Successful Lean Leadership in Government John Dickson Chief Operations Officer Spokane County (509)

My Background... Spokane Journal of Business “Former Boeing Lean Manufacturing Expert Brings Efficiencies to WorkSource Spokane” article (March 2012) ( SME Lean Directions newsletter "Berg Goes Lean" articles (January and July 2008) ( SME Manufacturing Engineering magazine "Lean Fighter" article (March 2005) (

Are Lean Expectations Being Met? Executive Survey* 22% - very satisfied with lean efforts 78% - not satisfied with lean efforts * Source: Bob Emiliani, Practical Lean Leadership, The CLBM, LLC (2008) ** Source: Lean Enterprise Institute, State of Lean Survey (2007) What are the obstacles?** 36% - middle management resistance 31% - lack of implementation know-how 28% - employee resistance 23% - supervisor resistance

4 Levels of Government…  Politics  Policy  Performance (the ‘pipes’)  People Big impact... Huge ideas! Service to Customers Source: Ken Miller, Where Change Really Happens in Government Focus Here!

Who is Our Customer? The people who use our “toothpaste” are usually not the same people who fund it, and our multiple customers have competing interests! The toothpaste challenge…  The regulators? FDA/ADA (certify/verify content)  The stores? Wal-Mart (size, labeling, invoicing…)  The users? Parents/kids (healthy/tastes great!)  The funders? Crest (inexpensive and effective!)

Our Opportunity! Increase our capacity to provide great services That’s it - REALLY! Faster leads to better leads to cheaper services Use the ‘addition by subtraction’ principle Utilize a very structured process (not people) ‘subtraction’ approach Less low value process steps = faster process How long does it take to build a house?

Spokane County’s Strategy... Implement a project-based improvement strategy Standard, structured and logic-based approach COO and Sponsor develop project team charter and scope All projects aligned to our ‘Core Business’ Our key ‘pipes’ - what we must do very well Utilize focused and ‘fast’ project teams BoCC-approved charter prior to assembling project team Project team has 6-8 members from affected units Each team member commits 2-4 hours/week on project Projects run for 2-4 months Upfront team training and creation of guidelines/rules Sponsor provides team and post-event oversight Monitoring plan added to COO ‘dashboard’

Project teams aligned to what we MUST do well in county government! Our Focus…  Politics  Policy  Performance (the ‘pipes’)  People Huge ideas! Big impact... Service to Customers Source: Ken Miller, Where Change Really Happens in Government

For Each Project… Step 3: Document project team charter Step 3: Document project team charter Developed by COO and Sponsor and approved by BoCC Our 5-Step Process… Step 1: Define our county’s ‘Core Business’ Step 1: Define our county’s ‘Core Business’ Annual BoCC review of what we must do well Step 2: Prioritize vital ‘system’ projects Step 2: Prioritize vital ‘system’ projects Quarterly BoCC review to prioritize projects Step 4: Create structured project team Step 4: Create structured project team Cross- functional team of affected organizations Next prioritized project Step 5: Complete project and sustain results Step 5: Complete project and sustain results Share results across county and empower Sponsor to sustain the gains

Great WA State Resources! Accountability & Performance esources.asp esources.asp Auditor’s Office Performance Center Office of Financial Management WSAC Resources and Training Institute

In Summary…...so as county leaders let’s work even closer together and leverage all the great resources and talent available to us to increase our capacity to provide great services!

Questions or Comments? If so, please contact me! John Dickson (509)