Lean Quote: Embrace Transparency to Involve Employees

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"The price of light is less than the cost of darkness." — Arthur Nielsen

Good leadership is all about communication, and the best leaders are completely transparent with their staff. I believe that with knowledge comes power and the more information we share the quicker with can improve.  Creating a culture of openness and free-flowing information can be a competitive advantage.  Here are three reasons you should embrace transparency:

1. Transparency helps employees connect to the why. When employees are working in a vacuum, they can't see the financial "big picture," and decisions leaders make may seem ill-advised or unfair or simply inexplicable. Transparency connects them to the why—and that understanding propels them to act. You can ask people to change their work habits and established processes all day long. But if they don't know why they're being asked to change, they won't change—at least not for long.

2. Transparency leads to faster, more efficient execution. When times are tough, execution is everything. And the ticket to good execution is good alignment: All sectors of an organization must understand exactly what's required so they act in a coordinated and collaborative fashion. Transparency is what facilitates that kind of alignment. It's all about a shared sense of urgency.

3. Transparency facilitates the best possible solutions. In transparent cultures, leaders encourage employees to solve problems themselves. And because those employees are the people closest to a problem, and because they must live with the outcome, they almost always design the most effective, efficient solution.  And, of course, they'll also have instant buy-in.

Be honest and open with your staff on matters that affect them and could ultimately put their mind at ease. It is important that you involve employees where you can with decision making to make them feel valued. As a manager, your aim is to have an open and honest working environment where your staff feels confident in coming to you with the truth about matters, whether they are big or small.

 

Leading by Example is a Trait of a True Lean Leader

One of the most important qualities of a good leader is for you to lead by example, to be a role model, to be the kind of person that everyone else looks up to and wants to be like. One of the characteristics of leaders is that they carry themselves at all times, even when no one is watching, as if everyone was watching.

For an organization to grow, the people within it also must grow. The way for leaders to bring a team to a higher standard is by committing to a greater challenge themselves. The abilities, talents and characteristics of leaders provide a larger foundation on which those around them can grow, both as individuals and as a group. By being the example of greater discipline and greater drive, a leader encourages those who follow him to adopt a higher standard as well.

Leading by example sounds easy, but few leaders are consistent with this one. Successful leaders practice what they preach and are mindful of their actions. They know everyone is watching them and therefore are incredibly intuitive about detecting those who are observing their every move, waiting to detect a performance shortfall.

All managers are teachers, and their actions determine company capability. Whether consciously or not, with their everyday words and actions all managers are teaching their people a mindset and approach.

Leaders must lead with their actions as well as their words. Leaders can effectively translate intention into reality by acting on the concepts and messages they teach and the things they say to those around them. Leadership is the act of setting the right example for those who follow. Leadership is about actively demonstrating your belief, not just talking about it. People who say one thing but do another eventually lose credibility.

Leaders are not afraid to jump into the ‘trenches’ and do some of the work themselves. They also encourage team members to take risks and support them when they do. Being a hands on manager will inspire and motivate the team to achieve greater things.

The level of involvement in Lean by the management team often shapes the Lean implementation and those who may lead it. In my experience the less knowledgeable the management about REAL Lean (Bob Emiliani’s term) the more they think of it as a set of tools the more they want you to just do it. These are the managers that are usually hands-off with Lean and want to see the short term gains to demonstrate they are improving the process. They are focused on the results and outcomes and not the means by which we achieve them. This task oriented approach to management unfortunately is only sustainable while the doer is doing.

When you “walk the talk,” your behavior becomes a catalyst for people’s trust and faith in you. And it also emphasizes what you stand for. Leading by example shows people exactly what you expect and gives them living proof that it can be done. On a deeper level, leading by example and being as good as your words builds trust. It’s a sign that you take what you say seriously so they can, too.

Lean is Not a Hunt for Waste it is a Journey to Add Value

Courtesy: http://www.allaboutlean.com/muda/

Undoubtedly, you have seen the narrow minded definition of Lean as a waste elimination tool. If you search the internet for a definition of Lean you will find many different suggestions, ranging from a few sentences to others that run many pages. Most miss the main point of Lean; they on the whole define lean as being a process of waste elimination. Unfortunately, this misses some of the major and most important parts of Lean.

It is difficult to define Lean in just a few sentences as Lean encompasses so much. To me it is:

Lean is all about respecting people while eliminating Muri (overburdening), Mura (unevenness), and Muda (non value added activity) in all business processes. It is a philosophy which embodies a culture of continuous improvement based on setting standards aimed at providing value through participation of all employees.

Lean Thinking is comprised of five fundamental principles:

1) Specify Value – End-use customer view
2) Indentify Value Stream – Activities that create value
3) Flow – Make value flow
4) Pull – Respond to customer demand
5) Perfection – Zero waste

Lean is Customer First, what is value in the eyes of the customer? What features and services does the customer want? When do they want them and what price do they want to pay? Without this information how can you design your ideal system?

