With another delay announced for the 787 Dreamliner, I’m wondering when Boeing executives will invest in optimal thinking executive coaching. As a Boeing shareholder and an avid traveler on Boeing planes, I was concerned to learn about the onboard fire that forced an emergency landing on Tuesday’s test flight.

The Dreamliner is the first passenger jet constructed with lightweight carbon composites, and substantially cuts fuel costs. As a result, Boeing has received more advance orders (approximately 850) than any other plane in history. However, it is now questionable that Boeing will deliver the first 787 by next March as scheduled. Delivery is now almost three years behind schedule, and Boeing could deliver only two dozen Dreamliners next year, down from earlier estimates of 40 to 50, and more. Apparently, there are still too many unknowns.

The plane’s production has been held back by Boeing’s supply network. Apparently, Boeing executives failed to closely inspect what they expected from their suppliers earlier in the production process. There have also been issues outside of Boeing’s control, such as the unacceptable performance of the the Rolls-Royce engine that was to be employed in a test plane.

Boeing has informed various suppliers to delay parts deliveries three times this year because one supplier, Alenia Aeronautica, did not deliver the 787’s horizontal tails on schedule. Many parts have had to be reworked, further slowing production.

The Dreamliner is a cutting-edge revolutionary innovation and its safety is of utmost importance, however it appears that Boeing executives have displayed suboptimal project planning and project management. When companies repeatedly disappoint their customers and shareholders, they provide them with reason to go elsewhere.

So how can Boeing executives demonstrate superlative leadership skills, and execute their highest priorities on time and on budget? In our proprietary evidence-based Continuous Enterprise Optimization (CEO) production approach, Optimal Thinking ensures the optimization of every activity, including design and processes, from conception to completion. Measurable results achieved with Continuous Enterprise Optimization tools and techniques are optimized and sustained, and suboptimal consequences are avoided. Optimization is the fundamental everyday standard.

During optimal thinking executive coaching, executives learn how to listen and involve their customers and suppliers to optimize – not just manage or improve – business structure, resources and processes to ensure the customers’ expectations are completely satisfied. Through our proprietary customer satisfaction survey and supplier optimization analysis, executives learn how to eliminate waste and minimize the variability to provide the most cost-effective, reliable products and services. Collaborative optimal decision-making is based on facts and data while results are monitored with key performance metrics to maximize compliance and productivity, and minimize risk.

We optimize business turnaround and achieve business optimization by:

   Minimizing cycle time
   Optimizing quality
   Minimizing production costs
   Maximizing customer satisfaction