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Friday, March 29, 2013

12 more weeks until the Lean Summit!

The name tags for the Summit have arrived! Next, the pre-summit interview with Dr. Liker! Stay tuned as the interview will be posted here.

Happy Easter!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Lean Sensei Hosts The Lean Summit

Over the past several years, Lean Sensei has conducted numerous workshops at nationally and globally acclaimed conferences. And we are pleased to be able to say that each time our workshops have met your expectations.

2012 CME: 1st highest ranking
2011 AME: no ranking provided by AME

2010 AME: 2nd highest ranking

2009 AME: 3rd highest ranking

2008 AME: 1st highest ranking

2007 AME: we did not speak at this session

2006 AME: 1st highest ranking


It was the year 2009 when Lean Sensei first held our own Lean conference. It was the first time in history all three authors of the Toyota Way series were together in one room.
Four years later, The Lean Summit is back!


At Lean Sensei's Lean Strategy Summit conference in 2009
David Meier - co-author of Toyota Talent; Dr. Jeffrey Liker - author of Toyota Way, Toyota Way Fieldbook and most recently Toyota Way to Lean Leadership, among numerous other titles; Mike Hoseus - co-author of Toyota Culture

June 18-20, 2013 Lean Sensei will provide you with the opportunity to attend a workshop by Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Mike Hoseus and engage in presentations by industry speakers from healthcare, transportation, aerospace, medical devices, power systems and financial services.


There will also be an opportunity for you to have a private strategy session with Mike Hoseus. If you are a new to our Lean programs you will automatically be eligible by registering for the conference.
Current clients are also eligible by registering for the conference and by having one of your referrals register as well.


Already half of the spots have already been spoken for, register online today at www.lsifuture.com/register



Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Send in Your Questions

What would you like us to ask Dr. Liker, author of the Toyota Way in our interview with him in April?


In Lean Sensei's interview with Dr. Liker he will talk about his new book, The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership, preview his presentation at the Lean Summit conference and answer your questions!

Submit your question(s) to jennifer@leansensei.com before April 12, 2013.
The interview will be made available on our blog and on our Youtube channel. We will announce the release of the interview recording on our blog- Stay tuned.

Want the brochure for our Lean conference, the Lean Summit? Email info@leansensei.com or call our office: 604-264-1000.




Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Blackbelts Learn to Lean Supply Chains

This month, the Blackbelts completed the Supply Chain module. In this module, the Blackbelts mastered the Supply Chain control tool heijunka (level loading or production smoothing). Heijunka is pivotal in that the goal is to level work schedules and create a system of continuous flow, pull and minimal inventory. As such, Greenbelt concepts such as Kanban, standardized work and the ever essential Value Stream Maps also come into play. Read Executive Coach Andrew's article on Pull.

Blackbelt certification is only available twice a year, the next session will commence in the Fall:

Lean Strategy & Lean Assessment Module (Vancouver) - Sep 16-20
Lean Supply Chain Module (Vancouver)  - Oct 7-11
Japan Lean Tour (*Date Subject to Change) - Nov 11-14
Extreme Makeover Kaizen Module (Vancouver) - Dec 9-13


Monday, March 25, 2013

Less Than a Month Until Spring Greenbelt in Vancouver

The Spring session for Greenbelt Operations will commence on April 8th, 2013.
Have you secured your spot yet? Go to www.lsifuture.com/register to reserve your spot.

Is April too soon? Summer Greenbelt starts May 27, 2013.
Click to see photos from our most recent Greenbelt in Vancouver.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Ask Dr. Liker

If you could ask Dr. Liker, author of the Toyota Way any Lean question, what would you ask him?


Lean Sensei will be interviewing Dr. Liker for a preview of his presentation at the Lean Summit, to hear about his new book, Toyota Way for Lean Leaders and to answer your questions.

Get your burning Lean questions answered!
Submit your question(s) to jennifer@leansensei.com before April 12, 2013.
The interview will be made available on our blog and on our Youtube channel. We will announce the release of the interview recording on our blog- Stay tuned.

Want the brochure for our Lean conference, the Lean Summit? Email info@leansensei.com or call our office: 604-264-1000.




Thursday, March 21, 2013

Guest speaking at UBC

David is sharing with the UBC Undergrad Marketing students his experience in working with clients and challenges, as well as his recommendations for the students.








Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Share Wealth to Bring More Wealth



During the cycle-time reduction of Lean Sensei's Winter Greenbelt program this year, our hosting company experienced an immediate savings of $135,000 with continued return on investment of $500,000 per month, in other words $6 million per year.

This is only isolated to the single 3-day kaizen event conducted by the Greenbelt class. Furthermore, often times continuous improvement is limited to internal supply chains. How many of your suppliers, distributors or clients are Lean? Imagine the ROI if your external supply chains were also onboard with Lean and could work more coherently with you.

Though the companies you work with to bring your customers value may not be ready to commit to Greenbelt, you can get them started with Lean Sensei's public Lean 101 workshop.

Lean 101 is a single day event that will give the companies in your external supply chain the foundation in Lean to work more seamlessly with you.

Your first opportunity is April 22, 2013
Group discounts are available. To register go to http://lsifuture.com/register

For more information email info@leansensei.com
Or call the Lean Sensei office at 604-264-1000

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Greenbelt Life Cycle

Last week marked the end of the Greenbelt journey for Vancouver Service participants. While this week Greenbelt in Calgary is in the midst of their training.

