Create a “Continuous Improvement Machine”
"Lean is a transformation that builds toward a continuous improvement culture, not just a 'program' that's designed to make tactical gains. Lean can certainly help as a short-term tactical tool,…
Seven Benefits from Following Standards
Companies that are serious about the Lean Business Culture standardize everything they can. The most important things to standardize are are the procedures we use to create value for our…
Sustainable Competitive Advantage
It's easy to think that standards REDUCE creativity. One of the big surprises in Lean is the exact opposite: when used rightly, standards INCREASE creativity and flexibility. They do so…
What Happens When You Keep Improving?
When you keep improving the same process over and over, it keeps getting better. Leading the Lean Enterprise Transformation (2nd Ed.) by George Koenigsaecker (CRC Press, 2013) pp. 48-53
Everyone Has Two Responsibilities
"In a Lean environment, the expectation is that everyone has two responsibilities. The first is to run your part of the business--even if that is only a single workstation--on a…
What is “Continuous Improvement?”
"Continuous improvement means getting better every day and is the driver for building a sustainable enterprise. Only those at the gemba [where the work is done] can understand the problems…
An Atmosphere of Continuous Learning
"The Toyota Way can be briefly summarized through the two pillars that support it: 'Continuous Improvement' and 'Respect for People.' Continuous improvement, often called kaizen, defines Toyota's basic approach to…
What Kind of BRAIN do I Need?
My last few posts have focused on the role of "thinking" in Lean. I've said that the core of it is "THINKING People." In the Lean Business Culture, we don't…
Daily Problem-Solving Process
"Without a practical and continuous problem-solving process that is used on a daily basis, there will be a gap in any company’s lean transformation." Toyota Culture by Jeffrey Liker &…
An Army of Problem-Solvers
"For any company pursuing any form of improvement, problem-solving is vital. An organization with only pockets of problem-solving ability will struggle in the long run. An organization with an army…