Lean Roundup #142 – March 2021

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of March 2021.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.

Better Lean Leadership through Novice Learning – Jon Miller explains that we can be better leaders by gaining empathy and learning insight into the common struggles of novice learners in our organizations. 

Coaches Have Obstacles Too – Steve Kane shares some concepts from Tony Robbins about breaking the mental state and allowing the opportunity to get out of his head shift into productive state of mind including five steps to overcome distraction. 

The Problem with Lean Thinking – Bob Emiliani says we fail to grasp the extent and effectiveness of tradition as a near-total replacement for our own thinking in our efforts to promote Lean. 

Jumping toSolutions: A Hard Habit to Break – Mark Graban shares an illustration on the dangers of jumping to solutions and how to break that problem. 

Learning From Customers – John Hunter talks about making sure customers can be heard and the ways to do that.

You Want to Get More Done? Do Less… - Pascal Dennis reiterates the impact of focusing on a few strategic activities instead of crowding you A3 with many countermeasures.

AccidentalExcellence – Bruce Hamilton illustrates the power of discovery from lucky chance events in his experience. 

Reflections and Lessons From 1997 – Mark Rosenthal talks about his kaizen experience to create a model line and how it forces you to fix your system. 

Back to Basics - What is Value? – Pascal Dennis says value is Lean’s guiding star, get close to your customer and ask them what they need from you.

What Does Lean Mean to Healthcare Professionals? What Should it Mean? – Mark Graban explains that Lean isn't just efficiency… it's safety, quality, delivery, cost, and morale which often misunderstood by many. 

From Thought Leadership to Banal Thoughts – Bob Emiliani s ays we have drifted from thought leadership to banal thoughts. The consequence of banality is a loss of creativity and innovation through the ceaseless repetition of common bromides which propel clumsy or ill-informed practice. 

Better Lean Leadership through Novice Learning – Jon Miller explains that we can be better leaders by gaining empathy and learning insight into the common struggles of novice learners in our organizations. 

How to Shape Lean Leadership Culture Through Daily Management – Jon Miller shares traits of a lean leadership culture and how a daily management system helps to reinforce them. 

Adopt a 5S Mindset to Sustain Your Lean Work – Andrew Quibell shares six takeaways to make housekeeping an ingrained habit as a means of respecting your team members and developing a culture of improvement.

Achieve Your Deeper Goals Through Daily Work With Hoshin Kanri – Jeffrey Liker says Hoshin kanri is a living process of planning, testing ideas, adapting, and learning in which people work towards clear targets addressing the next big obstacle. 

Real Respect Feels Like Knowing You've Been Heard - David Verble says showing respect by actively listening to others--being present in mind and body, consciously attending to what is said, connecting with the person not just the words--are all deeply anchored in core lean values.

Boost the Power of PDCA By Tackling the Challenge of Self-Awareness - Mike Orzen argues while PDCA is the engine of lean discovery, building self-awareness into this scientific method truly unlocks the power of lean.

The Foundation and Principles of Lean Thinking

What Is Lean Thinking in Manufacturing? A Practical Guide to Principles, Tools, and Benefits

Lean thinking is a philosophy that empowers organizations to create more value with fewer resources. It focuses on optimizing processes, eliminating waste, and continuously improving systems—all while keeping the customer at the center. Though there’s no single definition of Lean thinking, its foundations, principles, and practices offer a proven framework for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in manufacturing environments.
In this guide, we’ll explore the core foundations of Lean thinking, the five lean manufacturing principles, and the rules-in-use developed by Toyota. You’ll also discover the benefits of Lean thinking, real-world examples of Lean in manufacturing, and how Lean compares with traditional methods.

3 Core Foundations of Lean Thinking in Operations

1) Purpose

In Lean production methods, the goal is simple: deliver maximum value to the customer. That value must be clearly defined and measurable so every team member understands what they’re working toward.

Whether you're streamlining a production line or optimizing logistics, a shared sense of purpose aligns efforts and enhances outcomes—making it a cornerstone of Lean management best practices.

