Intro to Lean

Beginner~, Foundational~, Solving Problems~
Intro to Lean is a beginning-level course that teaches participants the basic concepts of Lean Thinking through an interactive in-person simulation (paper airplanes). It is suitable for participants who work in office or manufacturing environments and includes many real-world examples from a wide variety of work environments. Intro to Lean is a prerequisite to many of the other classes we offer. This course is a full-day class focused on the foundational elements of lean and the importance of respect for people. Topics covered include: Waste, Value Add, Leadership, Customer Value, Strategy Continuous Improvement Cycle, 8 Wastes, 5S, Visual Controls, Physical Layout, Single Piece Flow Value Stream Mapping, Takt Time vs Cycle Time, Pull, Kanban 5 Why’s, Cross Training, Set Up Reduction/TPM, Standard Work, Mistake Proofing, Team Huddle, Metrics Audience: Applicable…
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Building Your Lean Management System

Application~, Intermediate~, Leadership~
Most initial attempts at lean and continuous improvement focus on tools and improvement events (aka kaizen events). Unfortunately, after a while, people notice that the “lean journey” has lost most of its momentum, energy, engagement, focus, and breakthrough results. The lean management system (LMS) is a framework for building a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning. Its focus is on developing people to solve problems to improve performance. In this environment, improvement is not driven by a few lean champions but by everyone. Now everyone has a dual focus: doing the work (results) and improving the work (process). In this workshop, we’ll use a series of hands-on exercises to build a piece of the LMS, experiment with it, receive coaching support, and repeat the process as you build a…
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Building Blocks for Trainers

Application~, Developing People~, Foundational~, Intermediate~
Lean Standardized Work and Training Within Industry Job Instruction ("what, how, why" training) methods have precise, technical formats and application approaches. This course is a blend of the two and is designed to deliver significant, actionable introductory learning aligned with the concepts and intent of these methods. The class will be delivered in two sessions with an expectation that participants will apply the learning to a "real-life" work process between sessions. The first session is an interactive, collaborative exploration and simulated application of job instruction and standardized work methods. The second session will provide participants the opportunity to present their application work and receive peer feedback and coaching. Key Concepts: Explore the “what, how, why” training method. What standardized work methods are and how they are related. How these methods…
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5S Workplace Organization

Application~, Beginner~, Foundational~, Solving Problems~
5S is a beginning/intermediate level course that teaches participants the value proposition of 5S through hands-on implementation in a real work environment. It is suitable for participants working in office or manufacturing environments. Attendees will alternate between learning and doing, resulting in hands-on application of 5S organizing/improving an area at a host company. Key Concepts: Understanding that 5S is a problem exposure tool Defining the 5 S’s (plus Safety) Documenting the current state, using the DOWNTIME concept to identify waste Planning a 5S event (event definition, leadership roles, steps for planning and executing the event) Putting the 5S into action Establishing visual controls, documenting standards, creating an audit process Prerequisite: Lean 101/Intro to Lean or exposure to foundational lean concepts within your work environment. Audience: Depending on the location of…
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3H Teamwork – Showing Up with your Heart, Head, & Hands

Beginner~, Developing People~, Foundational~
3H Teamwork is a two-day series for individual contributors to help align them with the language and practices of their leaders who have attended 3H Leadership. The series content focuses on the following: Personal Responsibility Personal Communications Constructive Confrontation We help people enhance their self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and provide new perspectives on how to create positive interactions in the workplace. Lean organizations strive to continuously improve quality, lead-time and cost performance by harnessing the natural problem-solving creativity of all employees on a daily basis. This focus on problem-solving capability naturally emphasizes the importance of engaging employees critical thinking skills – their “heads”. Tapping the full potential of their creativity, however, also relies on engaging their human need to contribute and be creative – their “hearts”.  3H Teamwork is a series…
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3H Leadership – Engaging the Heart, Head, & Hands

Application~, Developing People~, Intermediate~, Leadership~
3H Leadership is by far our most popular and impactful leadership course, offered each Fall. It is a series of five focused conversations for leaders ready to engage in the development of their leadership skills to connect with both the hearts and the heads of employees and, in doing so, create a truly high-performance organization. The series content focuses on the following: Personal Responsibility Personal Communication Leading People for Performance & Improvement Responding to Criticism and Constructive Confrontation Managing Change and Transition Each session builds on each other as we provide participants with the opportunity to learn and demonstrate valuable soft skills through interactions and simulations, teaching them how to become more effective leaders. Participants will gain a new perspective on how they show up and learn to use emotional…
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