Lean Empowerment and Respect for People: The Evolution of Lean Production Systems

The two pillars of a Lean Management System are Continuous Improvement and Respect for People, but Respect for People is often overlooked or understated. This book explores why staff come to work in the morning and proposes a new system that prioritizes Respect for People over Continuous Improvement, with leaders recognizing belonging and psychological safety as preconditions to process innovation and new definitions of value and waste taking on a more human face.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 178 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

A Lean Management System is built on two fundamental pillars: Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. While most books on Lean Production have primarily emphasized Continuous Improvement, they have often neglected to treat Respect for People as an equally important pillar. As a result, the structure of a Lean organization becomes lopsided, resembling a lean-to structure rather than a true Lean house. It is our responsibility to rectify this imbalance.

The study of people is a complex and captivating endeavor that requires us to delve into various interdisciplinary fields, including psychology, sociology, philosophy, and even theology. This book, while closely aligned with Lean Production, pursues a different objective. Instead of focusing solely on production, efficiency, and financial gains, our goal is to understand the underlying reasons why employees wake up in the morning and choose to come to work. We can only truly comprehend a system when we understand the people who inhabit it. It is the people who own the culture.

In order for Lean to evolve into an Empowerment System, it must shift its focus from a Production System to one that prioritizes Respect for People. Lean Production, as it stands, may no longer cater to the needs of the contemporary workforce, particularly knowledge workers like yourself. You deserve more than a rehashing of the same ideas. You are not a line worker, and your system should not treat you as such. Therefore, we need a new system. One that puts Respect for People above Continuous Improvement.

In this system, leaders must recognize belonging and psychological safety as essential preconditions for process innovation. The traditional definitions of value and waste, which are central to Lean philosophy, must undergo a transformation to reflect a more human perspective. They must drive cultural change and empower individuals to contribute their unique strengths and perspectives.

To achieve this, we must flip Lean on its head. We must challenge the conventional wisdom and embrace a new perspective that values people over processes. We must create an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to make meaningful contributions. Only then can we achieve the true potential of Lean and create a sustainable and thriving organization.

Weight: 370g
Dimension: 178 x 253 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032644110