Next Wednesday, October 1st marks the 10th Annual Northeast Shingo Prize Conference. As you may remember from an earlier blog post, the Shingo Prize is one of the most prestigious awards that a manufacturing company can earn. This prize takes its name from Shigeo Shingo, who developed the management techniques, concepts, and systems that would form the basis of the Toyota Business System.
Simply being nominated for this prize is an enormous honor, and only the very best manufacturing companies ever earn this coveted distinction.
This year, Marlin Steel has been invited to give a speech at the event. The subject of this year’s conference is L.E.A.N. management techniques.
What is L.E.A.N.?
L.E.A.N. is an acronym for Lead, Enable and Nurture. This ideology encourages managers and company owners to:
- Be more effective leaders.
- Enable employees to be proactive and empowered.
- Nurture and develop skills among all staff, not just a small handpicked few.
In short, the whole idea behind L.E.A.N. is about how important it is to develop the skills of the employees who create value for your company through their hard work. After all, it is the everyday workers on the floor level who encounter problems first-hand and work to overcome them, whatever these hurdles to operational success may be.
How Marlin Lives a LEAN Ideology
Marlin Steel’s skills matrix program is an excellent example of a LEAN oriented practice. Using the skills matrix, all employees are able to see what skills their co-workers have, find gaps in skills that the company needs, and go through training to qualify for those skills.
Through the skills matrix program, employees are able to learn new skills that will help them for the rest of their careers. Because employees are learning multiple skills, the company gains some skills redundancy so that the absence of any one employee doesn’t cripple operations.
Marlin’s mechanical engineers are empowered to consult with clients directly about metal form designs, including making suggestions about how metal forms could be improved.
Speaking at the Conference
Marlin’s dedication to empowering employees and developing their skills is a major part of the reason why the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership (GBMP), the organizers of the Northeast Shingo Prize Conference, invited Marlin Steel to make a presentation on the subject of LEAN management and putting people first on Wednesday, October 1st at 1:30 p.m. in the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA.
With more than 600 attendees from businesses all over the U.S. and from abroad, we here at Marlin Steel are honored to be chosen to make this presentation and join the ranks of such notable speakers as Ritsuo Shingo, John Shook, Dr. John Toussant, and other authors and LEAN philosophy gurus.
Watch the conference and look for Marlin Steel’s presentation on Wednesday, October 1st at 1:30 p.m.!
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