Corporate Social Responsibility

These days, more and more organizations and consumers alike are attuned to the importance of exercising corporate social responsibility. Toyota stepped out of the box again and went beyond by donating a hefty cheque, Toyota shared what they do best- kaizen.

Engineers from Toyota conducted a kaizen at a soup kitchen in Harownlem, bringing the wait for dinner from up to 90 minutes to a mere 18 minutes.

But it doesn't stop there, in Bushwick, Brooklyn, volunteers packed boxes of supplies for victims of Hurricane Sandy. Needless to say timeliness is crucial and boxes that once took 11 minutes to pack was brought down to 3 minutes!

In our own small part of the world, being lean helps us exercise corporate social responsibility by reducing waste (both in tangible and intangible forms), improve processes and motivate and empower people.

Reflection: What do you do to help your company exercise corporate social responsibility?

Full article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/27/nyregion/in-lieu-of-money-toyota-donates-efficiency-to-new-york-charity.html

Greenbelt Service Winter 2017 Graduation!

Congratulations Greenbelt Service Winter 2017! It has been a long journey over the past three months for this class and now they can safely say they are all Lean certified! We here at Lean Sensei are very proud of each one of you for putting in the time and achieving this goal! Well done! 

Greenbelt Hybrid Spring Kick-off in Vancouver

It was the first week for our Greenbelt Hybrid class. The participants had a challenging but fun week learning new information and applying them to their hands on Kaizen. Take a look at what they have been up to!

We are excited to see the group for their next Module. Stay tuned!

Throw Back Thursday - Optional Europe Porsche Musium Tour

In 2015, we were extremely fortunate that we were able to visit Porsche museum during the live streaming of the Le Mans 24 hours race. This legendary race brought amazing level of passion and excitement for the brand, particularly because Porsche won the race again this year.  Some of the participants arrived early enough to catch the race before our official start of the European lean tour that started on Monday. We finished off with a spectacular dinner at an Italian restaurant where we networked and discussed about the upcoming program.
This year we will get a chance to attend the Le Mans 24 hour race as well. Anyone wish to learn more about to Lean Europe tour please contact Angelia Aizawa.

Achieve the Unachievable

As we reflect on the past week, commend yourself on one thing that you accomplished. Reflect on how far away the goal seemed at first.  If you can imagine it, then somehow you can make it a reality.  The question is not "is it possible?", but "how shall I accomplish it."

Go Transform the World

Lean Sensei International

Master Blackbelt Program - Fishing Day!!

Lean Sensei's Master Blackbelt program is the most advanced program we have. It's essentially a one year internship with LSI...the program includes real, hands-on Gemba work as well as visits to Germany, Italy and Florida.  We work hard and play hard - today the MBBs are having a team building session by learning to catch Salmon here in Vancouver. By 10am we already caught a few fish.  

Photo of The Day

Your Daily Cup of Joe Could Prevent Alzheimer's

If you are anything like us, you love your morning coffee. There could be more to like than just the taste and aroma. According to recent studies conducted in the United States, caffeine may help in the prevention of Alzheimer's Disease.

One study suggests caffeine reacts with an as yet unknown component of coffee to boost levels of a critical growth hormone that wards off the development of Alzheimer's.

Another study found that caffeine reduced brain inflammation, in effect defending the brain from damage as a result of hypoxia or neuro-degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's.

Of course everything in moderation.

It will be interesting to see what future studies reveal.

Credit and sources: io9, USF Health, Mosaic

Mapping Your Customers' Hassles Should Be High On Your Agenda

A recent blog post from Fast Company Magazine explains how Netflix's CEO and founder, Reed Hastings, tackled the movie renting industry by considering his own frustrations and annoyances of renting movies first in order to discover ways to eliminate those hassles.

"The executives behind some of today's most successful products and services all share the ability to experience the world through the eyes and emotions of customers...they use themselves as the starting points, asking "what do I hate about this product process?""- Fast Company Magazine

Fast Company Magazine reveals for exceptional success, mapping your customers' hassles should be marked as a high priority on your agenda in order to have happy customers who will keep coming back.

Below is the link to Fast Company Magazine's Blog post:
http://www.fastcompany.com/1781300/hassle-maps-the-genesis-of-demand

Blackbelt Vancouver 2017 Spring Module 2

Blackbelt Spring class has come back to have their MD2!
This is a very energetic class and they are having so much fun together!
Soon, they will visit Japan!

Quote of the day

"Life has its ups and downs . . . the only people who succeed are those who choose to move forward regardless of what they are experiencing at the moment."

Greenbelt Service Vancouver Winter 2017 Module 2!

The Greenbelt Service Winter class tackled one of their hardest modules last week. They worked really hard mastering process-time reduction. Take a look at what they have been up to.  

Throw Back Thursday -Japan Lean Tour Flashmob

Thursday means .. Throw Back Thursday!

