8 Things I Would Tell My Younger Self About The Lean Journey

Imagine you are young and just entering the workforce again.? You get a letter in the mail.? This letter changes everything for you!? It contains every word you ever wanted to hear.? Every piece of advice, every encouragement, every bit of faith in your abilities. This letter is from yourself.? The future you, stronger and wiser chose to sit down and write this valuable letter of advice for my younger self.? This future version of you knows everything that you are going to go through and knows that you need encouragement and support above all else.

Reflecting on my early days as a young production supervisor, I realize there are many lessons I've learned that would have significantly eased my journey. If I could write this letter and offer advice to my younger self, here's what I would write:

Dear Younger Me,

As I sit here reflecting on my journey from a young production supervisor to a seasoned executive lean coach, author, and professor, I realize there are many lessons I've learned that would have made your 'passion path' of continuous improvement much easier. If I could go back in time, here's what I would want to share with you:

1. Embrace the Learning Curve!

Starting out in a continuous improvement culture can be overwhelming. Lean principles and methodologies might seem complex, but don’t let this intimidate you. Take the time to learn and understand them deeply. Every bit of knowledge you gain will become a valuable tool in your problem-solving toolkit.

Flexibility of mind is going to be key. If you understand the principles and methodology deep enough, the ability to change your thoughts, actions, and the lean tools/solutions to meet the demands of a situation will be invaluable. It can help you deal with uncertainty, solve problems, and adjust to change.?

2. Value Your Team’s Input!

Your team members are your greatest asset. They have firsthand experience with the processes and often have insights that you might overlook. Encourage open communication and actively listen to their suggestions.

While unanimity may create a sense of security, it does not lead to progress. To foster growth, disruption, and innovation, your team must feel at ease expressing disagreement and contemplating diverse viewpoints within a secure setting. The actual problem lies not in arguments themselves but rather in how they are handled. There is a lot of value in disagreements. Disagreements help you better understand yourself and create the space to learn about new and different perspectives. As a result, disputes will allow you to clearly understand, learn from, and appreciate the diversity of the people around us.

3. Focus on Small Wins!

Continuous improvement is a journey, not a destination. Don’t get discouraged by the scale of changes needed. Instead, focus on achieving small, incremental improvements.

A growth mindset where continuous learning is encouraged will drive long-term improvements. Commit to a long-term direction and allow the small wins to build momentum and lead to significant transformations over time.

4. Standardize Before You Optimize!

Before you can improve a process, ensure it is standardized. Consistent processes are easier to analyze and improve. Standard work lays the foundation for identifying inefficiencies and implementing effective improvements. And...standard work applies not just to those closest to the value-add work, it also applies to you as a leader. Commit yourself to some form of leader standard work early on in your career. Learn the art of time blocking and ensure you have standardized your committed to daily management; gemba walks, tier meetings, 1-on-1 coaching, etc.

5. Never Stop Asking "Why?"!

Do not jump directly to a solution; more than likely, your initial thought is wrong. Allow the process to guide you to the solution. The "5 Whys" technique is a powerful tool for root cause analysis. Whenever you encounter a problem, keep digging deeper by repeatedly asking "why" until you uncover the root cause. This helps prevent superficial fixes and leads to more sustainable solutions.

6. Foster a Culture of Experimentation!

Encourage your team to experiment with new ideas and solutions. Not every experiment will succeed, but each one provides valuable learning. Cultivating a safe environment for experimentation fosters innovation and continuous improvement.

7. Measure What Matters!

Data is crucial in a continuous improvement culture, but it’s essential to focus on the right metrics. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your improvement goals and track them rigorously. Use this data to make informed decisions and measure the impact of your improvements.

8. Be Patient and Persistent!

Transforming a culture and improving processes take time. There will be setbacks and challenges along the way, but don’t get discouraged. Stay patient and persistent, and remember that continuous improvement is about making steady progress over time.

Starting out in a continuous improvement culture is a challenging yet rewarding journey. By embracing these principles early on, you’ll be better equipped to lead your team to success and drive meaningful, sustainable improvements. Trust in the process, stay curious, and never stop learning. The results will speak for themselves.

Oh and one more thing...

Keep it Simple. Keep it Visual. And Continue to Improve!

With wisdom from the future,

Patrick Adams

P.S. Join us at the Global Lean Solutions Summit in September!