2) Process

One of the key Lean thinking tools and techniques is relentless focus on improving processes. By identifying inefficiencies, eliminating waste, and enhancing flow, Lean organizations maximize value delivery.

Teams are encouraged to continuously evaluate and refine their processes. This commitment to quality and efficiency is what distinguishes Lean vs traditional manufacturing approaches.

3) People

A true Lean culture isn’t top-down—it’s collaborative. Everyone is empowered to contribute ideas, solve problems, and make improvements.

Leaders are mentors, not micromanagers. They observe, ask questions, and create the right conditions for people to succeed, aligning with the principles of Lean thinking for continuous improvement.

The 5 Lean Manufacturing Principles

Implementing Lean manufacturing principles ensures consistent delivery of value while minimizing waste. These five pillars guide daily operations in successful Lean organizations:

1) Identify Value

The first step in any Lean journey is understanding what value means to the customer. In manufacturing, this could mean product functionality, timely delivery, or cost-effectiveness.

Whether your “customer” is external or another department, identifying value is the foundation for improvement.

2) Map the Value Stream

A key step in Lean thinking in operations is value stream mapping. This involves detailing every step in the production process—from raw materials to finished goods.

Mapping helps highlight bottlenecks and eliminate non-value-adding activities, creating a blueprint for smarter workflows.

3) Create Flow

Once waste is removed, the goal is to establish smooth, uninterrupted flow. Products and information should move seamlessly from one step to the next with minimal delay.

This is a vital distinction in Lean vs traditional manufacturing—traditional systems often rely on batching and waiting, while Lean emphasizes real-time flow.

4) Establish Pull

Instead of producing based on forecasts, Lean systems use a "pull" approach—products are created based on actual demand. This Lean production method reduces overproduction, storage costs, and inefficiencies.

Pull systems are integral to just-in-time manufacturing, ensuring resources are used precisely when and where they’re needed.

5) Seek Perfection

Lean is not a one-time project; it's a continuous journey. Even the most efficient systems can be improved.

This principle reinforces the need for Lean thinking for continuous improvement by encouraging frequent evaluation, feedback loops, and iterative upgrades.

Four Lean Rules-in-Use from Toyota

To bring structure and discipline to Lean systems, Toyota established four practical rules—also known as Lean management best practices—that guide daily operations and problem-solving:

Rule 1: Specify All Work

Every task should be clearly defined in terms of content, sequence, timing, and expected outcome. This level of clarity allows for quick detection and resolution of any deviations.

Rule 2: Direct Customer-Supplier Connections

Every interaction between internal teams must be unambiguous. Communication paths should be simple, clear, and direct, with a binary yes/no format to request and receive work.

Rule 3: Simplify Pathways

Every product or service must follow a streamlined path to its destination. Services should not be randomly assigned but delivered to a specific person or station—enhancing accountability and speed.

Rule 4: Improve at the Source

Continuous improvement happens at the ground level. Frontline workers are empowered to refine their own processes, guided by supervisors and grounded in scientific thinking.

These rules help form a Lean production system where employees are not just executing tasks but actively improving them—boosting engagement and operational excellence.

Benefits of Lean Thinking in Manufacturing

Implementing Lean thinking in manufacturing offers measurable and strategic advantages:

• Increased efficiency: Eliminate bottlenecks and reduce downtime.
• Lower operational costs: Cut excess inventory and minimize waste.
• Higher customer satisfaction: Deliver what the customer wants—faster and more reliably.
• Greater employee engagement: Empowered workers lead to more innovative solutions.
• Scalability: Lean systems can grow and adapt with your business.

These are just a few benefits of Lean thinking that help businesses remain competitive in a fast-changing market.

Real-World Examples of Lean in Manufacturing

• Toyota Production System (TPS): The gold standard of Lean manufacturing, focusing on just-in-time production and continuous improvement.
• Nike: Used Lean to improve product flow, reduce lead time, and minimize environmental impact.
• Intel: Implemented Lean to streamline chip production, resulting in billions in savings and faster delivery.

These examples of Lean in manufacturing show the versatility and power of Lean across industries.

