The Lean Global Healthcare Initiative recently came out with a white paper titled "5 Guiding Principles to Transform Healthcare." Its purpose is to accelerate the 10 years that it takes to "reshape management systems and leadership behaviors" given the "pressing issues facing the industry today: … [Read more...] about Critique of “5 GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO TRANSFORM HEALTHCARE”
Energizing the Lean Movement
In America and elsewhere, many people look to the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) and its global network for leadership in the long fight to advance Lean management. People look to these organizations for new ideas and as inspiration to carry forward progressive management and progressive … [Read more...] about Energizing the Lean Movement
What If….?
Some three decades ago when Lean came to the fore, various assumptions were made about business and leadership. What if those assumptions were wrong? For example, what if business is not all about money-making? What if the true nature of executive leadership was misunderstood? If the assumptions … [Read more...] about What If….?
Dr. Emiliani’s No’s for Lean
Many of you have heard Art Byrne say: "about 95 percent of all lean conversions fail." To that I'll add: "about 95 percent of all CEOs don't care about Lean." Despite our awareness of these long odds, I, like most Lean practitioners, continue to look for opportunities to promote Lean in my workplace … [Read more...] about Dr. Emiliani’s No’s for Lean
The Lean Whiners
For a number of years, I have faced displeasure from some of the big names in Lean-world for my writings about Lean leadership and Lean management. These people, a core of ten or so in number (likely more), are mostly American, but some hail from other lands. My fundamental position in research and … [Read more...] about The Lean Whiners
Lean Anguish
Lately I've been speaking to many people from around the world about Lean leadership and Lean management. The conversations were very interesting and I have learned a lot. A common theme was that people are frustrated in their efforts to advance Lean in their organization. Some are doing well … [Read more...] about Lean Anguish
Lean’s Crumbling Foundation
The intellectual foundation of Lean management was built decades ago at a time when business reigned supreme. It was an engrossing mania. Celebrity CEOs, more charismatic than competent, fed everyone a steady diet of hype and spin. The focus was on quarterly earnings, growth, and, of course, the … [Read more...] about Lean’s Crumbling Foundation
What is Lean’s Future?
COVID-19, like all emergencies, commands people to focus on shrinking the time from order to delivery. People quickly remove all the barriers to getting the job done. They eliminate bad processes and steps in processes and get rid of queue time to get material and information to flow. And we see … [Read more...] about What is Lean’s Future?
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