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10/31/2011 10:26 AM
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Hi
I deliver BIT (Business Improvement Techniques) NVQs in the UK. This involves visiting firms for a 2 hour presentation, delivered by myself, on various lean techniques as required within the NVQ units. I face a lot of skepticism from many of the learners and these aren't children or youngsters, they're grown adults who will fight change tooth and nail.
Any ideas on how to get around this?
Thanks
Duncan
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10/31/2011 04:10 PM
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Duncan,
I always find that a good dose of proven results works wonders with most folks. For CAVE men (Citizens Against Virtually Everything), well, you're never going to win them over, so don't worry about it.
Tom
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11/01/2011 07:35 PM
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"Do you get everything you would like done, the way you would like to do it?"
"What would you like to do that, today, you cannot?"
If the answer is "Yes" they are satisfied with the status-quo. But most people, when asked a question like that will admit that they would like to do more.
"What keeps you from doing (one thing)?"
Listen carefully.
Somewhere, buried in all of the complaints, will be a "problem" - something genuinely in the way of improving.
Work with them - even some of them - even one of them - to see if they can find a way to make one little thing a bit easier, a bit better.
Explain that "lean" is not about sweeping changes.
Rather, it is about adopting the approach that we always want to do a little better, and we seek out one problem that, today, got in our way of doing it. Then we work to solve it.
Step and repeat.
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11/01/2011 07:36 PM
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Hi Duncan
I work for a lrage Insurance firm and we have been trying to embed Lean for a few years now, and we have the same problem.
Some of the SME's have been here for a long time and like the way they work and will do the things the way they are just becasue they have always been done that way... I have find that giving results and tangible benefits (cost savings, capacity creation as opposed to 'redundancy/getting rid of') is definitly the way forward.
Also reiterating the fact that it is not about working harder but working smarter...
lastly, be honest with the team you work with. Gaining trust is difficuly especially when you are continually fire fighting but one of the core mistake, i think, is gaining trsut from the people you are working with... ideally people at the top (managers, SM's etc)...
You could also (before you start the Lean workout) sit down with individuals who are important for the decisions/input and measure whether they are on board or not ie some kind of matrix that shows they current standing in terms of what they think of Lean etc...
If you need further help please do email me sonesh_shah@hotmail.com... I may even have templates..
Cheers
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11/01/2011 07:36 PM
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What could I do when I have a staff of mostly CAVEmen? These people are in their late 40's to 50's and are a mix of Pharmacists and Techs. And they have been in the profession for 20 years? Why are they soooo resistant to conserving inventory and not haording as if we are about to have a nuclear disaster?
HELP?
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11/01/2011 07:36 PM
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Hi Duncan
What we have always found when working with adults and training them on anything new is that you have to win them over and you have to stick to single point lessons.
One of the best ways to win them is through using simulation in teaching, adults are very hands on, by nature. When we designed our simulations we focused on single point lessons. That way they get to grasp and actually touch the lesson. In the end when you do your training that way they are far more willing to accept its value. No presentation regardless of how well done will ever win as many people as a simple hands on simulation. Additionally one of the biggest benefits of the simulation is the discussion amongst the trainees, they win each other over.
I hope that helps.
Robert Drescher
ELSE Inc.
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11/01/2011 07:36 PM
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Tom is right. You will always run into the occasional "concrete heads". Just keep getting your message out there. Those that listen and learn will realize the benefits, while those that don't will wonder what happened when the train leaves the station and they aren't "on board".
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11/04/2011 02:21 PM
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Age has absolutely nothing to do with it. Demming, (who cam up with the idea of Lean) would have been over 100!!
They are resistant to change because they have not seen anything work better. Get them involved in a Kaizen to eliminate inventory, and they will be your best supporters!
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11/08/2011 03:20 PM
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Duncan,
Do you think you might just be a victim of the wrong model for introducing Lean?
From your description I get the feeling that the scepticism and resistance is irrational. Is it? It sounds like you have the impossible task of engaging people in Lean when their management have abdicated all responsibility for doing so. You might try asking them about previous "initiatives" as this will tell you how ready the organisation is for the radical CHANGE Lean represents. Try and understand their point of view, as I had to do, and you and you may find that there were three or four short-lived efforts to introduce some form of process-improvement methodology in the past. Every time a new one was announced the CEO was passionate that THIS TIME things were going to be different. The event was probably launched at a local conference centre together with a free lunch and a lot of pious flatulence.
Being a bit more naive then they went back to the workplace enthused. The asked for projects from managers who either did not understand their role or resented this initiative as a distraction. The projects thy were given were the of the "boil-the-ocean" variety. Faced with the impossible they asked for training and coaching support. This was limited by budget which was eventually cut as not being "essential" in this financial climate (even if the company was making a profit). Time off to concentrate on the project was also limited. No training, no support and no follow up by management eventually led to projects being abandoned without any consequences and the advice to keep one's head down and never volunteer.
Sadly, I have come to the conclusion that leaders and managers who truly understand and practice Lean are as rare as hen's teeth, which is why most Lean journeys fail. The alternative leadership philosophy of Command & Control is as old as time itself and is encouraged by virtually every business school in the world and is, I believe, incompatible with Lean or BIT.
So if you want to make progress, suggest that the CEO, COO, CFO, CIO, CTO and those nice people in HR first get trained in BIT and then support your efforts by being readily available mentors and coaches for the people on the shop floor. If this sounds too difficult, you are right, but then there is no easy way to develop a Lean culture.
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