I sometimes wonder how my large body of work on Lean leadership, Lean management, Classical management, and Lean applied to higher education would have been received by the Lean community if it was written by any one of these people:

Specifically, how influential my work might have been — not from a money-making perspective — but to instead help people cope with their challenges, understand the difficulties they will surely encounter, and think of ideas to overcome them. This reflection stems from a conversation I had recently with a Latino man who has experienced life-long marginalization at work and in his personal life because of who he is. His story sounded a lot like what I have experienced throughout my personal life and working career.
As you can probably tell by looking at me, I am a mixed-race Latino male. My given name is Mario Luis Emiliani. An odd name, a different face, and eclectic interests. In my professional life — industry, academia, and Lean-world — I have had these experiences:

- Despite have more industry work (and management) experience than any other full-time academic specializing in Lean, I am labeled as “theoretical” in mindset and teaching method, while my research and writing labeled as “theory.”
- My work, always informed by the genba, is false claimed to be devoid of the genba.
- Get badgered about the adequacy of my industry (and Lean) work experience in relation to my academic research, as well as the subject and tone of my writing.
- My work to understand Lean is labeled as “counterproductive.” I have been told I should remove some of my books from the market.
- When I was a keynote conference speaker, I invariably had dinner alone, though sometimes with the nice people whose job it was to plan the conferences. This happened even the times when I paid to be a conference sponsor.
- Told that I am an embarrassment with widely unfavorable reputation.
- Not invited to work parties
- Overlooked or excluded from partnership and business opportunities.
- Singled out for criticism for doing the same things that other people do.
- My work, findings, and opinions are overlooked, discounted, dismissed, ignored, or denied validation.
- Others seek to make me invisible and isolated.
- People are quick to give me unsolicited advice as to what I should or should not do, how I should or should not behave, what I should or should not say, and what I should or should not write.
- People feel the need to remind me of their standards for fealty, etiquette, and decorum.
- People treat me like a novice in fields that I have been engaged with for decades.
- Held to a much higher standard of performance compared to my peer managers.
- Consistently left off the boss’s holiday gift list.
- Lesser works than mine have been promoted and heralded as significant contributions by industry leaders.
- Asked about my work in ways that suggest I stole ideas from someone else or was incapable of doing innovative work.
- My humanistic motivation and wholesome intentions to help others has been disbelieved, dismissed, or ridiculed.
- Hostility in the form of blistering and sustained ad hominem attacks.
- Been told, and often suggested, I should take someone’s advice because of their “status and experience.”
- Been characterized as “angry” for the same things my peers are characterized for as “passionate”
- My postings on social media have been ridiculed, as if I am the only person who “does not know how to use social media properly.”
- Lectured by anti-intellectuals on the right way to think. They also vastly misinterpret my work and happily share their mistaken views to negatively influence others.
- Lack of allies supporting my extensive work.
- And, of course, subjected to various lies and innuendo.
Overall, there is a presumption that my work is to be discounted and that it is less competent than others in the same field.
It is case of resentment borne of intellectual inferiority and moral superiority; a conscious and unconscious drive to segregate and reduce diversity of thought in service to accepted social and cognitive norms of the group. My experiences are based on assumptions about who has keener insights and who has the power to determine inclusion or exclusion; who is welcome and who is unwelcome in a field of endeavor; and who is superior and who is inferior as a human being (that’s fancy-talk for “white people feel obliged to tell me what to do”). The consistent message, delivered over more than three decades, could not be clearer.
In my personal life, I have experienced:
- People locking car doors as I walk by.
- People assume I am the lawn maintenance company worker, not the homeowner.
- People assume I am a retail store employee, not the customer.
- In many other circumstances, people have assumed I am “the help.”
- Exclusion from various social gathering and events.
- Denied common courtesy and not given full attention.
Such circumstances leaves one with few choices. I have chosen to transform the insults and jarring experiences into empowerment, focus, and workmanship; to continue the groundbreaking work that I do and defend my work, and my being, when necessary. Nevertheless, I continue to recommend the good work of my unsupportive peers to other people who ask about it. This includes, but is not limited to, the twenty people shown in the above image.
Finally, I would like those who have an interest in my work to know that I am deeply grateful for your support. It’s been more of a challenge to do what I do than you may have imagined. Thank you.
In my book Management Mysterium, I wrote (p. 59-60):
Diversity also exists on the grounds of a superstition in which women, people of color, and people with different sexual orientations are hired for better representation in thinking and decision-making. Yet, a common experience among the diverse is continued exclusion under the banner of inclusion. Their presence may be valued in terms of appearance, a metric, or other score, but their contributions in the form of thinking differently are not. Traditional modes of thinking and doing, reflective of top leadership, means diverse viewpoints coming from people who look different are often not listened to, particularly when it comes to making important decisions. Diversity is more decorous or symbolic, rather than seen by leaders as producing a material advantage towards improved business efficiency and greater success. The ceremonial text (playbook) for success in business was established long ago, and diversity remains absent. As such, diversity, as it is presently practiced, occupies the spiritual realm.
Management Mysterium, by Bob Emiliani, April 2020
Overall, that has been my experience.

