Changes and improvements which both your employees and accountants* love.
* Provided, your accountants also understands the real power of True Lean.
What a healthy and effective (True Lean) organization looks like
When the now retired mister Isao Yoshino started as a management trainee at Toyota in 1966, one of his first jobs was mixing car paints from components.
He was instructed* how to mix the paint components by his supervisor. After the training, he was left alone to perform his job.
Some time later there were complaints that the car paint was not drying. His supervisor went to mister Yoshino and rather than resorting to blame, his supervisor approached him with humility, acknowledging a potential oversight in his instruction.
In a normal organization, if the supervisor would have figured out the problem in the first place, he’d tell the employee not to use the wrong can! This would go into the daily report as “Discussed with the employee and problem solved”.
Not so at Toyota! What followed next was a testament to Toyota’s ethos of continuous improvement. Together, they delved into the root causes, uncovering a simple yet transformative solution. Then they tested and verified the countermeasures and updated the standardized work instructions, where they also included the reason why they made the change**.
This anecdote underscores the power of fostering a blame-free, psychologically safe environment, the cornerstone of Toyota’s leadership principles. By embracing respect for people, continuous improvement and meticulous attention to detail, Toyota ensures individual proficiency and cultivates a culture of collective excellence.
This sounds so simple, but it only works when you know how to create the right business culture
and how to avoid many commonly accepted business practices and policies that prevent Lean.
* Thanks to Katie Anderson who interviewed mister Isao Yoshino.
Image by ipic.ai
* TWI = Training within Industry. On the Job training based on 3 principles: Job Relations (blame free, psychologically safe), Job Methods (continuous improvement), Job Instructions (on the job training based on current best practices/work instructions)
** This is often skipped, as the reason seems obvious at the time, but without a description why this was done, you can’t question if an old process step is still required.
*** Reputation, support calls, recall of products, etc. Not knowing what is required to produce high quality products, and trying to achieve this through quality inspections, is why most companies think that high quality is expensive. True Lean shows us that high quality is cheaper and it results in happier employees.
** This is often skipped, as the reason seems obvious at the time, but without a description why this was done, you can’t question if an old process step is still required.
*** Reputation, support calls, recall of products, etc. Not knowing what is required to produce high quality products, and trying to achieve this through quality inspections, is why most companies think that high quality is expensive. True Lean shows us that high quality is cheaper and it results in happier employees.
Happiness is not the absence of problems,
it's your ability to deal with them
Learn how to effectively lead your True Lean transformation
Unlocking the Power of True Lean Leadership
A True Lean Transformation is probably the most monumental and important change that will happen in your organization. As a leader, you play an absolute pivotal role in guiding this transformation. Understanding the True Lean principles, impact, and challenges for both yourself and your team is vital. This is a journey you cannot delegate or outsource. You must lead from the front, albeit with the support of external expertise.
Enter our multi-day interactive “True Lean workshop for organizational leaders.”* Tailored to your organization’s unique needs, this workshop offers a deep dive into the fundamentals of True Lean with hands-on exercises and real-world experience, empowering you to apply your newfound knowledge directly within your workplace.
Drawing from over 30 years of experience across various organizational roles (from employee to CEO) and in various types of business, our workshop shines a spotlight on the critical role of leadership in driving True Lean excellence. As an organizational leader, you’ll learn to champion the transition to True Lean, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, trust and empowerment among your team.
Crucially, we address the perplexing phenomenon where “Lean” initiatives often yield lackluster results or even chaos. By unraveling the underlying principles and debunking common misconceptions, you’ll gain clarity on how to navigate this transformative journey successfully.
But that’s not all. We also shine a light on the subtle yet pervasive pitfalls lurking within traditional organizational practices. From outdated traditional business policies to harmful HR protocols or accounting*** rules, these unseen barriers can derail even the most well-intentioned Lean initiatives. By recognizing and addressing these obstacles head-on, you’ll steer clear of the pitfalls that trap many organizations.
Enter our multi-day interactive “True Lean workshop for organizational leaders.”* Tailored to your organization’s unique needs, this workshop offers a deep dive into the fundamentals of True Lean with hands-on exercises and real-world experience, empowering you to apply your newfound knowledge directly within your workplace.
Drawing from over 30 years of experience across various organizational roles (from employee to CEO) and in various types of business, our workshop shines a spotlight on the critical role of leadership in driving True Lean excellence. As an organizational leader, you’ll learn to champion the transition to True Lean, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, trust and empowerment among your team.
Crucially, we address the perplexing phenomenon where “Lean” initiatives often yield lackluster results or even chaos. By unraveling the underlying principles and debunking common misconceptions, you’ll gain clarity on how to navigate this transformative journey successfully.
But that’s not all. We also shine a light on the subtle yet pervasive pitfalls lurking within traditional organizational practices. From outdated traditional business policies to harmful HR protocols or accounting*** rules, these unseen barriers can derail even the most well-intentioned Lean initiatives. By recognizing and addressing these obstacles head-on, you’ll steer clear of the pitfalls that trap many organizations.
* Complete with interactive sessions and practical homework assignments between workshop sessions.
** True Lean refers to the holistic approach rooted in the principles of continuous improvement and respect for people. Unlike the superficial, tool-based implementations prevalent in many organizations, True Lean emphasizes cultural transformation and organizational excellence.
*** Some generally accepted methods like Cost Accounting are NOT GAAP-compliant, but are nevertheless used.
** True Lean refers to the holistic approach rooted in the principles of continuous improvement and respect for people. Unlike the superficial, tool-based implementations prevalent in many organizations, True Lean emphasizes cultural transformation and organizational excellence.
*** Some generally accepted methods like Cost Accounting are NOT GAAP-compliant, but are nevertheless used.
Employees are not your problem, they are your solution.
Interested in learning more?
Want to learn more on how you can reduce your employee attrition rate and sick days due to stress and accidents? Want to Improve the spirit, health and well-being of your employees whilst at the same time improving quality, reducing cost and improving lead time? Don’t hesitate to call or write. You will find the contact information here, or on the contact page.
Essentrium, Rembrandtlaan 27, 6881CP Velp the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce Nr.: 59376023 Tax Nr. NL001190095B55