The business was struggling, no cash, our on time delivery was abysmal at under 10% and our Quality really sucked at 16,000 PPM internally so it seemed that every department needed my "Gift of Time" including
Operations
Engineering
Operations
Finance
Accounting
Sales & Marketing
The Banks
Shareholders
I am sure you may know the feeling. Plus all of these destroyed our Team's esteem which resulted in a less than desired culture and moral.
So as I took the reins of the company as CEO, and the business was gasping for air. We had an on-time delivery rate below 10% and an internal quality rating of 16,000 PPM. Every department was in life and in desperate need for my “Gift of Time.” The demands were so high that they eroded our team's morale, creating a toxic culture.
As the new CEO and Lead Trainer, I couldn't afford to watch from the sidelines. I rolled up my sleeves and orchestrated rigorous training programs—communications, problem-solving, scheduling, you name it. While these efforts bore fruit, they stretched me paper-thin, especially with a bank breathing down my neck.
Here’s what I learned through this process: Leadership isn't a spectator sport; you either lead, follow, or get out of the way. And that's when I had my pivotal moment—the realization that changed everything for the business. I had to get out of the way—or almost.
I could, in fact, run the plant with just an hour a day.
How did I do that? I utilized my tailored Daily Management system—a system I created and perfected over my thirty-year career in business operations. I took this system and applied it to areas of the business that were struggling.
Here’s how we did this specifically:
We put up Report-Out Boards in key areas and initiated shift-start meetings. In swift, five-minute huddles, we dissected the performance from the day before and proactively dismantled that day’s obstacles. Then I stepped back and empowered those who knew best how to execute.
You might think that applying such a system makes little difference in a business like this one. But you’d be wrong. The transformation was meteoric. Within a year, we crushed our internal quality issues to under 300 PPM and skyrocketed our on-time delivery to 96%. The initial training set the stage, but it was Daily Management that directed the final act.
This shift didn't just untangle our operations and freed up time; it gave me the bandwidth to placate our bank and spearhead our entry into a new business sector, effectively doubling our reach.
Too often, I see companies treat Daily Management as a mere extension of top-down "Command and Control," failing to harness the potential of true team collaboration. But we've cracked the code. We've taken our tested Daily Management model and implemented it in multiple organizations, each time engraving lasting, sustainable results.
Curious? Interested in leveraging this breakthrough in your own organization? Reach out to us. We have a treasure trove of actionable insights that could make all the difference. After all, if time is money, shouldn't you be managing it like a pro?
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