Serge Alfonse - The Barn Door is Open: Frameworks and Tools for Success and Fulfillment in the Workplace

The Barn Door Is Open

The Barn Door Is Open

Frameworks and Tools for Success and Fulfillment in the Workplace

Serge Alfonse

The Barn Door Is Open: Frameworks and Tools for Success and Fulfillment in the Workplace
Copyright Business Expert Press, LLC, 2021.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations, not to exceed 250 words, without the prior permission of the publisher.

First published in 2021 by
Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-95253-840-7 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-95253-841-4 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Supply and Operation Management Collection

Collection ISSN: 2156-8189 (print)
Collection ISSN: 2156-8200 (electronic)

Cover image licensed by Ingram Image, StockPhotoSecrets.com
Cover and interior design by S4Carlisle Publishing Services Private Ltd., Chennai, India

First edition: 2021

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to all people who are invested in creating successful and fulfilling workplaces, engaged in building a better and more equitable world, interested in caring for one another, and, above all, are convinced that everything evolves around the value of love.

Advanced Quotes for The Barn Door Is Open

The Barn Door Is Open is a Who Moved My Cheese for improving your business by working smarter, not harder. Serge Alfonse takes readers on a delightful and instructive journey where the animal characters learn by doing. This farm tale parable is a must-read primer for business owners, managers and front-line workers seeking to solve todays complex business problems while putting people first.

Frank Shines, Vice-President CCS Medical, MBA, Six Sigma Master Black Belt, author of Let in But Left Out: Leadership, Faith and Knowledge in the Age of A.I., Coronavirus and Fake News

It is often said that simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication, The Barn Door is Open, is very tangible proof of this claim. This story takes the reader through some of the most sophisticated and complex Business Analysis Processes with ease and simplicity. A brilliant approach that delivers understanding and application in a simple and enjoyable way....Bravo !!

Joe Brouillette, Founding Chairman of Delta Global Networks, Inc.

The Barn Door is Open is a unique treasure, one of those books that is quickly and easily understood by both new and seasoned professionals. For anyone interested in process improvement and fostering a positive, proactive, and engaged culture that sows the seeds of ongoing success, this book is a must read. Clever and entertaining metaphors are used to relay important concepts that stick with the reader. The second part of the book contains an abundance of effective tools and strategies that can be utilized immediately!

Barb Birdt Prentice, Director Quality, Compliance & Training (Ret.), MBA

The Barn Door is Open brings lean culture to readers in a novel but easy to grasp way. Serges style and language inspire confidence with continuous improvement tools. Adlai Stevenson said, It is hard to lead a cavalry charge if you feel that you look funny on a horse. When readers put the book down, they come away with the conviction that they can lead the Lean charge.

Anthony Skinner, Continuous Improvement Manager, MBA, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt

The Barn Door Is Open is an intelligent yet playful tale that gradually and profoundly changes the way we think about problem solving, continuous improvement, conflict resolution, and mindfulness. The Barn Door Is Open is an essential blueprint for anyone from the front-line worker to member of the executive team to successfully navigate through a Lean culture transformation. This book reveals how to become part of a team, part of the solution, and part of an ever-improving organization.

Glenn Hoogerwerf, President - Software Services, Group VP, Technology Industry, Computer Science and Management degrees from Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract

The Barn Door Is Open: Frameworks and Tools for Success and Fulfillment in the Workplace is a business book, a playful read, an intelligent metaphorical tale anchored in the tools and techniques of innovative and proven management frameworks. It is also a philosophical tale that uses humor and metaphors to make the learning entertaining and inspirational. The Barn Door Is Open is designed to be read at multiple layers, from neophytes to seasoned professionals. While there are many hidden references that astute readers will appreciate, the concepts covered are easy to understand and implement. Self-help readers will benefit from many of its lessons and tools by applying them to their personal lives.

The Barn Door Is Open provides prescriptive, step-by-step learning points with ample hands-on examples. The Barn Door Is Open treats the subjects and tools of Lean and Lean Transformation, mindfulness, conflict resolution, Theory of Constraints (TOC), project management, Agile, Six Sigma, change management, and corporate culture transformation in one easily digestible reference.

All of us as students, workers, managers, executives in any business, in any industry struggle to solve problems. We lose focus. We do not look deep enough. We simply do not know how. We can be taught to think differently, leading to a higher level of reasoning, phenomenal personal growth, and a more fulfilling career. The Barn Door Is Open gradually and profoundly changes the way we think and lays the foundations for a successful and fulfilling workplace.

Keywords

process improvement; Lean journey; transformation to a happy and fulfilling workplace; creating a Lean culture; management tools and frameworks; problem solving; innovative use of Lean; managing conflict resolution; self-help and personal development; mindfulness at work; quality assurance; quality management; management strategies; successful workplaces; change management; organizational culture

Contents

The monolith of knowledge needs to be passed on. Sharing this knowledge is not only fulfilling but gives us a purpose in life.

Through the people and experiences we encounter on our life journey, we may choose the path to build ourselves up, to get inspired, to reach self-actualization. As the wheels of time turn, we may seize the opportunity to take the place of our teachers and mentors.

The Barn Door Is Open is the sharing of my knowledge and experiences accumulated during thousands of hours of consulting work, countless training programs taught and taken, and the fruit of failure and success.

The concept for the Barn Door Is Open started long before the first chapter was written. The idea incubated for several years before turning into a concrete project. On a year-long family sabbatical of travel, I was granted the gift of time. While in Namibia, overlooking a waterhole watching elephants, giraffes, and lions come and go, words started flowing. Subsequent chapters took shape as we visited the capital cities of Europe, marveling at the architectural splendors and the cultural riches. The last chapters were developed in Southeast Asia, fed by an insatiable appetite to eat delicious soups, immerse ourselves in the glory of the past, and witness the inevitable race to the future. The editing took place overlooking a Pacific Ocean lagoon on the island of New Caledonia where our stay had unexpectedly extended. From the first chapter to the last revision, this book was my constant companion throughout that year.