Credibility of Lean

Credibility is trustworthiness. Credibility comes from a track record of getting things right.

Lean, despite its global success, has to earn its credibility within a company. It is not enough for a leader to talk about the virtues of Lean, or to point to external examples. Employees have to see a record of success on their home turf for them to start seeing Lean as a viable solution.

When Lean gets that history of successes behind it, the philosophy of continuous improvement gains credibility and is challenged less and less.

In addition to the lack of positive examples, touting only the benefits of Lean during a Lean implementation can shatter the credibility of a manager’s Lean effort. Even with some successes, failing to address the problems of Lean can make subsequent initiatives an uphill battle.

Be sure to address:

• Lean’s side effects
• The impact on job satisfaction
• The ”What’s in it for me?” question for employees