The NUMMI Story From “Troublemakers” to Innovating Leaders
“Going Lean” can feel impossible!
Hello and Welcome!
In this series of blogs, I will share a little about what I have learned over the years from my experiences at NUMMI and from clients that have implemented Lean.
It is my hope the students will learn from what I learned and that they will be successful as they begin their Learn path in their own facility.
I was fortunate to be in the Training and Development Department at NUMMI.
My degree was in Human Resource Management and I had a master’s degree in HR Training and education, so it felt like I had landed in a place that was perfect for me to learn and gain more experience.
I was not only exposed to the main sections in manufacturing of automobiles, from assembly through final inspection, but I was also deeply involved in training team members from the shop floor as well as Lean training in problem solving and leadership development.
The Challenges Manufacturing Faces Before Lean
I worked with people who had been working at the NUMMI plant for over 30 years while the plant was a General Motors Manufacturing plant.
Many of these employees had worked on one machine for years. In some cases that was the only work the employee knew.
And then, with a little of the basic training from Toyota and some knowledge of what their jobs would be like, they were going to work as part of a team using the Toyota Production System, or what is known as Lean today.
When you stop and think about it, those changes were huge to an employee used to working alone, at their own pace.
Become Part of a Lean Team
In the old system, they followed the following steps:
First step: They came to work.
Second step: Check to see If the line was running. If the assembly line was moving, that meant there were enough workers to start the assembly line.
Third Step: If the line was moving, chances were that they were going to have a good day. .
Fourth: If the line wasn’t running, they would still put in 8 hours doing something until it was time to go home.
If you were to ask them how the day went, either with the line moving or with the line shut down they would probably say their day was “OK”.
Up until the change from an automobile assembly plant to a new Lean operation, the workers weren't use to answering in measurable terms such as productivity rate or quality issues.
Solving Problems
Now you are messing with me!
“I never solved a work problem. PERIOD!
That’s not my job. That’s what a manager is paid for.”
Until this time, many of the GM workers had never attended a work meeting. And now they were going to meet regularly in a team and help the team solve problems!
Engaging the Employees
Many of the employees had not participated in a work meeting.
They needed to learn listening skills such as listening (not reacting) to another’s opinions. And they also needed to learn to participate in the meeting. This “engagement” in the meeting helps employees how to engage in the process of continuous improvement.
“Before NUMMI, an employee from the previous system could come to work, hang their hat on a hook - along with their brains. No one ever asked for their advice.
At the end of the shift they could pick up their hat and their brains and go home.
If they did bring up a problem at work they were often told just to forget it and get back to work.
Employees who continued to offer suggestions were thought of as “problem children”. In this case they were “Problem Employees”.
How Do We “Go Lean”?
I am telling this story because maybe some of you who are reading this post might be going through a similar situation.
Maybe you have a team or business that you know will be helped by Lean. And maybe you want the employee or team to become engaged and involved but you are unsure of how or where to begin.
We have been there and we understand some of the frustrations and fears you are facing.
The Lean Challenge
To help you in your Lean training efforts we are offering our Lean Challenge Course where we work alongside you, step by step.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
