Kaizen Kreativity
(OOPS!)
Don’t be Afraid of
Looking Stupid. I’m an Expert at It.
Kaizen Kreativity is the fifth book by Dr. Tom DePaoli, and the third one I
have reviewed. Like his other books, Kaizen
Kreativity combines examples from his diverse professional past with easy
to comprehend definitions and background. His lack of pretension is particularly
appreciated since he often relates cases about Lean and Six Sigma. For anyone
without experience using these methodologies, the terminology can be
off-putting at best, and in the worst case scenario may deter people from
realizing their benefits altogether.
A
Kaizen, literally translated from the Japanese as "improvement" or "change
for the best", is a process for carrying out Lean process improvements. As
Dr. Tom states in the book, “A Kaizen is an intensive, short-term activity
designed to identify and eliminate waste (p. 93). The Kaizen is an outcome of
an evaluation of an inefficient process. […] Kaizens are action oriented in
nature and typically one- to three-day events. The end goal is aimed at
validating, evaluating, improving, and then moving from the current state map
(As-Is) of the process steps selected, to implementation of the new and
improved future state map (To-Be) at the completion of the event (p. 6).” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen
Although
they are best known in manufacturing, Kaizens offer tremendous benefits for
procurement organizations. In fact, if well executed, they may result in
something that looks remarkably similar to a procurement transformation. The
need for a Kaizen starts with the recognition of a specific cost or process
oriented problem. Examples include high quality costs, repetitive efforts, and
manual processes. Kaizens are leveraged in situations when the problem is
severe, as this motivates the organization and the specific individuals
involved to embrace change quickly.
For
organizations trying to streamline their procure-to-pay processes, the emphasis
on efficiency over bureaucracy
will be particularly relevant. In such cases, the future state or To-Be, ensures
that the processes and guidelines put in place reduce the need for individual
approvals for the majority of transactions. Kaizens also recognize and incorporate the Voice of the Customer (VOC) as
one of eleven steps. If you are not a Black or Green Belt (hint: they are the
two of the highest levels of certification), no need to worry. Kaizen Kreativity provides enough
background and templates to get started, although working with someone who has
the appropriate experience never hurts.
Chapter 16 addresses Kaizen Team Skills, and the three brief
pages will improve the project management skills of any professional in any
discipline. In his introduction, Dr. Tom warns of humorous sections, and
whether he intended it or not, the section on traditional objections is like a
list of ‘oldies but goodies’. Here are a few of my favorites, feel free to sing
along if you know the words…
“We are different from everyone else.”
“You do not understand our process.”
“Our processes are too complex.”
“Our work is not repetitive.”
“Our customers are too demanding.”
Sing it again, Dr. Tom.
If you aren’t yet convinced that Kaizen Kreativity is a worthy read, maybe you are too different
from everyone else or I just do not understand your process. If you are ready
to take the first step towards improved efficiency and results, Kaizen Kreativity and the rest of Dr.
Tom’s books are available on Amazon.com. You can also follow him on Twitter
@DrTomDePaoli or learn more at CommonSensePurchasing.com.
http://commonsensepurchasing.com/
-- Kelly Barner, Buyers
Meeting Point
Contact Dr. Tom = thomasdepaoli@yahoo.com drtombooks.com for newsletter sign up https://drtombooks.com/contact/ My Books link: https://www.amazon.com/Tom-DePaoli/e/B003XSV1IQ
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