Creating a Lean Culture
by J.
M. Farner
We often think that learning the
tools of any given program is
enough. However, through extensive
research and years of experience, we
know that the failure of most
programs is in the lack of support
for and belief in the concepts of
the process - it is not from a lack
of technical know-how.
The culture of a company includes
all employees in all departments and
at all levels. It is their
cumulative beliefs and attitudes
about their work and their company.
While we often preach the
importance of management support
(and, yes, this is critical to
success!), the fact is that for any
program to work over the long-haul,
everyone needs to have ‘buy-in’ to
the process itself. This means that
the first thing that has to change
is the thinking - the culture.
Creating a Lean culture is not
something that happens overnight. It
is a gradual change of attitude that
comes when people believe in what
they are doing. The following are
six fundamental steps to achieving
this state of mind. They are by no
means all of the things that need to
be done in your own company, but,
instead, constitute the core values.
Six Basic Steps to Cultural
Change
- It begins with
enlightenment. That is to say,
everyone in the company must be
informed of the concepts and
reasoning behind the direction
the company is taking.
- People need to understand,
not only, WHAT is coming at
them, but WHY and most
importantly, HOW WILL IT HELP
ME?
- Use as many methods of
getting “the message” out as
possible. (Formal meetings with
the whole company and/or
individual departments,
newsletters, posters, video,
etc.) Create an air of
excitement surrounding the
process or program.
- Ask lots of questions to
ensure that people understand
what is going on and how a
certain process works. LISTEN to
the answers. Also, create an
environment of
open-communication by
encouraging people to share
their own questions or concerns.
- Never “punish” people or
yell if something is not going
well or as planned. Instead,
find out why it is not working
and - together with that person
or team - find a way to improve
or correct the situation.
- Finally, it is important to
generate ideas from the source -
meaning - go to the person doing
the job, or using the tool, or
running the machine, or driving
the hi-lo, or filling out the
form. THAT’s where you’ll find
the knowledge in the company.
That’s where you’ll find the
improvements, changes and ideas
that will, not only improve the
company, but will help to create
an environment of trust and
caring.
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