Executive Engagement, the Lean Executive Way

Your executive search was a smashing success.  Done in record time. Attracted the interest of top players in your market sector. Interviewed the best of the “A players”. And won over Sarah, a true global leader and supply chain visionary, who’s ready to jump in as your new executive vice president of operations in just a few weeks’ time.  Now comes the really tough part:  making sure that Sarah becomes a long-term success in her new role by getting her fully engaged from that very first day on the job.  

1. Deploy search process intelligence strategically.  During the course of the recruitment we gather a tremendous amount of information about the candidate’s strengths, development areas, career and personal objectives, etc. We share these insights with the new hiring manager in a post-search debriefing. Used to build a pro-active development plan for the new executive, this kind of early collaboration helps the newly-hired executive rocket to a fast start and immediately address mission-critical issues, while also more rapidly assimilating into your company’s culture.
2. Sarah wants specific feedback early and often. And so does the new “A player” executive you just brought on board. Just-in-time performance reviews, based on the concept of PDCA (plan-do-check-act) found in Lean & Six Sigma thinking, are possibly the best coaching and feedback system designed for high-performance individuals. Feedback  - specific, relevant and timely – (delivered as quickly as manageable after the activity), presented informally and from a mentoring perspective, just simply works. These are coaching and mentoring opportunities which allow the new executive to more clearly grasp the senior leaders’ perspectives on strategic and tactical problem solving, customer relationship priorities, operational issues, and the information channels that keep the business running along.  Plan for this kind of informal performance feedback mechanism, and executive religiously.  Your “A players” thrive on it.
3. But you promised me I’d be running the whole show in six months!  Well, didn’t you?  Managing the new executive’s expectations for opportunities, promotions and specific responsibilities is critical to his or her immediate engagement and long-term success.  Sarah came in to our client’s organization with excellent capabilities and high ambitions for herself.  The company’s CEO took the time on a regular basis to help her calibrate those ambitions with her achievements, against those of her peers, as well as relative to the company’s expectations for her.  The result: a more team-focused and realistic understanding of how everyone’s ambitions and contributions build corporate growth, profitability and sustainability.

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…

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.

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.”

So, how to maximize the benefits to you from conference networking?  A few observations and suggestions.  Not by any means a comprehensive list, but maybe enough to get you energized.

Plan. Before getting on that plane, think about why you’re attending the conference. What is your purpose?  What objectives and expectations do you have? What outcomes do you hope to achieve? I personally believe that in today’s world of “The Brand Called You,”  building your personal network should be a key purpose in and of itself. But beyond that, is it professional development? Is it soliciting input about a specific business issue you’re facing, and information about how others have tackled similar problems? What will you need to accomplish at the conference so that you receive true value-added for your time and your employer’s financial investment? Get clarity on this.

Prepare. Who do you think you’ll want to meet, and speak with, and why? What will you say to them? Think about what insights and perspectives you can offer your prospective conversation partners. What ideas might you be able to share about Lean, your company’s business challenges and successes, yourself personally and professionally? You don’t need a prepared “sales pitch” but make a few notes in advance.  Most effective of all, think about some questions to ask of the people you’ll meet.  Powerful conversation starters.  Have some.

Bring tools. As the Amex folks say, don’t leave home without…business cards! Your business card is valuable currency because you can exchange it for the other person’s business card. That way you’ll have contact  info so you can follow-up after the conference.  And you’ll want to do that. I am absolutely amazed at the number of people I meet at virtually every event who don’t have a business card. Why did they bother showing up?

Show up; no…really, show up.  You’re at an off-site for a reason. If not for that reason you could have spent less time and money at a Webinar instead. That reason does not include responding to emails and phone calls from colleagues back at the Gemba;  or fine-tuning a future-state map; or sneaking out for a round of golf. Go on the plant tours and to the workshops you signed up for. Attend meals, coffee breaks and cocktail hours. Come early, mingle, and chat (see below). Stay late.  Yes, you can eat too. But only with other attendees.

