27 Shingo Culture

Shingo Model Drives Culture

Mike Dixon, PhD

The pursuit of operational excellence requires more than just efficient processes and cutting-edge technology; it demands the full utilization of an organization’s most valuable asset—its people. Skills waste, the underutilization of employees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities, is a significant barrier to achieving optimal performance. By integrating skills waste elimination within the Shingo Model, organizations can align their cultural transformation efforts with practical strategies that engage employees and drive continuous improvement.

Respect Every Individual

At the heart of the Shingo Model lies the principle of Respect Every Individual. This principle emphasizes recognizing and valuing the unique contributions each employee brings to the organization.

• Recognizing the Value Each Employee Brings: Every employee possesses distinct talents and perspectives that can propel the organization forward. By acknowledging these strengths, organizations foster an environment where employees feel seen and appreciated.
• Building Trust and Respect as Foundational Elements: Trust is the cornerstone of any successful relationship. Establishing trust between leadership and employees encourages open communication and collaboration, essential for identifying and eliminating skills waste.

Lead with Humility

Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture. The principle of Lead with Humility calls for leaders to remain open and receptive to input from all levels of the organization.

• Leaders Being Open to Input from All Levels: By actively seeking and considering feedback from employees at every tier, leaders demonstrate that they value diverse insights and expertise.
• Acknowledging that Good Ideas Can Come from Anywhere: Embracing the notion that innovation is not confined to management empowers employees to share their ideas, contributing to continuous improvement and reducing skills waste.

Understanding Key Behavioral Indicators (KBIs)

Key Behavioral Indicators (KBIs) are specific, measurable actions exhibited by individuals within an organization that align with the organization’s core values and principles. KBIs focus on the behaviors required to achieve desired outcomes, rather than the outcomes themselves.

Differences Between KBIs and KPIs

To effectively implement Key Behavioral Indicators (KBIs) within the context of the Shingo Model, organizations need to undertake a structured approach that aligns behaviors with core principles and strategic objectives.

Define Shingo Principles in Behavioral Terms

Organizations should begin by breaking down the Shingo principles into specific, observable behaviors. This makes the principles actionable and measurable. For instance:

• Under Respect Every Individual, behaviors might include:
  • Managers hold regular one-on-one meetings with team members, fostering open communication and personal connection.
  • Employees collaborate and share knowledge freely, promoting a culture of teamwork and mutual support.
• For Lead with Humility, behaviors could involve:
  • Leaders actively seek feedback from staff at all levels, demonstrating openness to input and valuing diverse perspectives.
  • Managers admit mistakes and encourage lessons learned discussions, creating an environment where learning from errors is encouraged.

Align Behaviors with Organizational Goals

It is crucial to ensure the identified behaviors support the organization’s strategic objectives and desired culture. By aligning behaviors with goals, organizations can drive performance in a direction that not only reflects their values but also advances their mission. This alignment ensures that every behavioral expectation contributes to overarching business success.

Develop Measurable KBIs

Organizations need to create metrics to track the frequency and quality of these behaviors. Measurable KBIs provide tangible data to assess progress and guide improvements. Examples include:

• Number of Employee Suggestions Implemented: This metric reflects employee engagement and empowerment by tracking how many ideas from staff are put into action.
• Percentage of Time Leaders Spend on the Front Line: This indicates leaders’ commitment to engaging with employees directly, showcasing humility and approachability.
• Frequency of Cross-Functional Team Meetings: Monitoring this shows the level of collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments, essential for innovation and unity.

Integrate KBIs into Performance Management Systems

To reinforce the importance of these behaviors, organizations should incorporate KBIs into appraisal and recognition programs. By doing so, employees understand that these behaviors are valued and expected. Integrating KBIs into performance reviews, promotions, and reward systems ensures consistent emphasis on behavioral expectations and encourages adherence.

