LCI-UK and Rubicon Wigzell Ltd.
Lean process and organisational transformation through team building and personal development. I bring years of experience to the process of transforming businesses and construction projects. From my early years in management training to the development of my current expertise in enterprise wide Lean cultures, I have always had a passion for improving people's experience of work and know that there is no finer feeling than that of belonging to a high performing team. My Lean journey had mirrored that of the construction industry. This started with partnering in the early 90s and developed from the Egan report in 98. There is still a long way to go.
I am an experienced continuous improvement expert, process improvement specialist and Lean project manager, I specialise in enterprise wide Lean deployment programmes and transformation projects, I have delivered many improvement programmes across different departments of the UK civil service and the construction industry. As a leading practitioner and qualified trainer, I have a proven track record of delivering improvement projects using change management methodologies and experiential learning models alongside the traditional Lean Six Sigma approach. This ensures the implementation of Lean is embedded and sustained within the businesses I work with. To support my Lean Six Sigma and change management expertise, I also have experience in programme/project management, training delivery and supply chain management. I am also a trained coach and have experience of coaching individuals and leaders at all levels.
My background is in project managing projects such as office moves, website implementations and helpdesk migrations for companies such as BNP Paribas Lease Group (Rentals) Ltd, Cabot Asset Finance Ltd and GE Capital Equipment Finance Ltd. This experience, combined with training in Six Sigma, High Performance and Quality Awareness, gives me the ability to understand and even predict the needs of the rest of the team, and help them to implement projects as efficiently as possible.
As an expert in organisational alignment and improved business performance, I have facilitated many stakeholder alignment workshops throughout the life cycles of complex projects. Over the last 35 years I have worked extensively in the UK, Australia, Africa, USA, and Europe, and have a wealth of cross cultural experience ranging from the construction to IT industries. My clients include senior executives and board members in world-class companies, small and medium sized enterprises, the public sector, not-for-profit organisations, and local communities. In helping stakeholders create harmonious working relationships and reducing the risk of conflict, often in times of major change - for example at phase change points in major projects - my work has usually resulted in enhanced outcomes and significant savings for the stakeholders. I developed the Real-time Alignment Process specifically for this purpose, and am the co-creator of a unique dialogue tool, the "Circle of Knowing"®. A former senior manager myself, I am also a qualified teacher and course designer and hold agricultural and business management qualifications. As a result I am accredited to use a number of psychometric instruments and have worked extensively in these industries. Most recently I have worked on projects including Project HAL for News International (£650m capital value), and the Media Hub at Olympic Park, London. I have recently returned to Europe after 14 years living in Australia.
Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Member of the Institute of Business Consulting (IBC), Member of the Association of Partnering Advisers (APA), Accredited Mediator for the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Advocate of collaboration and partnering in construction and Partnering Adviser to a number of Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords, in particular, advising on the partnering contracts PPC2000 and TPC2005. With 20 years' experience, especially but not exclusively in the construction industry, I understand the pressures and problems that people face day-to-day, and I've developed a variety of dispute resolution strategies to help resolve any commercial or construction related disputes. Recently I've been advising a range of clients, including:
Lead Consultant, Leading practitioner in the fields of Lean, 6 sigma, systems thinking and world-class business. With 15 years ‘hands-on' experience working with over 150 organisations across the range of business and service sectors, I know how to help people at all levels to implement and manage sustainable change for improved performance; mentoring and coaching personnel at all organisational levels in:
• Lean • Change management • Vision & strategy formulation • Policy deployment and improvement implementation • Lean transformation • Continuous process improvement • Whole company transformation • Focused improvement projects • Supply chain development
I've been applying Lean within the UK construction sector since 2002, assisting many clients, contractors and sub-contractors to improve delivery performance through all stages of a project. I've also helped establish best practice collaborative processes within partnering programmes.
Starting in the construction industry as a draughtsman for consulting engineers in Bristol, I spent 8 years working as a Highways Technician and ARE, both on-site, at Bradley Stoke, on the Second Severn Crossing Approach roads (in a joint venture between Maunsell and WS Atkins), and in the design office. As well as running and assisting in the running of Development Courses for companies such as:
Based in the South West, Steven joined the Bristol based Pearce Group (now ISG) in 1998, where he was encouraged to pursue his interest in lean thinking. In 2004, he joined the BRE’s Construction Lean Improvement Programme, refining his ability to practically apply lean thinking to construction. In 2009 Steve began work for the University of Dundee, leading the Scottish Construction Centre’s lean programme and working as the academic supervisor for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with a local construction company, in addition to the wider brief of embedding lean thinking within the Scottish Construction Sector. The three year KTP resulted in a five-fold increase in profit against a static turnover, an “outstanding” classification from the Technology Strategy Board and a best of the best finalist.