This value needs to be made to flow from raw materials through to the consumer, this value stream needs to produce product at the pull of the customer. This is Just In Time manufacturing (JIT), producing what the customer wants when they want it!

Once you have the customer defined value flowing at the pull of the customer you strive for perfection, improving everything that you can about the product and process.

This is done by all within your organization, Lean values respect for people, involves everyone in the company to help meet customer value.

In some ways is could be said that Lean is more about preventing waste. By implementing the Lean principles above you identify those actions that add value and make them flow at the pull of the customer, this prevents the waste from occurring.

Lean follows a set of rules to provide value what I refer to as “Lean Rules-in-Use”:

1) Activity Rule – Specify all work to content, sequence, timing, and outcome.
2) Connection Rule – Customer-supplier connections must be direct & unambiguous.
3) Pathway Rule – Pathways for product/service must be simple & direct.
4) Improvement Rule – Improvements are made using scientific method (PDCA) at place of activity (Gemba) under the guidance of a teacher (Sensei)

If you follow this process you will not be going through a process of waste elimination and reduction but a more important process of waste prevention! So if you want to implement Lean manufacturing you must not just focus internally to impress your shareholders and make short term gains, but focus on the customer to make sustainable changes that will help your company flourish in today's world, not just struggle to survive.

If you only focus on an internally focused drive to eliminate waste, a process generally of cost reduction and labor elimination to reduce costs and increase profits, you forget the first and most important part of lean; what is value to the customer? The selfish drive to reduce costs wrongly assumes value on the part of the customer and the organization tends to become not Lean but anorexic! They remove the ability to be able to react to customer changes, to adapt when there are supplier and internal problems. Because of this companies that "have done lean" quickly revert to the way they were before the improvements, bringing back old inefficient processes to cover over other issues and rehiring the labor that they removed, Lean being put on the discard pile of management fads.

Lean Manufacturing is a business improvement philosophy that has developed over many years. Whilst Lean has a huge toolbox of tools and techniques you cannot define Lean from those tools. Lean is more than the sum of all of those tools, applying tools in isolation will not necessarily give you the benefits that you would expect and want to see. Lean is a method to better focus your business on the true needs of the customer to help you prevent waste from being built into your system.

Lean is not a hunt for waste it is a journey to add value.

Lean Quote: Kaizen Can’t Exist in State of Fire Fighting

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"We are too busy mopping the floor to turn off the faucet." — Author Unknown

Unfortunately, a far too common management style in many companies is the reactionary style commonly referred to as fire fighting. But fire fighting consumes an organization's resources and damages productivity. Fire fighting derives from what seems like a reasonable set of rules--investigate all problems, for example, or assign the most difficult problems to your best troubleshooter. Ultimately, however, fire-fighting organizations fail to solve problems adequately. Fire fighting prevents us from getting to the root cause. And if we don’t get to the root of problem we will be right back to fire fighting soon.

The idea of fire fighting is to let a problem fester until it becomes a crisis, and then swoop in and fix it. Fire fighting is popular because it is exciting. Furthermore, it is a win-win situation for the fire fighter. If the fix works out, the fire fighter is a hero. If it doesn’t, the fire fighter can’t be blamed, because the situation was virtually hopeless to begin with. Notice that it is to the fire fighter’s advantage to actually let the problem become worse, because then there will be less blame if they fail or more praise if they succeed.

But the real problem is the people in charge. Fighting fires instead of developing a plan to stop fire fighting and making sure it will not happen again is the job of management. Most of us deplore the firefighting style, yet many managers and organizations perpetuate it by rewarding firefighters for the miraculous things they do. In fact, it may be the absence of a vision and plan that cause your organization to be so reactive, and spend a lot of time fire-fighting rather than proactively meeting the needs of your customers. This is all easier said than done, of course, but if you get things right the first time, there's usually not much fire-fighting later.

 

8 Benefits of Benchmarking

8 Benefits of Benchmarking in Manufacturing

In today’s highly competitive world, businesses are constantly seeking performance improvement strategies to stay ahead. One of the most effective methods is benchmarking in manufacturing—a process that allows organizations to compare their operations, processes, and results against the best in the industry or even across industries.  

By systematically analyzing performance gaps, the benchmarking process helps companies identify what works well elsewhere and adapt those best practices to their own operations. Whether it’s optimizing production flow, improving quality, or reducing waste, benchmarking acts as a mirror that reflects both your strengths and areas needing attention.  

What is Benchmarking in Manufacturing?

Benchmarking is the practice of measuring your organization’s performance against leaders in your industry—or beyond—to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in business.  

In manufacturing, this often involves comparing metrics such as production efficiency, lead times, quality control, waste management, and employee productivity. Benchmarking can be internal (between departments or plants), competitive (against competitors), or functional/generic (against organizations with world-class practices, even outside your industry).  

