Tools are important for problem-solvers, but what about leaders? What do they have in their toolkit to help build problem solvers? In this webinar, we'll discuss actions, mindsets and tools leaders have to support and build a culture of process improvement! In this 1-hour webinar, we will cover the 4 key leader roles in building a continuous improvement culture: - Create ideal conditions - Build problem-solving muscles - Identify key leader responsibilities - Strategize on the 4 components of Lean culture

1. How Leaders Support
and Build a Culture of
Process Improvement
Presented by Tracy O’Rourke

2. About Our Presenter
• Managing Partner at
GoLeanSixSigma.com
• Co-Author of
The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit
• Co-host of the
Just-In-Time Café Podcast
Tracy O’Rourke
/Tracy-ORourke
@RourkeTracy
2

3. How to Interact
Answer Polls! Ask a Question!
3

4. Where Are You From?
Share your location in the Chat area!
4

5. Our Mission and Core Values
Mission: Revolutionize the way people learn process
improvement — making it easy for everyone
everywhere to build their problem-solving muscles!
5
Cultivating Community
We create an inclusive and
positive space where
people around the world
connect with each other to
learn and grow.
Servant’s Heart
At our core we are here
to be of service to
others as guides and
teachers to encourage
people’s success.
Trailblazing Spirit
We have the courage to
challenge and inspire each
other to create a constant
state of awesomeness.

6. We’ve Helped People From…
6

7. Learning Objectives
After attending this webinar you’ll be able to:
• Explain a leader’s role in building culture
• List the steps to reflect on current culture
• Describe the 4 components of building a
Continuous Improvement culture
7

8. Today’s Agenda
• The 4 key leader roles in building a continuous
improvement culture
• Create ideal conditions
• Build problem-solving muscles
• Identify key responsibilities
• Execute a plan - 4 components of Continuous
Improvement culture
8

9. The Challenge: Changing Mindset
Lean Six
Sigma tools
applied
Existing
management
mindset and
practices

10. Thawing the Frozen Middle
10
I’m not sure what I’m
supposed to do to help
lead continuous
improvement!

11. 1. Create Ideal Conditions
for Continuous
Improvement to Thrive
11

12. Reduce Fear
• Support a blame-free environment
• Recognize behaviors that create a search for
the guilty
• Focus on the process, not the people
• Recognize and acknowledge desired
behaviors
• Asking why
• Calculated risk-taking
• Making process problems visible
12

13. Make It Okay to Experiment
13

14. A Necessary Job of Leaders
“Culture is created by what is
tolerated and promoted.”
- Dr. Henry Cloud -

15. Reflect on Current Culture
• What are the organization’s cultural strengths?
• How can we leverage those strengths?
• What are the organization’s cultural
weaknesses?
• What will we do to address those weaknesses?
15

16. Stop – Start – Continue
What do you want to
START doing
to help create a
stronger Continuous
Improvement culture?
What do you want to
CONTINUE doing
to create a
stronger Continuous
Improvement culture?
What do you want to
STOP doing
to help create a
stronger Continuous
Improvement culture?
16

17. Question for You
17
• Please enter your response in the Chat tab
In order for your organization to build a
stronger continuous improvement culture
What do leaders need to Stop, Start or
Continue to do?

18. Call to Action
Go on a Tour
• Tour an organization implementing Lean
• Get inspired by others
• Create a vision for your organization, dept or team
• Reflect on current culture an create a plan
18

19. 2. Commit to Building
Problem-Solving Muscles
19

20. Leader/Coach Challenge
20
Do three things better:
1. Do less telling
2. Learn to do more
asking in the
particular form of
Humble Inquiry
3. Do a better job of
listening and
acknowledging
Tracy O’Rourke and Edgar Schein

21. The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership
The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner
21

22. Embrace Exemplary Leadership
Principles
22
• Create the vision
• Communicate the vision broadly
• Treat everyone with respect
• Be a student – lifelong learner
• Challenge the status quo
• Help identify opportunities
• Be a coach/mentor
• Empower staff to improve
• Recognize failed experiments
• Recognize improvement successes
Model
the Way
Inspire a
Shared Vision
Challenge
the Process
Enable Others
to Act
Encourage
the Heart

23. Call to Action
Invest in Your Own Growth as a Leader
• Find a mentor to coach you
• Find someone to coach
• Take a 360 Leadership Assessment
• Create an action plan to improve
23

