• The Worst Waste of All: Lack of Employee Involvement

    The Worst Waste of All: Lack of Employee Involvement0

    Taiichi Ohno (considered by many to be the father of Lean) highlighted overproduction as the worst of all the 7 Wastes. Overproduction includes in essence all others wastes so it could be considered the most problematic. However, many have missed one of the biggest opportunities for quick improvement by overlooking one of the deadliest wastes,

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  • Key Organizational Metrics and How to Make Them Effective

    Key Organizational Metrics and How to Make Them Effective0

    Most businesses understand the value of using metrics to assess the state of their company and validate the company is heading in the right direction. Organizational metrics, sometimes called Key Performance Indicators (KPI), are developed to understand the overall health of an organization. They provide the fundamental element of balanced scorecards and dashboards, which are

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  • 10 Things Your Lean Leader Can Do Now To Make a Difference Culturally

    10 Things Your Lean Leader Can Do Now To Make a Difference Culturally0

    The best leaders understand the present is nothing more than a platform for the envisioning of, and positioning for, the future. If you want to lead more effectively, shorten the distance between the future and present. Inspiring innovation and leading change call for more than process– they require the adoption of a cultural mindset. Implementing

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  • No Time for Improvement Means No Improvement

    No Time for Improvement Means No Improvement0

    Whether a company has just switched to Lean production or is still using a traditional manufacturing approach, if it does not establish an official improvement time policy, very little improvement will ever happen there. We have seen this everywhere, even in companies which loudly proclaim their commitment to continuous improvement. Little or no actual time

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  • Reader Question: Management Involvement In Lean

    Reader Question: Management Involvement In Lean0

    A long time reader, Dave, recently asked me for advice on leadership commitment for Lean implementation: Can Lean be successful if you don’t have top down commitment? I currently work for a midsize manufacturer that only like to say they are Lean, when in reality they only have one division attempting. Any advice? In my experience I

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  • 10 Signs of a Non-Lean Manager Who Disengages the Workforce

    10 Signs of a Non-Lean Manager Who Disengages the Workforce0

    Companies with poor management practices typically have employees who are disengaged. While a disengaged workforce is a symptom of substandard leadership, just what constitutes bad management? Here are a few problematic practices and signs I believe should be axed: 1. Bad Communication Few things cause employees to tune out faster than a management team that

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