It seems to me that every Lean tool and concept ends up in the same place. That place being; gathering together some combination of managers, supervisors, and workers. Sitting together and solving the problem or improving the operation. Being the Lean Manager means I’m supposed to teach, guide and help people solve problems by discover their own answers. Just like a therapist or psychologist does. I have met some very good therapists. And now I’m feeling as though that is my new job.

The more difficult part of my job is gathering together the right people and finding the time to do this Lean therapy work. In the manufacturing setting the people I need to work with need to be out on the plant floor making stuff. The other struggle I’ve had is getting people to agree that there is a problem. In the case of the therapist, people usually come to them because they perceive that they have a problem. Boy, that would be nice if someone besides the plant manager came to me because they had a manufacturing problem.

There is so much for me to learn. It might be best if I spend my time learning more about how the sheep herders do their job and how therapists do their work……