Why Daily Management is Like a Petri Dish for Lean

I was watching an episode of Mythbusters last night. They were testing out where the highest concentrations of bacteria reside in your everyday life. (Hint: If you are using your keyboard right now, keep your hands away from your face!)

The whole concept of a Petri dish got me thinking. Daily management is like a Petri dish for continuous improvement. They both do two of the same things:

1. They provide a hospitable place to grow. Bacteria thrive on the nutrients provided by the agar. Daily management provides the structure in which continuous improvement really shines.
2. They make things stand out. For the dish, bacteria readily show up. For daily management, problems become instantly apparent.

By the way, if you aren’t familiar with what a daily management system is, click this link to read an article on the ins and outs of setting one up.