Tag: lean

Update after a gap

So it’s been a moment.

I was feeling great about my running routine, hitting the pavement every day. But then, I got assigned to a super important project with a big budget, and it took me away from my running. So, work got in the way yet again.

I did however manage to keep running but at a much lower level.

Ultimately, I finally finished the Oxford Half Marathon! But guess what? My knee totally gave out again (I have a torn meniscus that needs surgery). It was probably my worst HM time ever, like just under 3 hours, but I can’t even remember the exact time. I’m still proud of myself for pushing through all the pain and finishing the race!

That was pure determination and mind over body tbh, as a cancer survivor in chronic pain, I’m used to suffering of course, this was just an extra serving of stabbing pain 👍🏻

In the background this year, I’ve been juggling two blogs. One is about my work interests, and I’m hoping to build a small following and maybe even turn it into a full-time gig someday (fingers crossed!).

Do pop over to http://mylean.coach, subscribe if it interests you, and please do share the link. If you blog, you know how hard this is. If you don’t, then trust me, it’s a challenge!

I’m currently sitting here, wondering when I might get surgery for my knee or if I’ll ever be able to run pain-free again. The workload has been tough, but I’ve started doing some weight training, and that might be the way forward. If so, I’m going to miss running so much!

Adam

What is the point of lean?

Business is business right? The Goal (Goldratt) is to make money, it’s very true, because if a business does not make money, then it cannot survive. This is where lots of organisations have actually missed the point of lean (and or six sigma in fact). 

Many of these organisations see lean as a way to make more money, which is actually an abuse of the tools and methodologies. Lean, in itself, was actually developed to reduce the time between customer order and being paid by the customer, not to increase profit. The tools can have the effect of increasing profit, definitely, and of course there is nothing wrong with that in itself. The problem comes when lean ends up abusing the business, paring it down beyond the bone and negatively affecting the business itself and the people in it.

The latest incarnation of lean is starting to really focus on people, unfortunately, this has not yet hit ‘mainstream’ lean facilitators or big consultancies. I have observed that lean in so many organisations I have worked in, is seen primarily as a cost saving effort, rather than a cultural effort. My view is that this relates to most modern business being much more short term focussed than those who take the cultural aspect as the key driver. Take a look at Simon Sinek’s book ‘The Infinite Game’ if you want a deeper understanding of the thinking here.

All that said, business is business and The Goal is certainly to make money, but I think there is a need to find a balance and for business not to be solely financially driven, we must also consider our people and show them the respect they deserve. Organisations are about people, they are about much more than making money, every business actually has a purpose (besides The Goal), the money is the fuel to achieve the purpose, not the other way around.