LET'S PLAY "LET'S MAKE A LEAN DEAL!"

“Hello, and welcome to this week’s edition of “Let’s Make a LEAN DEAL”, where three contestants will compete to receive a LEAN transformation for their company. I’m your host, Demings Catchball, and let’s meet our contestants.’

"Contestant Number 1 – state your name, and what you do, and what you would do with a LEAN Transformation."

"Hi, Demings. My name is Max Stockpile, and I’m an executive in the Production Department. I’ve got a bunch of underutilized machines I want to turn around so we can get our inventory back up.”

“Thanks for that, Max. However, you know that LEAN doesn’t promote creation of inventory. LEAN processes ensure efficient flow, so that quality products are delivered on-time with a minimum of stored inventory”.

“Really, Demings? I thought LEAN was about eliminating waste, and we have some really wasteful processes that keeps us from making more products.”

"Let’s hear from Contestant Number 2."

"Hey, Demings. My name is Nick Staff, and I’m an executive in the Operations Department. We have a bloated workforce, so I’m anxious to apply LEAN to get rid of some heads and reduce our cost structure."

“Thanks for sharing, Nick. However, what you’re describing is Cost-Cutting, not LEAN. LEAN is about doing more with the same resources – Cost-Cutting is producing the same with fewer heads.”

“What was that, Demings? I was figuring up some more cost reductions.”

"Let’s hear from Contestant Number 3."

"Hello, Demings. My name is Dawn NewDay. I’m a front-line operator in an assembly cell. I want a LEAN transformation so that I and my colleagues can apply LEAN methodologies and Continuous Improvement to improve overall quality and productivity."

"Sounds like a great goal, Dawn. I think you understand how LEAN should be applied and the starting point for any LEAN transformation is at the operator level."

"Great – let’s get ready to play, “Let’s make a LEAN DEAL.” You’ll see on the game board that the solution to today’s puzzle consists of 3 words, with some of the letters filled in. The winner will be the one who fills in the missing letters correctly."

"The hint for today’s puzzle is, “What is the starting point for any LEAN Transformation?”

(The game board displayed the following: ????R _ S _ _ _ T????_ O R????_ _ O _ L _ )

"Contestant 1. Max – What is your guess as to the correct answer?”

“I’m going with RESMELT NOR GHOULS."

"I’m sorry, Max, that’s incorrect."

"Contestant 2. Nick – what is your guess?

“I’m going to try RESHIFT YOUR KNOLLY”.

"I’m sorry, Nick, that's also an incorrect answer."

"Contestant 3. Dawn – do you think you have the right answer?

“Is it “RESPECT FOR PEOPLE”, Demings?

“Yes it is! Congratulations, Dawn – RESPECT FOR PEOPLE is the right answer! Let’s see what you’ve won.

• An all-expenses paid trip to Genba,
• 1000 copies of “The Toyota Way”,
• A year’s supply of Kaizen, and
• A brand new cell alignment to optimize Flow!

“Oh, Demings, this is so wonderful! I can’t wait to share this with my team and we can start our LEAN journey. Thank you so much. This is going to be a great start to engage our staff and start our path towards Continuous Improvement.”

While this was satire, my point is that too many companies treat their LEAN Transformation like a game show:

• There’s your ever smiling host (executive) driving hype and promising big prizes (results)
• There’s a big promotion with posters and announcements and grand statements.
• LEAN participants are hand-picked like contestants from the audience
• New games (kaizens/projects) are hyped as a path to great prizes (productivity, quality, efficiency, etc.)

And yet, too often little thought is given to the critical need to first establish a RESPECT FOR PEOPLE culture so that the LEAN methodology is endemic, and all employees are educated, engaged and empowered. All employees have a voice and a role in Continuous Improvement, including those marginalized as "malcontents" and "disruptors" because they don't toe to the status quo. (Often these employees are where the game-changing sources of change and innovation come from.)

To be successful, LEAN transformation and Continuous Improvement must be treated as a never-ending ?odyssey that includes the entire workforce, and not just a project to improve results over the next few quarters.

My thanks to Mark DeLuzio and Colleen Soppelsa for the inspiration for this article. I hope you enjoyed it.