Japan Lean program 2014 members were challenged to perform a Flashmob dance in a busy tourist district in Tokyo! The purpose of doing the Flashmob is to let our program members step out of their comfort zone and be comfortable with themselves in different cultures and situations.

Here is the clip. Keep on watching as there is a special guest towards the end!

Coaches Headed to Europe!

Our coaches headed to Europe to do some special training this week.
They are all looking very sharp!!

Kansha - Expressing Gratitude

“When we become more fully aware that our success is due in large measure to the loyalty, helpfulness, and encouragement we have received from others, our desire grows to pass on similar gifts. Gratitude spurs us on to prove ourselves worthy of what others have done for us. The spirit of gratitude is a powerful energizer.” — Wilferd A. Peterson

Treehouse Greenbelt Operations Winter 2017 kick-off!

Last week the Treehouse Operations Winter 2017 class kicked off their module 1. Scroll through to see what they have been up to!

Upcoming Fall Blackbelt & Greenbelt

We are happy to announce that our Fall Blackbelt and Greenbelt Programs have been decided in Vancouver!

Following are the dates:

PROGRAM NAME	MODULES	DATES
Blackbelt Vancouver Fall 2017	Module 1: Lean Strategy and Assessment	September 11th-15th
	Module 2: Lean Supply Chain	October 2nd -  6th
	Module 3: Japan Benchmarking Tour	October 30th - November 3rd
	Module 4: Extreme Makeover	December 4th - 8th
Greenbelt Service Vancouver Fall 2017	Module 1: 5S	September 18th -  22nd
	Module 2: Process Time Reduction	October 16th - 20th
	Module 3: Value Innovation	November 13th - 17th
Greenbelt Hybrid Toronto Fall 2017	Module 1: 5S	September 18th -  22nd
	Module 2: Cycle Time Reduction	October 16th - 20th
	Module 3: Value Innovation	November 13th - 17th
Greenbelt Operations Vancouver Fall 2017	Module 1: 5S	September 25th - 29th
	Module 2: Cycle Time Reduction	October 23rd - 27th
	Module 3: Lean Office Kaizen	November 27th - December 1st
Greenbelt Hybrid Vancouver Fall 2017	Module 1: 5S	October 2nd -  6th
	Module 2: Cycle Time Reduction	November 6th - 10th
	Module 3: Value Innovation	December 4th - 8th

Please contact Angelia Aizawa for more details.

Blackbelt Vancouver 2017 Spring Kick Off!

The Blackbelt 2017 Spring class has started!

We have such a happy group and they are so ready for the Lean Journey coming ahead. We are very glad to see the big smiles on their faces. Thank you for your participation!

5S is Everywhere in Japan

Even the way items are organized in a grocery store in Japan has the word "5S" written all over it.

The Power of Simplicity

A hallmark of Lean Thinking is simplicity.  We can address simplicity in the physical aspects of our jobs or processes.  For example, placing our tools within close reach makes it easier for us to do our job (5S).  This may mean rearranging the work area but in doing so we address one of the eight types of waste - unnecessary movement.  Sounds too simple (no pun intended)?  You'd be surprised how much easier and more efficiently a job can be completed.
Simplicity can be applied to intangible aspects of a business too, and often we see how effective the results can be.

A real world example is Ford's "One Ford" campaign, involving the integration of "its international units and simplification of its global structure.  Ford was profitable despite industry woes in the first part of 2008 and did not require government assistance."

A non-convoluted process will win your customers' loyalty too.  Making it simple for your customers shows respect for their time and makes your organization transparent.  Needless to say, this will have positive effects on the underlying relationship you have with your customers.

Sources:
Harvard Business Review Blog
The Next Big Thing
In Simplicity We Trust

Weekly Hansei: Quality is Everyone's Responsibility

Building a culture of catching small problems before they become big problems is crucial to success.  In this way you’re working towards success a little bit at a time every day.  Suddenly what may have seemed like a daunting task to begin with is completely manageable.

How can you empower your teammates to be co-responsible for quality?

Upcoming Lean Programs/Tours 2017 Pt2

Japan Tour Bench Marking Tour 2017
Spring Dates: April 17th - April 21st
Fall Dates: October 30th - November 3rd

The Japan Lean tour is intentionally designed to provide both educational and
cultural exposure to Japan through various plant tours and historical sites. Tours
are arranged with such big hitters as Toyota and its suppliers, but also with smaller
players that can showcase different levels of Lean implementation.

Japan Lean program members were challenged to perform a Flashmob dance in a busy tourist district in Tokyo! The purpose of doing the Flashmob is to let our program members step out of their comfort zone and be comfortable with themselves in different cultures and situations.

Here is the clip from 2015!!!

Florida Lean Benchmarking Tour 2017

Dates: November 13th - November 15th

There is no better way to understand the power of Lean than to see it in action. The Florida Lean Benchmarking Tour has been designed for those who wish to update and benchmark their knowledge in Lean.

You can check out our Jacksonville Florida Lean Benchmarking Tour - February 2015 !!

Please contact Angelia Aizawa for more information !!