Having traveled extensively the past 2 months touring hither and yon, I have been exposed to a myriad of orgs. in various stages of their Lean journey. What good you may ask does it do for one to travel and look. Well cowpokes, for one it gives yourself a comparison. Yeah, yeah we can read all the books we want, look at youtube videos from various individuals, go to seminars, etc... Yet if we can't compare ourselves to something it is at times hard to see where one is in their journey.
Look at it like this buckaroos, Lean people love to teach and talk. I've discovered this in my various travels and conversations with individuals at the top of the mountain, all the way down to the bottom of the valley. Once you are bitten by the Lean bug and start to make improvements, we love to teach others. It is this sense of community which binds us all together out here on the range.
I visited a midwest org who has started their journey now for the 6th time. This was told to me by the owner of the org and his senior team. I asked the question we all ask, "What are you doing to sustain and build your culture?" Yes, that is a question from Yoda and I'll give her all the credit. The individual told me, "We are engaging our people...." I was privileged enough to go on the floor to their morning meeting. I stretched with them, participated in their discussion of the deadly wastes, and observed how engaged the employees were. These individuals understood that a Lean culture truly is a learning culture. People were given time to recognize acts of those who went above and beyond the prior week, coupled with individuals given time to demo an improvement via projected on a white screen on the shop floor. Even their team area was marked accordingly and was re-purposed after the meeting to return to manufacturing space. Spending the day with this cadre of individuals on the floor had me smiling from ear to ear. Why? That org. understood the People, Process, Culture components which are needed to move forward and sustain a Lean environment.
I also visited an org that was just starting their journey. Management was still working on the "buy in" and "selling" phases of bringing Lean into their org. The conversation with the operations manager was interesting. He spoke of belt certifications, and all sorts of stuff. I for one don't feel a belt gives one credibility anymore than a drivers license tells me that you are Nascar material. It just states you went thru a module of training. It doesn't mean you can interpret it, implement it, teach it, mentor individuals, coach individuals *yes there is a difference*, nor have a true grasp of what you have learned any more than having a drivers license and going thru a 2 day driving course gives you the skill set to operate at a level in which you could win a race at Daytona. It just states you were there and can regurgitate. That isn't critical thinking, and that is what one wants to develop in their people, critical thinkers who solve problems. When we focus on the bells and whistles, belts, precious metal "rankings" etc.... it is easy to lose focus of what we are doing. I'm not saying it is all bad, I am stating that rank doesn't prove real world competence. We call that, "All hat and no cattle".
There were other orgs that I visited in various stages of their journey. With various thoughts about what Lean was, how to implement it, what to do about those who hate it, the history of it, all sorts of good conversation. One thing I picked up from the early adopters who get it and understand the value of developing their people, they do not let their mind become that steel bear trap that has rusted shut. They are always open and willing to discuss ideas. There isn't any secret spell or silver bullet here, it boils back down to People, Process and Culture.
I'd like to thank everyone for dropping by my campfire. It wasn't out, I was out on the range benchmarking what we have done and talking to other Lean practitioners and implementers vs. speaking with the academics and theorists. I love the academics and theorists for they are the visionaries, but when we saddle up and go to town it is the practitioner who takes the vision and makes it happen. Happy trails and I'll see you soon.
