From the course: Lean Six Sigma for a Sustainable Future

Lean culture

From the course: Lean Six Sigma for a Sustainable Future

Start my 1-month free trial

Lean culture

“

- The key driver for sustainability is a mindset shift and the technical skill to implement the changes required of the organization. The lean journey involves a cultural change throughout the organization to drive continuous improvement efforts. In order for lean implementation to be successful, management must fully support and be engaged throughout the lean implementation. I can't emphasize enough that the culture of a lean organization is the most important component. Lean efforts should focus on empowering employees to want to build a lean culture. Remember, we're trying to eliminate waste by continually improving using lean tools to satisfy the customer. As a leader, that cultural change begins with you. It is important not to expect others to transform if you haven't transformed yourself first. Wanting to achieve results versus having a strict plan on how the results are achieved is crucial. This point comes back to personal accountability. Create a culture within your organization not to be a victim of the problem, instead to be the change agent. Lean leadership is necessary to ensure the lean journey does not fail. Lead your organization through accountability, standardized work, and structured meetings with outcomes. This involves active coaching, mentoring, and education efforts. As you start your organization's lean journey, you want to make sure you clarify the reason for adopting a lean culture. This is your why. Develop a communication plan and effectively deliver the need for change. Make sure you address how it will affect people and provide a channel for their questions and concerns. Lean is a choice. It's what you make of it. You can stay stagnant and keep doing things the way they've always been done, or you can seek to continuously improve.

Contents