24. 3. Clearly Define Leader
Responsibilities
24

25. Roles & Responsibilities
25

26. Sample: Actions for a Lean Six Sigma Champion
26
Promote a Continuous
Improvement Culture
Commit
Time & Effort
Enlist
Others
Remove fear in the
organization
Support a blame-free
environment
Continuous Improvement
included in management
goals & objectives
Promote & reinforce making
problems visible
Help breakdown barriers to
continuous improvement
Participate in certification
celebrations
Promote dialogue of
continuous improvement in
staff meetings
Attend kickoffs for Process
Walks and Kaizen Events
Participate as a sponsor in
steering committee meetings
Recruit employees in:
Yellow Belt, Green Belt &
Black Belt
Follow-up on project work
and success
Influence key stakeholders
Give continuous improvement
a voice in strategic
conversations

27. “People do not decide their
futures, they decide their
habits and their habits decide
their futures.”
- F.M. Alexander -

28. What Is Leader Standard Work?
A set of daily, weekly actions or tools that
leaders apply to build and sustain a continuous
improvement mindset and culture.

29. “It’s easier to act your way into
a new way of thinking, than to
think your way into a new way
of acting.”
- Millard Fuller & Jay McNally -
29

30. Question for You
30
What continuous improvement
responsibilities are clearly defined for
your organizational leaders?
• Please enter your response in the Chat tab

31. 4. Be Strategic With the
4 Components of
Lean Culture
31

32. The Four Components of Building a Lean Culture
Customers matter
to us.
We align around a
common purpose.
We can always
do better.
We treat everyone
with respect.
32

33. Possible Roadmap Actions
33
Customer
Focused Results
Enterprise
Alignment
Continuous
Improvement
Cultural Enablers
• Map Value Streams and
Core Processes
• Identify customers by
process
• Identify customer
metrics by process
• Identify opportunities
for improvement from
the Voice of Customer
• Gather feedback from
customers on processes
• Build Vision, Mission,
Values with
Continuous
Improvement
• Develop Scorecards
• Identify 6-18 Month
Initiatives
• Build a 12-18 month
roadmap around
executing the four
components of
Continuous
Improvement culture
• Build and execute a
communication plan
• Establish
infrastructure and
roles for supporting
Continuous
Improvement
• Design and Deliver
Continuous
Improvement
Training
• Select and Execute
Projects
• Celebrate Success
with Continuous
Process
Improvement
• Plan Leadership and
Employee
Engagement
• Conduct Training for
Leadership
Development
• Employee
Engagement Survey
• Track Progress on
Continuous
Improvement and
Make adjustments as
needed

34. A Roadmap for the Four Components
34

35. Resources to Learn More
35

36. Call to Action Summary
• Assess current culture
• Use a simple tool: Stop-Start-Continue
• Go on a Tour
• Find a mentor and someone to coach
• Create clear leader responsibilities
• Build a plan with the 4 components of
building a continuous improvement culture
36

37. Today We Covered
37
• The 4 key leader roles in building a
continuous improvement culture
• Create ideal conditions
• Build problem-solving muscles
• Identify key responsibilities
• Execute a plan - the 4 components
of Lean culture

38. Questions?
38

39. Getting Started
Learn more by starting some more training!
• White Belt Training & Certification (Training is FREE)
• Yellow Belt Training & Certification (Training is FREE)
• Green Belt Training & Certification
• Black Belt Training & Certification
• Lean Training & Certification
Coupon Code: 20LEADER
20% discount on all courses!
*Expires March 28, 2019
39

40. Go-Getter Membership
40
• Access to all Single Modules ($298 value)
• Access to the Go-Getter Forums
• Access to Go-Getter Exclusive Webinars
• Support Tools ($226 value)
• 20% discount on ALL
of your purchases!
$199 for 1 year access
GoLeanSixSigma.com/ggm/

41. The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit
41
• Paperback and Kindle
versions available on
Amazon
• The Problem-Solver’s
Toolkit

42. Upcoming Webinar: March 21, 11am PST
Register today at GoLeanSixSigma.com/webinars
We’ll select upcoming webinars based on your feedback,
so please share your feedback on the survey at the end of
close of this webinar.
42

43. Just-In-Time Cafe Podcast
Tune in at GoLeanSixSigma.com/cafe for the latest
Lean Six Sigma news, easy ways to apply Lean Six Sigma and
interviews with process improvement leaders like you!
43

44. Success Story Webinar
Check out more success stories from Go-Getters
just like you at GoLeanSixSigma.com/Success
44

45. Wonder Women of Quality
Join us each month as we highlight another unsung
hero of Quality!
45

46. Questions?
46

47. Thank You for Joining Us!
More questions? Ask us at
contact@goleansixsigma.com
Click here to download free tools,
templates, infographics and more!
@GoLeanSixSigma/company/GoLeanSixSigma-com /GoLeanSixSigma 47