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Thinking of ‘Going’ Lean?
Know why most
implementations fail.
A great deal has been written about the multiple
operational and financial benefits that can be realised
through the adoption of lean
methodologies, yet the path to operational excellence is
rarely trouble-free.
It seems that the majority of attempts to implement lean
production end in disappointing outcomes and
declarations like:
Why is this? Is lean only suitable in certain
circumstances or is something else going on?
The key missing ingredient in many attempts to introduce
Lean is that a lean implementation is as much about
changing behaviours as it is about introducing new
models and theories of work.
The majority of Lean concepts are relatively easily
grasped and do not require high levels of technical
ability or large budgets to implement. However, once
these ideas have been introduced we need to ensure that
the anticipated benefits are realised and this is done
through sustaining the desired behaviours at all levels
in the organisation. It is here that many
implementations fail; sustaining behavioural change is
not easy.
If you are considering embarking on a lean
implementation then it may be worth reminding yourself
of the ‘golden rules’ of successful change:
1. Establish a sense of urgency.
Why are you doing this implementation and why now? In
successful change programs the majority of employees
know what the ‘burning platform’ is.
2. Create the guiding coalition.
No single person can do this alone, not even the CEO.
Create a team capable of removing roadblocks at all
levels and in all circumstances.
3. Communicate the change vision.
The ‘burning platform’ provides the stick – but you also
need to provide the carrot. What is in it for the
employees? How will the organisation be improved?
4. Empower action – at all levels.
Lean Companies expect at least one change idea
implemented everyday for every employee. The majority of
these ideas are not approved by committee!
5. Generate quick wins.
Nothing succeeds like success. Turn talk into action -
show people that it works, celebrate success and find
the next opportunity. Kaizen events are a great way to
do this.
6. Consolidate gains and produce more change.
Build a program one success at a time. Consider a pilot
approach with a managed roll out, for example.
7. Anchor new approaches in the culture.
How do we ensure that we new ways of working become ‘the
way we do things here’? Here think management systems:
What is the process? What are appropriate performance
indicators? How often are results measured and reported?
How do we communicate results?
To conclude: It has been shown that Lean thinking brings
significant and sustainable financial and operational
benefits in a wide range of industries and
organisations. However, to realise these benefits in our
own companies we need to move beyond the models and
theories and implement the daily practices that are key
to sustaining a lean transformation; we must understand
that most implementations fail because they
underestimate how difficult it can be to sustain
behavioural change.
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