Tips for Implementing Lean Team Strategies

Autonomy is often wrongly confused with independence. This mistake negatively affects accountability. People sometimes mistakenly think that giving people autonomy means leaving them completely to their own devices (this is independence). In the organizational sense, autonomy is not the opposite of structure—it’s the freedom to operate WITHIN a structure that supports continuous improvement and accountability. A Lean mindset and approach helps leaders to understand how to foster BOTH accountability and autonomy. Lean leaders do this by intentionally moving away from making people feel like they are "being held accountable" (which feels imposed) and inspiring them to "take accountability" (a sense of ownership that naturally fosters autonomy). Here’s how you can adopt this approach in YOUR team: 🟢 Be clear about goals, roles, and responsibilities: Use tools like RACI charts or visual management boards to clarify who does what. 🔴 Define success together: Involve the team in setting performance standards or KPIs so they have a say in what they’re working toward. 🟣 Encourage regular 1:1 check-ins and team huddles: create spaces for discussing challenges without fear. 🟡 Engage people in problem-solving: Use structured techniques and Kaizen to involve the team in addressing inefficiencies. 🔵 Ask for their ideas first: Instead of directing what needs to change, coach them with powerful questions like, “What do you think is the best next step?” 🟤 Use visual management: Team dashboards or Kanban boards make progress visible, reduce micromanagement and highlight areas needing attention. 🟠 Review metrics as a team: Make this part of regular meetings, so progress and accountability are a collective effort. ⚫ Own your commitments: If you make a mistake or miss a deadline, acknowledge it openly. ⚪ Model humility: Admit when you don’t have all the answers and seek input from the team. (This makes people feel valued!!) 🤔Reflection time for leaders... Are you balancing structure and flexibility in your team? Which of the above could you act on to shape a culture of autonomy?

Not All Solutions Need to Be High-Tech or Over-Engineered In the race to solve problems, it’s tempting to think the best solutions require the latest technology or complex designs. But in Lean, the most effective fixes are often the simplest. You don’t need expensive equipment or over-complicated systems to improve your processes. Sometimes, the smartest solution is a low-cost, low-tech idea that just works. Why Simple Solutions Work Best: 1️⃣ Faster to Implement Simple fixes take less time to design, test, and deploy, meaning you can see results sooner. 2️⃣ Low Cost, High Impact Instead of investing in expensive tech, you can often achieve similar results with creative thinking and basic tools. 3️⃣ Easier to Maintain Complex systems require more maintenance and expertise. Simpler solutions are more reliable and easier for your team to manage. 4️⃣ Empowers Team Creativity When you focus on simplicity, you encourage your team to think outside the box and come up with clever, practical ideas. Examples of Simple Yet Powerful Solutions: 🛠️ Shadow Boards: A simple board with outlines ensures tools are always in the right place, reducing time spent searching. 📦 Kanban Cards: These cards track inventory levels and trigger replenishment without complex software. 🔄 Rotating Platforms: A manually powered turntable keeps materials within reach, reducing unnecessary motion. 🚪 Spring-Loaded Drawers: A drawer that opens to reveal only the needed parts for a task, combining simplicity with error-proofing. The Big Picture: The best solutions aren’t always high-tech—they’re effective, practical, and sustainable. In Lean, it’s not about having the flashiest tool or the most complex system; it’s about delivering value with as little waste as possible.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻: 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲? A plant manager once told me: "We launched a lean initiative, but we’re still 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀." No surprise. Too many companies “𝗴𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻” without first stabilizing operations. 📉 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 🔹 𝟳𝟬% of lean initiatives struggle or fail. 🔹 𝟲𝟬% of manufacturers fight daily fires, blocking real improvement. Yet leadership declares, “Let’s implement lean!” 🔎 Why Does Lean Fail? Because it’s treated as a 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, not a 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲. Lean isn’t about checklists or posters, it’s about solving problems daily. Look at Toyota: they don’t “𝗱𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻,” they focus on problem-solving at all levels. 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗚𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻, 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳: ✔️ Can you sustain daily operations without firefighting? ✔️ Are your supervisors leading problem-solving? ✔️ Do you have a stable, engaged workforce? If not, lean won’t save you, it will 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. 👉 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 – Fix chronic issues: ✅ Prevent equipment breakdowns ✅ Reduce scrap & rework (fix root causes) ✅ Improve scheduling to reduce chaos 2️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 – Supervisors drive execution: 🔹 Leadership training 🔹 Standard work coaching 🔹 Problem-solving skills 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 – A lean system needs stability: 🔹 Improve hiring & onboarding 🔹 Address retention issues 🔹 Train employees in problem-solving 4️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🔹 Daily stand-ups to prevent issues 🔹 Visual management to make problems visible 🔹 Standard work to stabilize key processes 5️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 – 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆: 🔹 Reduce changeover times 🔹 Improve material flow 🔹 5S critical areas 𝗧𝗵𝗲 #𝟭 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿? 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀. If your goal is to become lean, 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹. If your goal is better business results, lean will help get you there. Winning companies don’t copy Toyota, they apply lean to their unique challenges, improving quality, speed, and profitability. 💡 Have you seen companies jump into lean before they were ready? Drop your thoughts below. ⬇️ #LeanManufacturing #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #Kaizen

