The Management System Element
The Manufacturing Leadership System™
The Management System keeps the organization aligned and focused. For Deming fans, it provides the Plan, Check, and Adjust elements of the Plan-Do-Check-Adjust cycle.
The “Measures That Matter” tool establishes meaningful scorecards throughout the organization. It helps the organization focus on the few critical measures that give you the vital indicators of the health of the business.
The “Meeting Framework” establishes a cadence for the mission-critical meetings that must be held, and disciplines are created that ensure that the meetings are effective and value-added.
Measures That Matter
Measurement systems provide the data and facts to help leaders make good decisions, and this holds true from the C-suite to the shop floor. This section of the Manufacturing Leadership System ensures that each level of the organization has a small set of key measures that are driving action.
The term “Reality-Based” is part of the description because too many commonly-used metrics are unhelpful or misleading. We’ll work to make sure that you are tracking the right things that can move the company forward.
Measures that Matter are needed if:
- There is a feeling of “flying blind”
- You are swimming in data with little insight or knowledge
- Your team relies on too much “I think” and “I feel”
- There are surprises at the end of the month
Process
- 4-hour working session with key team members to define the measures and targets
- The team establishes the data collection method and the tools to report the metrics.
- The metrics are integrated into a management tool, such as weekly team meetings, or stand-up meetings
- Continuous improvement
Fees
$3,500
This includes a 4-hour working session to define the metrics, and 4 hours of follow-up to refine the metrics and put them to work.
In one 4-hour session, we can typically address the scorecard and metrics for one team.
The Meeting Framework
Meetings are an essential management tool for organizations, but many companies have ineffective and wasteful meetings. In this element of the Manufacturing Leadership System, we’ll create a set of essential and highly productive meetings. The core meetings for manufacturing companies are:
- Weekly senior leadership meeting
- Quarterly meeting
- Annual meeting
- Sales & Operations Planning Meeting (monthly or weekly)
- Optional: Talent meeting, Quality meeting, Department meetings
The Meeting Framework is needed if:
- Meetings are ineffective.
- There are too many meetings.
- Meetings conclude with no clear actions or decisions.
- There is little follow-through on action items from the meeting.
- Meetings start late or run long.
Process
- 2-hour training session on the meeting format
- Logistics and roles defined
- Meeting pre-work conducted
- On-the-job practice, with hands-on coaching
(Note: this is for the senior leadership team meeting. The process will be adjusted for other meeting formats)
Fees
$5,250
This includes a 2-hour working session to teach the meeting structure, define the roles, and set the dates, locations, and agenda. I will also participate in 6 meetings as a facilitator and/or coach to ensure that you are 100% ready to conduct the meetings independently.
(Note – this rate applies to the senior leadership team meeting only)