Business leaders' declining interest in Lean in recent years is a problem for the Lean movement and those who promote Lean management. How might this important problem be solved? Is there a quick and easy way to do it? A solution one can jump to? Business leaders are skilled creating canards and … [Read more...] about Who to Blame for Leaders’ Declining Interest in Lean?
Archives for January 2021
Go See? What For?
"Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect" is the phrase made famous by former Toyota president and chairman, Mr. Fujio Cho. He was referring to how managers should interact with workers and address problems that occur at the genba. "Go See" means to go where the problem occurred to thoroughly understand the … [Read more...] about Go See? What For?
Lean and Learning
University Boards of Trustees are populated mostly by business leaders, followed by former politicians and other community leaders. As such, Boards tend to reflect business needs and interests. Only rarely are experienced classroom teachers and researchers (i.e., academics) found on Boards of … [Read more...] about Lean and Learning
Lean and Lying
Business is not known to be a citadel of truth-telling. Bargaining, salesmanship, exaggeration, misstatements, omission, flattery, puffery, and deception are common in the conduct of business. Leaders commonly analogize business to war or sports, but business may be closer to the card game poker. In … [Read more...] about Lean and Lying
Courage and Bravery
A common bit of feedback that I receive now and then is that I am "courageous" or "brave" to say the things that I say about Lean management, the Lean movement, business leaders, and the like. I don't see it as courage or bravery. From my perspective I am simply sharing the facts as I see or … [Read more...] about Courage and Bravery
The Back Story – Wheel of Fortune
This is the back story to the book Wheel of Fortune. Several years ago, Massimo Torinesi, who had read and liked the books I had written, ventured to contact me to get to know me and inquire about working together to deliver workshops and seminars in Italy. After a while of getting to know … [Read more...] about The Back Story – Wheel of Fortune
How My Work Has Evolved
The image below visually depicts how the books that I authored or co-authored have evolved since 2003. The main line pertains to Lean transformation and Lean leadership, proceeding to critiques of Lean leadership and Lean management, and then on to planning for Lean in the future. Above the … [Read more...] about How My Work Has Evolved
Lean and Iconoclasm
As a Lean person, you are an iconoclast -- a Type 1 iconoclast. Type 1 iconoclasts seek to attack or destroy settled ways of thinking and doing things. You disrespect certain traditions and believe it is important to dismantle that which stands in the way of needed progress in both leadership and … [Read more...] about Lean and Iconoclasm
The Disaster of Lean Training
What have we learned after 30+ years of training people in Lean tools and methods, Lean thinking, Lean management, and Lean leadership? As I look back on my experience as a trainer, I am grateful for the opportunities, experience, income, favorable reviews, and feedback for improvement. Yet I, and … [Read more...] about The Disaster of Lean Training