Today's Lean Leader! A Practical Guide to Applying Lean Six Sigma and Emerging Technologies to Leadership and Supervision!

Today's Lean Leader is designed for use as a quick and convenient reference, or as a training guide to improve your effectiveness in leading, supervising, and coaching employees. It provides valuable insight into the How To's of leadership and supervision. Today's Lean Leader can be used in a variety of ways, some of which are: (1)The guide is valuable for the new or veteran leader - supervisor (2) Remarkably, the guide in the hands of the workforce makes the task of leading and supervising all the easier when everyone is on the same page on these basic principles Each main chapter is segmented in the following way for ease of learning and implementation: Bike Racing icon - the What is it? is bold-italicized words used to define the tool or concept as well as the detailed characteristics, features, and salient points needed for an overall understanding of the tool or concept. This is similar to the beginning of the race, where everyone is poised and ready for the cycling event. Jersey icon - the How do you do it? is the step-by-step procedures (or guidelines) and checklists of the tool or concept while addressing social networking implications. This is similar to winning one of the stages in the cycling event where team strategies and adjustments may need to be made. Champs-Elysees icon - the Sensei Tips is comprised of the following three parts: 1. Key or summary points provided by the supervisors and industry leaders that contributed to this book. 2. Recommendations where specific emerging technologies might be applicable. 3. Case studies to further your understanding of the topic. This part is similar to completing the event at the historic Paris, France landmark and determining what went well and what needs to be improved at the next cycling event. A team leader's or supervisor's role is loosely defined as creating an environment where people can motivate themselves to high levels of achievement and success. If as a leader you find yourself facing some of the following issues, this book (chapter referenced) will be of value: A worker is not pulling their weight with daily work requirements. (Layered Process Audits) A worker dominates all meetings. (Meeting Leading) A worker constantly undermines authority. (Discipline) A worker does not attend shift starts or team meetings. (Communications) A worker does not contribute their ideas anytime. (Innovation and Creativity) A worker constantly jokes around about improvement projects - saying, it s just another program of the month. (Motivation) A worker constantly is making mistakes or having to be told something over-and-over again. (Termination) A worker passively participates. (Leadership and Coaching) A worker is always late. (Conflict Management) Management just doesn't seem to care. (Stakeholder Analysis) A worker constantly states that the previous supervisor had done things differently. (Managing Change) These issues, as well as many other types, have a negative impact on productivity and morale. By using the knowledge, tools, and concepts conveyed in this book, it will allow you to more effectively supervise and lead others, thereby improving productivity and morale. Project success does not just happen!

Rob Ptacek is a Partner in the Global Lean Institute and President and CEO of Competitive Edge Training and Consulting, a firm specializing in leader and organizational development, and Lean Enterprise transformations. He is an Approved Scanlon Leadership Network Consultant. Rob holds a BS in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI (USA), and a Masters of Management from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI (USA). Rob has held leadership positions in Quality, Sales, and Operations Management, and has over 25 years of practical experience implementing continuous improvements in a variety of industries. He speaks on leadership and continuous improvement topics for several industry associations including the Precision Metal Forming Association (PMA), Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME), American Society for Quality (ASQ), and the Scanlon Leadership Network (SLN). Rob s email address is ptacek@i2k.com. Mark Coats, Colonel (Retired) US Army is the Chief Operating Officer for Tepa, LLC a General Contractor headquartered out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Colonel Coats holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Masters in Environmental Engineering from the University of Virginia. During a 22-year career in the United States Army, Mark had the opportunity to serve in nearly every possible staff position and commanded at the platoon-, company-, and battalion-level. Mark had the honor of serving a total of 22 months in combat with his combat service culminating as a battalion commander of a combat engineer battalion in Baghdad. Mark s email address is mark.coats@mailhosts.com. Todd Ptacek is a Lead Systems Engineer and Program Manager at a leading global company focused on technology. In his current role, he leads design and implementation of several government mandated compliance projects and facilitates product software development and release. Todd graduated from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana with a Bachelor s of Science in Mechanical Engineering and is currently finishing his Masters through Georgia Institute of Technology. Todd completed a two-year engineering and leadership program, gaining significant experience in business, engineering, lean processes and improvement, and leadership. He has rotated through several divisions of his current company, holding design, product development, and test engineering positions. Todd s email address is tptacek1@gmail.com.