Can Lean Six Sigma principles truly revolutionize municipal operations? This episode delves into the remarkable success story of Fort Wayne, Indiana, exploring how continuous improvement in city government led to over $30 million in savings and drastically improved public services. Join host Kevin Clay as he interviews Graham Richard, the former mayor who pioneered this transformation. Discover the strategies, challenges, and incredible outcomes achieved by applying business process improvement methodologies in a public sector environment.

Graham Richard wasn't your typical politician entering office. With a background as a business owner and entrepreneur, he had hands-on experience with quality initiatives like TQM (Total Quality Management) even before Lean Six Sigma became prominent. Working with companies like General Electric, he saw the power of process analysis and data-driven decisions. This private sector experience became the bedrock for his vision when elected Mayor of Fort Wayne in 1999. He aimed not just to manage, but to fundamentally improve how the city operated.

Upon taking office, Mayor Richard faced significant challenges: a city growing through annexation without immediate revenue increases, rising service demands, and tight budgets . His strategic answer was continuous improvement in city government, framed under the "B.E.S.T." (Building Excellent Services with Teams) initiative.

Instead of a top-down mandate, Richard focused on asking key questions: "Who is your customer?" "Is your service improving?" "How do you measure it?" . Initially met with blank stares, these questions sparked a shift towards a customer-centric, data-aware culture . Early projects were chosen for high visibility to build credibility and momentum, proving that these methods worked . A retired Master Black Belt from GE was hired, and partnerships were formed with local businesses to share expertise .

The results were tangible and impressive. By focusing on process analysis and data, Fort Wayne achieved significant gains:

• Pothole Repairs: Cycle time reduced from 48 hours to less than 4 hours.
• Permitting: Land improvement permit turnaround slashed from ~60 days to under 12 days.
• Missed Garbage Pickups: Reduced by over 50%, saving the contractor (and indirectly, the city) nearly $200,000 annually.
• Safety: Lost workdays due to accidents plummeted from over 1,900 in 2000 to under 100 in 2006.
• Financial Impact: Documented savings exceeded $27-30 million over Richard's tenure, allowing the city to maintain service levels despite growth and achieve its lowest property tax rate since 1964.

These weren't just isolated wins; they represented a fundamental shift in operational efficiency and effectiveness, showcasing the power of continuous improvement in city government.

• (00:00:00) - Why They Fail
• (00:01:24) - Why They Fail: The Fight for High Performance
• (00:02:29) - Fort Wayne's commitment to Lean 6 Sigma
• (00:06:04) - Fort Wayne Mayor Richard Clay on Implementing Lean 6 Sigma
• (00:13:16) - Six Sigma and Fort Wayne City Government
• (00:21:16) - Best Teams in the Country
• (00:29:52) - Mayor Duggan on the City's Contract with the Union
• (00:39:55) - The City of Fort Wayne's automated 311 system
• (00:43:11) - The Long Term Impact of Continuous Improvement
• (00:45:59) - Why They Fail & How to Avoid It

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!

Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc. offers comprehensive Lean...

• (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

Welcome to another episode of Why They Fail. In this episode, we explore the heart of every successful continuous improvement effort: leadership. Many companies invest in Lean Six Sigma or the Shainin Red X method, yet most fail to sustain progress. The reason is rarely the tools. It is almost always the leadership behind them.

We sit down with Craig Hysong, President and CEO of Shainin, to understand how leadership shapes a problem-solving culture. Craig shares his journey, including the moment he discovered the Shainin approach while working as a young engineer at General Motors.

He explains how the Red X method identifies the single dominant cause of a problem, cutting through the noise of endless variables. We also explore how Shainin and Six Sigma share a strong foundation in data-driven analysis and root cause thinking. But as Craig reminds us, no method works without strong, committed leadership.

Craig emphasizes that lasting improvement depends on leaders who act, not just talk. Training teams is not enough. Successful continuous improvement begins with a clear vision, a sense of urgency, and consistent communication from the top. Leaders must connect improvement projects directly to key business goals.

He introduces Shainin’s Rolling Top Five, a simple yet powerful framework for keeping improvement alive. This approach pushes leadership to focus on the few projects that matter most. It ensures every action aligns with measurable results.

Craig also shares an effective accountability practice. Instead of project leaders giving updates, sponsors present progress directly to senior management. This shift keeps leadership engaged and invested. It builds ownership and turns continuous improvement into a daily habit, not a side project.

• The Pareto principle applies. One root cause, the Red X, often drives most variation.
• True learning comes from real projects, not just certification.
• Leadership is the difference between success and failure.
• Sponsors should present project updates to senior leadership for accountability.
• Continuous improvement thrives when leadership focuses on the vital few projects that move the business forward.

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

Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc. offers comprehensive Lean Six Sigma certification training, accredited by the International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) as an Authorized Training Organization. They have transformed over 100 organizations in 52 countries and achieved $100M USD in savings through Lean Six Sigma, certifying over 4000 practitioners. Their partners include Aerojet Rocketdyne, Dropbox, and Mercy Health, among others.

Key Certification Training we provide:

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (https://sixsigmadsi.com/six-sigma-green-belt/)
• Le...

• (00:00:00) - Why Continuous Improvement Efforts Fail
• (00:01:36) - Why They Fail
• (00:02:51) - Red X: The Science of Problems
• (00:12:12) - Problem Solving with 6 Sigma and Red X
• (00:22:17) - Employee Experience: The Pareto Principle
• (00:24:17) - What separates a Continuous Improvement Organization from one that Live Continuous Improvement?
• (00:26:41) - The Continuous Improvement Training Infrastructure
• (00:28:36) - Sustainability in the Continuous Improvement Program
• (00:33:15) - The Assessment of Competent People
• (00:35:38) - How to Get Your Lean 6 Sigma Certification
• (00:38:46) - A Moment With Shannon