For all these priorities, it comes down to doing more with less, and doing it better! Maximizing the productivity of your team may be more challenging today than ever before, because:
- Employees don’t easily connect with the goals and priorities of the business
- Continuous improvement is driven by only a few
- Most employees lack a clear understanding of continuous improvement and how they can routinely contribute
- Today’s home and family situations add to workplace stress and pressures
To address these challenges and achieve your priorities, you can create a culture of continuous improvement where everyone is working together, moving in the same direction, and making small improvements everyday! Learn more about Lean Together™, working groups for operational excellence.
Lean Together™ 1.0
Lean Together™ 1.0 is designed for manufacturing companies to study and implement concepts from the book, 2 Second Lean, by Paul Akers. The agenda provides a structured approach with practice and collaborative learning along the way.
- Nine 2-hour sessions – educational curriculum and facility tours
- “Book club” discussions of the 2 Second Lean™ book by Paul A. Akers (copy of the book included)
- Facilitated discussions
Space is limited!
Join our next cohort in May 2023
Contact Molly Reichard for more details at mreichard@nwirc.org.
Lean Together™ 2.0
With a focus on growing people, 2.0 is for the advancement of continuous improvement and 2 Second Lean initiatives. Hear from a subject matter expert each month to build upon your company’s efforts. Topics include: establishing the culture of continuous improvement; generational diversity; critical thinking; getting training to stick; improvement kata, key performance indicators and coaching….to name a few. Additional highlights of the program include:
- Facility tours to see first hand other companies’ success with 2 second lean.
- Onsite assistance focusing on related topic(s) of your choosing (2 sessions, 2 hours each).
Attendees should be from a previous company participant of Lean Together™ 1.0; or from a company currently advancing concepts of 2 Second Lean.
Lean Together™ ADVANCED
You’ve had success implementing 2 second lean. Learning from others, and helping others learn from you, through Lean Together™ has made a huge difference on your people and operations and has made your journey so far easier, more rewarding, and fun! But you recognize so much more needs to be done and, as a maturing 2 second lean company, you have specific challenges to address – like, keeping momentum strong and vibrant, getting everyone equipped and engaged to contribute, taking timely action on employee generated ideas for improvement that demand more resources, and needing the ability to facilitate improvements and effectively manage projects. Welcome to Lean Together™ Advanced.
- 2 Second Lean Tours with a Twist
- Coaching Session and ‘Coach the Coach’ Onsite Assistance
- Project Management Session and Onsite Assistance
Lean Together™ CEO Roundtable
A quarterly roundtable for executives who lead companies that have participated in Lean Together™ or are advancing concepts of 2 Second Lean. A facilitator will lead discussion topics for the two-hour quarterly morning meetings, which may also include a subject matter expert. The topics for each session will be designed via collaborative effort among the group members.
- Participate in confidential peer to peer discussions
- Showcase successes of your company culture
- Gain insights and test ideas
- Stay connected with other companies pursuing 2 Second Lean
- Serve as thought-leaders to others pursing 2 Second Lean
- Advise future curriculum of Lean Together™ programs
Here is what manufacturers are saying:
“For the past two years, our employees have been applying 2 Second Lean. The results have been very positive from the individual, organization, business, and customer perspective. We’re looking forward to taking our 2 Second Lean success to the next level as a participant in the Lean Together working group.” Scott Eighmy, CEO; American Turned Products
“2 Second Lean is less about mastering lean terminology and tools and everything about engaging your employees and building a culture of continuous improvement. No small feat, but 2 Second Lean, and now the Lean Together program, is the one – two punch combination to that end.” Charlie Rutkowski, Plant Manager; Industrial Sales & Manufacturing, Inc.
“We have only been at the 2 Second Lean approach for a short time, but already our employees are engaged looking every day to eliminate the little things that bug them and to fix what can easily be fixed. We are excited about the opportunity to learn from others and accelerate our success through the Lean Together program.” Dan Ignasiak, President; South Erie Production Co., Inc.(SEPCO)
“A critical component to 2 Second Lean success is learning from others and then helping others learn from you. Lean Together provides that platform.” Bob Zaruta, President, NWIRC
“2 Second Lean has taken the critical identification of waste out of management’s hands and put it into everyone’s hands. The front-line staff now identify problems and waste; they own it and they fix it. The buy-in starts at the top.” Bob Hill, President; Solar Atmospheres (and previous Lean Together 1.0 participant)
“Not only has 2 second lean helped us make improvements to our production process, but it has also been a building block for our organization to build a culture focused on teamwork, ownership of mistakes and improved safety awareness. I am very happy with our progress associated with 2 second lean and thank NWIRC’s Lean Together program for their effort and support throughout our journey.” Dean Madasz, Chief Operating Officer, Thompson Fabricating, Inc. and Lean Together 1.0 Participant