By understanding the Lean manufacturing principles, applying key Lean thinking tools and techniques, and adopting Lean management best practices, any organization can unlock its full potential. Lean is not just a method—it’s a mindset of continuous learning, adapting, and improving.

Whether you're just beginning your Lean journey or optimizing existing systems, embracing Lean thinking sets the stage for sustainable success in today's dynamic manufacturing landscape.

Need help applying Lean to your organization? Start with small wins. Map your value stream today and discover where you can deliver more value—with less waste.

Lean Quote: Now is the Time to Understand More, so we May Fear Less

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.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."   —  Marie Curie

Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity —her research papers are still radioactive more than 100 years later. Curie was the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in France, and the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize. She's the only person to ever win two Nobel Prizes in (both) physics (1903) and chemistry (1911).

This quote, by Marie Curie, is about the relationship between fear and understanding.

Fear can be hard to get rid of when it sets in. When that happens, we can feel paralyzed and confused. Either we take no action or make unwise, irrational decisions.

But often, it turns out that it’s the unknown that gives us fear. The more unknown and uncertain things are the greater the fear. From a child being afraid of the dark to an adult being afraid of what the future might hold – it all has to do with the unknown.

The best way to have less fear in our lives is to understand more. Curiosity can help us learn about the things we don't know, so we can demystify them rather than fear them. “Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas,” said Curie.

When fear sets in, consider how you can increase your understanding. The less we fear through understanding, the greater our resolve to take the most appropriate action.

Helping Your Employees Manage Their Time

Image Source: Unsplash

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s safe to assume at this point that “how we work” will never be the same. Even after the pandemic passes, its effect on the workplace will linger.

On the professional front, the biggest legacy of COVID-19 is the way in which it pushed more people than ever before to work in a remote environment. Some employees and employers have embraced the change and made the most of it — but others have struggled every step of the way, such as employees who are unable to get motivated and leaders who don’t have a system in place for holding their team accountable. With that said, the face of workplace productivity, and how managers track it, is changing.

How to Keep Your Employees on Task

There’s no exact science to successfully managing remote employees. What works for you and your company won’t work for the next person, and vice versa. But regardless, it’s critical that you have a strategy in place for keeping your employees on task, all while taking time away from their job to rest their minds, body, and soul. Here are five things you can do to help employees manage their time:

1. Schedule Regular Check-ins

You don’t want to come across as someone who is micro-managing their team — autocratic leadership often leads to employees resenting their managers. However, if you don’t schedule regular check-ins, you may find it difficult to monitor your team’s progress.

This doesn’t mean you have to schedule an hour-long Zoom call every morning. It also doesn’t mean you have to check-in multiple times throughout the day. As long as you and your team know when you’ll check in with one another, it should be easy enough to stay on task. And if you do this enough, you may come to find that some people don’t really need it.

2. Require Them to Clock In and Clock Out

Just because your team isn’t working alongside you doesn’t mean they can’t clock in at the beginning of their workday and clock out when the day comes to an end. There are many time-tracking tools you can implement, including mobile time-tracking apps, with most of them benefiting both the employer and employee.

For instance, the ability for workers to clock in and out from any device allows them to work in a more efficient manner. And of course, when employers are able to track this, they’ll have greater peace of mind, avoiding fears of employee fraud when it comes to claiming work that’s getting done.

3. Organize Their Tasks and Responsibilities

Time management is difficult enough when you’re sitting in a physical office alongside co-workers. But when you’re working remotely, it’s even more difficult to stay the course.

As a leader, do your part in organizing tasks and responsibilities for your team. By doing this, you’ll both have a clear idea of expectations. Here are some ideas to try:

●       Create and manage calendars on behalf of your team (such as a content calendar)

●       Use motivational tools to push and reward your employees

●       Set aside time each day to discuss progress

4. Make it Easy to Communicate

Even if you trust every member of your team to do the right thing, you’ll still want to stay in communication with them.

There used to be a time when communicating meant one thing: picking up the phone and making a call. But those days are gone, and there are more ways than ever to communicate efficiently. In addition to phone calls, other options include text messaging, email, and video chat. 

