A Lean Journey 
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.
“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.” — James Thurber
Ability of
leaders to ask the right questions is critical to the success of continuous
improvement. The type of questions will determine the quality of process
improvements. If leaders do not know what to look for, teams would get the
message that they can get away with whatever is possible.
leaders to ask the right questions is critical to the success of continuous
improvement. The type of questions will determine the quality of process
improvements. If leaders do not know what to look for, teams would get the
message that they can get away with whatever is possible.
All management
should learn to ask these three simple questions:
should learn to ask these three simple questions:
1) What is the process?
2) How can you tell it is working?
3) What are you doing to improve it (if
it is working)?
it is working)?
Nothing
sustains itself, certainly not Lean manufacturing or Lean management. So,
establish and stick to a routine including regular visits to the Gemba, check
the status of visual controls, follow-up on daily accountability assignments,
and ask the three simple questions everywhere. Lean management is, as much as
anything, a way of thinking.
sustains itself, certainly not Lean manufacturing or Lean management. So,
establish and stick to a routine including regular visits to the Gemba, check
the status of visual controls, follow-up on daily accountability assignments,
and ask the three simple questions everywhere. Lean management is, as much as
anything, a way of thinking.
Guide by asking
questions, not by telling grown up people what to do. People generally know the
right answers if they have the opportunity to produce them.
questions, not by telling grown up people what to do. People generally know the
right answers if they have the opportunity to produce them.
When an
employee brings you a problem to solve, ask, “what do you think you should
do to solve this problem?” Or, ask, “what action steps do you
recommend?” Employees can demonstrate what they know and grow in the
process.
employee brings you a problem to solve, ask, “what do you think you should
do to solve this problem?” Or, ask, “what action steps do you
recommend?” Employees can demonstrate what they know and grow in the
process.
If you don’t
ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked in
the right way often points to its own answer.
ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked in
the right way often points to its own answer.
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