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Creating a CI Culture: Lessons from Sonova’s Lean Journey

Continuous Improvement is a dynamic strategy aimed at fostering a culture of constant optimization and innovation within organizations. Yvonne Gaissmaier and Doug Walls shared their experience and strategic approaches to CI, providing observations on how CI principles can be effectively applied across functional areas. In this article, we explore their insights, examining how they have successfully implemented CI in their respective roles.

Yvonne Gaissmaier is VP of Global Growth Initiatives at Sonova Group, she leads CI deployment in sales, marketing, office innovation, and product development. With 25 years of experience in procurement, supply chain, sales, and commercial functions, she brings an extensive background of expertise. Doug Walls is Sonova’s VP of Global Continuous Improvement and focuses on CI implementation across operations and supply chain, with a career spanning operation, supply chain, HR, finance, and technology.

Gaissmaier and Walls emphasize the critical importance of establishing a robust CI culture within an organization. Doug’s approach, which originated in the manufacturing sector, is focused on a comprehensive implementation of CI tools. This method ensured that foundational tools, such as daily management, leadership standard work, and problem-solving, were thoroughly integrated before further expansion. In contrast, Yvonne’s approach in commercial areas involved identifying and addressing key business distress points. This strategy not only fostered acceptance but also facilitated the integration of CI principles across various commercial functions. The emphasis was on using core CI tools to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and drive growth, thereby establishing a culture of continuous improvement in non-traditional areas such as sales and marketing.

A critical element in the success of CI implementation at Sonova Group is the commitment from leadership. Both Yvonne and Doug highlighted the importance of the CEO’s and senior management’s active engagement in CI activities. This commitment is exemplified by initiatives such as the Management Board Kaizen Week, during which senior leaders, including the CEO, actively participate in and support CI initiatives. Such engagement ensures the prompt resolution of obstacles and reinforces CI principles throughout all levels of the organization.

“You have to have a CEO that has a good understanding of what exactly the benefits are going to be. And they have to set the expectation from a leadership standpoint.” – Yvonne Gaissmaier on the top management’s input on CI initiatives at Sonova Group.

Another way to ensure that CI initiatives yield tangible business results is emphasized by Yvonne and Doug’s rigorous tracking and validation methods. They advocate for linking CI projects to financial outcomes and validating the savings and benefits achieved, as this is crucial for demonstrating the value of CI to the top management. This practice not only legitimizes the efforts of the CI teams but also secures ongoing support and investment in CI initiatives. Regular reviews and adjustments are essential to maintaining alignment between CI initiatives and business objectives, thereby consistently delivering sustainable results.

“For us, it’s really about driving out waste. So, we really focus on a lot of productivity improvements streamlining the value chain within our organizations.” – Doug Walls Sonova’s VP of Global Continuous Improvement.

Besides the need to guarantee CEO engagement and implementing the right tracking and validation methods for the CI strategy in place, one of the significant challenges in deploying CI is balancing the use of tools with fostering the right mindset. Yvonne pointed out that overemphasizing tools can lead to confusion and distract from the core objective of improving business processes. Ensuring a clear understanding of the purpose behind CI initiatives is crucial. This involves continuous education and clear communication about the benefits and objectives of CI projects.

As Yvonne noted, “We might have gotten down the path of tools, many tools, building a big toolbox too quickly. And then people got distracted between the purpose of the tool and what we were trying to do here.”

A foundation of Yvonne and Doug’s CI philosophy is respect for people. CI should not be about reducing headcount but about optimizing processes to make work more fulfilling and less frustrating for employees. This human-centric approach is integral to fostering a sustainable CI culture. By ensuring that CI efforts do not lead to job losses, they maintain high levels of employee engagement and morale, which are essential for long-term success. This approach stresses the importance of viewing CI not just as a set of tools but as a comprehensive management philosophy that enhances both business performance and employee satisfaction.

The insights provided by Yvonne Gaissmaier and Doug Walls underscore the critical elements of successful CI. They emphasize the importance of robust leadership commitment, which establishes a foundation for organizational alignment and sustained support for CI initiatives. Furthermore, they highlight the need to methodically deploy CI tools, ensuring these instruments are integrated effectively and systematically. Their approach emphasizes the need for a deep integration of CI principles, fostering a supportive culture through clear communication and leadership engagement. By linking CI projects to tangible business results and addressing the complexities of growth areas, their strategies provide a framework for achieving sustained operational excellence and business growth.

For more insights from Yvonne Gaissmaier and Doug Walls, listen to their episode on the LEADERS in CI Community podcast. Explore how they apply a continuous improvement culture and deliver measurable business outcomes.