Mingle.  AME indicated that Northrop Grumman is deploying a team of 30 to this year’s conference. Wow, 30 people!  Here’s some advice for those NG participants and you as well:  Don’t all sit at the same table. Networking isn’t about dancing with the partner you brought; it’s about learning new steps from the guy or gal snapping their fingers to an unfamiliar beat out there on the dance floor.  So meet and talk to people you don’t already know. Then, you’ll get to know them, and they you. 

Say hello. Take the initiative to start a conversation with the unknown colleague sitting next to you at the supply chain workshop or a few of the Medtronic folks lining up at the salad buffet across the room. You might ask the person walking alongside you on the Miller Brewing tour why they chose it instead of the one over at Proctor & Gamble.  Or, even start a chat about the weather (just kidding) with that executive over there wearing a name badge from a customer’s or competitor’s plant. What might you learn? What else might you learn? Go ahead, engage.  

OK, I know what else you were thinking about… If you are indeed actively seeking a new position, stay below the radar.   Even if you followed my advice and you’re NOT sitting at the same table with the gang from back at the office. Latest statistic I find from the Department of Labor is that 64% of all jobs found last year were through contacts. You’ll be making good LeanConnections, but be discreet about  your job search. That dance is a three or four-step affair, not the one-step typical at professional conferences.  It’s unlikely anyone you’ve met will actually be able to offer you a job. Contacts will lead you to information, other resources and still more contacts. There’s a time and place for everything. For job search discussions that would be during your post-conference follow-up.   More about how to do that in another post, coming soon. 

Oh, and don’t bring resumes; almost no one bothers with paper any more, and it’s the very definition of not being discreet. 

A final conference thought.  Many conference promoters invite you to bring along a spouse and even schedule “significant other” activities.  OK, if it’s winter and you, like I, live in Chicago, and the conference is in Maui, well…  But I’ve been attending conferences for almost 20 years now and for pretty much every situation other than the Maui thing I have one word of advice: don’t. Focus on your purpose, avoid distractions. And treat your significant other to a great dinner upon your return home. 

Post-conference follow-up. Much as Lean must become part of your company’s corporate culture in order to deliver sustained benefits, networking must fuse with your DNA to live up to its greatest potential for you.  

Decide who you want to reach out to after the conference, then do it (rule of thumb: sooner is better, later may as well be not at all). Who will you call? Who will you email? Who would it make sense to meet with in person? after that initial connection, how will you continue to stay in touch?   

Remember that networking is a long-term process which leads you into building mutually beneficial relationships. But  not in just a few days.  You have to work at it continuously and, eventually, you’ll form the networking habit, along with an awesome professional network at your disposal.  That’s how you’ll wind up getting the inside info on all the best Lean ideas, innovations and industry trends before you read about them in Industry Week  or Manufacturing Engineering.  Not to mention those great career opportunity leads.

A final, final note.  I’ve just been Googling on the words “conference +Lean +Six Sigma + TPM” +…(well, you get the idea) and count at least 16 in the US alone before Thanksgiving.  Get crackin’ and happy networking!

Adam Zak

How are you changing the world today?

I’ve long been an advocate of Jim Womack’s Lean Transformation principle that “you’ve got to change the people, or you’ve got to change the people”  in order to achieve and sustain dramatic improvment in your business. And, as a corporate Executive Recruiter, I get involved when it’s the second of the two changes which becomes necessary. But is moving Mr. Wagoner aside only to replace him with the affectionately named “Fritz”, a long-time GM insider, really all that much of a change? And assisting Fritz (will they also work with Toyota, Honda and Nissan?) will be the D.C. all-stars profiled below. 

My friend and fellow Lean Thinker Mark Graban blogged earlier in the week regarding this Obama auto industry bailout team.  Mark is obviously critical of the individuals selected for this difficult task.  I’m less so, but I do see some humor in the obvious political connections with at least three of them. So in honor of April Fools’ Day I’m taking the liberty of quoting Mark’s blog verbatim. You can read the original by clicking on the link below.

***

Three Bankers and a Campaign Aide Walk Into an Auto Industry…

“Respect for people: Very few businesses start up only on the backs of the sole founder. It takes a team.”  Jamie Flinchbaugh 

Just a few days ago Jamie blogged over at LeanBlog about the Lean Entrepreneur. With layoffs mounting at even the Leanest Thinking companies, he argued that this might be just the time for “lean-minded” individuals to strike out on their own and start new businesses. In fact, some quick research I did indicates that 16 of the 30 DJIA (Dow Jones index) corporations were launched during past recessions, among them Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Walt Disney, for example. Jamie makes a persuasive point. 

