Lean Connections

Last week’s published numbers indicate a national unemployment rate approaching 9.5%.  Bad news, right? Or, maybe not as much as the the nightly news would have us all believe.

If you happen to be an executive or manager with strong Lean or Lean Sigma expertise (in other words, someone who can demonstrate the ability to make Operational Excellence happen in Corporate America), dust off that resume and get ready to take advantage of  the developing talent war for professionals just like you. Oh, and if you’ve also had a chance to help incorporate a Green focus into the Lean equation, then we should probably talk right away…

And the message for all you hiring executives -  CEOs, Presidents, and Vice Presidents of Human Resources  -  start planning now how you’ll go about filling your talent pipeline with the people who can bring these strategic and tactical principles, processes and techniques into your organization.  Because that’s what your competitors are doing right about now.

Way back in May, 2009 this ominous news from  BusinessWeek:  ”In the midst of the worst recession in a generation or more, with 13 million people unemployed, there are approximately 3 million jobs that employers are actively recruiting for but so far have been unable to fill. That’s more job openings than the entire population of Mississippi.”  No statistics, unfortunately, on how many of these unfilled positions were at the executive or managerial level. 

My own unscientific research project over the weekend, focusing on Lean Leadership vacancies, turned up these well-known corporate names in search of Manager, Director or Vice President level candidates:  Genzyme; Medtronic;  Tyco Electronics;  Florida Power & Light (FPL Group);  Siemens Energy;  Pentair Corp;  Textron Systems;  B/E Aerospace;  Johnson & Johnson;  Cooper Industries;  Accenture;  Merck;  Ecolab;  Baxter.  

And of course Marvin Windows & Doors, for whom we seek a new Vice President of Manufacturing.

Whether as a potential new job-seeker or prospective hiring executive, will you be ready for this rapidly-approaching and dramatic shift in the American executive recruiting picture ? 

I am.

This is Adam Zak, and that’s how I see it…

Outstanding talent, ideally LeanThinking talent, is your greatest source of competitive advantage in the best of times and in the worst of times. Every CEO must have strategies to attract, retain and develop the best and brightest in order to win the war for talent and accelerate business results – especially in a down economy…

Attracting talented Lean managers and executives is a challenge which will only grow more significant as we begin our economic recovery in North America. So make sure you apply a Lean-focused results and value approach to hiring, developing and retaining the best possible leadership for your organization.

•   Make some ONE accountable – because if it’s not in anyone’s job description or performance review, don’t expect to see anyone doing much about searching out, developing and looking after the best of the best.
•   Define those jobs which are strategic to your organization in terms of leadership development and retention – because a talent-management strategy without this focus is no strategy at all and will fail you.
•   Think about and strive and reward to implement these key leadership practices for maximum results within your organization:

Build trust and candor. Great people are inspired by great leaders, and great leaders are honest and trustworthy. Know the potential successors to all direct-reports and make positive connections as frequently as possible. Too often leaders kill trust and candor by being judg¬mental, or more concerned with looking good than acknowledging others. Being a control freak or, on the flip side, avoiding control and blaming others, is a sure way to turn off your talented employees. Yes, it’s the Toyota Way, and it works.

Be accountable for talent. Every individual on your management team must consider identifying and retaining your best employees as “Job One” (with apologies to Ford). All of your HR strategies should be integrated throughout the organization. As with continuous improvement initiatives, you get what you measure. Hold people accountable for hiring well, and for suc¬cession plan execution. Integrate your plan with your corporate strategy and evaluate quarterly. All the top organizations with whom we’ve worked have a talent “war room.” Do you?

Actively protect and promote future potential. You’ve got high-potential players. Why should senior leadership keep “the list” of key employees a secret? After all, we’re not talking Skull & Bones here. Particularly if you’re trying to build a culture of trust and respect for people. Make sure that your top talent knows who they are and then help them to develop. Invest more heavily in the growth of already-excellent talent and extraordinary leadership; almost no amount of spending on “C” players will ever get you a solid ROI.

CEO is the Chief Talent Acquisition Officer. CEOs must take a leadership role in attracting top talent from other organizations. Be a visible evangelist; develop a personal brand beyond your role in the company. Be the kind of leader for whom people want to work. As a leader, be personally accountable for attracting a few key people regularly and serve as a sensei to some of them. Expect the same of other top executives.

Demand only the best. Create tough standards for new talent, and cut your losses when they don’t measure up. When people are performing in an outstanding manner, continue to increase expectations of per¬formance. Strong performers thrive on recognition and ever-increasing challenge, and the opportunity to show what they’re made of. Don’t disappoint them.

From now through early November we’re on the road again, meetin’ and greetin’ our Lean colleagues from around the country…here are some tips to maximize your networking efforts

Morning mail brought a reminder that it’s that season again. Yes, time to hit the Lean conference circuit until you can’t stand (afford?) it anymore.   Not to single out AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence) for any particular reason, but it was AME’s 12-page color brochure which outlined  five key benefits I would receive (and you too!) by attending their 2009 Lean Conference.  Of the five, networking only placed third. Hmm?   

Quoting AME (emphasis added) on the benefits of networking: 

“Building a social network of like-minded people is an important part of the Lean journey.  It’s well established by over 30 years of scientific research that the best performers and the most profitable companies invest in social capital.  In the world of Lean, establishing relationships is the catalyst for success.  A company with rich social capital produces outstanding business results  - higher sales, better quality products, more satisfied employees and greater profits.  To accelerate your Lean efforts you must continually meet new people, leverage trusted resources and build stronger relationships.  Having the right people included in your sphere of influence will help you cut your way through all of the noise about Lean and provide not only ongoing support but the right support. It’s not just what you know and who you know that counts  –  but also who knows you that is important to your success.”

I’ve got to find out who writes their advertising copy! As an executive search guy who specializes in recruiting Lean Executives for the Sustainable Lean Enterprise, I couldn’t have said this better myself. Networking makes major sense for every Lean Executive, including you.  

Incidentally, the AME flyer specifically did NOT mention that networking is an ideal way to position yourself for long-term career advancement.  Sure, your current employer may not be struggling with layoffs, salary reductions or other recession-induced  issues – now. More about this below. Just remember, “who knows you …is important to your success.” read more »