What Does It Take To Be Lean? By Dave Turbide

Written by Dave Turbide

Lean manufacturing is, more than anything else, an attitude. Lean is a focus on identifying and eliminating waste – defined here as anything that doesn't add value. A variety of techniques and approaches can be used in a Lean initiative and Lean thinking applies to organizations of all sizes and types and can pay benefits in all aspects of the business, not just on the plant floor.

Lean is not a project; there is no defined end point and no fixed schedule. It's a matter of continuous effort and continuous improvement. There will undoubtedly be tasks and milestones along the way but each improvement should lead to the next set of tasks.

So, are there some common characteristics among successful Lean initiatives? The first and most important is a commitment and active involvement of top management in the Lean transformation. Lean thinking does not ‘bubble up' from the middle management ranks and any Lean initiative without top management commitment are likely to fail. Lean does not necessarily involve significant capital investment, so middle managers and first-line supervisors might think that they can just go ahead and do it themselves. But Lean does require significant redirection of resources, and considerable changes to everyday processes and procedures, and these are not likely to happen without involvement and support of the top. Also, Lean changes can have a profound effect on areas of the business outside of the department or division. Coordinating with affected individuals inside and outside the company goes much smoother with strong backing from the executive suite.

While it is conceivable that a Lean initiative could be successful without outside help, it would certainly be advantageous to harness the experience and expertise of consultants who have been through this kind of thing before and can help you reach your goals. Remember that Lean is as much an attitude change as it is a functional change. It is difficult to see your current processes and situations objectively if you live with them every day and perhaps even participated in their development and evolution. An outside resource, not influenced by internal history or politics, is almost a requirement to provide the untarnished perspective you need to see the real opportunities.

Value stream mapping is your guide to planning and carrying out the changes that will make your company Lean. With the help of objective, experienced consultants, you can identify the ‘low hanging fruit' – those quick and easy changes that will give your Lean initiative some quick successes that will encourage more commitment and enthusiasm for spreading Lean throughout the company. This overall planning step also adds perspective to ensure that each Lean task and accomplishment supports the overall objectives and future needs of the enterprise.

Be sure to build Lean expertise within your organization as you proceed through the initial planning and the early successes. Remember that Lean is a never-ending journey and you will want in-house resources to help spread the Lean message throughout the enterprise, working with other groups to plan and implement their own Lean efforts. Key participants in your earliest efforts can become your internal Lean evangelists and consultants.

For more than twenty-five years, Dave Turbide has been a consultant specializing in manufacturing technologies, consulting, and education. He has extensive first-hand knowledge of manufacturing functions and management practices, automated information systems, and vendor manufacturing software offerings. He also has experience in industry analysis, writing, engineering, project management, technical analysis, and management. He has exceptional analytical and communication skills as demonstrated by his published books, articles, papers, and speeches.