And he’s also on target writing that Lean Thinkers’ clear focus on “customer obsession,” “direct observation” and “respect for people” can add tremendous value to the new venture.  But I might have changed the order a bit and put “respect for people” first. So here’s some additional perspective on the importance of the team – people – to the success of your new business undertaking.

In my earlier days I spent some time in Silicon Valley helping start two companies, one which turned out moderately successful and was sold to a strategic buyer, and one which burned to a crisp and was eventually abandoned.  These two experiences qualified me for a very small seat at the venture capital table, and I found myself assessing the viability of entrepreneurial ventures as they were brought to our attention. 

I learned that, without question, the start-up team is absolutely the most critical element in the success or failure of a new company.  Analyze carefully your own strengths and weaknesses and recruit others who can balance and complement these.  Sure, it may be your brilliant idea for a phenomenal product or service, and you may be hesitant to share decision control, execution responsibility and eventual profits with others.  But unless your business is high-powered consulting (think Deming, Drucker, Ram Charan, or James O. McKinsey – well, you get the picture) you are not likely to make the big time on your own. 

It is very likely that you’ll need 3-4 key team members, your co-founders, to help you get this thing off the ground.  Each will bring his or her specialty to the venture: a boss (CEO); an idea guy (R&D, technology); a bean-counter/administrator (CFO or controller); and a chief sales rep (VP/Director Sales/Marketing).  If you get the right people in place things like “who is our customer, what are we going to sell them, and how will we make it” have a way of getting figured out. That’s what talented people do. 

I know. You’re thinking “Whoa, no way I can do this in the early stages of my new company.” Well, you may be right and you probably won’t be able to recruit all the critical talent at once or at the start of your venture.  But at some point you will need funding to build and grow your business, and the source (banks, angel investors, VCs, and the like), quality and cost of that funding will greatly depend on the excellent qualifications and credibility of the management team you’ve pulled together.  Think and plan carefully. 

Finally, a word about Boards. You may not need a board of directors right away but it wouldn’t hurt to connect early on with some individuals who can help mentor you and your new venture in the right direction.  Do you have family or professional colleagues who can provide a sounding board for your ideas? Perhaps non-competing industry professionals with strong leadership and management track records?  Executives you’ve met through professional networking (LEI, SME, AME…) who can make solid introductions to functional managers within their own companies?  Take advantage of these resources to build an informal “advisory board” or roundtable so you can benefit from their collective experience.

And then get on with it.  As Jamie Flinchbaugh concluded,

“…if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of not having a job, maybe this is a time to take those lean skills in a new direction.” 

I certainly think that might be the case.    Adam Zak

(Read full article from December, 2008 issue of LeanConnections.)

By Adam Zak

The first LeanConnections in July launched with a single article dedicated to “Respect for People.” It was well received and sparked many thoughtful comments from our readers. Today, in the face of harrowing financial news and pressures on staff and leadership, many of the points addressed previously resurface in this issue where we tackle the dual challenges of retention and engagement of employees. Challenges which may be infinitely more important to address during this economic slowdown. Because if we truly believe that people are indeed our most important asset, the next 12-24 months or so are going to give us ample opportunity to clearly demonstrate that belief.

I earn my livelihood helping companies of the Lean persuasion recruit outstanding executives to meet challenges and achieve aspirations, and I am also a vocal advocate of maintaining a stable, supportive work environment where people can grow and flourish, both personally and professionally. I believe that now is a time when such a workplace is absolutely essential in order that all business stakeholders adapt to and weather the forces that swirl around us.

Create A Highly Engaged Workforce

In that first LeanConnections we quoted Oliver Wyman consultant Jamen Graves writing in Consulting Magazine. Graves advised, “Companies that create a highly engaged workforce benefit from having employees who strongly identify with the company’s success. These employees are willing to go the extra mile; that is, to dramatically increase their level of discretionary effort, which, in turn, significantly improves overall performance. Such employees tend to take pride in their company and are willing to recommend it as a great place to work to friends and family members.” I think we can all agree that these are the kinds of employees who will better carry us through our current trying times.

