TEACHING LEAN | LBCC 2.06

I believe that Lean expands the mindset of traditional management systems making it more inclusive of all individuals. it’s more about how we solve problems rather than controlling the environment we are in. What’s your experience? Is our personal life much different?

The WHY: we are surrounded with opportunities to identify and fix problems…From our workplaces to our families and personal relationships. Is there a way we can learn the tools and is there a “right way” to learn Lean?

The WIIFM: If we are surrounded by opportunities to identify and fix problems, the quality of the solution we implement directly impacts our personal and professional relationships. I believe, if we are able to appropriately identify the problem we are trying to solve, by using a lean mindset, we are able to successfully eliminate or reduce the impact of the storms (issues, problems or opportunities) we face. Learning about the tools and processes, that can help us solve our own problems, is always a great solution!

my Advice: As a Lean consultant/Trainer myself, I know that I directly impact the perception of lean throughout an organization. If I train a group of individuals with a “my way or the highway” attitude or approach; i can ruin any chance of lean taking hold in the Culture. If I become one with the company’s culture and desire first to serve them in their journey that they have established, then true learning can start to happen.

LEAN TEACHERS/TRAINERS: Individuals that are well versed in Lean tools and methodologies. They may assist organizations in achieving their continuous improvement goals or they may not. (Some would rather teach than coach.) Regardless, They have the Lean spirit and mindset and are willing to try, try, try.

• PERSONALLY: As a lean teacher/Trainer, i can safely say, I think about lean constantly, how it effects my personal life as well as the lives of those with whom I teach/Train. often I am viewed as a personal mentor or even a therapist to some of the members within the organizations I serve. I’m grateful for their trust and I hope that my colleagues in consulting/Training approach their role in a similar manner. If we have a service mindset and their well-Being at heart, we can really impact not only professional lives, but personal lives as well. You are the student’s first interaction with Lean, use that power wisely!
• PROFESSIONALLY: I believe that an effective lean trainer/Teacher has the right combination of enthusiasm and experience. Having participated in several “Lean boot camps” throughout my career, I have learned from some of the best for what to do versus what not to do. As a teacher/Trainer, we need to remember the human factor to everything we do. Culture has to be right first. We can be experts in the application of the lean tools, but “if the culture fit isn’t good, the transformation will never happen”…Every student needs to learn and internalize this as a foundational concept.

Teaching or Training the Lean concepts/Tools is not enough. I can teach Lean tools until I’m blue in the face. But if there is no understanding of culture, it will fail. if our desire is to try, try, try and learn from mistakes; we are headed in the right direction! That’s the Lean mindset needed for all individuals to flourish, regardless of whether an individual is certified in Lean/Lean Six Sigma or not. A Lean mindset teaches that failure is just an opportunity to learn and try again. The mindset earned through continuous process improvement and culture change really does change the individual and the systems they interact with.

If you or your organization are looking to become certified in Lean, Leanbrella offers three levels of Certification: Storm Watcher (focus on culture), Storm Chaser (focus on Lean tools), and Leanierologist (focus on Lean Product Development and advanced tools). We are happy to support your training needs with a focus on Culture first…Contact us today to find out more!