Earlier this week, myself and another Master Blackbelt candidate, along with David Chao the Senior Coach-Sensei from LSI spent 2 days in a Lean Executive Workshop designed to help an organization develop and articulate a strategy for the adoption and roll-out of Lean.
So picture this - 18 to 20 very busy, very focused, and very bright senior executives, from the CEO down, and across all areas of the organization. Senior executives responsible for things like Operations, Human Resources, Finance, Strategy & Planning, and Information Technology just to name a few. A room of what you might expect to be "type A" people - and you wouldn't be disappointed. Just getting their time and attention for two contiguous days, when they are all available at the same time, is typically a Herculean undertaking. They come to the room with various levels and understandings of what Lean is and what it can do for their organization.
In just 2 days, this group of executives need to come to a common and shared understanding of what Lean is and can do, and a shared vision of where and how they want to leverage it. They need to see the opportunities, and lay out a pragmatic plan and roadmap to achieve their strategic goals with respect to Lean. Oh, and did I mention in those same 2 days, they first need to develop and agree on what those goals are.
Many times during my Lean education, I have heard a coach or sensei say "trust the process". This is usually during a period of divergence and even chaos. And not surprisingly, Lean is no different than many other methodologies that try to identify, quantify and implement improvements. They all typically diverge as you head in - as you start to pull on small threads and tug at ideas. The focus ends up broadening, often to a point where it seems like you have lost the path to the original desired outcome. But like all those other methodologies, as you push on, you start to converge. You start to narrow the focus and pinpoint specific opportunities and ideas. This exercise was similar. We had to let the participants explore their way out (diverge) to consider and examine many things, before turning them to focus and refine their thinking to practical and relevant strategies and actions that will move them forward with their program to adopt and deploy Lean.
It was reassuring to see this in action again. And the "trust the process" once again ring true. By noon on the second day, the executives were divided into teams with each team focusing in and working on identifying specific actions and strategies to deal with things like defining a strong and common vision. Looking for explicit ways to align their Lean strategy to corporate values and vision. Discussing leadership actions and plans to ensure consistent messaging, proper modelling, and coaching and mentoring were in place. Working to identify ways to unite and engage the teams that work there. Making specific execution plans to move them forward. And discussion ideas and activities that would help to ensure progress is fostered, nurtured and sustained.
By the end of day two, the group had developed a 1 year roadmap with activities and initiatives related to all of the above areas of focus, linked and integrated with each other where necessary. The result - a game plan, a strategy to move the organization forward with Lean. Not a bad 2 days work. It was amazing to participate.
