Jim Womack and Lean Management

Jim Womack and the The Lean Enterprise Institute definitely lead the way in the development of a common language for recognized Lean methods. The live video seminar yesterday, “Jim Womack on Lean Management: A Live Event”, took the Lean language a big step forward. Now those of us diligently working to develop methods for integrating Lean management with the technical side of Lean have recognized terms to help us in our work. I am very grateful for the excellent job the Lean Enterprise Institute does in leading the Lean community.

I am excited about how well Systemental (my company) is positioned to help others quickly find the best approach for transitioning to Lean management. In the video seminar today Mr. Womack described how he hoped methods could be developed to enable Line managers to architect Lean business processes. Systemental has been developing and refining methods dedicated to this purpose for nearly 10 years. Along the way our methods have gotten stronger and more complete, due in large part to the work of the LEI. Publications like Pascal Dennis’s “Getting the Right Things Done” and more recently John Shook’s “Managing to Learn” have helped, and will continue to help, us strengthen our work.

When I look back over the last 10 years, what is most satisfying to me is how the participants of the cross-functional problem solving teams we have partnered with respond so positively and effectively to the approach. Their vast line management knowledge and experience fuels the Lean process architecture engine to keep it running in high gear all of the way to delivery of “brilliant Lean business processes”. Their input, feedback and dedication to testing developing process designs is what leads to a precision result. On these projects, as soon as the participants realize the team is fully prepared to truly incorporate their collaborative input into an evolving process design, and to move forward with group agreement, they have always quickly demonstrated very supportive behaviors. Their understanding and willingness to establish agreement before moving from one design phase to the next, even when compromise is necessary has been extraordinary. Certainly near the front-lines we have found people are hungry for this kind of horizontal problem solving.

Mr. Womack and his colleagues at the Lean Enterprise Institute have just paved the way to spread the benefits of Lean management farther and wider. My colleagues and I couldn’t appreciate their efforts more.