Why lean fails

They are usually able to talk about waste or single-piece flow, but I leave wondering what happened. Why was there no follow-through? Many times during plant tours, you will see evidence of lean tucked in the corner or off in the back. I wish I had a dollar for every unused andon signal, heijunka board or employee glass wall that I have seen set aside and gathering dust. What always amazes me is how gracious Toyota is about sharing its philosophy, thoughts and lean tools to anyone willing to visit its plants and listen.

The company is safe, knowing that the knowledge it provides to others will either never be acted upon or will be started but not sustained. I know when I revisit Toyota plants each year that the same standard work and continuous improvement processes are in place. At most companies, lean is usually introduced into the manufacturing organization and gains some quick wins using common tools out on the shop floor. However, the effort eventually gets bogged down since it requires support from the other functions as the implementation process moves to the next level.

Top leadership either does not understand it or is unwilling to embrace the philosophy. Eventually, the lean activity fades away as knowledgeable people attrite over time, the operations team changes or short-term priorities become the order of the day. Other problems can take their toll on businesses during their lean journey, such as failure to address fundamental structural issues.

After years of learning from Toyota, General Motors had some of the leanest factories in the world, but it failed to address an uncompetitive wage and benefit structure and the need to market compelling products. Consequently, the lean plants were shut down due to lack of demand.

Over the years, I have observed some of the reasons for this lean fanfare-and-fade phenomenon. You can probably add your own thoughts to this list, but here is my best shot:. Forgetting the front and back end of the business suppliers, customer demand and inventory strategy. However, when you really dig into it, the basic reason why the implementation of lean fails at most companies boils down to culture.

Additionally, problem solving can require new skills and time to get to root cause. The same managers that fail to provide that support are the ones expressing frustration at repeat problems. Band-Aids make a simple system complex and do not drive problems from the business. The third source of lean failures is philosophical. When people are viewed as an expense, there will be trouble.

When the numbers are more important than learning, there will be trouble. This usually appears as lean is at risk when management changes. So why does lean fail so often? People cannot be viewed as an expense that can be cut. Quantity cannot be valued over quality. If the philosophical foundation is not laid and understood, the Lean implementation will fail.

Culture is one of the most vital aspects of a Lean approach. Without a whole team buy-in that features constant correction, adjustment, and behavioral reinforcement, management is bound to face too many obstacles along the way. The people must believe in the system and take ownership of their role in a successful implementation. This will require patience and persistence, as well as clear communication of purpose. Lean is harder than it seems.

Results along the way will inevitably feature plenty of failure, but failure is a necessary part of growth. A manufacturer and its management team need to be willing to play the long game and recognize that a full scale philosophical change is going to take a lot of time and energy.