The Next Generation Lean Leader

In the previous edition of my Newsletter, I discussed the question of whether we're in a Post-Lean world (Article Link ), one that has gone beyond a bastardised version of the Toyota Production System, and has entered into a new era of Lean Leadership , an approach to running an organisation with a philosophy of Kaizen, built upon a solid foundation of people engagement.

But the question that it then poses is, what does a new era of Lean Leadership, and the next generation Lean Leader , look like?

In the previous article I introduced the three Lean Leadership models that I use, that collectively provide the know how that a Lean Leader needs to Lead it - Do it - Live it.

These three models are:

• The Lean Leadership Model
• The Simplicity Model
• The BTFA Model (Created by David Bovis, M. npn )

The next generation Lean Leader is one who is able to inculcate these models into their daily lives in an effective way that enhances who they are and is complementary to what has made them successful thus far.

In the spirit of my third book, it's about:

Changing how you lead, not who you are.

To teach this to leaders, I utilise the three models and guide them through the application of that thinking, which essentially covers 5 foundations that are integral to the philosophy:

1. Leadership Philosophy & Culture

A leader has an obligation to enable the vision, mission, objectives and values of the organisation. To do this they must role model the expected behaviours and drive the execution of the business strategy.

To achieve the Leader needs:

• A long-term, purposeful, vision.
• Hoshin Kanri to drive focussed execution.
• The Kaizen Event Planning Process running effectively.
• An organisational structure properly designed and executed upon.

2. Activist Leadership

Creating and maintaining the habits of successful Lean leadership requires a leader who generates a level of stability that enables the freedom to innovate. It's essentially a dichotomy between utilising standards to provide predictability and consistency, which in turn frees up time for people to be creative.

The leader must enable and empower their people, coaching them to become autonomous in how they deliver their results and to do so they need to have in place:

• Leader Standard Work driving the right behaviours and support to the team members.
• Kamishibai (layered process audits) ensuring that problems are uncovered and solved.
• Kata coaching to develop the problem solving skills of the team members.

3. Workplace Excellence

A visual workplace, that immediately displays the performance status, is crucial and this must be created by having both the right measures of performance and high visuality.

To achieve this, the leader must ensure that:

• 5S is making the workplace highly effective and visual.
• A visual environment, with the right metrics, ensuring that performance is immediately clear.

The Next Generation Lean Leadership Training Course - Download the brochure and reserve a place here.

4. Daily Management & Problem Solving

One of the core responsibilities of a Leader is to ensure that the business is operating effectively and delivering its customers' requirements on-time, at the right quality and cost. They must also ensure, first and foremost, that their people are safe and engaged. When there are problems, they must ensure that the teams can solve those problems rapidly and sustainably, and to make this happen require:

• Daily Management driving performance.
• Using data and metrics to manage the performance.
• Rapid Problem Solving in place, with the right support and escalation in place to quickly respond.
• Teams that are ‘making the news’, not reporting it.

5. Creating the Kaizen Culture

A Kaizen Culture is something that one will observe in any excellent organisation. It is a culture in which everyone has the authority and the expectation to solve problems and improve their processes every day.

The Leader must therefore promote the following:

• A Kaizen culture involving everyone in solving everyday problems and implementing improvements.
• Both safety and process issues are rapidly resolved.
• Knowledge sharing drives rapid adoption.
• Leading an army of problem solvers.

I'll be teaching and coaching this Leadership approach in True North Excellence's 2-Day Next Generation Lean Leader on the 1st and 2nd May in Coventry, UK.

Interested to learn more about Leading with Lean? Then click on one of the links below:

The Leading with Lean Academy Brochure.

Subscribe to the Newsletter: Subscribe

• Leading Lean by Living Lean: Changing how you lead, not who you are
• The Simplicity of Lean: Defeating Complexity, Delivering Excellence
• Leading with Lean: An experience-based guide to Leading a Lean Transformation

Visit?my Website at: LeadingwithLean and?my other LinkedIn posts may be found at this link .

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