Becoming Sherlock The first thing you did not learn was: 1) How to look for contrast. Contrast is always a problem solver’s best friend! If you are able to find significant contrast between your problematic parts or processes vs. the good ones, you have almost everything you need to solve the problem! 6 Sigma training…
Cultural Transformation in Your Company Today’s topic is cultural transformation. If you want to transform the entire culture of your company, the first thing you need is a clear vision. If you don’t have a vision others can follow or a mission statement, your company’s culture will not automatically change for the better. Or if…
Engineer’s First Day on the Job Today, I want to talk to the young up-and-comers, excited to get started in their careers, and also any managers who are hiring them. Follow me through a typical day on the job of lightning problem solving for a little on-the-spot training! So, you got a job in manufacturing,…
Got Water? How to Tackle A Pesky Water Leak Thanks for joining and get ready to hang on for the wild whitewater rafting ride as we talk about Leaks. Water leaks are extremely simple if you see the entire path. “Water leaks are extremely simple if you see the entire path.” Click To Tweet The instructions…
You’re HIRED! The Secret to Hiring GOOD Problem Solvers Hiring good employees can be a difficult task. I’m asked frequently, “Tom, how can I find a good problem solver? And how can I tell GOOD problem solvers from BAD ones?” Oftentimes, I’m already busy on a project and ANOTHER company comes asking me desperately where…
Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees… Part 3: Ongoing Three Questions Today we’re going to talk about the 3 most valuable questions to ask your employees on an ongoing basis. This is the conclusion of my 3-part series called “Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees.” If you somehow missed Parts 1 and 2,…
Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees Part 2: The 30 Day Challenge Hey guys! Welcome back to Part Two of my 3-Part Series on Questions Every Manager Should Ask Their Employees. I hope you’re up for a challenge! Today we’re going to talk about an awesome 30-day experiment guaranteed to kick it up a…
Motivation, Motivation, Motivation!! I’m sure you’ve heard the popular real estate agent mantra – the most important thing in buying and selling homes is LOCATION. Running your company smoothly begins with a similar word and it’s Motivation. This is the first installment of a 3- part series on Questions Managers Should Ask Their Employees designed…
What Makes a Noise? Noise problems are always the result of: Contact and Movement YOUR JOB is to find where the contact is and what is moving. Are You Sure that’s IT? Sounds so Simple! Here are a few quick pointers on things to observe while you dig for the culprit. First, compare the non-noisy…
How to Solve Warranty Problems Today First horse out of the gate: REDESIGN. Or is it? To start with, I need to remind you to be extremely careful not to automatically think “Redesign,” when you start having warranty problems. “You can always redesign, but redesigns are not only expensive, they also introduce new problems.” Click…
Lean Healthcare Facilities 101 Did you know that hospitals and clinics can benefit from Lean principles, in much the same way as manufacturing plants? A Lean healthcare facility will have shorter or no wait times, less errors, and more time for the doctors to spend with each patient. In turn, they are more profitable and…
Why Lean 6 Sigma Problem Solving is So SLOW Why Lean 6 Sigma Problem Solving is So Slow Today we’re going to talk about why 6 Sigma is Slower. Than. Christmas. I love lean manufacturing, and Lean 6 Sigma has its place too. They’re both very powerful and very useful tools. They have actually even…
PS. If you missed today’s free printables, you can access them here: Free Printable Problem Solver Evaluation Free Printable 7 Habits
How to Set the Right Targets for Your Manufacturing Company How to Set the Right Manufacturing Targets Setting the right targets for your company is SO important because without goals your plant will run with no direction or vision. You’ll have some workers really working hard to bring home that bacon and some workers just…
So, What is Lean Manufacturing? Lean Manufacturing is a hot topic in the manufacturing world today. But what IS it anyway? Well, lean manufacturing has 3 main goals: Waste elimination Improving cycle efficiency Improving your process flow VIDEO: What is Lean Manufacturing? To become lean, you have to have standardized work, continuously improving scheduling, and…
When to Hire a Lean Manufacturing Consultant When to Hire a Lean Manufacturing Consultant: Welcome back to Lightning Problem Solving, where we keep you up to date on cutting edge manufacturing and problem-solving techniques. Today I’m going to be addressing a question I get asked all the time, which is, When is it time…
Everything You Need to Know about 5 Whys The basic principle behind the Five Whys is that you continue the question of “Why?” until you come to the Root Cause. It’s reminiscent of the song about the old lady who swallowed a fly, only repeated in reverse. Be sure to click on this video if…
Lightning-Fast Manufacturing Problem Solving How to solve a Manufacturing Problem in only 3 DAYS! Welcome back! If you’re new here, welcome to the Lightning Problem Solving Method, a fool-proof process for your worst manufacturing issues in as little as 3 days. After years of long-distance and on-site business consultation, I’m taking my manufacturing knowledge online.…
When NOT to use a DOE Our video today is about when NOT to use a DOE. But before we talk about when NOT to use a DOE, let’s make sure you have a general idea of what a DOE is.
Solve Manufacturing Problems in Only 3 Days! So you’ve seen my video, “How to Solve a Manufacturing Project in 3 Days.” The video dives deep into the Lightning Problem Solving Method. These steps make solving manufacturing problems in under 72 hours more doable and less daunting. But the truth is, there are exceptions…
Root Cause Versus Solution If you’ve followed any of my prior materials, you’ve certainly heard me say, “Be a root cause hunter, not a solution hunter!” But you may be thinking to yourself – don’t those terms mean the same thing? Let me explain to you how different they are, and why this difference is…
When NOT to use 5S Today I’m going to tell you when it’s best NOT to use 5S. Before we can talk about when not to use 5S, I want to make sure everybody understands what 5S really is. 5S is a common workplace organization term that simply stands for these five S words: Sort…
Finding the Root Cause of Your Broken Parts with the Lightning Problem Solving Method Who Knew It Was This Easy? Today, we’re tackling the always-frustrating issue of broken parts. If you’re putting out manufactured parts that break on a regular basis, it can cost you a whole lot more than just time. Frustration, money, and…
Scrap Reduction: 5 EASY Keys! In this post, you will find all the tools you need to drastically reduce your scrap while making your company more profitable in the process. It’s not hard or complicated— in fact, you can start right away! If you put a few key steps into practice, you can stop literally…
