Great article in the Fabricator on the importance of Executive Leadership for Lean transformation.

https://www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/shopmanagement/the-role-of-executive-leadership-in-lean-manufacturing

Snippet:

What basic characteristics define an effective lean executive? A few come to mind. Think of the following characteristics as a composite description.

General Lean Knowledge. Effective lean executives grasp at least the basic concepts of lean manufacturing: the constant pursuit of waste elimination, the focus on flow, and the reduction of variation. They lead decisively while demonstrating humility and respect. They manage with data and facts, and demand others do likewise.

They learn about lean manufacturing from sources both inside and outside the company. Inside, they learn from the lean improvements being made through project teams, workforce education and training, and lean strategy workshops. Outside, they learn through reading, networking, and attending targeted conferences—the Lean Enterprise Institute’s annual summit and FABTECH education sessions come to mind.

Connect Lean Investments With Business Results. Lean executives make the connection between outputs from lean investments and business results. They understand that most investments and actions result in tangible financial results in the aggregate, but there will be times when they cannot make the direct connection between a dollar spent on lean and a “dollar plus” being returned.

Applying prudent judgment and a long-term outlook, they know making the investment is still the right thing to do. They understand that, ultimately, a successful lean journey makes the organization more financially viable and resilient.