Provide Training and Support

Finally, it’s essential to equip employees and leaders with the skills needed to exhibit the desired behaviors. This may involve:

• Training in Active Listening: Enhancing communication skills so that employees and managers can better engage with one another.
• Coaching Techniques: Teaching leaders how to mentor and guide their teams effectively.
• Workshops on Collaboration Tools: Introducing platforms or methodologies that facilitate better knowledge sharing and teamwork.

By providing the necessary support and resources, organizations empower their people to embody the principles effectively.

Implementing KBIs aligned with the Shingo Model requires deliberate action to define, align, measure, integrate, and support the desired behaviors. This structured approach not only fosters a culture rooted in Respect Every Individual and Lead with Humility but also drives continuous improvement and operational excellence across the organization.

The Shingo Prize: Recognizing Excellence in Operational Excellence

The Shingo Prize is a prestigious award that honors organizations demonstrating exceptional performance in operational excellence through the implementation of the Shingo Model principles. Named after Dr. Shigeo Shingo, a pioneer in lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System, the prize acknowledges companies that have not only achieved outstanding results but have also fostered a culture rooted in principles such as Respect Every Individual and Lead with Humility.

Organizations seeking the Shingo Prize undergo a rigorous assessment process that examines how deeply the Shingo principles are embedded in their culture, systems, and leadership practices. The evaluation focuses on the behaviors of individuals at all levels of the organization and how these behaviors align with the guiding principles. Rather than solely assessing outcomes, the Shingo Prize emphasizes the importance of the underlying principles and behaviors that lead to sustainable results.

The assessment begins with organizations submitting a comprehensive achievement report detailing their journey toward operational excellence. This report includes evidence of how the Shingo principles are integrated into daily operations, leadership approaches, and organizational systems. It highlights examples of principle-based behaviors, strategies implemented to foster a culture of continuous improvement, and the resulting performance outcomes.

The assessment also considers the organization’s results, but within the context of how those results were achieved. The Shingo Prize recognizes that sustainable excellence arises from a strong foundation of principles-driven behaviors. Therefore, organizations must demonstrate not only high performance but also that their success is a direct result of their commitment to the Shingo Model principles.

Winning the Shingo Prize signifies that an organization has achieved a high standard of excellence that is recognized globally. It reflects a deep-rooted culture where every individual is respected, leaders demonstrate humility, and continuous improvement is a way of life. The award encourages organizations to focus on long-term cultural transformation rather than short-term gains, promoting behaviors that lead to lasting success and operational excellence.

Conclusion

Integrating skills waste elimination within the Shingo Model is vital for organizations striving for true operational excellence. By embracing the principles of Respect Every Individual and Lead with Humility, companies can fully leverage their most valuable asset—their people. Acknowledging each employee’s unique contributions fosters an environment of trust and open communication, which is essential for reducing skills waste and encouraging continuous improvement.

Implementing Key Behavioral Indicators (KBIs) aligned with the Shingo principles provides a structured approach to cultivating desired behaviors. Unlike traditional KPIs that focus on outcomes, KBIs emphasize the specific actions that lead to sustainable results. By defining measurable behaviors, aligning them with organizational goals, integrating them into performance management systems, and providing necessary training and support, organizations reinforce a culture rooted in their core values.

The pursuit of the Shingo Prize highlights the importance of embedding these principles deeply within an organization’s culture. This prestigious award assesses not just outcomes but the underlying behaviors and principles that drive long-term success. Striving for the Shingo Prize motivates organizations to focus on cultural transformation, ensuring that excellence is sustained through a principled approach rather than short-term gains.

In essence, eliminating skills waste through the Shingo Model is about valuing people and fostering a culture where every individual’s contributions are recognized and encouraged. This holistic approach leads to enhanced employee engagement, innovation, and operational excellence, positioning organizations to achieve and sustain outstanding performance.

Executive Level Behaviors

Principle: Respect Every Individual

Principle: Lead with Humility

Management Level Behaviors

Principle: Respect Every Individual

Principle: Lead with Humility

Front-Line Employee Behaviors

Principle: Respect Every Individual

Principle: Lead with Humility