Driving Strategic Alignment and Daily Improvement: a Conversation with GE Appliances Executive Marcia Brey

In the latest issue of The Management Brief, host Mark Reich sits down with Marcia Brey, the Vice President of Logistics at GE Appliances.

Marcia shares her extensive career journey at GE Appliances, spanning roles in design, customer service, distribution, quality, and eventually leading the company's lean enterprise transformation. 

Key points discussed include:

• Marcia's initial exposure to lean principles like value-stream mapping and kaizen events while leading the warehouse network.

• Her transition to plant manager of a complex refrigeration factory and the importance of daily management and engaging the team to solve problems.

• The creation of GE Appliances' lean enterprise team in 2016 to implement new processes and drive strategic alignment using hoshin kanri.

• How hoshin kanri is used to cascade objectives, enable cross-functional collaboration, and develop leadership skills through reflection.

• Marcia's advice for leaders struggling to implement strategy and daily management systems, emphasizing the need to start somewhere and continuously improve.

• Her current role in logistics and the opportunities to further explore customer problems and strengthen the value stream by breaking down traditional organizational boundaries.