Lean has been around for a long time and the naming was not Toyota’s idea. The proof of wisdom is in the results. I don’t sell “lean” per se. I am a change agent with a proven track record that speaks for itself.
Taking a company out of the red and into the black in a matter of months can’t just be described as an exercise in “lean” or “lean thinking.” I’ve had some company presidents call the transformation a miracle.
It’s about radical change, quickly, and effectively. It’s not about consulting and advising. It’s about identifying the opportunities, identifying solutions, and executing changes – immediately! Kaikaku is the Japanese term for radical change.
There’s little time for discussion. Just get it done, monitor results, and correct negative trends at the earliest possible moment. Achieving radical change requires all the sense of urgency a crisis deserves. When the business is back on the road to recovery, the time will come when those at the top want to know how “you” did it.
Unfortunately, without a pattern of successes that speak for themselves, we are simply looking for an opportunity to apply what we think know from someone else’s experiences. There is no prescription for a “lean” turnaround though there are methods that are commonly known and easily deployed that can be used to formulate an effective strategy.
It’s not uncommon to hear, “We have exactly the same problem except …”, and therein lies the reason why we need to embrace lean thinking as opposed to “simply” attempting to copy another company’s solutions. How likely is it that the circumstances your company now faces are exactly the same as those of another company to yield the requirement for their solution?
Use the tools to develop a solution that addresses YOUR problem, YOUR exceptions, and YOUR expectations. The growth of your business depends more on what makes your company different from the competition … not your similarities.
Until Next Time – STAY lean!
Related Articles
- Kaikaku 10 Commandments – KaizenWorld
- Kaikaku – Wikipedia
- 3 essential K’s for organizational success: Kaizen, Kaikaku, Kakushin – Mike Mogharei, PMP