Is “lean manufacturing” similar to Six Sigma and other total quality management methodologies?
Cornelio: Lean manufacturing is similar to those. It was created by Toyota and is more team-driven than Six Sigma. We have product champions, but lean manufacturing is mostly a cultural change in how the managers think about their processes. I&T: Was it difficult to disseminate this cultural change throughout the organization? Cornelio: In some areas it was very difficult. Rather than employ a whole job concept to a process, lean manufacturing breaks the process down into its parts, like an assembly line. There was some initial dislocation, but when employees and management saw the actual results of improved quality and speed and reduced expense, they all became believers. It’s not hard to sell a lean manufacturing project at Jefferson Pilot any more. I&T: Jefferson Pilot has been on a mission to create a “digital life company.” What does that mean, and where are you in that process? Cornelio: Being a “digital life company” means removing all the friction out of how the company does bu
