Lean Six Sigma For Leaders

A refreshingly practical guide to real-world continuous improvement Lean Six Sigma for Leaders presents a no-frills approach to adopting a continuous improvement framework. Practical, down-to-earth and jargon-free, this book outlines the basic principles and key points of the Lean Six Sigma approach to help you quickly determine the best course for your company. Real-world case studies illustrate implementation at various organisations to show you what went right, what went wrong, what they learned and what they would have done differently, giving you the distilled wisdom of hundreds of implementations with which to steer your own organisation. Written from a leader's perspective, this quick and easy read presents the real information you need to make informed strategic decisions. While many organisations have implemented either Lean or Six Sigma, there is a growing interest in a combined approach; by implementing the most effective aspects of each, you end up with a more potent, adaptable system that benefits a wider range of organisations. This book shows you how it works, and how to tailor it to your organisation's needs. Understand the basic principles and key aspects of Lean Six Sigma Examine case studies of organisations that have implemented the framework Build on the lessons learned by other leaders to shape your own path Achieve continuous improvement by creating the right environment for success In theory, every organisation would like to attain continuous improvement — but what does that look like in day-to-day practice? How is it structured? What practices are in place? How can you implement this new approach with minimal disruption to daily operations? Lean Six Sigma for Leaders answers these questions and more, for a clear, actionable guide to real-world implementation.

Foreword ix Preface xi Acknowledgements xv Part I Using Lean Six Sigma to Solve Business Problems 1 Chapter 1 Introduction 3 Chapter 2 Business Problem Solving 13 Chapter 3 Measure for Leaders 33 Chapter 4 Analyse for Leaders 47 Chapter 5 Improve for Leaders 63 Chapter 6 Control for Leaders 75 Part II Using Lean Six Sigma Principles 85 Chapter 7 Leading a Process Based Organisation 87 Chapter 8 Delivering Everyday Operational Excellence 103 Chapter 9 Winning Hearts and Minds 117 Chapter 10 Integrating with Agile 125 Chapter 11 Turning Strategy into Action 137 Chapter 12 Creating a System for Innovation and Design 149 Chapter 13 Lean Six Sigma and Agile Digital Transformation 155 Part III Involving Everyone in Lean Six Sigma 163 Chapter 14 Learning and Development – The HR Perspective 165 Chapter 15 The Employee’s Perspective 175 Chapter 16 The Manager’s Perspective 189 Chapter 17 The Practitioner’s Perspective 197 Part IV Stories and Case Studies from Leaders 215 Kevin Barrett, SVP, European Manufacturing, CooperVision 218 Leading Change at Ricoh UK Limited – Mike Baddeley 229 Personal Leadership Perspective – Derek Kennedy, Forensic Science, Northern Ireland 234 Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study – Sky UK and Aegon 242 Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study – Barclays 251 Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study – The UK Government, Central Government Department 255 Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study – UK Government, Homes and Communities Agency Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study – Exclusive 5 Star Hotel Group 266 Personal Leadership Perspective Mini Case Study: Vanderlande 270 Final Thoughts and a Warning! 277 Starting the Lean Six Sigma Engine 280 Index 283