecting Consultants (or Senseis) to help us get move ahead effectively and avoid pitfalls?
Any input from others?
on 11 May 2008 at 7:23 pm 1.Ian Furst said …
Get training from a reputable firm the start you’re own Kaizen on something small and obviously inefficient. Go through the steps and logic then have the consultant guide. Change needs to come from with good guidance.
http://www.waittimes.blogspot.com
on 12 May 2008 at 11:58 am 2.Ed McKlousky said …
Consultants are often focused on the short-term pay back. Many will come in and run a bunch of Kaizen events because they have immediate results that look good to senior management. Find a consultant that will focus as much on the change in the approach of management as on other improvements. Managers are often the least disciplined people in the organization.
on 12 May 2008 at 10:15 pm 3.Gabriela said …
My advice is too to find a reputable consulting company with roots in Toyota Production System to initiate an implementation plan. It should be somebody who can work with you for a determined duration and not a one-time blitz/event, without consequences.
But your people should work with this sensei so that they can take over and continue the work.
Why not start by sending your people to visit other companies advanced in lean if you have some contacts out there? They can learn a great deal by seeing what others are doing. Toyota even opens their doors occasionally to other companies. Check a location near you.
Also, you can hire a full time lean specialist but that person needs to have solid references as many claim lean knowledge.
http://www.implement-lean-manufacturing.com
on 14 May 2008 at 6:52 am 4.Tom said …
Here is some food for thought..
IMPLEMENTATION EXPERIENCE: Three or four successful client companies is NOT sufficient. Companies and industries vary significantly, and so do the implementation techniques. Look for someone who’s successfully done it in at least 20-30 plants, in as diverse a set of industries as possible.
RESULTS, RESULTS, RESULTS! What did your prospective consultant’s previous clients actually accomplish? What kinds of clients have they worked with? How long did it take to realise these gains? What was the net value generated? Minimum ROI’s should exceed 10 to 1.
MATURITY / CREDIBILITY: A successful change agent must have the ability to convince people at all levels of the organization. Lots of consultants can do an adequate job on the shop floor. Make sure your mentor can be effective in the boardroom as well.
CORPORATE EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE: Look out for the “purist.” Your sensei must be grounded in real-world business realities. There is no better way to gain this perspective than to have “served time” as a senior executive in a manufacturing enterprise. “Those that can… Do. Those that can’t… Teach” Find someone who has proven he / she can “DO.”
ACTION BIAS: Don’t pay for “studies”. Pay for results. A good lean consultant should be continuously pushing your company. DO IT! DO IT NOW!
PROCESS: Look for a consultant that has a proven overall process. One that will generate not only substantial quick returns, but will also enforce a culture of continuous improvement. Beware the “solution looking for a problem” approach.
VALUE VS. COST: Consultants come in all shapes, sizes, and capabilities. Literally anyone can “hang out a shingle” and claim to be a expert. However, like the other professions, the best value is generally NOT the least expensive. When attempting to make the difficult transition to World Class operating practices, the “low-cost bidder” can save you thousands of dollars, … And quite literally cost you millions. This is “open heart surgery” for your company. Hire the best.
JUNIOR CONSULTANTS - NO THANKS: Beware of hiring a consultancy that wants to use a large team of junior consultants.
WHERE IS THE LOGIC?: Avoid consultants who want to do the improvements for you without explaining the logic
NO SMOKE AND MIRRORS: Avoid consultants who offer massive offensives to ‘pull rabbits out of hats’ with no focus on creating an organisation that can sustain lean thinking long term
BIG PICTURE: Avoid consultants who do not focus on the big picture - the whole product family.
Hope that helps
Tom