Why Lean Alone Won’t Fix Your Business

Imagine a small distribution company, with an annual revenue of $12 million. A plant branch of a multimillion-dollar organization, it has 15 employees and a glaring issue: only 40% of shipments reach their customers on time. This means that 6 out of 10 customers aren’t receiving their orders as expected. The CEO recognizes the problem…

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5 Things to Look for in a Consultant for Due Diligence

Imagine this scenario: your private equity firm identifies a promising acquisition target. The company appears well-run, with a stellar reputation and potential for operational improvement. Eager to seize the opportunity, your firm moves forward without in-depth operational due diligence. However, once the deal is sealed, unforeseen challenges emerge—working capital issues, quality challenges, operational vulnerabilities, or…

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The Lost Art of Work Assignments

In the early days of my career, I worked for a manufacturing firm under a very astute CEO. We were in the middle of a critical project when he asked me to take on a significant task. He didn’t just send an email saying, “Do this.” Instead, he made a point to explain why the…

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The True Costs of Poor Quality

When we think about quality in the manufacturing realm, we generally limit our focus to the tangible aspects of products such as parts, components, and their fit, size, finish, and alignment. Poor quality, however, extends far beyond what you can feel and see. As do the effects, not just on the consumer but within the…

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Deploying a Strategic Plan for Manufacturing CEOs

In my work with companies across the manufacturing landscape, I see it all the time. While many companies are great at creating strategies, very few are adept at deploying and managing them. Many companies mistakenly view their budgeting cycle as strategy deployment, keeping their focus solely on spending money on the things they predict will…

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Driving Strategic Change Through Culture

We have a saying around here:  Culture eats strategy for breakfast. In every industry, culture is a powerful force that can either propel or hinder strategic change initiatives, but nowhere is it more apparent than in manufacturing. And as the saying above suggests, a well-crafted strategy alone will not guarantee success unless it’s supported by…

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Is Your Organization Lean—or Lagging?

Is your manufacturing operation using space efficiently? Are you leveraging data to gauge month-over-month improvements? Take a few moments to answer five key questions to best determine if your organization is lean or lagging.

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