12 January 2008                www.strategosinc.com

Implementing Lean In A Mid-Size Firm

An effective lean implementation starts with two major undertakings:

1) Building consensus on the need for change.

2) Planning specific tasks while building consensus on the plan.

Since Lean Manufacturing impacts every person in an organization, success depends on their active engagement. Therefore, consensus is essential and should build concurrently with the planning.

Moreover, Lean requires a paradigm shift for both individuals and the organization. This makes both planning and consensus more difficult than in most endeavors.

At Strategos, we use an approach that works well for medium-size facilities 0f 100-300 people. It addresses the issues of paradigms, consensus and planning. Variations can be adopted for larger facilities.

We combine a Kaizen Event, an assessment, Manufacturing Strategy planning and training, all within a few weeks. Several groups from the client's firm perform this work under Strategos' guidance. It uses "Future Search," and, sometimes, "Strategic Visioning" or "World Cafe." Future Lean Briefings will explore these proven change management techniques.

You can learn more from our new web page, The Lean Launch. Or, start at our Lean Implementation series of web pages for a broader view of implementation.

I hope these pages help in your implementation and guide you towards a thoughtful rather than formulaic approach.

Regards,

Quarterman Lee

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