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The Aegis iCoach app allows customers and program participants to access all learning materials from their own device. Some training companies may “loan” you a device for the day but Aegis Learning provides the materials to you through the iCoach application for you to keep and review at your convenience. Program guides, participant forms and follow-up tools are all delivered from the iCoach application and no paper is wasted.
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This is the third in a multi-part series on process improvement written by Polly Walker and Amy McKee.
The strategies and people side of sustained and meaningful process improvement will be the focus and we welcome your feedback about this series.
By Polly Walker
In previous articles, we have covered the “D- Define” step of DMAIC approach and the people strategies associated with that step. This week we will provide some high-level activities that should occur during the “M- Measure and A – Analyze” steps of a process improvement project.
STEP TWO: MEASURE
1. Gather current data/trends for performance metrics for the process. If there are no metrics identified, work with the department and workgroup to develop/identify pertinent process performance metrics and ongoing tracking/reporting mechanisms.
2. Chart the as-is workflow.
STEP THREE: ANALYZE
3. Utilize the “as-is workflow” and workgroup input to identify challenges, wastes and bottlenecks using the LEAN (and/or Six Sigma) methodology.
4. Utilize the most appropriate analytical tools (control charts, FMEA, etc.) to further analyze the process.
5. Use design principles, best practices and/or team insights to create recommendations to redesign the process and eliminate waste.
Truly honored and blessed to reconnect with the leadership team from Carnival Cruise Lines.
Energetic, heart filled and highly skilled, these leaders were eager to hone their skills even farther. No amount of superlatives will be able to completely describe this group and the relationship with each of them is priceless.
This is the second in a multi-part series on process improvement written by Polly Walker and Amy McKee.
The strategies and people side of sustained and meaningful process improvement will be the focus and we welcome your feedback about this series.
By Amy McKee
“Process Improvement” is critical to organizations as they evolve and environmental changes occur. It allows an organization to constantly focus on becoming more competitive and improving their use of resources with an impact on the bottom line.
However, no change is ever complete without people adopting the change. The people side of Process Improvement is equally critical to step-by-step process of improving a process. As such, this series will follow the “The Process of Process Improvement” to give you tips on positively impacting the people as you work to improve processes.
Last week, we covered the first of the five DMAIC steps: “D- Define”.
From a people perspective, this is the most critical phase. What you do here will greatly impact the flow of the rest of the project. Here are 3 important tips:
1. Assemble a good team. I always encourage people to include key stakeholders. That is standard. There are two other team participants I like to add: a key naysayer and a non-stakeholder. Here’s why:
a. The naysayer will bring up all of the arguments of why something won’t work. Address these concerns and that naysayer will become the biggest advocate. Plus, they will make sure the process is solid.
b. A non-stakeholder brings an outsider’s perspective and often can add some creativity to the solution.
2. Set a Clear and Well-Formed Outcome. So often we think about the end goal as only being some quantifiable number associated with the business case. We disregard other important aspects like:
a. How do we want our team will feel by the end of the engagement? What needs to happen for that to occur?
b. Envision the end of the project. Did you meet your goals? What does that look like? What are people saying? How does everyone feel? What are you telling yourself?
3. Align the Team. A tremendous amount of confusion and arguing can be avoided when the team starts with a common core set of values in regards to the project. Here is a simple question to ask:
a. “What is most important to you about this project?” (impact, time required, prestige, team collaboration, leadership development, etc.)
b. Ask each team member this question and then have the group agree on the top 3-4. It will make a big difference as the project unfolds so you can cater to the agreed upon needs of the group. The top 3-4 values also can be used as criteria for decision making.
This is the first in a multi-part series on process improvement written by Polly Walker and Amy McKee.
The strategies and people side of sustained and meaningful process improvement will be the focus and we welcome your feedback about this series.
By Polly Walker
“Process Improvement” is a phrase thrown around frequently in today’s business world. But what is it?
It is a project to analyze the steps of a process, analytically determine what improvements can be made, implement those improvements, and continually monitor and track the results of the improvement. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the process improvement project, the “DMAIC” approach must be utilized.
“The Process of Process Improvement” is the first article in a series designed to walk you through the five steps of the DMAIC approach, and the change management and people strategies needed for each of the steps.
This week, we will cover the first of the five DMAIC steps: “D- Define”.
STEP ONE: DEFINE
1. Receive request from Project Sponsor to initiate a continuous improvement project.
2. Gather the following items that relate to the process being reviewed in order to understand the scope/frame the problem:
a. Strategic, Business and/or Improvement Plan(s) and Budget Documents
b. Performance Metrics for the Process (i.e. defect rate, cycle time, etc.)
c. Drivers/Key Customer Requirements for the Process
d. Policies, procedures and all training and communication documentation
3. Draft the project charter, including timeline, deliverables and team members.
4. Review draft charter with the Project Sponsor, and get input from the project team in order to finalize the charter.
“What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it.” Antoine De Saint-Exupery.
