Leadership

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Tales from the Trenches: Respect for People

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Tales from the Trenches: Respect for People

Changing the direction of a company and guiding it through a Lean Transformation process is always contingent upon gaining the support of the people that work there. Telling them the truth, giving them the tools they need to succeed, treating them with respect as adults and holding them accountable are core leadership responsibilities to achieve this.

I was once hired to be the President/COO of a Major U.S. Automotive Class A Metal Stamping Die Manufacturing Company. The company had not been making money for several years and its parent company (and their new owners) wanted it fixed or closed.

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Tales from the Trenches: Making the Case for Change

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Getting Started

During my 30-plus years in Managing Plants and Business Units, I have been confronted with the challenge of using Toyota Production System (TPS) Concepts to make radical change in the trajectory of many organizations. I learned early on that getting acceptance for the need for change by the most important constituency… the people on the floor that were actually making the company’s products and/ or delivering its services, is the most critical first step in getting started.

Putting leaders with colorful slide decks and compelling speeches in front of workers at your next ‘Town Hall Meeting’ doesn’t work: simply telling folks from the floor that the company wants the operation to embrace the ‘new manufacturing paradigm’ as a way of becoming more competitive and improving profitability is a DOA approach.