- Workforce Development News – February 22, 2021
- Workforce Development News – February 17, 2021
- Workforce Development News – February 8, 2021
- Meeting the Challenges of a Pandemic World
- Workforce Development News – February 1, 2021
- Elon Musk on Money, Success, and Leadership
- Workforce Development News – January 25, 2021
- Workforce Development News – January 19, 2021
- Workforce Development News – January 11, 2021
- Workforce Development News – January 4, 2021
The Human Side of Lean

“No person is independent as long as he has to depend on another person to help him. It is a reciprocal relationship—the boss is the partner of the worker, the worker is partner of the boss.”
—Henry Ford, America’s first lean champion
Did you know that less than 30% of companies that start the implementation of Lean processes actually succeed? This is primarily due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what is at the heart of Lean. It is not tools like 5S, Value Stream Mapping, or Six Sigma. Instead, the heart of Lean is the set of beliefs about human beings and human behavior. These beliefs stand in marked contrast to many of the beliefs that guide the behavior of today’s managers and supervisors. Here are the beliefs that guide a successful Lean transformation – or any workplace initiative, for that matter:
Basic Lean Beliefs
- The customer’s needs are critical. If you don’t respond to the customer, you lose the customer and the business.
- Anything can be improved. Continuous improvement ensures continuing success.
- Quality is everyone’s job. Quality keeps us competitive.
- Involve the people who know the job best. This helps find the best way to do things, avoids mistakes, saves time, and keeps people committed.
- People want, need, and deserve respect. Respect enhances discussions and outcomes.
- Teamwork works. Teamwork means listening to others’ ideas and gaining their support.
- There is value in differences. Diversity adds value by offering additional perspectives and experiences.
- Supporting others contributes to success. No one works alone.
- Trust begins with you. Lack of trust can have a detrimental effect on day to day operations.
- You are responsible for your own success.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login