Follow-up Coaching

Coaching in the J Programs

The goal of the TWI J programs is to improve the business outcomes for organizations through training. The training is most often focused on supervisors ¹ . TWI training is designed to provide supervisors with the skills to be effective leaders, effective instructors and effective innovators. As good as it is, such training takes employees away from the work place and draws on scarce resources. So how do you insure your training investment pays a dividend? You do so by planning follow-up and coaching at the start. The TWI J class should be viewed as only the first step in a successful TWI implementation. We have learned by experience that training in isolation will not have sustained effects.

Coaching, as we will use it here, is defined as a job-focused, performance oriented relationship with a co-worker for the purpose of improving knowledge, and skills to better perform a given task ² . We use coaching to improve the practice of TWI (JI, JR, or JM) after the classes are completed.

The matter of coaching in TWI is, indeed, not new. It was discussed in some detail in the TWI Service booklet titled “Following through with J.I.T.” (circa 1940). The booklet begins with the statement: “The 10 hours of J.I.T. has put valuable tools in supervisors’ hands. The tools must be used to produce results. Here is a practical way to put them to work.” The TWI Service authors then provided an organizational chart naming the key positions that needed to be engaged in the coaching and how to go about it. They called it: “How To Get A Section Chief to Coach His Unit Chiefs.” What follows is essentially that that process updated for context.

The process of implementing a sustainable J program in the workplace (shop floor, office, patient care setting) can be broken down into four steps. The first step in is to gain corporate support for the program. This support needs to be clearly communicated at every level. The second step is to prepare local managers and supervisors to provide the support, time and resources the supervisors need to fully implement the program. It needs to be made clear that the long term gains will outweigh the immediate costs to production. The third step is to instruct the lead TWI trainer in how to coach supervisors and others down the line. The TWI trainer(s) need to be given the skills, time and authority to coach the supervisors in how to use the TWI system as well as coaching them while they are doing it. Finally, the fourth step is to keep the TWI program dynamic through continuous coaching, auditing, process improvement (JM) and renewal.

An example from the workplace might help illustrate how these four steps were carried out in a medium sized company with manufacturing plants spread across the country. The corporate goal was to turn out the highest quality product possible, as quickly as possible, with zero defects, all at a reasonable cost. A corporate commitment was made to achieve that goal by providing the employees with the best job instruction training available.

Step 1: Gain corporate support

TWI JI training was identified as a means to achieve that goal. A corporate commitment was made to make the journey with TWI and a location was selected. Key human resource and production employees were trained in JI. Job Instruction Breakdowns (JIBs) were developed for the selected product lines, work processes were stabilized, training schedules were developed and adhered to, and training was provided and audited. Following some time an individual with clear training aptitude and interest was sent to take the JI Train the Trainer class. When she returned she was provided resources to train managers, supervisors, and team leaders at additional plants. All of this was possible because the leadership communicated their commitment to this training and provided resources in support of it.

Step 2: Prepare local managers and supervisors

Over time a cadre of trainers was trained by the certified, corporate TWI trainer in a variety of locations. While responsible for the overall training, this individual could not be in more than one place at a time, so local management support was enlisted and selected individual supervisors and/or engineers in each location were provided the resources of time, coaching and the authority to implement JI training and auditing.

Step 3: Instruct the lead TWI trainer in how to coach supervisors and others

One might make the case that steps 2 and 3 must be completed concurrently and that would be correct. The lead trainer was identified and following the completion of TWI JITT, she was charged with coaching TWI supervisors and others on a regular basis. As a result the supervisors grew in their role as the TWI leader which became an ongoing part of their jobs. In this company, the lead supervisors oversaw or provided the TWI training and then maintained the training needs chart and schedule, coordinated the training, audited the training; and verified the completeness and accuracy of the JIBs.

Step 4: Keep the TWI program dynamic

Training and implementation in the company were going well but the danger of complacency is always there. The lead trainer was given the authority and responsibility to collect relevant metrics to document: standard work; reduced training time; efficiency gains; reduced error rates; reduced reworks; reduced defects; increased productivity; reduced overtime; increased profitability; improved employee retention; and improved customer satisfaction. While all this was being measured, new employees were still being trained, incumbents were cross trained and trained in new processes, and most importantly coaching continued for everyone.

To insure success, the TWI master trainer was scheduled to work for three days to coach the individuals in the organization responsible for TWI.

¹Supervisor is a generic term for, "Anyone who directs the work of other's"

²Center for Coaching and Mentoring

TWI Institute Coaching Services

TWI training is the first step in the transformation to an organization with standard work, stable processes and continuous improvement. The work begins after the training begins. All too often intervening events stymie the progress on implementing TWI. Enter the coach. Ideally the TWI trainer who provided the initial training and knows the company well will return to gauge progress, identify problems, suggest solutions and help realign goals.

The TWI coach will review every aspect of a TWI implementation and develop a set of follow-up actions and recommendations. The coach will meet with management, managers, trainers, supervisors and team leaders on the floor, to observe how TWI is being implemented and feed that information back for the purpose of improving their performance. Every situation is different; nevertheless over a three day period in which the TWI trainer/coach communicates with key staff, a typical schedule might look like this. (Chart 1)

Finally, a formative report will be prepared by the coach with concrete recommendations on how to move the TWI implementation to the next level.