You may also remember that I raised the questions: “Other than for the money to support ourselves and our families, why do we really work? What’s really in it for us? And how will each of us make this very personal choice in a world where talent is the most scarce of all resources?”

As The Beatles Said, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love”

An engaged, respectful (and respected) team delivers the goods for employees, management, customers, shareholders and everyone else with a stake in the success of your Lean enterprise. In ordinary times, it works because people want to make it work. In times like these, it works even harder because it never becomes just a process; it remains the key to living and working together successfully. It’s the foundation that underlies the salaries and benefits we pile on top.

While I generally try to avoid using sports analogies, this one may be apropos in the current business climate. Imagine yourself in top management of an NFL team and the season has just ended. Whether you won the Super Bowl or finished at the bottom of the standings you have some important personnel issues to deal with. Because no matter where you finish in a given year, you’re always trying to improve. As a Chicago football fan I’ll be one of the first to testify on that. And that means deciding which players you must retain at all costs. Calculating whom you could afford to lose. And maybe most importantly, identifying skilled position performers and rising stars who might become available, or could be persuaded to change teams under just the right conditions.

That’s the current state your “team” is in at this very moment. If you’re an industry leader, it’s an excellent time to secure this enviable position for years to come. Or, if you’re committing yourself to come out of these economically turbulent times poised to charge to the top, now may be the best opportunity you’ll ever have to retain and recruit your way to greatness.

Either You’re Building, Or You’re Rebuilding

Last February, Maximize Possibility Blog spelled out “4 Tips for Hiring During an Economic Slow Down.” Their four rules are summarized as follows:

1. Be choosy, numbers are on your side – so broaden your selection horizons to include criteria other than just experience and education. Look at things such as passion for your industry, cultural fit within your organization, and the presence of soft skills such as strong interpersonal communication, empathy, and likeability.

2. Beware of the “low-bid.” While it may be tempting to hire an individual for the perceived payroll saving they promise to offer, doing so usually costs more in the long run. Bottom line – pay your team members what their positions are worth.

3. Wait for the best talent possible – While economic downturns are generally short lived, time is on your side. Hiring anything less than the best talent you can afford will ultimately rob your organization of possibility and profits.

4. Match candidates to the right jobs. It is absolutely critical that you insist on hiring team members who are a good fit for the position based on their unique behaviors, values, and personal talents.

But it’s not enough to build or rebuild your team. You have to inspire them to achieve great things.

Work And Life: A Balancing Act

In a recent posting on ERE.net, “A Work Strategy for a Good Life: Attracting and Keeping the Best” by Kevin Wheeler, the author addressed issues of work/life balance, paying particular attention to differences between generations. “I can’t think of any organization that has not had to change policies or at least address its employees on the issue of work/life balance. Perhaps it emerged because more Gen X employees moved into leadership positions and were more aware of the precariousness of employment and about how quickly corporate can swing from breakneck hiring to layoffs. But whatever the causes, the issues involved are core to whether people accept offers, stay with an organization, or decide to work for themselves.”  

But why should this matter only to those within Gen X? Doesn’t everyone want to know that his or her role is making a difference? That they’ve accepted some risks and solved problems? That they have been part of something larger than themselves and were in some way instrumental in the success of that something? If you asked your employees to what degree they felt engaged, how would they answer? Would those responses be truthful? Would they be the answers you expected?

Other work/life factors also play into improving the mindset of your team members. A Deloitte Consulting LLP report entitled “Retention Strategies during Difficult Economic Conditions” provided some additional insights. “Companies are wisely trying to ease the strain on employees by improving their work environment. Many companies are implementing or expanding workforce programs that are designed to make balancing work and family easier. These include flexible work schedules, telecommuting and compressed workweeks. While these programs won’t put dollars in employees’ pockets, they can go a long way toward helping employees view their company more favorably, making them less likely to leave.”

Human Sigma: Six Sigma Meets Human Nature

Many Lean practitioners will relate positively to a relatively new, emerging idea, Human Sigma – I know I do. It’s a branch of Six Sigma focused on improving employee-customer interactions. I learned more about it in a recent article on isixsigma.com, “Strengthening the Employee-customer Interaction,” by Peter Sherman.

