Winning a Race without a Finish Line

Founder and retired executive chairman of APQC, Jack Grayson, once said, “Productivity and quality improvement is a race without a finish line. Your organization’s future will be determined by how well and how quickly you learn, adapt, and improve.”

Today, nearly fifty years following U.S. President Ronald Regan signing into law The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, organizations around the globe are still competing in the performance excellence race. Top leaders are continually seeking ways to effectively and efficiently meet customer expectations; gain market share; and increase profitability.

While most organizations actively leverage performance management tools such as ISO, Lean, Six Sigma and Business Process Management many still struggle with having an integrated approach to organizational performance excellence. The Baldrige Performance Excellence Program integrates such quality methodologies and offers a disciplined approach to performance excellence.

The Baldrige program provides organizations a framework and an assessment tool for evaluating performance, assessing where improvements or innovation are most needed, and ensuring results. At the core of the Baldrige Excellence Framework is adopting a systems perspective, which supports business process transformation, and drives improvements and integrated work systems across an organization.

Annually, the U.S. Commerce Secretary recognizes organizations that are role models for successfully implementing the Baldrige program with the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA). The MBNQA is the nation’s highest Presidential honor and one of the key ways that the Commerce Department identifies U.S. organizations that continually strive to have world-class operations. In a recent press release, U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzkey encouraged organizations in every sector to follow the 2014 Baldrige Award honorees stating that, “these organizations are the role models of innovation, sound management, employee and customer satisfaction, and results.”

To learn how your company can win the performance excellence race and get MAD not even with the competition, contact the JeminiPS team at GetMad@jeminiPS.com. Remember every partnership with JeminiPS funnels resources to those in need and engages a wider audience to “Make A Difference” in communities around the globe.

Kathryn LeRoy,Ph.D., CMQ/OE

Sr. Consultant, JeminiPS

Kathryn brings to the JeminiPS team a passion for innovation and excellence in every facet of her work. She has held senior leadership positions leading continuous improvement and operational efficiency initiatives. Kathryn focuses on organizational and leadership development to support embracing quality and recognizing the value of change as a critical component of continuous improvement. Her expertise and experience include strategic planning, process management, benchmarking, performance measurement, and organizational assessments. Kathryn has also worked with Jack Grayson and APQC on process and performance management. She serves on the Board of Examiners for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and the Quality Texas Foundation. Kathryn earned her doctorate, focusing on quality management, from Texas A&M University.

ISO9001:2015

ISO9001:2015 is undergoing the first major revision since 2000. In addition to typical revisions to better define the standard, there will be more dramatic changes impacting businesses that require ISO9001 certification as early as October of this year.

The largest change coming in ISO9001:2015 is the requirement to illustrate a business wide understanding of “Key Processes” and methods to successfully monitor and manage “Key Processes”. For many businesses that require the ISO9001 certification process, audits will be very different than the current line item audits performed now, and will require a transition plan to “Process Audits” to ensure compliance to the new standard.

Businesses that have active Lean Six Sigma programs can leverage these programs to achieve recertification by integrating continuous improvement efforts into a single Quality Management System. Businesses that do not have active Lean Six Sigma programs can start out by leveraging many Lean Six Sigma tools to achieve recertification. For example, a critical aspect of the new standard will require comprehensive identification and management of key processes. A key process can best be defined through a SIPOC view. This tool captures the complete flow through a process to include the Supplier(s) who provide Input(s) to the Process and the Output(s) to the Customer(s). In addition, by defining the Output(s) of the process, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can be identified to monitor and measure process performance.

In addition, to understanding “Key Processes”, ISO9001:2015 will remove the Preventative Action in section 8.5.3 and replace it with a “Risk Analysis” program. Again a business with an active Lean Six Sigma programs can leverage this program to meet the new “Risk Analysis” requirements. Businesses that do not have active Lean Six Sigma programs can train appropriate personal how to effectively manage Risk to achieve recertification with several Lean Six Sigma techniques to include: FMEA, Pugh Matrix, Impact Effort Matrix and Pilot Testing.

Because process audits and risk analysis will require businesses to develop an enterprise wide Business Process Strategy, a business can leverage ISO9001:2015 to create a key differentiator in the market place. Understanding and utilizing Lean Six Sigma tools will ensure adherence to the new standard while increasing customer satisfaction; improving stakeholder returns; and reducing overall cost.

