| p>Discussions about continuous improvement | | | | Just-in-Time or is there a long backlog of things to |
| frequently mention the term 'waste' which is | | | | do? |
| anything that doesn't add value. But how often is | | | | - Motion. The 'motion' of leadership is really |
| waste discussed with respect to managing Lean | | | | communication. Are instructions concise? Is the |
| teams? Leadership, like operations or any other | | | | communication clear? Do employees understand |
| process, uses resources. Doesn't it make sense | | | | the message? Do managers make it easy for |
| to figure out ways to lead teams more | | | | their teams communicate with them? Are |
| effectively by using the least amount of time and | | | | instructions effective in producing the desired |
| energy? | | | | outcome? |
| In an attempt to take a look at this subject | | | | In Ohno's view, overproduction is the worst of all |
| through a familiar Lean lens, consider how Taichi | | | | the types of waste because it creates or hides all |
| Ohno's 7 Wastes apply to leadership. | | | | the other forms of waste. For leadership, though, |
| - Quality. Is the manager making good decisions? | | | | it is really something else that drives other waste. |
| What is the impact of her choices on the individual | | | | It is the waste of mistrust. |
| employee? On the team? On the product or | | | | When leaders and team members don't trust |
| service? | | | | each other, the other forms of waste are |
| - Time. Do employees have to wait around for a | | | | exaggerated. Why do leaders micromanage? |
| supervisor to give instructions or are they | | | | They don't trust that an employee will get it right. |
| empowered to act on their own? | | | | Why don't employees take a risk and choose to |
| - Transportation. Are leaders delegating in the | | | | act independently when the leader is not around? |
| most effective way or does a manager have to | | | | They don't trust that their leader will respect the |
| be present for a team to operate effectively? If | | | | decision, and are worried that they will get in |
| so, that creates a lot of back-and-forth between | | | | trouble if they make a mistake. Trust is the |
| different areas of responsibility for a leader. | | | | cornerstone of a leader-team relationship. When it |
| - Overprocessing. Does the leader micromanage? | | | | exists, an organization is much more effective |
| Does she feel the need to give instructions about | | | | than it would otherwise be. |
| things that people are already doing? Does she | | | | Building trust takes time and is not always easy. |
| have to explain things that could be standardized? | | | | A good starting point, though, is for a manager to |
| Does she delegate something and then do it | | | | apply a continuous improvement mindset to her |
| herself anyway? | | | | own actions as a leader. Have a misstep with one |
| - Inventory. Is the manager giving constant | | | | of your a direct reports? Think of or something |
| feedback or does he save it all for an annual | | | | that you could have been done more effectively? |
| review? Does he give individual input or lump it | | | | Do a root cause analysis. Look for the waste. |
| together for a whole team? | | | | Come up with a better way to do things next |
| - Overproduction. Is the supervisor effective at | | | | time. Make a change. Make sure the change was |
| prioritizing or does she pile on more work than | | | | effective. Repeat. |
| teams can handle? Is work parceled out | | | | |