Q:
 I'm just implementing a Lean initiative at my credit union (financial services). Senior management has buy-in. How can I best introduce the concept to the rest of the organization?

A:

Introducing any continual improvement initiative, like Lean, is all about cultivating a culture of continual improvement throughout the organization. This cultural change has to start at the top. You indicated that you have Senior Management buy-in and that’s a good start. Make sure the buy-in includes commitment and not just talk. In my experience, Management may express a desire to pursue Lean but are unwilling to make the tough decisions when it comes to implementation. When we engage in a Lean deployment with an organization, the first thing we do is to sit down with the Leadership group and explain what their role will be and the things they will have to do to support it. If they are willing to commit to do these things, then we move on.

The next step is to establish a steering committee to identify strategic projects that support the strategic objectives of the organization. The membership of this committee is the top level management. They have to select, track, and manage projects to completion, assign teams, allocate resources, and constantly promote continual improvement. I can’t emphasize enough the use of Visual Management to promote the concept of continual improvement on a daily basis.

Concurrently, you need to launch an employee awareness program, which explains what Lean is and is not and what their role will be. This helps to circumvent misinterpretation and resistance to the program. For the employees, you have to answer the question, "What’s in it for me?" Failure to answer this question usually results in a lack of interest or outright resistance. Two of the biggest reasons I get from employees for not engaging are:

  1. Management will not let me get involved because I have too many other things that must be done.

  2. I don’t know what to do or how to start.

Both of these situations represent a failure of the organization to cultivate a culture of continual improvement, where employees are intimately involved. Ultimately, you want continual improvements to start with each employee as well as from the top.

Once some of this infrastructure is in place, success will breed success.



  Answer Submitted By: John Novak