1. GEMBA WALK STAGE
Across all stages
2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Lean Leadership focuses on creating a vision and inspiring all employees to transform the organization with lean practices, tools, mindsets and approaches. It requires displaying respect and empowering employees with skills and competencies to develop and maintain a lean mindset towards changing the status quo. Leaders committed to lean set the vision and focus on developing a culture of continuous improvement, communicating the lean strategy, setting clear goals and developing a relationship with employees, while ensuring that they are equipped to implement the changes, they apply lean routines in their daily jobs and they are rewarded for their achievements.
3. HOW TO USE LEAN LEADERSHIP IN THE GEMBA WALK
Many organizations where the Gemba Walk is an established practice, also have leaders committed to a lean thinking strategy, enabling, supporting and governing the different lean practices implemented across the organization. Lean leadership is an invaluable practice, as it provides a supporting mechanism, empowering and encouraging everyone to look for problems, carry out Gemba Walks to collaboratively solve them, and follow up on the improvement activities and initiatives resulting from Gemba Walks.
4. ROLES AND ACTIVITIES
Leader: Co-creates and executes a lean thinking strategy and provides the vision and benefits from performing Gemba Walks, demonstrating his/her commitment. Shows respect, encourages and empowers employees to highlight problems, provides ideas and implements the solutions proposed during the Gemba Walks. Continuously develops his/her own leadership competencies
Facilitator: Supports leaders to carry out successful Gemba Walks aligned to a Lean Thinking vision and strategy. S/he coaches leaders in lean practices, provides feedback and serves as a touchpoint between leaders and employees
Team member: Follows the Gemba Walk guidelines, provides feedback and continually contributes to the improvement of the strategy and procedures
5. EXPECTED BENEFITS FOR THE GEMBA WALK
Focuses on leadership for continuous improvement and lean initiatives
Creates a support mechanism for employees involved in lean initiative(s)
Ensures lean efforts are aligned across the organization
6. ORGANIZATIONS WITH LEAN LEADERSHIP
Airbus Defence and Space, Barry Callebaut, Bocar Group, CEMEX, IMC, Interface, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Swisscom and Thermo Fisher Scientific