For example, both Zoom and Slack have experienced an uptick in activity as a result of the pandemic. Through the use of these tools—among others—it’s more efficient to work in a remote environment. For example, with Slack, you can send and receive text-based messages, while also making video and voice calls, as necessary.

As you experiment with different communication tools, you’ll come to find what works best for you and your team.

5. Request That They Take Breaks

Do you get the sense that your employees are working entirely too hard? Are they finding it difficult to disconnect from their job when the day ends?

It’s important to help them through this, as neglecting to do so can take a toll on their mental and physical well-being. Not to mention the fact that it can also kill productivity.

There are many benefits of taking breaks throughout the workday, including but not limited to:

●       Easier to process and retain information

●       An opportunity to rest your mind and body (such as your eyes)

●       Creativity boost

●       An opportunity to eat a healthy snack or meal

You can’t make someone take a break when they’re working remotely, but it’s something you should encourage. By doing so, you’ll show your team that taking time away from their desk is a good thing. It’s not something that will lead to trouble.

Conclusion

With the tips above guiding you, you’ll find it easier to engage with your employees and ensure that they’re working in the most efficient manner possible. Even when times are uncertain—such as what we’ve experienced with the recent pandemic—it’s a must to take the steps necessary to help your business survive. And a big part of that is making sure that your entire team is on the same page.

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business topics are his favorite. When he isn't writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

Five Time Management Tips for Project Managers

There are three important factors that come together when determining the success of a project. These are, of course, quality, budget, and time. In this post, I am going to discuss the latter. Time management is one of the most difficult things for any project manager, especially when scope creep kicks in and things go wrong during the project lifecycle. After all, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a project to run exactly as you expected it to when you finalized your project plan.

Here are some tips that can help you manage your time more efficiently.

Get the project plan right

Of course, time management begins with getting your project plan right in the first place. When you start to execute anything without a plan, you spend a lot of time discussing what to do, how to do it, what it should look like, and so on. This chaotic approach is often the leading cause of misused time in a project, because when a project remains in the concept stage, nothing tangible can actually be accomplished. Therefore, when you are building your project plan, you need to talk to the people that are actually going to be doing the work, i.e. your team. Find out how long it is going to take for the tasks to be completed so that you can build a realistic timeframe and give a deadline that you can actually fulfill.

Deconstruct your tasks

Another important step when it comes to time management is to deconstruct your tasks. One of the big problems with projects is that it can seem like the end goal is extremely far away. Employees feel like they have a mountain to climb and this causes them to feel demotivated. Not only this, but it is hard to work efficiently when your objectives seem like they are still far away and this makes people fall off track. Therefore, if you break down a large project into smaller pieces, it will make it a lot easier to stay on track. This is because milestones will be reached on a continual basis and this will cause employees to feel more motivated and enthusiastic about the project. It will also ensure that everyone knows what they should be working on and when.

Effective communication and collaboration

The success of any project team relies on effective communication and collaboration. Some of the biggest time-related issues project managers face are delays in communication, and more often than not, those delays are not happening within the project team itself. Instead, stakeholders who were so invested at the beginning of a project are often the first to go silent after time has passed, and their priorities—and attention—has shifted onto new tasks.

The best way to maintain stakeholders’ timeliness is to find ways to keep them engaged with the project. Being able to analyze a stakeholder or organization’s preferred methods of communication is another powerful tool in keeping the necessary groups engaged. Maintaining these relationships with stakeholders is a very important aspect of a project manager’s work and the benefits of doing so successfully extend far beyond the reduction of wasted time in a project.

Dealing with scope creep

Another essential part of time management is dealing with scope creep. Any project manager knows that this is one of the most difficult things with regards to any project. When deliverables are not clearly defined, stakeholders are not involved or supportive, or tasks turn out to be more complex than initially thought, a project can be at risk for scope creep.

Starting a project without a clearly defined scope is like trying to drive from Los Angeles to New York City without directions. Sure, you could try and follow street signs, but you’ll eventually make a wrong turn and lose your way. You may never even reach your final destination at all.

