Jim joined the LEAD faculty in June of 1994. Since then, he has played an integral role as project manager of several Lean initiatives.

One such engagement was with the engine plant of a major automotive company. The goal was to implement a modern operating agreement, or a team-based management approach. Jim used a total systems architecture approach to bring the Plant Manager, corporate and regional leaders, and the UAW, together with the corporate training organization, in the implementation of Lean. Jim's role was to oversee the entire project, and develop a comprehensive training plan. The two-year project impacted 3500 people. With Jim's help, the plant was able to increase throughput by 5% in different production lines. The workweek was reduced from 6 days to 5 days, while meeting the same schedule commitments. One shift was eliminated. Overall performance improved. Another metric showed an improvement in employee morale.

A major automotive supplier needed help preparing a poorly-performing plant for divestiture. They called General Systems, and Jim Davisson was given the assignment. Jim spent 3-4 days a month "walking around"on site, for six months. Working with the manufacturing manager and first-line supervisors, Jim employed one-on-one coaching, and daily "huddles" to build a lean organization and improve throughput. New metrics were created. Scheduling methodologies were introduced. White boards with current performance indicators appeared everywhere throughout the plant. The culture of the plant changed from a bureaucracy to an enterprise. Desired new behaviors were identified and developed. But there was an unexpected development. Performance improved so much that the parent company decided to keep the plant operation.

Jim has also worked with a major credit union, rolling out a program to improve employee morale.

Jim continues to work today, helping major manufacturers identify their TQM needs, including Lean and Six Sigma programs, define the future desired culture, and to create the leadership competencies and organizational culture that makes success possible.

Jim's prior experience includes working as a Continuous Improvement specialist with TRW. He was expert at bringing management and labor together, using different tools & techniques. In one case he was responsible for an 11% improvement on annual return on investment within one division. Just before coming to The LEAD Institute, Jim was a senior consultant with Kepner-Tregoe.