Anyone with children knows how to be adaptable and agile, especially in 2022. Parents use lean principles in everything they do. There is standard work in getting children ready for school while also preparing yourself, pivoting to virtual school in times of crisis, shuttling children to various sports and after school events—you name it.
As we head into Father's Day weekend, I find myself reflecting on how parents are masters of lean. I must assume my mother and father applied lean practices every day. Raising five children while moving every year in the military likely required constant 6S, particularly in the beginning with five children under the age of three. (There were two sets of twins born a year apart in my family.) I would even dare to say that parents are the true founders of continuous improvement. Before lean had a definition, there was a mother or father holding a screaming child while trying to cook dinner.
Being “agile” has never been so popular in our production floors, administration, supply chain, HR and legal. We are living in a time of huge changes characterized by uncertainty and little predictability. Adapting quickly is more important today than ever, and for businesses around the world, this often means embracing and fully leveraging the potential of digital tools.
This is just one of the many reasons I'm excited for our AME Workforce of the Future Summit in July. Thought leaders and lean practitioners will share what they are doing to reimagine their workplace and reskill employees, and we'll see how benchmark organizations are creating a multi-generational workforce that is ready to overcome adversity, embrace emerging technologies, and more. This summit will be presented on three non-consecutive days: July 12, 19 and 26. Each day will focus on a different theme: Workforce, technology and leadership. And, best of all, the summit is free for our members! Learn more and register on our website.
As we celebrate Father's Day, I am forever grateful to my dad for his love, guidance and support. I want to wish all the fathers in our community a happy Father’s Day.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
