Dear Managers,
We had the privilege of interviewing more interesting podcast guests. In episode 19 we explore how environmental sustainability initiatives boost overall business excellence with Kumar Vijayendra.
Join us as we explore the importance of sustainability in small businesses, featuring a local coffee shop success story.
We're thrilled to have Kumar, a global expert in Sustainable Operations Management, as our guest. With nearly two decades of experience, Kumar champions the 4Ps of Sustainability - People, Planet, Profit, and Purpose.
Kumar is also the President of Footsteps and a Forbes Business Council member, recognized for his leadership in small business sustainability. He holds an MBA, with certifications in Sustainability, Six Sigma, and more.
In episode 20 I sit down with Jack Skeels, former RAND senior analyst and now CEO of AgencyAgile, a firm transforming agencies and service organizations through Agile coaching. With a rich career that includes leading Sapient’s LA office and founding several startups, Jack is a thought leader passionate about revolutionizing leadership and management practices.
Jack shares his journey, emphasizing key moments that shaped his approach to management. He highlights the importance of supporting weaker employees and creating a positive work environment to drive growth and satisfaction. Jack also discusses the powerful impact of employee happiness on overall performance and delves into the skills and traits essential for effective management, including situational leadership.
This month, we'll delve into the SMART goals tool.
Why use this tool?
To have a proper and a clear goal, this will motivate the project team to collaborate with you throughout the project.
When to use this tool?
SMART goals are written in the define phase and it should be written in the project charter template.
3 Do´s and 3 Don’ts:
Do: Get the goal approved with the project sponsor.
Do: Verify with project team that everyone has understood the goal statement.
Do: Link the goal statement one-to-one with the problem statement that appears in the project charter.
Don’t: Write the goal without consulting VOC/VOB. (Avoid having management or SME´s set a goal they believe to be right, as their assumptions may differ from client’s expectations).
Don´t: Set a goal without knowing the status-quo of process performance.
Don´t: Forget to include all components from the 5 (S.M.A.R.T.) categories in your 1-2 sentences.
How to use this tool?
Watch my 4-minute video tutorial for a detailed explanation of this tool and get a free downloadable template for your convenience. Here is the link: SMART goals.
You can also access SMART goals and all other Lean Six Sigma tools in our tool vault. In case you are not able to enter the tool vault, consider registering first. Once registered, navigate to the “Define Phase” and select the desired tool.
We're excited to present this month's course highlight: the Lean Six Sigma for Manager (LSSfM) Certification.
This certification will be tailored to suit your leadership role.
This certification program will enable you to implement a Lean Six Sigma continuous improvement mindset in your team. You will have the tools to set new annual goals for your team members and receive regular coaching. By the end of the certification, you'll have measurable 'before and after' results in five key dimensions:
· Process Efficiency
· Performance Management
· Mindset & Behaviors
· Organization & Skills
· Voice of the Customer (VOC)
For a quick overview, watch this 1.5-minute video: Lean Six Sigma for Managers - YouTube
Optionally we also offer the certification for Lean Six Sigma environmental projects.
In the Projects section on the WAVE website, my team and I are engaged in 2 compelling long-term projects:
1. Project: Sustainability for Companies:
If your company is committed to advancing its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reducing its carbon footprint, or if you're interested in enhancing your organization's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, we invite you to explore our project page on Sustainability for Companies.
80% of the projects we support come from customers in the financial sector, such as banks and insurance companies. We are also strongly engaged with real estate firms and IT companies. However, in this edition of our newsletter, I would like to share a project we completed for one of our customers who runs a manufacturing plant.
Objective: To reduce waste during the production process, thereby decreasing environmental impact and cutting costs—a true win-win.
Define Phase: The team identified that the plant was generating significant scrap material, particularly in metal component production. This waste not only raised operational costs but also contributed to environmental pollution.
Measure Phase: The team measured the amount of scrap produced per production run and identified that approximately 18% of the raw materials were being wasted. They also measured the energy and resources consumed to produce the wasted materials, which had a significant environmental footprint.
Analyze Phase: Root cause analysis revealed that the primary sources of waste were inefficiencies in the cutting process and variability in machine performance. These factors led to inconsistent product sizes and frequent rejections, resulting in high levels of scrap.
Improve Phase: The team implemented several changes, including:
· Process Optimization: Adjusted cutting parameters and machine settings to improve precision and reduce variability.
· Employee Training: Provided additional training to operators to ensure consistent machine operation.
· Materials Utilization: Introduced more precise measurement tools to minimize excess material use.
Control Phase: The improvements were monitored through regular quality checks and continuous staff training. Updated standard operating procedures (SOPs) ensured the long-term sustainability of the changes.
Results:
· Waste Reduction: Scrap material was reduced by 50%, significantly lowering the volume of waste sent to landfills.
· Cost Savings: The reduction in waste led to substantial cost savings in raw materials and waste disposal.
· Environmental Impact: The project decreased the plant’s carbon footprint by reducing the energy and resources needed to produce scrap material, lessening the environmental impact.
· Sustainability: The success of the project encouraged the company to implement similar Six Sigma initiatives across other production lines, further enhancing its commitment to environmental sustainability.
This Six Sigma project not only improved operational efficiency but also had a lasting positive impact on the environment, aligning with the growing focus on sustainable business practices.
The next step is to replicate these best practices across other plants globally.
2. Project: Health, Happiness, and Planet:
At WAVE, we're driven not just by the goal of enhancing your business performance, but also by a deep commitment to your overall well-being, happiness, and the health of our planet. That's why we've dedicated a separate project page and a podcast to these essential topics. Here, you'll discover practical tips and valuable insights on boosting your energy, improving your health, and adopting habits that contribute to a healthier environment.
Please find below an overview of the previous episodes we recently featured. Our analytics skyrocketed thanks to our incredible guests.
Episode 27: "The Power Foods Diet" by Dr. Neal Barnard
Episode 29: The Magic of Sprouts with Doug Evans
Keep an eye out for our next updates in a few weeks, where I'll share further exciting developments with you.
Best regards,
Juan
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