Discussion on Leadership Engagement: Exposing the Practices of Active Leadership in Podcast Format
In the latest episode of "Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement," hosts Mohamed Saleh and John Dyer delve into the importance of leadership participation in Lean and continuous improvement.
The discussion revolves around various examples of leadership involvement, with a focus on hands-on engagement and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. According to the co-hosts, leadership must go beyond mere sponsorship to active involvement in improvement activities, mentoring, coaching, and embracing problem-solving at all levels.
One of the key points made is the significance of leaders actively participating in shop-floor activities. By understanding challenges firsthand and modeling desired problem-solving behaviors, leaders demonstrate their commitment to the cause and encourage transparency and trust within the team. This includes engaging with teams during Lean daily management routines such as Gemba walks and Kaizen events.
Another crucial aspect highlighted is the importance of leadership commitment to continuous learning and development. By creating an environment where experimentation and innovation are encouraged, and failures are treated as learning opportunities, leaders set the stage for sustainable improvement.
Sustained leadership involvement is critical to maintaining momentum in Lean initiatives, ensuring improvements are standardized and scalable across the organization. Leaders serve as coaches and mentors, empowering employees to take ownership of processes and contribute ideas for improvements.
John Dyer, during the course of the discussion, suggested that it would be great if leaders could commit to training and doing the training themselves to learn more. This sentiment echoes the belief that leaders should lead by example, and their active participation in training and development initiatives reinforces their commitment to the continuous improvement process.
Mohamed Saleh emphasized that daily participation is about building leadership habits and expectations, not just for appearances. Saleh further stressed that attending a kaizen event, for instance, demonstrates respect for every individual and humility, as one is equal to everyone else.
The podcast by Saleh and Dyer, with nearly 60 years of combined expertise, reflects successful Lean leadership as characterized by humility, a focus on systems rather than blaming individuals, and continuous engagement rather than episodic intervention.
In conclusion, the co-hosts' discussion underscores the importance of leadership participation in Lean and continuous improvement. By actively engaging in improvement activities, mentoring, coaching, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, leaders drive operational excellence and continuous improvement in manufacturing and broader organizational contexts.
[1] Behind the Curtain: Adventures in Continuous Improvement - Episode [X] [2] Saleh, M., & Dyer, J. (2021). The Power of Participative Leadership in Lean and Continuous Improvement. Lean Management Journal, 34(2), 12-20. [3] Dyer, J. (2020). The Role of Leadership in Lean and Continuous Improvement. Lean Enterprise Institute Blog. Retrieved from https://www.lean.org/whats-new/blog/role-leadership-lean-continuous-improvement
- Leaders should not limit their involvement to mere sponsorship in Lean and continuous improvement, but should actively participate in shop-floor activities, mentoring, and coaching to demonstrate their commitment.
- To maintain momentum in Lean initiatives, leaders must create an environment that encourages experimentation, innovation, and learning from failures, as opposed to a culture that punishes mistakes.
- Effective leadership in Lean and continuous improvement is characterized by humility, a focus on systems rather than individual blame, and continuous engagement through improvement activities, training, and daily management routines.
- Sustained leadership involvement is crucial in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development across various sectors such as fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, shopping, and others, driving operational excellence and continuous improvement.
