Building a Culture of
Continuous Improvement
John Knotts
Crosscutter Enterprises
60% of all Process Improvement Efforts Fail
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The Six Sigma Performance Handbook, Praveen Gupta, 2004
Continuous Improvement is not Process Improvement
“Many Hands Make Light Work”
~ John Heywood, 1562
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Vision:
A Culture of Continuous Improvement
Owned by Engaged Employees
Reduced process waste
Improved product quality
Reduced rework time
Faster response times
Driving costs down
Retaining and gaining customers
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Traditional
Improvement
Are you this guy?
 The Lean Organization
 The Six Sigma Organization
 The Look Alike Organization
 The Sub-optimized Organization
 The Absent Organization
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A New Model
http://ngs.edu/2014/05/01/building-culture-continuous-improvement/
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Where to Start
VISION
Leaders
Managers
Values
Principles
Operating Styles
Behaviors
Mission
Vision
Objectives
Actions
Change
Predictability
RESULTS
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Strategy
Starts with Leadership
Time
Behaviors
Closing Gaps
Define the Foundation
Frame the
Approach
Build Awareness
& Desire
Create New Habits
Measure, Recognize, Reward, Reinforce, Celebrate, & Communicate
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Cultural Behaviors
All employees:
Know what they do and how it supports
the mission
Use daily metrics
Make data driven decisions
Do the same job as another the same way
every time
Submit and discuss ideas
Continuously improve their processes
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Measure
First step -- defining and measuring what
you do every day
Statistically understanding
what you do every day
1) How much work you are doing
2) How long it takes to do it every time
3) How well you do it every time.
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FTE
Improve
Every Employee
Understands their process
Know how to identify when something is
wrong
Armed with basic tools to improve it
Knows who to call when it is too big
PROJECT
LIST
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Methodologies
Formal Methodologies
Six Sigma
 DMAIC
 DFSS
Lean / Kaizen
Rapid Improvement / Kaizen Blitz / Work
Out
Basic Problem Solving -- Just Do It!
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Change
Employee Desired Behavior:
Agile Ability to Constantly Change
?
?
Awareness
Desire
Knowledge
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Ability
Reinforcement
Commitment
Organizational Commitment:
A demonstration of dedication, loyalty, and sacrifice to an organization.
Job Satisfaction (Pre 80s)
Organizational Commitment (70s – 2010)
Employee Engagement (2000 - Present
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Gallup
Q12
QUALITY
DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION
Innovation
Employees
Allowed to fail
Creative time
Challenged
Developed
Engaged!
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Continuous Improvement Culture
…in Review
Leadership Driven
Rooted in Strategy
Measure Everything First
Improvement at the Lowest Level
Ready to Change
Engaged and Committed Employees
Environment of Innovation
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Contact Info
John is a Senior ASQ member with 25 years
of experience of military, non-profit, and
commercial consulting experience.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnknotts77/
He has an extensive background in strategy,
change, process, leadership, management,
human capital, training and education, and
communication.
http://johnrknotts.wordpress.com/
http://twitter.com/johnrknotts/
crossctr77@yahoo.com
Twenty-one year Air Force Veteran, former consultant with the toprated consulting firm, Booz | Allen | Hamilton, and now a strategic
business advisor for Enterprise Document Management in USAA and
part of a hand-selected team deploying Operational Excellence
across the Association. John also owns his own consulting business,
Crosscutter Enterprises, which he's sharpened the saw with since
retiring from the Air Force in 2008.
John holds a Master's Degree in Quality Systems Management from
National Graduate School and is now an adjunct member of their
faculty. Over the years, he's earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt,
Black Belt, and now holds a Master Black Belt. He also earned a
Master’s- level certification as a Change Management Advanced
Practitioner from Georgetown University and is Change Management
certified by Prosci through USAA.
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