Management Commitment to
Lean
Dewey Warden
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Lean Objectives
Why are you here?
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Lean Objectives
What do you want to learn the most while you
are here?
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Lean Objectives
Where do you spend most of your time today?
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Lean Objectives
Lean Management Systems
Exercise
Time allocation
– % __Future growth for the company
– % __Opportunities for improvements
% __ Proactive
% __ Reactive
– % __Day-to-day operations
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Lean Objectives
If you continue to do the same things today that
you did yesterday you will continue to get the
same things tomorrow.
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Lean Objectives
Where are you in your lean implementation?
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Lean Objectives
What are your companies’ objectives?
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Lean Objectives
Make sure you discuss objectives with
management
Consider Strategic Intent and Overarching Goals
– Increase shareholder value?
– Increase cash flow?
– Increase market share?
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Lean Objectives
Financial measures alone are not enough
– Increase quality levels?
– Increase employee satisfaction?
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Lean Objectives
Strategic Learning
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Improve material flow?
Improve the information flow?
Improve decision making processes?
Improve problem-solving processes?
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Let’s Talk About…
Management’s commitment
– What do you think are some of the issues you will run into
implementing change?
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Try This…
Fold your arms naturally
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Try This…
Now reverse how you are folding your arms…
– How does that feel?
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Try This…
Fold your hands and clasp your fingers together
naturally
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Try This…
Now reverse how you are folding your hands
and clasping your fingers…
– How does that feel?
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Management Commitment
You are going to run into resistance
– Be patient
Keep an open mind, going to hear...
– “That’s a lousy idea!”
– “We tried that 20 years ago.”
– “Everything is just fine now. Why change it?”
Source: Productivity press
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Management Commitment
Encourage not discourage
– Encourage people to think about new methods
– Don’t expect perfection
Discouraging criticism can slow down progress
50% improvement is good improvement
Source: Productivity press
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Management Commitment
Lean should not to be used as a motivational
campaign
Motivational campaigns do not change cultures
Continuous improvement changes cultures
– Use the quality process to continually improve and correct
problems and mistakes quickly
Source: Productivity press
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Management Commitment
Continuous improvement should become part of
a company’s culture
That has to be led by management
– That means leading by example
– People watch management’s behaviors and actions
Any loss of improvement efforts is a loss of
management’s credibility as well
Source: Productivity press
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Management Commitment
Be prepared to provide the necessary resources
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Provide the people
Provide the time
Provide the materials
Provide the patience
Source: Productivity press
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Logistics of Change
Define the current state
Define the future state
Determine opportunities for improvement
Create the environment for change
Monitor the progress and celebrate success
Begin again
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Change agent
Catalyst
Responsible for managing change
– Making change routine
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Change agent characteristics
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Strong communicator
Tuned in to the environment
Flexible
Imaginative
Empathetic
Firm but friendly
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Change agent skills
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Risk taking
Political skills
Analytical skills
People skills
System skills
Business skills
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Change is about people
– Champion
Recent management studies show that the number one contributor
to strong change is to have visible support from management and a
champion.
– Sponsor
Money, funding, resources
– Advocate
Somebody out there selling for change
– Informal change agents
Support network at all levels of the company, powerful strategy for
introducing change
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Change is about people
– They want to hear the message of change from…
Upper management, strategic impact
Lower management, tactical implications
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Reasons for resistance
– Lack of awareness
– Comfort with current way
– Fear of the unknown
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Key ways to introduce change
– Rational approach with information, incentives, training
– Coercive approach, exercise authority
– Evolution
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Arm wrestling exercise
– Winner gets two candy bars
Source: Villanova University
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Logistics of Change
Effecting personal change
– Break up into small groups
– Brainstorm
What do you need to change to improve your communications?
How can you go about effecting those changes?
How can you monitor your progress?
– Report back to the class your results.
Source: Villanova University
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Lean Advocates
Knowledge, be informed, prepare
Body language
Choice of words
Active listening
Communicate interest
Avoid dominance
Silence is powerful
Source: Villanova University
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Lean Advocates
Confirm goals
Ask questions
Interview and do not interrogate
Verify agreement
Identify nonnegotiable terms
Separate people from the process
Formalize agreements
Source: Villanova University
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Lean Advocates
To create change you have to use all those skills
and more
You are in for a big change yourself
Stay positive
Be persistent
Use your stick-to-it-tiveness
Most of all be patient
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