What is the future of Lean management when some of its leading proponents construct an alternate reality in which Lean transformation processes are claimed to be fail-safe? Perhaps Lean is unlike anything else in existence, given to us fully formed by its creator, and, in some magical or occult way, … [Read more...] about Lean Can’t Fail!
Lean Graft Incompatibility
Here is a practical way to understand how Lean management usually fails to take hold in brownfield organizations that have for years been governed by classical management thinking and practice.Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby two plants are joined together to allow the graft to grow … [Read more...] about Lean Graft Incompatibility
System T and Lean
The two major forms of progressive management practice that emerged over last 100-plus years both struggled to survive. Why does today's form of progressive management, Lean management -- something with proven benefits and so much potential to do good for humanity -- struggle to survive against the … [Read more...] about System T and Lean
The Bad Boy of Lean
"A real irony is that ‘respect for people’ requires that people feel the pain of critical feedback." — Akio ToyodaYes, that's me; the Bad Boy of Lean, el chico malo de Lean. I am an irritant to some Lean movement leaders because I freely challenge their work. As a result, I have a bad … [Read more...] about The Bad Boy of Lean
The Shingo Experiment
In early January 2019, I decided to conduct an experiment to test if a great advocate of human and technical progress is just that, or if it is more comfortable with the status quo. My new book, The Triumph of Classical Management Over Lean Management: How Tradition Prevails and What to Do About It, … [Read more...] about The Shingo Experiment
Where Scientific Thinking Lives and Dies
For many years now, there has been a great emphasis in the Lean movement on the development of problem-solving skills. Specifically, teaching people how to think scientifically through the use of PDCA, kata, coaching, etc. Typically, the target audience for training in scientific thinking is … [Read more...] about Where Scientific Thinking Lives and Dies
Profoundly Antagonistic Systems
One of W. Edwards Deming's great accomplishments was his creation of the "System of Profound Knowledge" (read more details here). The System of Profound Knowledge (SoPK) is described in Deming's book, The New Economics. In its most basic terms, SoPK is a framework designed to enable progress in the … [Read more...] about Profoundly Antagonistic Systems
Lean is an Intangible Asset
For the last 30 years, our eyes have told us this truth: There is a strong consensus of opinion among CEOs that if any of Lean is to be adopted, it is solely its tools. CEOs have expressed little interest in adopting Lean as a comprehensive system of management to replace Classical Management. This … [Read more...] about Lean is an Intangible Asset
Truth Has Consequences
A fundamental feature of Toyota’s management system (and its derivative, Lean management) is the search for the truth. Why? In order to make real improvement – versus merely the appearance of improvement – one must know what is actually happening. And herein lies a problem: People often do not want … [Read more...] about Truth Has Consequences