The ultimate goal of benchmarking is not imitation—it’s transformation. It helps organizations identify proven practices, adapt them, and innovate upon them to achieve operational excellence.

8 Key Benefits of Benchmarking

Benefit	Description
1. Gain Clarity on Success Factors	Benchmarking reveals what makes top-performing manufacturers successful and where your organization stands in comparison. This clarity helps you set measurable improvement goals.
2. Encourage Innovation and Open Thinking	By studying how others achieve efficiency, your teams become more open to new technologies, methods, and continuous improvement. It inspires creativity and proactive problem-solving.
3. Create Actionable Improvement Plans	Unlike vague evaluations, the benchmarking process leads directly to action plans supported by data. These plans focus on addressing root causes and measurable outcomes.
4. Improve Productivity and Efficiency	Manufacturers who benchmark and follow improvement plans experience tangible gains—lower costs, faster cycle times, and better resource utilization.
5. Provide a Holistic Business View	Benchmarking combines quantitative data (KPIs, metrics) with qualitative insights (best practices, leadership behaviors), helping build a complete picture of business performance.
6. Drive Performance and Quality Enhancements	It identifies weaknesses in manufacturing systems, equipment use, and workflows—helping refine design, reduce errors, and enhance product quality.
7. Strengthen Strategic Advantage	Benchmarking aligns operational improvements with long-term business strategy, ensuring you focus on core competencies that create a sustainable competitive edge.
8. Promote Organizational Learning and Growth	One of the most profound benefits of benchmarking is how it nurtures organizational learning and benchmarking together. By exposing teams to external best practices, it cultivates a mindset of learning, adaptability, and shared improvement.

Benchmarking and Continuous Improvement in Business

Benchmarking should not be viewed as a one-time exercise—it’s an ongoing continuous improvement in business approach. Once improvements are implemented, organizations should re-benchmark to measure progress, identify new gaps, and refine strategies further.

This iterative cycle of comparing, learning, improving, and re-evaluating ensures long-term sustainability and innovation. It builds a culture where employees actively seek ways to improve, and leaders prioritize learning over complacency.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

While benchmarking is powerful, many organizations misuse it by copying competitors without understanding their unique context. As one expert said, “If you benchmark against your best competitor, your best product will only match their worst.”

Instead, organizations should use benchmarking to understand the “why” behind best practices—not just the “what.” Combine benchmarking insights with Lean principles that focus on waste reduction and value creation for customers.

When executed correctly, benchmarking becomes more than comparison—it becomes a strategic framework for improvement.

Final Thoughts

Benchmarking in manufacturing is a cornerstone of modern performance improvement strategies. It provides a structured approach to identifying inefficiencies, adopting innovative practices, and building a resilient, learning-oriented organization.  

By embracing the benchmarking process as part of a continuous improvement culture, your company can evolve faster, perform smarter, and deliver greater value—ensuring that progress never stops where competition begins.  

✅ In summary:

Benchmarking is not about catching up—it’s about learning faster and improving smarter.

Employee Engagement in Lean - Promotional Video

Here is a great video to start your week off about engaged employees in Lean.

Adam Tartt, COO of MyEmployees, encourages you to start the process of Lean manufacturing in this music video.

Music Instrumental | Silento (Watch Me)

Adam attributes Paul Akers' ideas and enthusiasm for Lean manufacturing for the creation of their company culture.

  

Lean Quote: Improvement is Not for the Faint of Heart

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"We believe a passion for excellence also carries a price, and we state it simply: the adventure of excellence is not for the faint of heart." — Peters and Austin

Striving for excellence is an ongoing process; it requires a persistent attitude of excellence demonstrated by a continual focus on both the large and small things in our daily work.

It takes special people to lead a company through change. It is not just the direction of action that counts, but sticking to the direction chosen. Effective leaders must keep pushing themselves and others toward the goal. David Glass, CEO of Wal-Mart, says that Sam Walton "has an overriding something in him that causes him to improve every day. . . . As long as I have known him, he has never gotten to the point where he's comfortable with who he is or how we're doing." Walt Disney was described as expecting the best and not relenting until he got it. Ray Kroc, of McDonald's Corporation, was described as a "dynamo who drove the company relentlessly." Kroc posted this inspirational message on his wall:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent.

Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence, determination alone are omnipotent.

Persistence, of course, must be used intelligently. Dogged pursuit of an inappropriate strategy can ruin an organization. It is important to persist in the right things. But what are the right things? In today's business climate, they may include the following: satisfying the customer, growth, cost control, innovation, fast response time, and quality. 

Lean excellence is about is about eliminating waste and making the work easier. Lean methods focus on determining ways to improve quality. High quality is essential if lean processes are to function effectively. Lean is also a cultural change and a management system, a transformation that takes time, effort, and persistence. The Lean journey is not an overnight change for any organization. Progress takes persistence and change takes time.