Welcome to our latest episode! We dive into Continuous Improvement at Danone, a global leader that embeds operational excellence into its culture. In this episode, I talk with Cici Haines, Danone’s Continuous Improvement Manager, who shares insights from her 20-year journey. We explore their “shotgun approach.” Hundreds of employees tackle both big and small problems.

This conversation centers on a key debate. Should you focus only on KPI-driving projects, or invest in culture-building quick wins? Danone’s method boosts morale and work-life balance. However, it also raises questions about focus, resource allocation, and sub-optimization risks.

• The shotgun approach empowers all employees, especially Yellow Belts, to solve problems within their influence.
• Moreover, leadership and ambassadors filter and prioritize projects to align with team objectives.
• There’s a constant balance between KPI-driven initiatives and quick wins that improve daily work life.
• A structured system of virtual Kaizen boards and regular meetings tracks progress and shares successes.
• True continuous improvement demands constant adaptation and re-engagement in a changing environment.

Danone believes employees closest to a process improve it best. Rather than top-down, Danone’s infrastructure welcomes ideas from everyone. Additionally, ambassadors and team leaders champion small projects to ensure needed support. They use virtual Kaizen boards to track ideas from definition through control, creating a transparent system.

This strategy relies on an army of trained Yellow Belts equipped with tools for quick wins. A perfect example: a project reduced cost-center creation from 11.5 days to just 5.25 days, smashing their goal!

Quick wins boost morale, yet they pose a challenge. As my book explains, if you don’t prioritize projects by KPI impact, you may improve non-critical steps. Consequently, you risk sub-optimization. Cici explains that while some projects target cash collection and other KPIs, others focus on employee well-being. For an accounting team closing books late, saving two hours a month is a massive win that builds CI buy-in. Department leaders act as the first line of defense, ensuring teams work on the right projects.

Are you trying to build a continuous improvement culture that lasts? My book uncovers why over 90% of CI initiatives fail within 18 months and provides a simple 7-step roadmap for sustainable success. It covers failure scenarios, from lack of executive buy-in to treating CI as a “new toy.” If this episode’s challenges resonate, download your free PDF copy here: https://sixsigmadsi.com/product/why-they-fail-free-copy/

This episode of "Why They Fail" is brought to you by Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc., providing “Operational Excellence” Around the Globe!

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• (00:00:00) - Why They Fail
• (00:01:04) - Danone's Continuous Improvement: The Process
• (00:02:06) - What was your catalyst that really got you into Continuous Improvement?
• (00:03:42) - How to Continuous Improvement at Denone
• (00:06:16) - What is the Continuous Improvement Structure at your Company?
• (00:14:25) - Six Sigma: Continuous Improvement Champions and Green Belt Training
• (00:19:40) - A Taste of Continuous Improvement at Denone
• (00:20:53) - Why Performance Is the Best Politics