Page 25 - How To Implement Lean Manufacturing

6 Cha pte r O n e

Three Reasons Why Cultural Change Is Not the Central Theme of This Book
Quite frankly, it is not too difficult to design and implement a pull production system,
that is balanced, operating at takt, and that has short lead times and high levels of qual-
ity. But to sustain it year after year, and ever-improve the system year after year, requires
a very special culture that fully, and I mean fully, embraces the concept of continuous
improvement. In this book we will not embark in detail on these deep cultural changes.
These must be addressed in the future. So for now, let’s return to the three reasons why
I have not made these cultural changes the central theme of this book.
1. Many of these aspects of cultural development take years to develop and some
businesses will not use them for quite some time, if at all. For example, I can’t
give you a single example of any company that effectively implemented line
stoppages for quality problems in the first three years of Lean implementation.
Nor can I name but a few who changed the thinking in the facility about how
to put problems in the proper perspective. In most facilities, problems are to be
avoided and even hidden. In Lean thinking, however, problems are that
“avalanche of diamonds” that allow us to improve our processes and systems.
Changes of behavior and changes of thinking of this magnitude do not happen
quickly. Often, even with great effort, they do not happen easily. So my message
is, “Don’t start there!”
2. The culture of the TPS, although strong and worthy of emulating, was not
designed out of whole cloth, so to speak. It was both created (designed) and
developed as a result of a continual effort to consciously manage it. In a word,
it also evolved. In your efforts, the same process is required—both creating the
culture and developing it through conscious, consistent, continuous effort.
Although your Lean culture may be similar, it will not be the same as the TPS.
However, I would be remiss if I did not say that much of the culture of the TPS
can be copied and implemented directly into your culture, but it must be done
at the right time, and in the right way.
3. While implementing the technical aspects of Lean Manufacturing, you will,
without really knowing it, begin to make large changes in the culture. Guided
by your sensei, he/she will be able to assist in standardizing these changes in
your culture and also help decide precisely when and exactly how to approach
the deeper cultural issues.
In this book, this lack of focus on the culture is quite frankly a bit ironic. Our firm is
expert in cultural change, so you might think that would be the major contribution of
this book. However, our focus here is more on early improvement and finding the “low-
hanging fruit.” It is precisely because we know how much effort it takes to make major
modifications in a culture and how long these issues take to mature that we stay away
from that topic in the early stages of a Lean initiative. We have found that it is better to
focus attention on the needed behaviors within the organization and then take on the
deeper cultural topics as they surface—and surface they will.

To Begin to Change Your Culture, Start Small and Choose Wisely
Despite this advice, if you still wish to dabble in your culture, I will not discourage
you—rather, I will act as a guide. In this area, the most meaningful early effort should