The Focus OPEX Philosophy
“Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
– St. Francis of Assisi.
No, Francis doesn’t work for us, but his words really capture the essence of our combined operational excellence and continual improvement philosophy. We give him full credit for his eloquence and vision.
Do what is necessary
Focus first on what is necessary to keep the lights on. This also means to purposely NOT do what isn’t necessary. To accomplish this seemingly easy task you must challenge assumptions and change mindsets because, to paraphrase Einstein, you can’t fix a problem with the same type of thinking that created it.
Do what is possible
Doing what is necessary, and not doing what isn’t, reduces chaos and brings stability. It also can release a substantial amount of hidden capacity. Now you can see what is possible and begin doing it. You create synergy when you also implement proper training and metrics to change behaviors and enforce accountability.
Do the impossible
After you have challenged assumptions, changed mindsets, and changed behaviors in a manner that supports a higher level of organizational function, it is time to challenge paradigms and create a new business reality. In this new reality, the formerly impossible becomes possible.
At every step, you must keep a sense of urgency and maintain synchronized flow. The focus on flow simply means that once you begin, finishing the task (product, assembly, project, etc.) is the most important consideration. But flow must be synchronized (e.g. stagger project starts) so that resources, capability, and capacity are available in the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount. Otherwise, waiting for resources and frequent task switching disrupts the flow.
By applying this philosophy and using a focused approach to improvement, you can achieve dramatic improvements in your business in a short period of time. That is, weeks to months, not years. However, the improvements are also sustainable and will continue to produce positive results for years if implemented effectively following the 5-step FocusOPEX Change Management Framework.
Please consider partnering with us to improve cash flow and net profit by improving on-time delivery, product quality, customer satisfaction and retention, capacity, and capability while reducing lead times, inventory levels, parts shortages, and WIP.
Fee Structure
We plan for and expect to see dramatic improvements in operational metrics in as little as 3 months from the start of implementation.
Our fees are based on the value provided. We structure the fees to provide a 10X return on your investment.
Click the link below to contact us for an initial assessment.