Page 198 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

176 Cha pte r T e n

Routine Management Evaluation, Daily If Not Hourly
In my experience, most companies do the first three steps with some degree of effi-
ciency, and here in steps 4 and 5 is where the system to sustain the gains often breaks
down. A key element of hoshin-kanri (H-K) planning is daily management review. More
and more, I find it less common for even midlevel managers to go to the floor daily.
These trips to the floor are absolutely necessary if continuity is the concern. In today’s
rapidly changing world, management must have
their thumb on the pulse of the plant; there is no
Point of Clarity Managers way to get this understanding from the office. It has
do not get what they EXPECT, several names, including management by walking
they get what they are willing around, or going to the Gemba, but the managers, at
to INSPECT. all levels, must spend time on the floor, daily, if not
hourly.
Managers must be aware of actual operations and operating conditions. Also being
on the floor keeps them in touch with the people. It helps the manager evaluate not only
what is happening on the floor but helps him evaluate the information he gets from
others, which is generally the bulk of his information. And finally it helps the manager
learn: about the people, about the process, and about the product. It is a critical part of
Deming’s 14 Obligations of Management and Toyota thought it was so important they
gave it a name, genchi genbutsu, which means, “go and see for yourself, thoroughly
understand the situation.” In fact, to Toyota it is so important that it is Principle 12 of
the “Toyota Way,” their guiding document to management. Sometimes the manager
may have a specific agenda, sometimes he may just want to observe to see what hap-
pens—but there is no substitute for his or her presence.
The most common management practice is to show up on the floor only when there
is a problem. Consequently, when the workers see the manager they know that some-
thing is amiss. There is nothing like this to create an atmosphere of concern which then
evolves into a culture of fear and secrecy. The manager must be on the floor because it
is part of his normal job—not only to investigate when things go wrong, but also to
investigate when work is going well. He can then tell that the methods to standardize
are working.
In addition, I have found the very best at this go to the floor for two other reasons.
Really good managers have an ability to go to the floor and just listen to the rank and
file workers and be able to learn about the process—directly from the horse’s mouth. It
is the “How is it going? And then saying nothing more, simply listening skill” that only
a few managers possess. Another technique that pays high dividends is to have on your
calendar the birthdates, company service dates, and wedding anniversaries of all your
employees. These provide reminders to go visit the workers on a more personal basis.
Then the manager cannot only get to know these people better, he can stop by and
discuss their first day at work, for example. This type of touch needs to be sincere, but
if it is not your style, don’t do it, you will only come across as phony and, hence, gain
nothing. However, if it is your style, it pays huge dividends. In the future, these people
will be far more willing to “tell it like it is” rather than the “what I think you want to
hear” mode so common in most plants.

Routine Management Audits…to Teach the Managers, to Check the System
Again, the H-K planning model includes the concept of management audits. The gen-
eral paradigm of audits is to check the system to see if it is working, and most auditors