Why Lean?

Written by Michael Wiseman, Senior Productivity Specialist

In the summer of 2008, after eleven years as a buyer for Honda in America Manufacturing with four of those years being spent in Japan, I came across a group inside Honda called North America Technical. Their ‘work’ immediately drew and captivated my attention: Lean manufacturing. 

Little did I know then that this encounter would not only compel me to pursue and complete my Master of Business Operational Excellence (MBOE) degree and define my last seven years at Honda, but it would propel me into the ‘work’ I do now for the Purdue MEP. (It is much harder to attach any of the negative connotations of the word ‘work’ to something I thoroughly enjoy doing.)

As part of the process engineering team inside Honda North America Technical, I worked alongside our Tier I suppliers and introduced the principles and tools of Lean manufacturing. We did not enter each new situation and tell people how to do their jobs. Rather, we taught people, the ones doing the work everyday, how to find and implement solutions. This was done to ensure quality and decrease cost.

How does Lean tie to leadership? Before Honda, I spent almost eleven years on Active Duty as an Army field artillery officer. In that phase of life which began straight out of college, the emphasis was on honing the skills needed to lead well. Since there is no way to be an expert in all the skills required to accomplish the mission, leaders in the military (the good ones) have to learn to equip and then trust (i.e., not micromanage) those they have the privilege of leading.

This is where Lean comes into play. Assuming you believe that the heart of a good leader is to see those they lead go farther faster, then what better way to help someone excel in the work before them (regardless of the type of work one is doing) than to make sure the process they are using is “Lean”? 

I draw the definition of ‘Lean’ from the authors of the Toyota Production System, or TPS (the precursor to Lean manufacturing), who were focused on providing the highest quality at the lowest cost in the shortest lead time.

I also like to ask people this question: if you give me a toothbrush and tell me to go sweep the car parking lot outside, it’s going to be frustrating for me (doing the work) and you (watching and waiting for the work to be done). So, why not be intentional and seek opportunities to remove the obstacles and make “providing the highest quality at the lowest cost in the shortest lead time” possible? Why not pursue Lean?

Reach out to Purdue MEP at mepsupport@purdue.edu to discuss your specific needs and explore Lean or leadership training for your organization.

Writer: Michael Wiseman, 937-844-1094, wisemam@purdue.edu