Chris Burnham from Wright Medical presented solutions for sustaining continuous improvement programs. He discussed common problems such as poor communication, not using metrics and process behavior charts, and failure to lock in improvements through training. Some countermeasures included asking open-ended questions, documenting tasks clearly, making targets and results visible, and celebrating successes. The presentation emphasized engaging employees in improvement and making it about more than just results.

1. Solutions for Sustaining an
Improvement Program
Host: Mark Graban
Senior Advisor, KaiNexus
Mark@KaiNexus.com
Presenter: Chris Burnham
Wright Medical
chris@chris-burnham.com

2. Webinar Logistics
• Presentation (45 minutes)
• Q&A (10 minutes)
– Use the GoToWebinar
Meeting Panel to
submit a question at
any time
• Recording link & slides will be sent via email
– Also – see the “Handouts” feature and Chat box

3. Our Presenter
About Chris Burnham
• Continuous Improvement Program
Manager at Wright Medical, in
Memphis
• Previous experience includes:
– Coca-Cola
– XPO Logistics
– Celestica, Inc.
• Six Sigma Black Belt
• BS in Criminal Justice from Western
Carolina University
– Currently pursuing a Masters of Professional
Studies in Organization Development and
Change at Penn State

4. Solutions forSustaining an
Improvement Program
Chris Burnham

5. Disclaimer:Anyviewsoropinionsexpressedinthis
presentationarepersonalanddonotrepresentthoseof
people,institutions,ororganizationsthatthepresenter(s)
mayormaynotbeassociatedwithinapersonalor
professionalcapacity,unlessexplicitlystated.

6. About Me

7. We all play a different role at different times
Leader
Coach
Learner
Advocate
The Different
RolesWe Play

8. Different
Constituents
WeServe

9. Poor
Communication
Problem
– Lack of clarity breeds chaos and confusion.
– ”Somebody” will take care of that issue
– Failure to understand or properly grasp the current condition
Countermeasures
– Practice asking better open ended questions
– Document tasks using a clearly defined system
– Write stuff down!
– Repeat back for confirmation
– Assume there isn’t agreement until agreement is confirmed
– Don’t get information ”filtered” from someone else!

10. NotUsing
Metrics and
Process
Behavior
Charts
Problem
– Absence of clear measurements and targets that define success
– Not using data to make decisions
Countermeasure
– Clearly define targets that make you enthusiastically
uncomfortable
– Use the right chart for the measurement
– Make targets visible
– Whenever possible use Process Behavior Charts or SPC

12. Not Locking in
Improvements
withTraining
Problem
– An improvement is realized but you don’t retrain everyone to the
new standard and performance degrades.
– Entropy
Countermeasures
– Document the new standard
– Break the job down to the essential elements and challenge the
process as a team
– Confirm that the teacher has taught and the learner has learned
– Confirm why the new path is important to the individual and the
team
– NO PROCESS POLICE!

13. Not Having a
Personal
Connection
Problem:
– You can’t challenge and get growth if people do not believe that
you have their best interests in mind.
Countermeasures:
– Get to know the people that you are working with today
– Respect boundaries
– Share first

14. Not Effectively
Separating the
Work From the
Worker
Problem
– When challenging the results or outcomes our language ties the
individual to the result.
Countermeasures:
– Be intentional about the words you use
– Talk to the results, charts, or outcome together with people
– Challenge the process, not the person
– Speak in a language of empowerment

15. Failure to
make results
visible
Problem:
– People are not aware of what improvement teams are doing to
solve problems
Countermeasures:
– Make the problems you are working on visible
– Celebrate successes
– Be intentional about giving praise at every opportunity
– Keep the main thing the main thing
– Keep the main thing in front of the eyes that matter most

16. Improvement should be
about ENGAGEMENT,
the results are a natural
byproduct.

17. Want to know
more?
– The Outstanding Organization by Karen Martin
– Multipliers by LizWiseman
– Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More by
Mark Graban
– Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam
– Radical Candor: Be a Kick A** BossWithout LosingYour Humanity
by Kim Scott or https://www.radicalcandor.com/
– TheTWI Institute https://twi-institute.org/

18. Announcements
(Then Q&A)

19. Future Webinars
• Nick Shonsky
– Continuous Improvement Specialist at The Standard Group
– "Capturing and Managing Improvement Opportunities"
– July 18 2019
• Open to all!
For KaiNexus Customers June 20

20. Other Resources
www.KaiNexus.com

21. Podcasts
• www.KaiNexus.com/podcasts
• Subscribe via:
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– Stitcher
– Spotify

22. Q&A
• Web:
– www.kainexus.com
– blog.kainexus.com
• Webinars on Demand:
– www.kainexus.com/webinars
• Social Media:
– www.twitter.com/kainexus
– www.linkedin.com/company/kainexus
– www.facebook.com/kainexus Mark Graban
Senior Advisor, KaiNexus
Mark@KaiNexus.com
Presenter: Chris Burnham
Wright Medical
chris@chris-burnham.com