Making Lean STICK!
Lowell Puls
Lean / OPEX Expert, Member Board Of Directors at Indiana Manufacturers Association
Many organizations succeed with Lean. Many more fail, or at least severely under-achieve with it. What's the difference? Let's look at some of the main contributors;
Culture - Often takes the blame for a poor or failed implementation. While it's true that a companys culture plays a significant role, poor preparation and planning that doesn't take a local constituency into account certainly doesn't help. Evaluating a companies culture during the planning phase is as easy as doing an assessment, and essential to success.
Planning - How does one put together a Lean implementation plan? Evaluate the organizational objectives and performance metrics as they compare to world class competitors and address the gaps? I prefer a clear situation assessment that quantifies the current state. It helps to identify performance and operating gaps, and set targeted objectives for improvement. Our assessment looks at any environment through the lens of associate work habits (behaviors), the physical condition of the environment, and the level of lean tool implementation (if any); then sets a priority for implementation. Starting out with the right plan is the best way to bring people on board and succeed.
Associate Behaviors - How people DO their work is a critical factor in how Lean implements. If they have poor work habits forced by disconnected operations, broken flow, disorganized work areas, and poor scheduling control; these will have to be directly addressed as a part of the Lean plan. Cultures have to be motivated to change, and those changes must be facilitated by removing the root causes for those behaviors. How associates actually perform their work is a leading indicator of what needs to be addressed.
Condition of the Environment - We can take this aspect beyond simply being messy, although messiness implies a lack of organizational discipline alone that would undermine Lean anyway. An environments layout can severely prevent a good Lean result, with cross-flows, course reversals, and rework causing major disruptions. Identified in the assessment and planning phase, they can be planned for correction of worked around where required.
The Lean Tools in Use - Even if there are tools in use, the results might not be Lean. Many organizations utilize some of the Lean tools, and their levels of implementation should be taken into account in the planning phase. Good progress should be preserved while at the same time, emphasis on other tools should be increased. Successful Lean depends on the interaction of several tools - they have interdependencies. Bringing all of the applicable tools to the same level of implementation is the best way to drive massive performance improvement.
Making Lean Stick - A good Lean result doesn't rely on the implementation of one or more tools, but is the synergistic result of many tools and attention to detail in planning and execution, all the while nurturing a culture through the process of implementation. Of greatest importance; Consistency of Management! Even through turnover, the core themes of management are critical to maintain in order to facilitate the cultural shift. This is an aspect that Danaher solved with their management boot camps - training the leadership teams to support consistency of theme through implementation, faciltating the cultural changes along the way.
Consistent management, a plan for cultural adaptation, thorough deployment of the Lean tools, and careful evolution of the environment. These will help you make your Lean improvements stick. I always recommend starting with an assessment to ensure that you assemble the correct plan from the start.
Read more about it in Takt-ical Leadership!
Lowell Puls
President, Chautauqua Inc. Consultants