It’s no secret – companies often struggle to implement Lean. In fact, according to an Industry Week article, By The Numbers: Of all firms responding to the IW/MPI Census of U.S. Manufacturers less than 20% of companies report a major increase in performance from improvement initiatives like Lean. Why is that?
The typical transition to Lean starts out normally. The executive's vision for Lean as a business strategy is communicated and introductory training follows. The training is usually effective - bringing exciting new Lean ideas and concepts into view. Unfortunately, enthusiasm often fades when the first Lean activities begin.
Resistance Builds and Increases Costs When Implementations Rely Heavily on Standard Tools
So what's the problem? Initial implementation happens when the first changes to tools and methods are introduced. During a typical implementation, rather than introducing Lean tools and methods in a "situation specific" basic form, they are introduced in an advanced standard format. That standard format typically matches the advanced tools used by Toyota today (Toyota is where Lean ideas first began to flourish decades ago and the company is still considered the "standard-bearer" for Lean), or they match the way they had been presented in a training course or seminar. This approach satisfies some participants but rarely the majority.
For instance, team members who have more technical job responsibilities and are routinely asked to evaluate complex tools may see the standard format as reasonable. Others, who have never worked in the particular setting where Lean is being introduced, may see the tools as suitable without realizing the full implication of their use in the area in question. Still others may think introducing tools in a more basic form is a waste of time. They may be thinking, "why plow through this learning curve when others have paved the way before us. Why not just implement the Lean tools in the advanced format and be done with it?"
All too often, even though many well meaning participants see the standard approach as acceptable, a more thorough assessment reveals the majority see the standard Lean tools as overly complicated. These more wary, but often less vocal, participants typically wonder:
- will learning the new tools and methods get in the way of running the day-to-day business?
- are these Lean tools a good fit for what we do here?
- does Lean require things we do not have - particular management behaviors, specific resources, or some kind of special support?
- will Lean help some other parts of the organization but not me or my team?
Kaizen events and other team activities help, but because of time constraints and other factors, they don't really give all parties a chance to fully understand the new way of doing things. As a result, many questions linger during the initial implementation and these build over time to create a perception of danger. Furthermore, any problems with the new methods during initial implementation just confirm the silent majority's fears and lead to a build-up of employee resistance. The effort required to overcome this "resistance to change" increases costs, weakens results and decreases return on investment.
Organic Lean™ Provides a Better Alternative
Organic Lean™ corrects standard implementation practices by answering questions and resolving concerns from the start.
Organic Lean™ starts with basic "situation specific" tools and methods to ensure Lean takes root and grows in a natural, healthy, resistance-free way.
Organic Lean™ isn’t a different type of Lean - the principles and ideas are the same – it’s a more effective approach to implementation.
Organic Lean™ doubles Lean ROI, cuts your time to Lean results in half, and does it all with a smoother, more natural transition to higher performance.
Organic Lean™ Corrects Standard Implementations by Taking a More Natural Path to Lean
Major performance improvement strategies start with challenging your organization to adopt new ideas and new ways of doing things. Naturally, since so many people are depending on the company and the way it operates today, getting full buy-in for big changes requires a careful approach. Any approach asking for too much change too soon or without a chance to thoroughly prove the changes really work, will meet resistance. Using a natural approach to change to prevent resistance by giving your organization what it needs to see Lean is truly a better way:
- a thorough understanding of the new idea and the proposed changes
- to believe change will be good
- to start with how the work is performed today and to move carefully forward from there
- a basic, hands-on demonstration of how the proposed changes solve real problems
- a chance to develop the new tools and methods, as much as possible, under local conditions, using local resources
- plenty of real-world experience proving the new way is better
- lots of opportunity to provide input and to refine the changes as deployment moves forward
Organic Lean™ provides what your organization needs by managing change using a five stage development and implementation process. The 5 stages, described in non-technical terms, are:
- check it out – to get more comfortable with the new idea
- test it out – to make sure the idea works with your circumstances and situation – often by building a model
- prove it out – using available or easily constructed tools to put the idea to actual use performing real work in your organization
- build it out - using real world experience to inform "intervals of refinement" which "hone-in" on "exact fit" tools, methods, and other performance supporting elements
- spread it out – distribute the idea, tools, methods and supporting elements across the organization before they have reached their absolute final form so they can be modified to account for local concerns and requirements throughout the company
Organic Lean™ represents the natural path all organizations prefer when asked to adopt significant change. Following this approach eliminates resistance, makes change easier to manage, reduces implementation costs, and leads to higher ROI.
By applying a more natural implementation approach, Organic Lean™ ensures your organization experiences a healthy and smooth transition to Lean without "resistance to change" and other stressful issues.
Organic Lean™ develops and grows Lean ideas into Lean tools and methods under local conditions, using local resources. This eliminates waste and creates "exact fitting" tools and methods leading to higher performance around the solution.
