Practicing Lean: Learning How to Learn How to Get Better... Better

By Michael Lombard, Jamie Flinchbaugh, Cameron Stark, et al.

Nobody gets good at Lean by reading about it. You get good by practicing -- by trying things, getting them wrong, adjusting, and trying again. The problem is that most books about Lean describe the destination. Very few are honest about the journey.

Practicing Lean is a collection of firsthand stories from people who've led Lean transformations and are willing to tell you what actually happened -- including the parts that didn't work. Fifteen contributors from healthcare, manufacturing, the military, software, government, and startups share what they struggled with, what they learned, and what they'd do differently.

These aren't polished case studies written after the victory. They're honest accounts of the messy middle -- the resistance, the missteps, the moments where the plan met reality. If you're early in your Lean journey and wondering why it's harder than the books make it sound, this is the book that tells you the truth. If you're experienced, you'll recognize yourself in these stories and find something you hadn't considered.

Contributors include leaders and practitioners from Tesla, Toyota, Johnson & Johnson, the U.S. Marine Corps, General Electric, the NHS, and more -- alongside consultants, executives, and frontline improvers who've been in the work for years.

Edited by Mark Graban, author of the Shingo Award-winning Lean Hospitals. All proceeds are donated to the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1520202679
• ISBN13: 9781520202679
• Release Date: January 2017
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 276 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"