Page 43 - MMI-March-April-2022

the question is how to do it, and We discarded accepting de- Work starts with the leader,
where should one begin? viations. The drawing was who does not have to be an ex-
the master, and compliance pert but is committed to improv-
Lead Lean from the top with it alone was mandatory. ing continually. He must know
My tryst with Lean started • We solved problems every the principles, philosophy, tools,
when I was reassigned from day (Kaizen). Solving prob- and techniques of Lean and be
Business Development to head lems meant preventing able to have conversations on
Operations, at a time when we reoccurrence. We would the subject. Success or failure
knew nothing about Lean (we exchange the number of will depend on his involvement.
called it Just-in-Time (JIT) back problems identified and Transformation or change can-
then as the word Lean was not solved. Seeing me lead the not be managed or delegated.
yet coined). I learned by practic- Kaizen effort, the workers The leader needs to be hands-
ing on the Gemba for the most and staff dived deep into on and lead the change. Even
part of two shifts every day. it, making it a daily habit. if people follow the orders, it
Understanding what doesn’t They stayed over beyond will not change the culture; in-
work, sometimes failing, al- work hours without pay to structions may be followed, but
ways teaching the workers and solve problems. That high attitudes and behavior won’t
staff, leading the Kaizen, im- was the motivation level. change if there is no ownership.
provizing, focusing heavily on • Once a problem had been An old Indian Vedic proverb Transforming
the process and never on the solved, we set new higher says ‘As the land, so the water. to become
monthly results, learning when standards and went after As the seed, so the sprout. As Lean is not a
to use which tool or technique, achieving them, aligned to the region, so the language. As mechanistic
etc. Demonstrating by exam- overall company goals. the King, so the people’. thing; it’s
ple helped me develop the next • In short, everybody’s (in- more about
level of leaders and changed cluding mine) daily work How to communicate people and,
hence, it is
everybody’s behavior and at- was to comply with stan- It is necessary to tell every team more of a
titude towards work. Our new dards strictly, eradicate member about why you intend social trans-
work-related mantra, behavior, abnormalities, identify rea- to become Lean and how you formation.
and description of the job had sons that caused problems plan to proceed on this journey. It’s about
quietly changed to: at their grassroots level, set The goal of Lean is not to reduce developing
• When any abnormality was higher standards and go the headcount, so it is important competence
observed, it had to be correct- after achieving them… and to tell them that to alleviate any and behavior
ed and restored to standards. we were in a hurry! fears of retrenchment. When in people
to reduce
waste, solve
problems,
and make
improve-
ments.

Source: Magic Wand Media

March-April 2022 | 43
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