The FAST System: Lift results faster, with confidence
Why we developed FAST?
We conceived FAST as the next step in our journey, driven by the shortcomings of Lean as an improvement strategy and the rise of Agile as a solution for navigating business complexity. Despite reports indicating that fewer than 15% of Lean initiatives are sustained, they have still delivered significant benefits.
Dual Approach for Maximum Impact:
The potential of a dual Agile/Lean approach was highlighted in a McKinsey and Company article published in July 2020: “Lean management or Agile? The answer may be both.” 🔄📈
The challenge lies in sustainability. It seems that performance improvement has not been fully integrated into people’s core roles. Improvement efforts are often seen as one-off events, guided by external specialists, or delegated to designated project teams. The Levels of Work model enhances our understanding by identifying structural issues like lower-than-expected work levels, gaps, and overlaps. Lean projects are frequently layered onto flawed structures, with unclear role definitions and limited training, impeding learning and growth. 📊
FAST aims to provide a performance strategy that seamlessly integrates improvement into role-specific responsibilities, utilizing Agile to foster continuous learning, and leveraging Lean skills for sustainability. The result is an environment where improvement endures, and a high-performing culture evolves over time. In summary, the FAST system can be distilled into: Align + Agile + Lean. ⚖️
The Fast System:
FAST, as a strategy, is initiated by lifting results in short 120-day timeframes, with the intention of expanding time horizons. ⏳🚀
- Focus: Define what is important. 🎯
- Align: Align contributions and capabilities. 🤝
- Steady Flow: Schedule a steady flow of activity. 🔄📊
- Track: Monitor results, promote learning, and embed change. 📈🔄
FAST’s online tools foster self-development by presenting challenges that engage individuals, offering them the opportunity to optimize their potential, acquire new skills, and grow. 🌱🌟 In subsequent posts, I will delve deeper into the FAST system, sharing our experiences and summarizing insights from case studies. Stay tuned for more! 📚✨ #FASTsystem #PerformanceImprovement #AgileLean #BusinessComplexity #ContinuousLearning #HighPerformanceCulture 🚀📈💡