Everyone in the Lean community knows the case for Lean management. Most of my books and research papers strongly support the case for Lean, based on the facts. But, as Art Byrne says: "about 95 percent of all lean conversions fail." Why is that? And why aren't most CEOs interested in Lean? It's … [Read more...] about The Case Against Lean
The Back Story – Management Mysterium
This is the back story to the book Management Mysterium. Management Mysterium is a follow-on to The Triumph of Classical Management Over Lean Management (2018) and Irrational Institutions (2020). It adds to this body of work by examining invisible aspects of leadership and management … [Read more...] about The Back Story – Management Mysterium
Lean and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a lot of business leaders to re-think many things, from paid sick leave to health insurance for all to the shortening of supply lines reducing dependence on globalized supply and the wisdom of spending cash on share buy-backs. One thing is for sure, all of this will … [Read more...] about Lean and COVID-19
Narrow Thinking, Narrow Results
Mark Graban recently wrote a blog post that reflects the current thinking of many Lean movement leaders and influences: "It’s Hard to Ask Leaders to Change the System in Which They’ve Risen and Excelled." The "system" in question is the management system and culture of the company or companies that … [Read more...] about Narrow Thinking, Narrow Results
The Problem Lean May Never Overcome
The image at right shows the problem that Lean, as well as its predecessor systems of progressive management, has been unable to overcome and may never overcome: The inability to displace de jure -- except in rare cases, and for only a limited time. Sooner or later, de … [Read more...] about The Problem Lean May Never Overcome