Lean Roundup Edition #56 - January, 2014

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of January, 2014.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.

The Art Of Replacing Systems: How To Change The World – Matthew E May explains 3 elements of a system that governs change.

The Futility of a Numerical Goal – Tim Higgins describes the downfall of arbitrary numerical goal.

Lean and Management Processes – Michel Baudin explains his approach to management processes and it’s relationship to engineering in manufacturing.

Applied EPEI – Phil Coy explains the application of “every part every interval” and how it drives continuous improvement.

Standardized Work for Kaizen: Define, Achieve, Maintain, Improve – Tracey Richardson defines the actual steps needed for Kaizen.

What's Your Company's Bottleneck? – Brent Wahba shares some ideas to experiment with when trying to understand bigger system problems of the entire organization.

4 Keys to Strategic Lean Leadership - Clint McCrystal shares some basic strategies that can be used by new participants in lean leadership.

What Makes a Provider Truly Lean? - Michael Burchett defines a few key lean logistics performance areas to keep in mind when looking for a third party logistics provider.

Leadership is About Language – Al Norval defines “True North” and explains why leaders need to communicate the vision and direction.

It starts with respect for the product – Bill Waddell says any chance at having a culture centered on creating maximum value for the customers begins with hiring the right people, people with more than a passing interest in the product.

What Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Can Teach Us About Continuous Improvement – Chad Walters shares lessons from Dr. King, who had the courage to make the world a better place.

Why Does Most Lean Literature Address Only Make to Stock? – George Bohan explains that Lean is not about tools but rather process control.

Still Beating Up Suppliers? – Bob Emiliani explains the downside of beating up on suppliers with some words of wisdom from forgotten pioneers.

Every Company’s Operational Excellence Journey Is Different – Mark Davidson shares the similarities and differences of company’s journey to operational excellence.

Lean and 6-Sigma: Still Not the Same – Gregg Stocker explains the differences in improvement approaches between Lean and 6-sigma from his point of view.

Gaining Clarity through Value Stream Mapping – Karen Martin explains how value stream maps can boost organizational clarity.

Patience – Bruce Hamilton explores patience and it’s place when creating change in an organization.

My Continuous Improvement: Personal Kanban – 4th Revision FAILED! – Matt Wrye discusses an improvement in his kanban system that totally failed and the lesson he learned.

Continuous Flow is the Key to Improving Quality – Michael Balle says the continuous flow creates the opportunity for Kaizen and quality improvement.

Standard Work Instructions are Continually Improved; They are not a Barrier to Improvement – John Hunter explains that standard work is not a barrier but rather a means to lock in improvement.

Situational Leadership: Change Your Style Based on the Need – Jamie Flinchbaugh says different situations require different leadership traits and good leaders know to adapt.