I’ll sell you on lean and efficiencies, if you’ll buy into change and experimentation. In “Out of the Crisis,” W. Edwards Deming, Ph.D., known for his work in the field of quality management, was famous for saying: “I should estimate that in my experience most troubles and most possibilities for improvement add up to the proportions something like this: 94 percent belongs to the system (responsibility of management), 6 percent special.” If the aim is to improve any part of the system, beat the competition, and satisfy the customer, then lean will be the tool of choice.
Lean is a simple word, can be described as a tool, and gets as complex as imaginable. When it is heard that “We went lean,” it is, unfortunately, often said with a sarcastic and negative tone. Like azodicarbonamide and gluten, there are many misconceptions, despite abundant research and successful implementation. Lack of familiarity of its applications and rumors have led to misunderstandings.