Two lean transitions - a retrospective

© Culture Work 2015

Tim Kalbitzer

Manchester, 8 May 2015

Two lean transitions – a retrospective


Black?


White?


What is right?


Well, it depends …


ambivalence noun | am·biv·a·lence | \am-ˈbi-v"-l"n(t)s\

1 simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion) toward an object, person, or action

2a continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite)

2b uncertainty as to which approach to follow

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambivalence (6 May 2015)


Which opposites come to your mind?


Opposites – a selection

black white

strong weak

fast slow

push pull

rational emotional


Ambivalence

=

“… as well as …”


#1

You can only successfully change an organisation if you consider ambivalence

in the transition.


Our ambivalent nature

I grow

Autonomy

Growth

Personal development

I am connected

Closeness

Solidarity

Affiliation

Security

Ambivalence

Pre-birth experience


A good and balanced organizational mindset

directed by others

self- directed

Freedom Rules

Autonomy Security

Individual ambition

More control More trust Company decision

Requirement for agility and creativity

Requirement for certainty


#2

Don’t push too much, but don’t wait to be pulled either.

(Balancing push and pull is vital for a healthy transition.)


Push and pull in transitions

Coach has to counterbalance the way lean is introduced!

Behaviour People do what they want à anarchy?

Push Pull

Opportunism and resignation

Speed Low à no perceived progress à motivation gets lost

High à Fear, negative progress

Responsibility Give responsibility (to teams) à Who ensures direction?

Give direction à Who feels really responsible?

Coaching Engage, drive the change Protect people, slow down management


Balancing

•  We find “either … or …” easier

•  We hate “it depends …”

•  We prefer a specific “how to …”

•  We don’t like to make mistakes (if we are punished for them)

Difficult because •  Continuously and carefully look at

the situation

•  Do more of the opposite and less of the same

What to do


Push and pull in communication

Enthusiasm

Fear

inspire encourage invite

request instruct threaten, force

Pull

Push


#3

Lean tools alone don’t work. You need tools and the right behaviour. (Balancing rational and emotional/social aspects is vital for

the successful use of lean methods.)


The logic of lean management

products

processes

teams

limbic system rational

emotional value


Some great methods to start with

Explain what lean is and what it means. Get feedback and identify fears and problems.

Continuously learn and improve the way we work.

Solve problems systematically and sustainably.

Have a common understanding of what should be achieved and why it makes sense.

Awareness training

Retrospective

A3

Target setting

Purpose “Why?”

Method “What?”

Address people’s fears and problems!


Awareness Training

Philosophy

Fears Doubts

Questions

Problems Problems Methods

History

Examples

Examples

Mix rational and emotional/social topics!


Retrospective

What are we proud of?

What can we do better?

Result Team Process

Mainly emotional/social

Mainly rational


A3

●  Activity tracking

P - Current state / problem

●  Describe current situation and facts

P - Causes

●  Analyse root causes (Ishikawa diagram)

P - Target state

●  Describe target state and why it makes sense

D - Activities

●  Execute again if problem wasn‘t solved ●  Define a new standard (if it makes sense)

●  Describe what you learned

A - Next steps

C - Check

●  Reflect the achievements

What

Criterion Achieved? KPI

Who When A3

Most causes are emotional/social


Target setting

Target state

Purpose

Check

Sponsor

What do we want to achieve?

Why does that make sense?

How do we check that we have achieved the target?

Who checks if we have achieved the target?

Provides meaning


Possible combination of methods

Project

Gain clarity Get buy-in for target

Look back and immediately use feedback

Learn within project Finish work emotionally

Sustainably solve problems

Train team, stakeholder and environment

Train environment

Target setting

A3

Retrospective

Awareness Training


Summary

#1 You can only successfully change an organisation if you consider ambivalence in the transition.

#2 Don’t push too much, but don’t wait to be pulled either.

#3 Lean tools alone don’t work. You need tools and the right behaviour.


Culture Work model for continuous sustainable change

Learning (change)

Routine (keep)

Management (rational)

Leadership (emotional/social) Balance & achieve integration


Life is neither easy nor tricky, neither clear nor dark, neither contradictory nor coherent.

Life is.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (2014): Man sieht nur mit dem Herzen gut; translated by Tim Kalbitzer


Tim Kalbitzer

[email protected] +49 171 5429368 @timkalbitzer @CultureWorkGmbH

Share your ambivalent experience with me!

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Two lean transitions - a retrospective

Leadership & Management