Implementing Lean Management Practices

Those in the corporate and manufacturing world are likely familiar with the concept of Lean Management. This concept was refined and utilized by Toyota and is often referred to the "Toyota Production System." Many organizations within a wide variety of industries have also utilized this concept in an effort to eliminate waste and deliver more value for their customers or end users.

In November of 2006, we began an extensive training program on the concepts of Lean called "The Working Smarter Training Challenge." This program offers resources from many Lean experts across North America and requires our team to invest in learning and applying the concepts. We commit to completing weekly observation exercises and homework in preparation for our training session meetings every Monday afternoon.

We have thoroughly enjoyed over 115 weeks of learning during our first two years of the program and have literally changed the culture at our organization! We have completed over ten, week long Kaizen Events and have been motivated by many other projects where Lean concepts have been applied and implemented.

We have learned a great deal over the first two years of our Lean journey. We also understand that Lean is the continuous journey to perfection and look forward to our third year of significant change in 2009. It is a "journey that never ends" and as Vince Lombardi- the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers- once said:

"Gentleman, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence."