The Importance of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) for Lean Managers
It is easy to see why a high IQ advantages Lean managers. Lean requires plenty of number-crunching and analysis, as well as the ability to visualize what may be a global supply chain and identify problems immediately. But what about EQ, or “emotional...
How to Transition Reluctant Teams to Lean Management
Lean management is often implemented to save a floundering company. In these cases, an existing team must cope not only with new policies, new managers, and new procedures, but also with emotional distress. When a company reevaluates its production models using Lean...
What Hospitals Can Learn from the Auto Industry
A few years ago, the Clinton Global Initiative announced a national program aimed at helping schools, hospitals and other nonprofits stretch their dollars further. I took special note of this because the program was in partnership with Toyota and featured the Toyota...
The Other Side of Inventory Waste: Understocking
What happens to Lean strategy in the event of an inventory shortage? Companies that have too little product on hand also experience waste. Specialist retailer Lululemon shaved inventory margins too close. As a result, customers and investors are disappointed and the...