To learn how your company can get leverage ISO9001:2015 to get MAD, not even with the competition, contact the JeminiPS team at GetMad@jeminiPS.com. Remember every partnership with JeminiPS funnels resources to those in need and engages a wider audience to “Make A Difference” in communities around the globe.

Michael Shelton

Sr. Consultant, JeminiPS

Michael Shelton brings over thirty years’ experience to the JeminiPS team in Quality Systems, Lean Six Sigma, Project Management and Strategic Organizational Alignment. Mr. Shelton is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. In addition, he completed advanced training under Juran on Quality Improvement and Shewhart Statistical Quality Control. He received his bachelor’s degree in materials engineering from North Carolina State University and his master’s in business from Waynesburg University.

JeminiPS is Getting MAD and Making a Difference – Innovating Impact!

Co-founders, Melissa Hancock and James Hogan launched JeminiPS in 2012 to, “Make a Difference” (MAD) in corporate performance And communities around the world. In the second year since inception, almost 15,000, people spanning 13 countries have benefited from the JeminiPS MAD model. This puts the boutique consulting firm on track to achieving the three-year goal the organization set forth, to Make a Difference in the lives of 20,000 people around the world.

As JeminiPS moves into its’ third year, it is moving beyond just selecting charities and not-for-profit organizations for cash donations to innovating impact. “While cash donations and gifts are critical for charities and not-for-profit organizations to operate, many of these organizations are in need of operational improvements to survive. These operational needs can range from recruiting and maintaining a base of volunteers; to applying the principals of Lean to eliminate waste; to optimizing working capital. As we progressed in our ability to reach more people through our MAD model, we realized by innovating impact we could exponentially affect change. While cash donations and gifts will always be a component of the JeminiPS MAD model, we are challenging ourselves and our clients to think beyond “parity” and work with JeminiPS to innovate impact, by providing services many charities and not-for-profit organizations simply cannot afford to purchase. Don’t get even; GetMAD!” states James Hogan, CEO of JeminiPS MAD.

JeminiPS adheres to a simple motto, “Make a Difference.” A structured approach transitions individuals and teams from a current state to a desired future and positively influences the lives of others.  Every day, every member of the JeminiPS team is challenged to live the MAD Model to inspire others to lead change and Make A Difference.

To learn how your company can get MAD, not even with the competition, contact JeminiPS at GetMad@jeminiPS.com.

JeminiPS is Growing – From the Inside Out

Less than one year following the appointment of Jeff Heslop as Training Practice Leader, JeminiPS is experiencing exponential growth in both its talent and client bases. The addition of Jeff further emphasizes the small-woman owned firm’s ability to offer decades of global experience rarely found in large consulting firms. “As an Aerospace Engineer by trade, I used to loathe the idea of having to sell, but now I don’t even bat an eye talking to people about JeminiPS. I can truly say we offer the best talent in the world. Back when I worked in the Department of Defense industry we used to talk a lot about the one gray beard on the team, now I get to tell potential clients JeminiPS is the gray beard team- the best in the world, the most trained, the most qualified and the most experienced. It certainly makes those sales meetings a lot easier for an Engineer like me. Now, I just worry about finding the time to perform business development while running an ever growing global team and global client portfolio” states Melissa Hancock, CEO of JeminiPS.

JeminiPS offers clients around the globe a differentiating proposition, Fortune 500 experience with the flexibility of a small boutique consulting firm. The JeminiPS team holds Mastery-level certifications and Professional Affiliations to include: Lean Six Sigma (LSS), American Society for Quality (ASQ), International Society of Automation (ISA), American Petroleum Institute (API), International Society of Automation (ISA), PROSCI, Net Promoter Score (NPS), PMP, ITIL and Executive Coaching. JeminiPS offers decades of global experience in Fortune 500, Aero, Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Travel, Automotive and Transportation industries

The JeminiPS organization prides itself in “Making A Difference” (MAD) in client’s business and community. While offering highly competitive rates and total cost propositions to clients, JeminiPS sets themselves apart from the competition with their Unique MAD model of giving back 5% of the USD value of Purchase Orders (POs) to charities and not-for-profit organizations.

To learn more about how Getting MAD with JeminiPS will cultivate positive impact beyond the boundaries of your organization by transforming corporate performance and the lives of employees, families, and communities contact Melissa at GetMad@jeminiPS.com.