Henry Ford began implementing lean with the mass production of early automobiles but many North American businesses dismissed those breakthroughs until Toyota optimized waste elimination into what is known as TPS. In a frantic effort to catch-up we jumped into lean assuming it a straight forward, waste attacking process; after all that’s what the Japanese do….or is it?

I’ve experienced two primary approaches to lean implementation. The first is to change the SYSTEM and then allow the system to change the culture. This creates radical change demanding minimal tolerance for waste thus creating a strong demand for improved performance and urgent management attention, thereby driving change to the culture. This approach places special demands on all levels of the company, likely building resistance and scepticism.

The second is to change the CULTURE and then allow the culture to drive improvements in the system. Changing the culture through small improvement steps will achieve the goal of Lean Implementation. The change process can be lengthy and must be continuously driven towards the final goal. Toyota has spent many years perfecting TPS, so attempting implementation of what we “see” without the understanding of the culture is impractical. Ian Glenday explains, “It’s not what you see, but what you can’t see now, that can help in becoming a truly Lean Enterprise”. We must develop a deeply rooted structure in which everyone thinks differently, focusing on opportunity, noticing and eliminating waste. Leaders must be VISIBLE. Team members must be TRAINED and EMPOWERED. Lean Practitioners must MOBILIZE the team, and EVERYONE must wear MUDA Glasses.

Individuals go though a “Personal Change Journey” that begins with denial and, if left to it, takes many side paths and a significant amount of time to reach the committed quadrant. Initially, senior management must drive the change process through the business, physically running the system themselves if required. Once ingrained, devolve the day-to-day running of the system to the workforce but continue reviewing the system performance, taking action and allocating resources. The new “Personal Change Journey” is based on COMMUNICATION.

Well structured procedures to focus people on doing value added work are vitally important, unfortunately, we often see charts tracking progress but not driving appropriate activities. If you can't see what needs to be done hour-by-hour or day-by-day then neither can team members. Good lean management recognizes that making progress and problems visible is the most powerful way of engaging everyone in improving the performance of the organization.

Lean is a journey and it’s imperative that you “Lead with Vision”. Where there is no vision, the people perish.

James Elliott , Vice President of Operations

Jim Elliott is the Vice President of Operations for Bergstrom Inc. Bergstrom is a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of Climate Control Systems for the commercial truck, off-highway equipment, and specialty vehicle industries. Bergstrom has facilities located in Rockford, IL, Joliet, IL, Ystrad Mynach, Wales, and Changzhou, China. The VP of Operations has the responsibility for global operations with significant focus on deployment of lean manufacturing principles.

Jim was born and raised in Crawford County, Indiana where he learned to love the outdoors. His childhood was spent working on farms and at his family’s service station. This early experience was instrumental in establishing his work ethic and mechanical aptitude that is priceless in leading a manufacturing organization.

Jim earned a BSEE degree from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 1990 and embarked on a lean adventure with Ford Electronics and Refrigeration Corporation in Connersville, Indiana as a Facilities Electrical Engineer. This began his seventeen years with Climate Control companies, including Ford Climate Control (now Visteon), Valeo Climate Control and Bergstrom Inc. While at Ford Climate Control, he also served as Manufacturing Engineering Group Leader for heat exchanger manufacturing and as Program Manager for front end engine cooling modules. Positions he has held while working for Valeo included Program Manager for automotive climate control systems with leadership responsibility of multinational design and manufacturing teams and Autonomous Production Unit Manager for the Hamilton, Ohio facility. Under his leadership, the Hamilton facility received the “Operational Excellence Award” presented to the facility demonstrating the greatest improvement in workplace organization and efficiency. Jim has served in various roles for seven years at Bergstrom Inc., including Chief Engineer, Sales and Engineering Manager, Global HVAC Business Unit Manager, General Manager and Vice President of Operations.

Outside of the business place, Jim is an active in Heartland Community Church and serve on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of the Rock River Valley. In his spare time, he loves a round of golf in the summer, a good deer hunt in the fall, hockey and basketball in the winter and fishing in the spring. Jim reside in Rockford, Illinois with his wife, Kara and two children, Korrie and Kollin. As a family, they enjoy fishing, hiking and traveling.