Scanlon November 2006 E-zine

Greetings!

Happy Thanksgiving! At this year winds down, the Scanlon Leadership Network is winding up for another year of outstanding programming. Be watching in the coming months for event and product announcements! We are especially excited about the 2007 Innovation Progressive Tours (similar to this year's Lean Progressives, read related story below). Meanwhile, also check out information news on the Network's new Frost Beacon Award, and the web- based Hoshin tool created by Tammy Adkins.



New Award to Honor Member Employees
Beacon (n.) someone or something that inspires or guides others.

The newly established Frost Beacon Award is the highest award given by the Scanlon Leadership Network to an employee sponsored by a member company. It honors those who have worked to bring Scanlon Principles into companies and who serve and guide others just like Dr. Carl Frost, Consultant and Michigan State University Professor Emeritus and creator of the Frost/Scanlon Principles and Processes (pictured).

“Dr. Frost has truly been the cornerstone of the Scanlon organization. The Frost Beacon award is intended to recognize individuals who help and enlighten others in ways that Dr. Frost has, “ said Marge Holata, Director of Associate Involvement, SGS Tool Company. “The award gives Scanlon companies an opportunity to reward outstanding performance by a non-management associate.”

Any employee of a member company is eligible to receive this award but the Scanlon Network encourages front line employees as recipients. Those who qualify for the Award must have contributed over time to the Frost/Scanlon Principles/Processes in their company, lived the Frost/Scanlon Principles in their work and have a “servant’s heart”.

Member companies may sponosor one Frost Beacon Award recipient per year. The sponsoring organizations must submit a letter explaining why the person should receive the award, and include specific examples and testimonials of how he/she has demonstrated support of the Principles/Processes. The organization must also agree to send the employee to the Annual Conference where the Scanlon Network will provide recognition to all award recipients.

“The individuals who receive the awards will know they are appreciated. Over time the Frost Beacon Award recipients will form a group that can provide information and advice to other Network member companies,” said Paul Davis, President, Scanlon Leadership Network.

Dr. Frost helped to create the Scanlon Leadership Network and the Frost/Scanlon Principles and Processes. He worked with Joe Scanlon at MIT and brought Scanlon ideas to Michigan State University, devoting his professional life to the study and application of Scanlon ideas.


For more information on the Frost Beacon Award contact the Scanlon Leadership Network office at 517-332-8927 or click the link below.
Frost Beacon Award Information



Members Learn at Leadership Retreat and Lean Tour
The Scanlon Leadership Network hosted its third and final Lean Progressive Tour on October 26-27 in conjunction with the Leadership Retreat in Holland, MI. The Retreat is the best opportunity for top leadership to network, learn new ideas, and develop competencies.

Thirty-four participants attended the two-day retreat consisting of group discussions, self- assessments, speakers, networking, and a Tour of Tiara Yachts.

“The leadership retreat is always full of great value for personal development. It is also a great opportunity to renew old contacts and network with new people that can be resourceful for the future,” said Myron Marsh, Scanlon Steward and President/CEO, Thomson-Shore, Inc.

Two of the Tour teachers were Dwane Baumgardner, Scanlon Steward and former CEO of Magna Donnelly, and Russ Scaffede, VP of Manufacturing at Tiara Yachts, Shingo Prize winner and former Plant Manager of the Toyota Engine Plant in Georgetown, KY. (Scaffede pictured far left, Baumgardner middle.)

Baumgardner and Scaffede are co-authors of "The Leadership Roadmap", a book that explains how to use the Scanlon Principles, Lean and Innovation to drive organizational success. All Tour participants received a prepublication draft of their book.

“The presentations covered critical components for organizations to address in their strategic and operational planning. On the second day we saw real examples of these components during the Tour of Tiara Yachts,” said Marsh.

Praveen Gupta, President, Accelper Consulting and author of "Six Sigma Performance Handbook" (pictured, far right) also shared his manuscript for Business Innovation in the 21st Century with the Tour participants. Praveen's research shows how companies must innovate to achieve sustained, profitable growth, and provides a cutting-edge process for institutionalizing innovation.

“The retreat and Tour offered a better understanding of Innovation, its impact on growth and how it should be integrated into our business planning. As a participant I walked away with valuable information. I encourage all members to participate in the future retreats and tours,” said Marsh.



New Web Based Hoshin Tool
“I get goose bumps when I pull my software up on a projection screen and hear positive reactions,” said Tammy Adkins, formerly of Spring Engineering & Mfg. in Canton, MI.

Adkins designed a New Hoshin Windows-based product to help organizations set and monitor goals. The software includes features such as color coded, easily identified strategic directives and goal alignment, which provides an “in your face” approach to ensuring effective communication, goal assignment, month- to-month measurement tracking, and a grid display of overall company and specific departmental goals.

Adkin's creation uses the Scanlon Network's Hoshin Quick Start v.3 as a model. The software transforms the HQS Excel template into a web-based format, which can make it easier for companies to share information throughout their organization. “I created a tool to assist the already proven methodology of Hoshin. The methodology works, the software is a bonus,” said Adkins.

The Web Based Tool was released to the public on October 24 after seven months of design. During the design process, Spring Engineering employees assisted in the testing and Paul Davis, President, Scanlon Leadership Network provided feedback to Adkins.

“It is great to watch people use your software and come to respect it as a valuable tool,” said Adkins.

The Hoshin Tool was designed specifically for use in the free DotNetNuke (DNN) open source portal. Anyone using DNN can obtain the Hoshin software through the Scanlon Network for $200 If organizations would like to use the DNN portal, they can obtain assistance with installation and development from Adkins or use the online support at www.dotnetnuke.com.

Adkins suggests that anyone who wants to improve their overall strategic planning will benefit from this product.

“I think Hoshin should be important to anyone trying to survive in this global economy. Keeping your company focused on areas of importance is a real challenge. Everyone in an organization should be aligned with goals and objectives and move in the same direction."

Adkins has 15 years of experience as an IT professional in System and Software Engineering. She was employed with Spring Engineering & Manufacturing for eight years. Her involvement with the Scanlon Leadership Network began seven years ago and she has attended the Annual Conferences every year. Adkins has also submitted and been recognized for several Best Practice ideas, and served on the Best Practice Committee.

For more information on the Web Based Hoshin Tool contact the Scanlon Leadership Network office at 517-332-8927.



Scanlon Cited in New Book By O'Toole and Lawler
The Scanlon Leadership Network and Joe Scanlon are featured in the What Works at Work section of the book The New American Workplace by Jim O’Toole and Edward Lawler III.

The section What Works at Work focuses on research evidence suggesting that companies and employees both benefit when all employees participate in the decisions that affect their own work and when all employees participate in the financial gains resulting from their ideas and efforts.

In the book, Joe Scanlon is acknowledged as being the first to recognize the importance of pairing profit sharing and employee stock ownership in the 1950’s. The authors also recognize small and medium size companies that operate with Scanlon Plans as being productive and good places to work.

O’Toole is the author of more than 70 journal articles and book chapters based on his own research. He has also authored 14 books including Vanguard Management, Leading Change, Leadership A to Z and Creating the Good Life. He has won a Mitchell Prize for a paper on economic growth policy, has served on the Board of Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica and served as editor of New Management magazine and The American Oxonian.

Lawler has had over 300 articles appear in publications such as the Harvard Business Review, MIT-Sloan Management Review, California Management Review, USA Today, Strategy and Business, and The Financial Times. He has written over 36 books and honored as a major contributor to theory, research and practice in fields of human resources management, compensation, organizational development, corporate governance and organizational effectiveness.

The book can be purchased in most bookstores.