Lean Management Implementation

: Systematic Approach

Lean Management:
Lean vs Traditional
Most American companies follow the
WWII style of leadership, often called
Command and Control:
Leaders establish company vision and
strategy
Leaders create rules that govern employee
behavior
Leaders solve problems that arise
Workers do the work that they are hired to
do

Lean Management:
Lean vs Traditional

Lean Management:
Lean vs Traditional
Lean companies require a hybrid form of
leadership (upside down triangle):
Leaders still establish company vision and strategy
Leaders assume the role of supporting/guiding the
REAL experts, the workers, in solving
problems/driving improvement toward the vision
Innovation and problem solving work is not only
encouraged, but required of every employee
Although decision making is pushed to the lowest
levels of the company, the balance of empowerment
and discipline are maintained with a collaborative &
scientific decision making process

Lean Management:
Lean vs Traditional

Leading a Lean
Transformation
Step 1: Create Momentum for a
different paradigm
Pick a small area to begin improving
Make sure its in a visible/public place
CELEBRATE the success as a Kick-Off
event

Leading a Lean
Transformation
Step 2: Keep the Faith!
Someone has to lead the charge and keep the work
moving
Focus on processes, NOT people
Make Lean a part of everyday conversation
Hold regular events such as training, improvement
events, meetings (shorter the better). Regular efforts to
improve processes must become a large part of what
you do.
Never miss an opportunity to celebrate a success no
matter how small! This doesnt have to be a party, but
improvement must be recognized and celebrated
appropriately.

Leading a Lean
Transformation
Step 3: Empower!
For a Lean transformation to take hold, you must
immediately begin empowering your people with
a system to tackle problems (as a team, of
course).
When someone sees a problem, help them use
the PDCA/A3 problem solving methodology from
the START!!
Use the A3 methodology to remove impulse and
emotion from decision making, and instill within
your team with the discipline to follow this pattern
as the way we do business

The A3/PDCA Story Board

Methodology
An A3 is a PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act/Adjust)
Story Board
It can be adjusted for the type of story being told
(quality problem, company strategy, process
problem, etc.)
Always use the four steps of Plan, Do, Check,
Act/Adjust
No exact or specific look or format
The more visual the better
FITS ON ONE PAGE!!! (its ok to use baby A3/s for
complicated stories, but these are rare)
Must flow as a story (be a visual story teller)

A3/PDCA Story Board

The A3/PDCA Story Board

Methodology
Heading Content:
What is this story about? (type of story,
size, scope, etc.)
Who is it about? (business unit,
department, team, etc.)
Who is on the team telling the story and
who is the Leader?
What time frame does it cover?

Plan Content:
What is the problem and team? (This requires a
GOOD problem statement based on DATA)
Present (or starting) conditions and any background
info required (pareto charts? histograms? Pictures?)
Analysis of the current situation:
Common tools used by the organization every time

Cause and Effect Diagras (Fishbone Diagram)

5Whys
Cause Map
Etc.

Improvement Goal (measureable results and time

bound)

Do Content:
Countermeasures put in place
Short term fixes

Long term root cause elimination

Action plans for the countermeasures
(gant chart?, who, what, where,
when)

Check Content:
Results of actions (before and after
chart validating impact)
Thats it.

Act/Adjust Content:
Adjustments made
Standardization put in place to insure
continued results (standardized work,
training, etc.)
Next target for improvement and/or
next review cycle for this issue
Any additional follow-up actions
required

Footnotes Content:
When story was completed
Who reviewed the story and signed
off on the results and standardization
What additional action (if any) needs
to take place