Page 112 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

How to Do Lean—Cultural Change Fundamentals 91

In addition to the many skills a soccer player must develop, he must have tremendous
cardiovascular fitness—in a phrase, he must be able to run all day. To acquire this
ability, he must push his body beyond its normal limits time and again; he must
undergo discomfort and even pain; he must exhibit the mental strength to fight through
the pain and discomfort and be willing to do more next time, knowing full well it will
be painful again. He must resist the desire to take a day off or go partying because,
even though he would like to do those things, he knows it will not be in the best inter-
est of his goal to become a great soccer player. With his eyes clearly focused on his goal,
he can maintain his regimen in spite of what both his mind and his body tell him. To
measure fitness levels, he can chart his two-mile run time. When he sees this improv-
ing, he is further motivated by his mini-success, and then when he sees how this better
fitness translates into better play on the field, he feels justified in putting his body
through the discomfort and pain he had to endure. Frequently, his feelings at this point
go beyond justification: He is proud of his efforts and often extracts a serious and
mature sense of accomplishment.
In spite of this, he will encounter other distractions and challenges. Others will tell
him he is working too hard; he needs a day off or he is taking the project too seriously.
Frequently, they tell him this not because it is in his best interest, but because it furthers
some issue of theirs. Nonetheless, it sounds good
and his inner voice says, “Well, I have been working
hard. Maybe I do deserve a day off.” Well, maybe he Point of Clarity It takes
does and maybe he doesn’t, but these distractions
great courage and character to
test his resolve and he must decide which is the best say no to the things we would
course of action. Those who want to be great will
like to do so we can focus on
summon up their courage, fight through the chal-
lenges, make the sacrifices, and will not be deterred the things we must do in order
from their goals. Often, this makes them less popular to attain those goals worth
or puts other social pressures on them, but those who achieving.
are focused keep their eye on the goal and proceed.
Well, the changes we must undergo in our Lean initiative are much like the changes
an athlete must undertake. Like the athlete we must:

• Have a clear goal in sight.
• Recognize that we need to change to reach the goal.
• Recognize that the changes will be uncomfortable and even painful at times.
• Recognize there will be forces within ourselves, and outside ourselves, that are
driven by different motivations. These forces will resist the necessary changes
and often coax us in the wrong direction.

In spite of all this, we must focus on the goals and persist!
Here, in particular, leadership is crucial. The
leader must know all this. Furthermore, they must
prepare the people for the changes, and the con-
stancy of the change that is to come. The leadership “We are made to persist.
must realize and make all those involved understand That’s how we find out who
that the entire manufacturing world is improving we are. ”
and that if we stay where we are, we are really Tobias Wolff
regressing. If we wish to survive, we must improve,