Page 110 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

How to Do Lean—Cultural Change Fundamentals 89

“When coach Lombardi said to sit down, I didn’t even look for a chair.” Their speeches
were an extremely strong tool that allowed them to attract, motivate, and activate a
following. Often, the content of their speeches was very motivating in its own right—
but make no mistake: the choice of words and the type of delivery made a huge differ-
ence. The leader of this Lean initiative must have this skill also. They must be able to
make the Lean initiative come alive to those involved. Not only must they encourage
the hands and feet of their followers to move in the right direction, they must also moti-
vate the people and engage their hearts as well.
Some examples exist of successful initiatives where the person who put together the
plan was not the person to articulate it. This type of
brains and mouthpiece combination will not work in
our Lean initiative, however. Both skills must be res- Point of Clarity The leader
ident in the same person since they will have to be must be able to translate their
on the floor on a daily basis—observing, dealing concepts into behavioral traits
with problems, and interacting with all the people in that will support the execution
the facility. The leader must be able to handle ques-
of those concepts.
tions and problems quickly—in short, they must be
able to lead from competence.
The third, and final, requisite characteristic of a leader is the willingness to act on
the plan, at the exclusion of all else. He must exhibit the skill to not lose sight of the
goal and stay the course in spite of roadblocks, obstacles, and resistance. He must be
willing to act, at all costs, to reach the necessary objectives. This ability to act is a huge
need. Many great plans have failed not because the plan was not needed or the plan
was not good enough, but because the leadership did not have the courage and char-
acter to make the difficult decisions. In the end, this compromised the entire effort,
and the plan, simultaneously. We have seen this
all too often.
To act properly, they must first be able to recog-
nize exactly what the situation is, and they must be Point of Clarity It is not
acutely aware of happenings in the facility. Second,
possible to lead unless one is
they themselves must be excellent problem solvers.
willing to act, especially in the
They must be able to sort through the options and
face of adversity. This sounds
properly apply the values needed. Finally, they
almost trivial, but it is the key
must have the wisdom, courage, and character to
act when action is required, and conversely, should failing of leadership.
use those same skills to hold back when thoughtful
inaction is the appropriate behavior.
So the leader of your Lean initiative—be it you or someone else—must have these
three requisite skills:
• The ability to develop a plan
• The ability to articulate this plan and engage others
• The ability to act on the plan
Carefully choose your leader, and if you do not have someone with these skills, find
a person who does. There is no substitute for leadership. Any compromise on this topic
will guarantee failure.