The same goes for project management. The scope keeps you on track and makes sure you don’t miss anything important. It’s basically your project roadmap. When everyone on your team understands where you’re headed, it becomes much easier to complete projects on time and within budget.

Learn from your mistakes

Aside from this, project management is all about learning. With every project that you carry out, you need to learn from the mistakes you made in the previous project and this includes the mistakes that you made with regard to time management. Not only this, but you should not be afraid to use historical information to form judgments going forward. Historical information is a good way to determine how long certain tasks are going to take so that you can schedule accordingly. You can also use this to determine any of the issues you are likely to run into.

Hopefully, you now feel more prepared when it comes to time management for any project which you work on in the future. There is no denying that this is one of the most difficult aspects of project management and expectations for your team when handling any type of project. Nevertheless, as long as you learn from mistakes you make and you follow the tips that have been mentioned, you should be able to achieve time management success.

Lean Quote: 4 Reasons Why Optimists Are Better Leaders

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.

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so."   —  Noam Chomsky

All academic thought, science and philosophy on optimism confirms that a person who demonstrates the attitudes, beliefs and actions of an optimist will live longer, be happier and healthier than a person who does not. 

If you want to be good leader then become an Optimistic Leader. This will guarantee you the success of leadership you aspire to.

 

So Why Is It That Optimists Make Better Leaders? Optimists demonstrate the behaviors and attitudes that support good leadership. Listed below are the 8 reasons why optimists are better leaders. 

1. Optimists are Solution Focused 

Optimists want to solve problems and improve the situation they are in. They will always focus on finding a solution rather than analyzing the issues surrounding the problem. 

The solution-based approach that an optimist leader uses promotes creativity and innovative thinking. An optimist is quite comfortable thinking outside of the square; in fact that is where they are their happiest. 

The key questions an optimistic leader will ask when seeking a solution are: What is needed? (Not; what is wrong?). What it going well? (Not: what is going badly?). What practical progress can be made to work toward implementing the solution? How can we measure that the solution is working? 

2. Optimists Are Not Afraid Of Failure 

Optimists do better than pessimists because their coping strategies are better. They are more resilient and able to quickly “bounce back” from failure and setbacks in life. 

An optimist is a risk–taker and is comfortable making tough decisions. They accept the reality of failure and the possibility of making mistakes. An optimist will view failure or mistakes as an opportunity to learn and to make progress. They see failure and set backs in the workplace as a part of life. An optimistic leader is quick to respond and adapt to the situation at hand. They will want to get their teams moving forward and back on track as quickly as possible. 

Optimists do not seek scapegoats or play the blame game. If mistakes are made they will want to know what went wrong and what could be done differently to avoid making the same mistakes. 

3. Optimists Are Great Communicators 

Optimists get their energy from people. They are good at creating and keeping long-term relationships. Optimists are comfortable communicating and sharing their desires for a better future or for better solutions. 

Optimists understand the importance of engaging and motivating others. They have a commitment to succeed and will speak from the heart rather than using data, reports or research to back them up. To be a good leader you need to be a good communicator and effective at engaging others to share in your vision of the future. 

4. Optimists Have A Success Mindset 

Optimistic people always focus on the positive aspects of a situation. Their view of life is different to that of a pessimist. The analogy that is used to describe the difference is, that optimists see a glass of water as “half full” whereas a pessimist will see the glass of water as a “half empty”. 

An optimist has hope and a belief in a better future. They focus on opportunities instead of obstacles. They understand what motivates and inspires them to live a successful and fulfilled life. Negativity and fear do not belong in their world and in fact are inhibitors to their success in life. 

Research has shown that by having an optimistic view of life you are likely to have a more successful, happier and healthier life, than a person who has a pessimistic view of life. Leaders who are optimists have the ability to envision a better future and they are able to inspire and motivate people to work toward achieving that shared vision of success. 

An optimistic leader does not allow their people to wallow in the dark and difficult times. They encourage them to acknowledge the reality of the situation, to plan ahead, take action and work toward a better and more successful future.