Human Sigma is an approach to management that recognizes human nature and uses that knowledge to achieve three objectives:

- To manage and motivate employees

- To accelerate their development

- To engage customers’ emotions.

Proponents of Human Sigma believe that “emotionally satisfied customers contribute far more to the bottom line than rationally satisfied customers. The key is to strengthen the employee-customer interaction,” wrote Sherman. In order to measure any company’s Human Sigma score, Sherman referenced a book by John H. Fleming and Jim Asplund. Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Relationship, which established a rudimentary measurement formula. The authors surveyed employees and customers with a series of 12 questions for each audience, measuring employee engagement on the one hand, and customer satisfaction on the other. Answers on a five point scale ranged from 1 (= no agreement) to 5 (= extreme agreement).

Four Core Principles Of Engagement

As a result of their research, Fleming and Asplund defined four core principles that great organizations and managers exhibit as key characteristics of employee engagement and customer engagement. Sherman reported these principles as follows:

1. Manage by outcomes, not behaviors – In other words, although the end remains constant, the means to achieve that end will inevitably vary between individuals.

2. Liberate, don’t legislate – The most dramatic increases in productivity occur when companies allow workgroups to choose their own initiatives and focus on them. Anything that makes employees passive viewers instead of active participants in the employee-customer encounter is counterproductive.

3. Engagement is for everyone – The ability to capture the heads, hearts, and souls of employees and instill an intrinsic desire and passion for excellence.

4. All politics is local – Companies cannot dictate employee engagement from corporate headquarters. They must manage engagement locally. To this end, the local manager is the single most important factor in local group performance.

Does this sound like a game plan for more effectively engaging the teams up-and-down and all across your organization?  How would your internal and external customers benefit from this level of focus on team member engagement?  Would your business stand a better chance for successfully maneuvering its way out of this economic storm?

These Times Require A Culture That Sustains All Employees

As cited in the first issue of LeanConnections, Frank Brown of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was quoted in Harvard Management Update on the importance of building a culture of retention. “In good markets and bad, there are always opportunities for top performers. The real trick is creating a culture that sustains all employees, and engenders a positive response to questions like these:

- Is my work valued?

- Does my opinion count?

- Are new ideas welcomed?

- Are people treated with respect?

- Am I evaluated and rewarded on my performance?

- Does leadership act with integrity?”

The challenge for those of us in the Lean Community is to embrace and explain the true nature of mutual respect for people – managers and associates – so all organizations can move toward a new and better way of solving their problems.

No Matter What The Economy Is Doing, Retaining And Engaging Pays Off

A current newsletter from Deloitte Consulting LLP asked the question “Cash or Talent?”  Given the recently pronounced recession, “What should business leaders do in the face of the current economic crisis? Should they focus on maintaining cash or people? What should they make their top priority?”

No contest in my book, unless maybe you happen to be the Chairman of one of the Detroit Three. Engagement and retention strategies must win out because people are absolutely essential to weathering the current economic storm. But looking beyond the turmoil, these same efforts should continue to pay dividends for a long time into the future. Always remember that the people you chose to retain and engage today are the same people who will choose to be retained and engaged tomorrow. Take this opportunity to practice what you’ve been saying all along, that people are indeed your most important and valued asset.

(Return Index)

To paraphrase a popular quote, I believe that the road to failure is paved with misconceptions about engaging employees and motivating them to embrace the Lean aspirations of an enterprise. That’s why I am dedicating this first issue of Lean Connections to this crucial subject.

(Read full article from July, 2008 inaugural issue of LeanConnections.)

Throughout my own Lean journey I’ve connected with thousands of Lean practitioners whose ideas, advice and kindness have transformed me both professionally and personally. So I created LeanConnections to begin a “digital dialog” where colleagues, associates, clients and friends can share their thoughts on timely and important topics.  

Our first issue was published in July, 2008.  Your comments and participation enthusiastically invited! Sign to recieve LeanConnections in your e-mail about 4-5 times a year by logging in to our main Web site at www.LeanRecruiter.com.