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bio
Brian Ross
creative multi-tasker, detailed and versatile cultivator of solutions, process-thinker, teacher, coach
Brian says... On reflection of my early years in the corporate world, I think about the consultants who were brought into our organizations to come up with ideas to improve our business. They came, observed, documented and left us with a report (dust collector) and we all went back to our daily fire fighting of the problems. What I learned from those early years has helped me adopt an understanding of the value I bring to organizations - I believe my mission is to teach people how to fish (kaizen) versus catching the fish for them (dust collector).
Brian's enthusiasm and passion has helped organizations from traditional manufacturers to make-to-order production; from specialized services organizations to order-fulfillment service providers. His attention to detail at all levels of the value stream has resulted in tremendous breakthroughs for his clients in their pursuit of generating greater value for the customer. With over 25 years of production management experience, Brian enjoys teaching people how to look at a process from a lean perspective; then applying effective waste elimination thoughtware.
From a coal face 7400 feet underground to military helicopter assembly to back office processing in India, Brian has worked with people both top-down and bottom-up to kaizen their processes. Whether the process be management-based (policy waste) or order-fulfillment- based (procedure waste), Brian knows there is an opportunity to do it "better, faster, safer and cheaper".
"Brian was instrumental in helping to establish Thoughtware methodology in our Distribution Centre. The change from "reactive" to "lean" thinking in itself was a significant shift in approaching work. Brian enabled our thinking to see waste and learn to embrace empowerment to create change and improvements on our shop floor. Brian stayed the course and helped establish the foothold to enable a culture of continuous improvement that continues to adapt and improve five years later." Geoff Woodcroft, Director, Operations, Canadian Tire Corporation |