Tips on Gaining Buy-In For Lean Implementation

Gaining buy-in for lean is an important factor during any lean implementation. Bosch Rexroth offers tips to ensure the whole organization is on board.

Bosch Rexroth has compiled tips for "Gaining Buy-In for Lean" to help organizations gain the personal buyin and employee understanding that's essential to successful long-term lean implementation.

Developed with lean manufacturing expert Jamie Flinchbaugh, "Gaining Buy-In for Lean" reviews ways to use informal communications – short, impromptu conversations on a daily basis – to help build support for lean transformation in an organization.

Flinchbaugh, who is co-founder of the Lean Learning Center and co-author of the popular book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean," points out that, while many lean transformation teams develop formal communications – websites, emails, bulletin boards , etc. – studies have shown that more than 90% of communications that have an impact on people are informal.

Tips for gaining employee buy-in for lean implementation include:

• Plan a common 90-second to three-minute standard communication message that's memorable and has an impact. This helps in answering employee questions about change and can be delivered informally in the lunch room or ride up the elevator.
• Don't use this informal time for teaching, but rather for explaining "why" and "what will change".
• Employees are concerned about "what will be different". Ensure these informal messages are consistent. If the team leading the change delivers a consistent message, then understanding and support should build.
• Your informal communication should address the emotional reason for implementing lean, making sure people realize it's the process that's flawed, not the employees doing the work.

More information on "Gaining Buy-In for Lean" is available from Bosch Rexroth's lean manufacturing podcast Episode 4, available for listening or free download from the company's website: boschrexroth-us.com/leanpodcast. Episodes are also available from the iTunes podcast library and other podcast directories on the web.

Developed by Bosch Rexroth's Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies group, each eight- to tenminute lean manufacturing podcast episode presents guest experts and information to help manufacturers and OEM s understand and apply lean principles and practices to their businesses.