Most Lean projects fail — not because the tools are wrong. They fail because people weren’t brought along. If you’re a Lean or CI engineer — you’ve probably faced this: 🔺 You see the waste. 🔺 You know the tools. 🔺 You’ve mapped the process. 🔺 You KNOW how it could work better. But then... 💬 “We’ve always done it this way.” 💬 “That won’t work here.” 💬 “Who’s going to do that?” You hit resistance — not because your idea is bad, but because people don’t feel part of it. Here’s what I’ve learned: The more you try to push Lean on people, the more they dig in. The more you pull them in, the more they own it. Pull looks like: ✅ Spending time at Gemba ✅ Asking frontline workers what slows them down ✅ Listening more than talking ✅ Starting small — showing quick wins ✅ Letting THEM share ideas ✅ Helping them feel part of the improvement — not a target of it. Because flow doesn’t happen on paper — it happens with people. And in the end — you’ll get better results with a team that trusts you. #LeanManufacturing #ProcessFlow #Gemba #ContinuousImprovement #Leadership

Stop spending so much time setting goals for your team. Start changing their habits: 45% of our daily behaviors are habits. • They happen unconsciously • They happen automatically • They happen naturally And as a result, they happen easily. No one resists pouring their morning cup of coffee. • They prioritize it • They protect it • They savor it High-performing teams know this. And use it to their advantage. The teams create rituals. ➝ Like the Navy Seals After Action Reviews The leaders enforce it. ➝ Like Jeff Bezos mandating 6-page Memos The people give it a secret language. ➝ Like Bridgewater's Radical Transparency And slowly, the team shows up differently. Until different is the new normal. And the new normal is higher performance. Here are 7 habits that yield outsized results: 1. Daily Metrics • Give everyone a number • Make the scoreboard public • Track progress visually ➝ Tip: Celebrate improvements, not just targets 2. Daily Feedback • Let them self-critique first • Start with "Did this meet expectations?" • Reinforce winning behaviors ➝ Tip: Make it a conversation, not a conviction 3. Weekly Network Outreach • 2-3 connections per team member • Keep relationships warm • Show gratitude or find value-add when connecting ➝ Tip: Share success stories to motivate outreach 4. Weekly Called Shots • AM: 3-5 commitment bullets • PM: Brief explanation for misses • Friday: Summarize reflections ➝ Tip: Share transparently to increase accountability 5. Weekly BWWB • Brags: Team wins • Worries: Perceived risks • Wonders: New opportunities • Bets: Clarify priorities ➝ Tip: Lead by example. Share yours 6. Weekly Loom Wrap-Up • Record short video updates • Show emotion and tone • Build connection at scale ➝ Tip: Keep it under 3 minutes 7. Monthly Cleanout • List all recurring problems • Prioritize as a team • Dedicate a day to fixes ➝ Tip: Measure the gains from fixes Remember: We don't achieve big goals all at once. We achieve them by stacking small wins day after day after day. Don't overthink it. Pick one habit to start. Commit for 30 days. Adjust based on results. ♻️ Share to help someone 🔔 Follow Marsden Kline more Join our free session on July 24 @ Noon ET "How AI Can Make You a More Persuasive Leader" https://lnkd.in/e37ph8ib

Ready to level up as a Lean leader? Discover the must-have playbook. To lead with impact, you need structure, habits, and a growth mindset. Let’s break down the essential playbook for every Lean leader: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 - Start your day by heading to the Gemba. - Listen more than you talk. Aim to coach, not command. - Make issues visible—it’s the first step to fixing them. - Celebrate even small victories—momentum is everything. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 - Think long-term and see the big picture. - Every problem? An opportunity for growth. - People development isn’t optional; it’s essential. 3️⃣ 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 - Master Leader Standard Work to stay consistent. - Use Visual Management Boards to communicate clearly. - A3 Problem-Solving gets everyone aligned. - Coaching Kata builds problem-solving into your culture. 4️⃣ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 - Avoid giving solutions too fast. - Never blame—own the process, not the fault. - Skipping Gemba disconnects you from reality. - Rushing implementation rarely ends well. 5️⃣ 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 - Look at team engagement—it tells you a lot. - Problem-solving should be everyone’s strength. - Standard work adherence keeps improvement steady. - Check for sustained improvement—not quick fixes. Lean leadership is a journey, not a sprint. Start with one practice, and watch your team thrive. Like this? Share ♻️ to help others and follow me, Sergio D’Amico for more insights on continuous improvement and organizational excellence. 📌 P.S. Is there a critical practice missing in this playbook? Share in the comments.