To survive today’s chaotic and volatile world, manufacturers should get in touch with their inner football coach and adopt a defensive game plan.
To survive today’s chaotic and volatile world, manufacturers should get in touch with their inner Bo Schembechler. In other words, adopt a football mindset. Schembechler, the legendary coach at the University of Michigan in the 1970s and 1980s, always believed the key to his teams’ success on the field was defense.
“The times ahead of us are uncertain at best,” says Kevin Duggan, principal of Duggan Associates and founder of the Institute for Operational Excellence (North Kingstown, RI). “Creating a good defense, defining what we can produce in terms of mix and volume, and then working to improve it are critical steps. By producing a high mix of products at low volumes, we can adapt to uncertain markets, where change is the only certain thing ahead.”
Duggan suggests creating a defensive game plan that includes the following lean elements: