Interning as a Master Blackbelt - where the rubber hits the road (or the water in this case!)

April 1st, 2015

As previous Master Blackbelt (MBB) participants will already know, part of the requirement for completing the program includes 30 days of "internship" working alongside LSI's Coaches in real consulting engagements.  My expectation is, this will put "are you smarter than a greenbelt" (no disrespect to Greenbelts intended - but this really is a 'thing' in the Blackbelt program) to shame.  

My expectation - based on accounts from other MBB's and conversations with David Chao of LSI is that we as MBB candidates are expected to participate in real time problem solving and application of Lean tools and techniques in situ at LSI customer sites (and that's the "easy" part).  But with that, if it is like other consulting engagements I have been party to, is the need to be able to assimilate a number of tools and techniques, including past real world experience and broad skills into creative practical application to drive value and solve customer needs.

I had the opportunity to do just that at Regal Boats in Jacksonville Florida during the last week of February 2015.  We (another MBB candidate any myself) stepped into a one day engagement to assess the current state of Lean adoption at Regal Boats, identify specific challenge areas, and provide on the spot coaching and guidance to move the organization forward. Regal Boats has committed to Lean as a continuous improvement methodology, but like many organizations (IMHO) can occasionally lose focus on the actual Lean agenda and pathway.   It was during this engagement, while working with a couple of the Lean certified practitioners that a gap seemed to emerge between the organization's strategic goals and objectives, and the front-line manufacturing teams.  They all were working hard. But when I asked if the front-line manufacturing staff on the production line really understood and made a strong connection to the organization's Mission & Vision, and their strategic goals, there seemed to be less of a sense of awareness and connection.

So - on the spot - I needed to come up with a way to daylight those connections, all the way from the corporate Vision and Mission (strategy), down through the departmental goals and objectives (tactical), to the front line staff contributions and work (operational).

That is probably what motivates and excites me the most.  That 'creative' opportunity, in real time, with stakeholders involved.

We grabbed a piece of poster paper, and started to draw.  Pretty quickly, drawing on knowledge and methods related to Balanced Scorecards, Resource Management, and Cascading KPI management, we developed a simple model to allow trace-ability from my job as a fibreglass finisher, through the production line goals, right up to the strategies and goals of the entire organization.  And by using that model, it would also highlight where strategy exists without tactical plans, and tactical plans exist without operation resources - quickly and visually.

When reviewing this 20 minutes later with one of the two brothers that owns Regal Boats, the comment came back right away - "this is great!  I can see the alignment all the way through the organization".  

That.....is rewarding!!!! So that model is going to be the basis of an MBB Project for us.  Look forward to more information as it develops!

Working in real time on real issues is incredibly invigorating.  Conceptual models on whiteboards. Dynamic roadmaps and "stickies".  And being in the Gemba.  This was just a very slim and brief exposure for the MBB candidates - but it definitely felt very real......

And all of that comes together in the production of some of the finest water craft available.  When you see the results of those manufacturing lines - beautiful boats and yachts.  As a Regal employee  - how could you not have pride and ownership in each and every delivery to a customer.