Leader standard work (detailed in Chapter 3) is the highest leverage element in the Lean management system, the engine that powers the system. But in most cases, leader standard work is not the element to start with when implementing Lean management. Here’s why.
My understanding is this: the intent of leader standard work is to guar- antee the integrity of the standardized Lean production process, whatever its nature, whatever the setting. A standardized Lean production process comes from applying the tools of Lean production to reduce the wastes of delay and interruption, improve stability and flow, and reduce frustrations. The Lean management system, as noted in Chapter 1, sustains Lean produc- tion and extends the gains from a Lean transformation. This formula implies a sequence in which the Lean production, with its standardized production process, comes first. So in most cases, lead with Lean production immedi- ately followed by Lean management.
Even if you start Lean production with an improvement in one limited area, you will have improved that area’s stability. People who lead produc- tion process of any sort in any kind of setting tend to be pragmatic. Show them something that works better, that makes the job a bit easier, reduces even a few recurring problems, and their reaction is likely to be positive. Now you can have a conversation about Lean management, which might go something like this:
You (Y): Pretty nice improvements in area X, eh?
Leader (L): Yes, that cluster of problems really seems to be gone, at least
for now.
Y: But you know what’s happened before, with other improvement projects,
right?
L: Yeah, they don’t seem to last no matter how much better the work goes. Y: Well, this time we’re going to try something new. It’s simple. We use a
the number of widgets you expect the process to produce every hour [for example]. So, every hour the team leader writes in how many widgets were actually produced. When actual production falls short of what you expected, the team leader writes in what happened, in the form of what we wanted but didn’t have, or what we had but didn’t want. It really sharpens focus on the process as it cycles.
L: So the idea is to highlight problems? That would be something different! Y: That’s right. Remember, Lean is first about finding the problems, then
about eliminating them.
L: So, once we capture the problems, we do something to keep them from
creeping back?
Y: Exactly! Plus, you’ll routinely be alerted to other interruptions and delays
that might have been hidden by the ones you just addressed. Now that you’ve implemented visual controls—the production tracking chart—the next step is to take the chart to a brief daily stand-up task assignment meeting. This is an accountability meeting where you assign someone to look into each problem to find its cause, and then to suggest actions to eliminate it [detailed in Chapter 5].
L: So, is this what you mean by continuous improvement?
Y: Yes, this is a big part of it, but there’s one more piece. The last piece
belongs to you, your version of standardized work. It’s like a
checklist. The first item I’d suggest for your leader standard work is to stop by the area every hour or two to review the tracking chart and check on adherence to production standardized work. Are people following their standard work? Is the tracking chart being completed on time? Are problems clearly described? Has the team leader’s response been appropriate? Is there something you need to do today, beyond the action the team leader took?
L: Like I’m making regular rounds to check up on the process, eh?
Y: You’ve got it—monitoring adherence to production standardized work and
reviewing the production tracking chart. Those are the first items to go on your leader standard work. The next item for your stan- dard work is to lead the daily accountability meeting [detailed in Chapter 5]. Completed accountability tasks often produce process improvements by changing how something is done. When that hap- pens, you update your leader standard work to monitor the change. That way, your regular routine includes monitoring the new improve- ments to keep from backsliding into the way we did things before.
Y: Fair question, but think about it this way. You and your team are now
regularly keeping a detailed eye on the process. You’re catching problems as they occur. You assign specific actions to a specific indi- vidual to complete by a specific date to get to the bottom of the prob- lem and suggest how to eliminate it. Then, when you’re already in the area, you monitor new changes to the process, making sure peo- ple understand them and that the changes are working as intended. When you do those things, you guarantee the integrity of the process and the improvements being made to it. Make sense to you?
L: You know, I think it’s worth a try. Let’s talk about that production tracking
chart.
I have had many conversations like the one above. They boil down to applying Lean tools to make changes that improve the stability of a process, then showing leaders the straightforward structure, tools, and practices of Lean management that sustain the initial gains and surface other opportuni- ties for improvement.
Most leaders understand their own interests. They readily see that a few easily mastered tools and practices can help their areas perform better and more effectively. And, at the same time, Lean management gradually frees leaders’ time for further improving their areas. Standard Lean advice calls first for stabilizing a process, followed by standardizing it, then simplifying or improving it. Lean management not only sustains the initial gains from Lean production tools but also drives further improvement.