| Dealing With Resistance: Kaizen 1 - Building | | | | methodology. This approach often brings |
| More Lean Buy-InBuilding Lean Buy-In:Step 1: | | | | significant levels of buy-in. If you can |
| Discovery | | | | swing it, get the key people you need on |
| | | | board to actually participate in the |
| Know your audience very well - Assess the | | | | Enterprise Value Stream Mapping TM exercise |
| business goals, needs, and priorities of | | | | for your initial value stream. This is a huge |
| those you are trying to persuade to come on | | | | plus. These people will see the benefits |
| side. Make sure you select the key benefits | | | | first hand, in the context of their own |
| of Lean that address those particular goals, | | | | operation. Anyone taking part in a VS |
| issues and needs.Remember that people do | | | | exercise will see the waste, see its impact |
| things for their reasons not yours. Also be | | | | on operations, and also see the opportunities |
| aware of the preferences that people have for | | | | that Lean provides to remove that waste and |
| styles of presentation and persuasion. Some | | | | yield substantial savings.If you are having a |
| people want facts and data, others want to | | | | real struggle trying to understand what |
| see that the vision is well conceived. Some | | | | people need to hear and how they need to hear |
| want to spend a lot of time going over the | | | | it, consider working with an advisor using |
| details and some will just want you to cut | | | | some behavioral and values assessment tools. |
| straight to the bottom line - "If we do this | | | | These are quick, user friendly, group |
| now, we will save $XX within this fiscal". If | | | | oriented tools that can save time and energy |
| you have had mixed or even poor success at | | | | with key insights. They help working groups |
| getting buy-in (from above, from peers, from | | | | understand why someone can't seem to hear |
| your staff), chances are that you haven't | | | | what you say when the same message seems to |
| done your homework and researched what their | | | | work just fine elsewhere.Using these tools |
| issues are. You may also have presented your | | | | also eliminates a lot of cultural waste |
| case in a way suitable for you but not for | | | | imbedded in conflicts (both passive and |
| others.Make sure your style is a good fit for | | | | active) that come from misunderstanding the |
| the way others work - this is particularly | | | | motivations of others. Joe or Sally may not |
| true when persuading up and across the | | | | be trying to sabotage your initiative; they |
| organization. The key to good discovery is | | | | may simply need to hear about it in a |
| your ability to listen well. People will | | | | different way.Sometimes getting help is the |
| always tell you or signal their needs; it's | | | | smartest thing you can do!Step 4: Never stop |
| up to you to make sure you hear them! When | | | | reinforcing the buy-in |
| you match Lean benefits to both strategic and | | | | |
| specific business needs you get sustainable | | | | Test for understanding and agreement on an |
| buy-in.Step 2: Stay results focused | | | | ongoing basis. Make sure you continue to |
| | | | actively listen for any concerns or doubts |
| There is a vast resource out there for you | | | | about the Lean implementation as it goes |
| to tap into for Lean metrics, proven results, | | | | forward. Work on these issues together and do |
| statistics, success stories, and bottom line | | | | not let them build into significant |
| performance improvement measures. Check the | | | | roadblocks by ignoring or dismissing them. |
| Internet, check your local bookstore, check | | | | Every concern you can successfully address, |
| with Lean associations in your area and, | | | | every concerned person who feels you really |
| above all, go to see other companies farther | | | | heard what they said, is a huge plus in |
| down the Lean road than you are. Have this | | | | building an ongoing committed Lean team |
| data available for your meetings and | | | | across the enterprise. Remember those needs |
| one-on-one discussion opportunities.There are | | | | and issues from your first round of |
| people who like to see the raw data and talk | | | | discovery. Check in from time to time to see |
| about numbers, while others prefer to hear | | | | if they have changed. You must commit to |
| real stories from the shop, laboratory or | | | | regular updates on the Lean implementation. |
| office floor. Suit your presentation to their | | | | If your results are not in synch with the |
| preferences - this cannot be said often | | | | business goals, needs, and issues of your |
| enough! It is so easy to become a Lean | | | | audience (particularly senior management and |
| enthusiast and forget that others need to | | | | peer departments) then your efforts could be |
| come on board in their own ways and their own | | | | dismissed as 'nice to have' but not |
| time.Be patient, don't try to give someone | | | | 'essential'.Keep your eye on the ball in |
| all of the information in one fell swoop - | | | | reporting results - Lean is about meeting |
| pace yourself and adapt to the needs of | | | | business goals faster and better!Step 5: |
| others. Some will want a quick presentation | | | | Never be afraid to start again |
| and prefer to make equally quick decisions. | | | | |
| Others will want some time to mull over the | | | | From time to time, Lean crusaders will make |
| data, to think of what might happen during | | | | mistakes and find their ideas marginalized in |
| implementation. These people are extremely | | | | the corporate competition for resources and |
| valuable once on board. They will be the | | | | air time with executives. Don't despair, go |
| folks with the good questions, the | | | | back to steps 1 and 2 and start again. Find |
| interesting solutions, and they will be the | | | | out where you made your mistakes and learn |
| 'stayers' for the long term. Just make sure | | | | from that. Move forward with confidence. If |
| you give them time to reflect and come back | | | | you quit when the going gets rough, you'll |
| with their questions. Do not try to 'muscle' | | | | never reach your Lean Future State.Lean has |
| or force a decision before someone is | | | | helped thousands of companies worldwide to |
| ready.Patience, not pressure, is your best | | | | increase profits, grow competitive market |
| friend in creating buy-in! Lean is all about | | | | share and add new business lines. The data is |
| 'pull' not 'push'.Step 3: Use tools that | | | | there to prove it - it's up to you to make |
| really help | | | | sure your colleagues get that data in ways |
| | | | that suit their needs and preferences.Lean is |
| One of the most effective ways of getting | | | | about learning and growing - that applies to |
| buy-in is exposing people to Lean training. | | | | both the technical and the human side of the |
| Bring your major players to one-day training | | | | Lean enterprise! |
| sessions that will orient them to the Lean | | | | |