By Teresa Lowry
I am fascinated by the process that takes us from knowing what we need to do to be successful to actually doing it. Nike encourages us to “Just Do It”. Life experience tells us it is not always that easy. We know the actions we need to take to be better leaders, better humans but how do we get from knowing to doing?
At Aegis Learning we are committed to creating a way forward for you. Successful leaders have energy and stamina. Leadership Impact teaches you to cultivate a positive emotional composition which results in increased physical energy. With more energy, we can maintain the habits created to meet our goals. To stay the course, we have peer coaches and mentors to hold us accountable. We can remain committed to positive habits by understanding our internal and external motivators.
GET YOUR EQ IN THE GAME
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is critical to successful leadership. Emotions drive attitudes and beliefs. Attitudes and beliefs drive behavior. 80% of our reactions, responses and decisions are driven by our emotions. Emotions have an impact (positive or negative) on our physical energy. By managing your emotions, you can consciously choose to operate in a zone of optimism and enthusiasm. Improved emotional health allows for increased energy to accomplish our goals.
At a recent company retreat several team members expressed a desire for more time to accomplish various goals. Highly accomplished and very productive professionals, these are the same people who the busier they are the more they accomplish. This started me thinking about whether the answer to what we need is more time or do we really need more energy?
In their book “The Power of Full Engagement” Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz conclude that energy not time is the fundamental currency of high performance. Their study reveals that performance, health and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy. In addition to monitoring our emotional composition to support increased energy we require the creation of positive habits.
To jump start new habits you need motivation. Back to EQ and knowing yourself. Motivation is unique to the individual and the habits we will cultivate must resonate at our core. Organizational theorists Thomas Malone and Mark Lepper have identified several sources of intrinsic motivation: Challenge, Curiosity, Control, Fantasy, Cooperation, Competition, and Recognition. Determine which motivators resonate with you. These intrinsic motivators become key to the creation of new habits.
HABIT IS WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING
Jim Rohn said it best “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” Set up your surroundings to support your goals and habits. In “The Power of Habit” business reporter Charles Duhigg found the key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive and achieving success is understanding how habits work.
For me, exercising seven days a week, at the same time every day lead to making it a habit. There is no decision to be made on whether today is the day or telling myself I can do it tomorrow. I removed the decision-making piece from the equation. Set up your surroundings to support your goals and habits. Changing into my exercise “uniform” first thing in the morning helps reinforce the habit. Cultivate habits that align with your intrinsic motivators. Next, establish your accountability team.
CHOOSE YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY TEAM
J.E. is my Shero. She works the graveyard shift as a nursing supervisor in Labor and Delivery at a local hospital. Married, with four active teenagers at home, J.E. finds the time and energy to attend an 8am Bootcamp workout at my gym. Committed to her health and fitness, this also qualifies as her “me time”. J.E. has a strategy to hold herself accountable. She pays her trainer or work out partner $40 if she does not show up. Her husband has similar habits and shared goals and together they compete in obstacle course races. J.E. knows the power of having friends and family hold her accountable.
Even if we put our workout, meditation, self-improvement related activities on our to do list or calendar many of us are far too willing to break a commitment to ourselves. If we have a friend or partner that we are accountable to we are more likely to not want to disappoint them so we show up. Most people are far more likely to maintain a new habit if they are accountable to a partner, coach or team. Personally, I am intrinsically motivated by a team environment. The thought of running a Spartan Race by myself sends my mind into excuse mode. If I am with a team, the commitment to others ensures I will be there to perform at my highest level.
At the office, choose a colleague, peer coach or mentor to help hold you accountable. Schedule regular meetings. By determining when, where and how it will be done your success rate will be substantially higher.
AEGIS LEARNING THE PATH FORWARD
Aegis Learning provides the tools needed to keep learning alive. The Aegis PATH is a series of emails delivered to you after you have completed a program. Each email will have Five Keys to continue to work on and remember to create the best application of skills possible. There is a self-assessment tool option with each email for you to assess where you are and create an action plan for where you want to be. Your supervisor, mentor or program sponsor will also be receiving a set of emails with discussion points and specifics of follow up. This feature will keep the learning and culture changing competencies in your organization alive.
It is up to you to connect the learning to action by understanding your motivations and creating habits that support successful leadership competencies. Let your accountability team support you. Continue to reassess and evaluate your progress and you will go from knowing to doing.
Teresa Lowry is a passionate advocate for learning, growth and generating real organizational change.
Fueling that passion are exceptional communication abilities, a great training room presence and the ability to connect with people successfully in mentoring and coaching. Personally, Teresa enjoys serving on several community boards, volunteering with non-profit community groups and, along with her husband, you will find her in the gym every morning working out and training for distance and obstacle races.