Hi Bob,
Thank you for being so transparent and sharing your experiences. I would never have thought you would be treated like that. Your work must be touching people’s nerves otherwise they wouldn’t be talking that way. I have never thought of you that way and will always be an avid supporter and promoter of your work. I am thankful that you have persevered as I find your work very well done, helpful and thought provoking. As Lean professionals we are obligated to challenge the status quo.
Please continue the great work!!
Hello Bob, I’m so intrigued on your note above. As you can see Im a follower.
I am not only female, mexican HR professional that has challenged at my scale the mercantilist way that Lean has been evolved…Im not at all at the scale you are, however I’m in sympathy and empathyc on how you describe your own journey.
I wish you always very best, as business culture requires today more than ever simple ways to achieve excellence.
Warm regards
Bob, as an Ex Toyota person, with 300 clients under my belt introducing Lean Leadership as a Way to improve performance through problem solving and thus developing people, I have found your inspiring.
Thank you.
Those of us who read all sources value their writings. From Latin America, Argentina, we also see that only what happens in Japan or the United States is seen as a source of experience, and little is said about other places or the importance of culture in improvements is undervalued. In Latin America, opinions are also valued by place of origin, not by experience or ability. We greatly appreciate your books and notes. They are significantly more comprehensive than the rest of the improvement literature. Sorry for the level of English 🙂
Dear Professor Emiliani, Currently reading your second book. Many still on the to-read-list. Participated in one webinar. Been fortunate to complete an hour of extremely interesting and uplifting Skype chat in person with you. Even though I still wish some of what you are writing isn’t true. I still remind myself that I’ve experienced it and want to be a part of the team that keep hustling to promote respect for people and “Real Lean”! For me, you are a mentor. You are one who has walked before. Keep it up!
Best regards,
Joacim
Dear Bob,
I have always seen your mind and your mind alone. And it is surely brilliant. Keep on doing what you can for us others to open our minds to so far locked compartments. It is so needed. I have said it before and say it again; you are FREE THINKER. Oh, how we need those in this world of ours… Thank you…
Respectful Regards Gunnar
I’d like to thank everyone for their comments. I truly appreciate it.
A comment via LinkedIn Messaging:
I appreciated the candor of your recent post inclusion, representation and the struggle to be treated fairly and respectfully in a field that prides itself on “respect for people”.
Bob, Every significant change leader succeeded despite huge challenges, confrontation and resistance. They were all pushing against the status quo and popular thinking. Persistence always wins through. Keep it up Bob, eventually we will get there!!
Most sociopath elitists consider themselves the chosen ones that see it as a humanity step backwards to intermingle with the great unwashed. By the time most lean practitioners work up the ranks to become bold enough to ask for involvement, they are dismissed while the position is openned to someone else. I challenge you to go onto any job posting website such as Linkedin, Indeed, etc and look at the responsibilities outlined. You commonly see implement tools to cut costs in the descriptions. For this reason, we are all marginalized. For the few that have made it early on they were blessed by those willing to spend the big bucks to bring in the early Japanese pioneer sensei to develop people slowly and professionally. Unfortunately they are very few and they are the outsiders. Bob, your writings are as if you followed me around throughout my career and spot on!