Upcoming Speeches: Lean for HR Summit and Northeast Shingo Prize Summit
I have two speeches this fall that I wanted to share with you. I hope some of you would be attending one of these events.
First, on October 6th in Springfield, Massachusetts, I’ll be the closing keynote address for the Northeast Shingo Prize Conference. This event, a part of the overall Shingo Prize, is from what I understand a well-run event, and I’m looking forward to my first visit to the program. Other keynotes include John Shook, Craig Long, and Jerry Bussell, and breakout sessions include Mike Rother and a panel of doctors from Beth Israel Hospital. My speech will be on the fundamentals of problem solving. So often organizations, and individuals, look at problem solving as a tool or method that gets used in a structured way. While this is a component of success, it is only one component. An entire problem solving operating system much also encompass the management infrastructure for how problems are managed, and the culture which dictates the behaviors in connection to problems. On the date of the event, I’ll post my slides, but I hope you come to see me in person. In the meantime, I’ve recoreded a podcast for the event which you can check out here. Bruce Hamilton, of GBMP and the conference, shares this:
American industry can compete in the world market if we adopt lean philosophy and methods. Our conference theme, “Made Lean in America†is a rallying call to organizations that believe long-term vitality of the US economy is inextricably entwined with a strong American manufacturing base.
Second, on November 8th in Orlando, Florida, I’ll be delivering a lunchtime keynote address to the very first Lean HR Summit, brought to you by Lean Frontiers, the same gang that runs the Lean Accounting Summit and other successful topic-focused programs. I spoke at the first two Lean Accounting Summits. Some of you may know that Prof. Monica Tracey and I did some very early research on lean in HR, and wrote what we believe is the first paper on the subject. Since lean is a people, or human, system, it always seemed strange to me that “Human Resources” had a very passive, if any, role in lean transformations. In my talk, I’ll lay out a fundamental blueprint for cultural transformation, and map elements to where HR supports those changes. Also keynoting the conference will be Mike Hoseus and Norman Bodek, and breakout sessions by Adam Zak and Jean Cunningham. The Lean Learning Center will be launching our own 3-day Lean for HR course next year, but I hope in the meantime some of you will join us at this conference.
Jim Huntzinger of Lean Frontiers had this to add:
Lean Frontiers is excited to have Jamie Flinchbaugh as one of the exclusive Keynote speakers at the inaugural Lean HR Summit. Jamie’s wealth of knowledge and experience in leading and teaching cultural transformation for the lean enterprise will  give attendees of the Summit insight that can take back to their own organizations  and begin the process of positive and successful change. Jamie is one of the leading figures helping organizations make the necessary transformation to become a lean enterprise.