The same operational problems at every plant rarely mean plant problems. Tim Christlieb explains the execution architecture multi-site industrial companies need: consistent planning logic, cross-site constraint visibility, enterprise work-release discipline, and a shared review cadence that separates intentional variation from drift. Seventh in the Execution Physics series.
Most throughput problems are really flow problems; and flow is a function of layout. This piece lays out the hands-on method CBS uses to redesign facility layout: start with paper and the people who run the floor, generate many options and score them against clear criteria, then finalize in CAD. It’s a practical path to better throughput, safety, and lead time without a six-month software initiative.
Operational systems perform to the standard leadership allows. Tim Christlieb examines the tolerated behaviors that make congestion structural, the floor signals that reveal a governance vacuum, and the questions high-performing operational leaders ask instead of reviewing program activity. Third in the Execution Physics series.
Excessive work-in-process taxes nearly every line on the P&L without appearing on any of them. Tim Christlieb walks through the WIP chain reaction, the ownership gap that lets it accumulate, and the work-release discipline that reverses it, often within a quarter. Second in the Execution Physics series.
Operational excellence programs build skills and structure, but they cannot govern a production system. Tim Christlieb introduces execution physics: the three structural forces of flow, variability, and constraints that determine lead times, working capital, and EBITDA. First in a series for industrial leaders.
Lean can be rebuilt — but not by relaunching tools. This article lays out how to restore lean after fatigue and drift: re-educating leadership, auditing the foundation, and rebuilding the daily habits that create flow. It’s Part 2 of a two-part CBS series, and a practical playbook for leaders who don’t want to wait for a crisis to act.
Value stream mapping gives you the strategic view. Kaizen events execute the fix. CBS walks through how this two-level framework works, from identifying a shared equipment bottleneck to implementing the Kanban scheduling system that eliminated it, and what happened when a major civilian ammunition manufacturer went from 10.5 million to 13 million rounds per day without adding equipment or overhead.
Improvement that doesn’t hold isn’t improvement. In the final part of his Operational Excellence series, Bob Morin explains how flow, Kaizen leadership, and a simple “does Monday look different?” test decide whether operational excellence leadership actually sticks — and boils it down to six habits.
If your continuous improvement program requires constant heroics, it isn’t working. Learn what a sustainable daily management system actually looks like.
Culture isn’t a generational problem — it’s shaped by what leaders tolerate, reinforce, and ignore. In Part 3 of his Operational Excellence series, Bob Morin explains how purpose, standards, and a real learning culture turn operational excellence leadership from a slogan into daily behavior.
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