This week is the cycle-time reduction module. Here is a video recap of Greenbelt Service Winter session. Congratulations team! Photos are available on Lean Sensei's Facebook page (http://facebook.com/leanthinking) or see our photostream on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lsiphotos/).

Friday, March 15, 2013

Greenbelt Service Graduation

Congratulations to our Greenbelt for Service Vancouver program participants!

The program wrapped up today with the exam followed by much celebration and a "Lean Jeopardy" themed graduation video.








On behalf of all the LSI staff, we would like to congratulate all of the participants on becoming Lean Champions, and we are looking forward to continuing and supporting one another on the Lean journey together.




13 Weeks Until the Lean Summit

There's only 13 weeks to the Lean Summit. The last time Lean Sensei held a Lean conference it was all the way back in 2009.

The Lean Summit is a rare opportunity to connect with the guru's of Lean, Dr. Jeffrey Liker and Mike Hoseus, authors of numerous Lean titles such as the Toyota Way and Toyota Culture- books that have shaped the landscape of Lean in North America.

This event will also be a great chance to network with leaders who have spearheaded the Lean initiative where they work. Representatives companies in the industries of aerospace, rail transportation, financial services and more will be speaking.


Date: June 18-20, 2013
Register at: http://lsifuture.com/register



Thursday, March 14, 2013

Lean Finance Starts Today!

Today is the kick-off of our newest Executive course, Lean Finance.

This course is facilitated by Brian Maskell, an expert in Lean applied to finance, accounting, reporting, measurement and metrics.

Here are some photos from this morning:
Drawing out a lot of discussion at the onset of the course

Key topics to address

Drawing on the expertise of Brian Maskell


Questions

Ice-breaker
 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Link Cost and Metrics to Process Improvement

Do you find that traditional finance practices slow down the progress of Lean?
When you've taken the plunge to go Lean, all parts of the organization need to transform. Accounting and Finance are no exception.

Lean finance processes and cost management involve what Brian Maskell calls value stream management. Value stream management is a Lean tool to accurately calculate and evaluate cost across all value streams- a critical step in building the necessary cohesion between departments.

In this video David introduces Lean Sensei's first delivery of Lean Finance.
This Executive Leanbelt course will take place in Vancouver on March 14-15. As this course is not offered on a regular basis, we will accept last minute registrations.
Register at http://lsifuture.com/register


Tuesday, March 12, 2013

First Signs of Spring in Japan

Some areas of Japan are already showing beautiful signs of spring weather, starting with Izu area of Japan. Cherry Blossom season is particularly a special time for Japan, as it signals the start of new life and beginning.

These photos were taken yesterday in Kawazu city in Izu peninsula.









Two More Days Until Lean Finance!

What improvements have you made to your value streams through Lean?
Lean for Finance gives you the tools and vocabulary to measure and communicate those changes for:
1. Continued buy-in
2. To show you where you can continue to make improvements

See part II of Brian Maskell, CA's 5 Part video series on Lean Accounting.

Brian is a an advisory editor for the "Journal of Cost Management" and will be our facilitator at Lean Finance.

Lean Finance
March 14-15, 2013
2 Lean Sensei Executive Credits

Monday, March 11, 2013

Blackbelts Countdown to Japan Trip

As David, Joey and Yuri return from Japan, the Blackbelts are beginning the countdown for their turn.

The Blackbelt program opened with the Lean Strategy & Lean Assessment module, followed by the Lean Supply Chain module last week. Between now and the Japan benchmarking module in April, each Blackbelt must complete their homework of achieving a 25% reduction in a supply chain or inventory cost. We are looking forward to hearing the results.

In the meantime, here is a recap from the Lean Strategy & Lean Assessment module. This video was created by the class movie director.


If you are ready to get Blackbelt certified, register online at: http://lsifuture.com/register

Lean Sensei Fall Blackbelt program:
Lean Strategy & Lean Assessment - Sep 16-20, 2013
Lean Supply Chain Module - Oct 7-11, 2013
Japan Lean Benchmarking Tour - Nov 11-14, 2013
Extreme Makeover - Dec 9-13, 2013

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Amazing Sushi Shop

Sometimes the best quality items are found in small, owner operated stores. This was the case in the Numazu area of Japan where LSI staff went out for a sushi dinner with our client. The sushi chef/owner here produces sushi that I am sure rivals those from the now famous movie "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". You should definitely watch this movie by the way.

























Tuesday, March 5, 2013

LSI Launches Lean Problem Solving Session in Japan

LSI launches Lean Problem Solving Session in Japan this week, with Joey Higuchi, Yuri Taira, and David Chao leading the kaizen.











Friday, March 1, 2013

Greenbelt Graduation

Congratulations to our Operations Greenbelts who graduated today! This was a well-rounded class with participants from executive teams and line staff. It was a pleasure working with you all and we wish you all the best in your future endeavours!

A popular quote for this class is “Be Part of the Solution, Not Part of the Problem!”

It has been a popular chant and touchpoint for the group.

If you are interested in getting your Greenbelt certification please visit our website to see when the next Greenbelt in your city will be held: http://lsifuture.com/calendar/greenbelt-calendar/