Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? Building the bridge from job satisfaction to corporate profit - Softcover

Hajek, Jeff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1606280015 ISBN 13: 9781606280010

Publisher: Velaction Continuous Improvement, 2009

Synopsis

Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean? Building the bridge from job satisfaction to corporate profit is a ground-breaking survival guide for employees and managers who work in fast-paced, demanding work environments. Companies face intense pressure, especially in a tough economy. As consumer spending declines, competition for every dollar becomes more aggressive. If businesses can't capture a bigger piece of the shrinking market, or if they are unable to reduce costs, they will fail-eliminating jobs and employees' financial security in the process. In an effort to fight this battle, many companies turn to Lean-a proven method for helping businesses "do more with less." Because it delivers such powerful results, Lean is the improvement method of choice in manufacturing, administrative areas, and health care to name a few. History has shown that Lean is clearly advantageous for companies. But, there is a problem with Lean that is rarely addressed-one that could make or break a business in an age of economic uncertainty. Frontline workers can pay a very high up front price for being Lean. As a result, Lean often causes job dissatisfaction in the workforce and creates significant conflict between managers and their teams. Research shows that it is more than just a morale issue. Dissatisfied employees can reduce quality, productivity, and ultimately take a toll on a company's profit. If employees could quickly and easily teach themselves how to improve their job satisfaction, it might mean the difference between survival and failure for a company in the increasingly competitive marketplace. 'Whaddaya Mean' is a powerful 'how to' guide that delivers over 100 practical, cost-effective solutions to common Lean problems that employees and managers face. Jeff Hajek, MBA, is a leading authority on managing change at the front line and is the founder of Velaction Continuous Improvement, LLC. He is also a graduate of the elite United States Military Academy (West Point). Jeff leverages

About this title

Review:

A consultant's best friend!
-- John Byrd, CEO Productivity Plus

Most "lean culture" related books address top management and upper management issues: that is, they tell upper management how to lead lean transformations and how to get everyone engaged in the lean journey. "Whaddaya Mean I Gotta Be Lean" is unique in that it addresses the most common issues faced by operators and line supervisors when management does the right thing and even when they do not. -- Darren Dolcemascolo, Co-founder, EMS Consulting Group and author of Improving the Extended Value Stream: Lean for the Entire Supply Chain

Most books on Lean contain an overabundance of technical tools and jargon...This book is refreshing in that it approaches the deployment of Lean from a worker's perspective without using unnecessary acronyms or complicated terms. In fact, it contains a full range of Lean topics which are presented using simple examples "Whaddaya Mean I Gotta be Lean" should be given to every Kaizen team to increase their understanding of useful Lean topics. -- James W. Martin, President, Six Sigma Integration

This is a powerful book for those engaged in organizational improvement-especially for the managers leading the change. It is comprehensive, exceedingly well-written, and brimming with practical knowledge. Lean should enhance the lives of all company stakeholders, most importantly the workers who produce the wealth. 'Whaddaya Mean' can help a great deal. -- Lawrence P. Leach, PMP, President, Advanced Projects Inc

This is the first Lean book I've seen that speaks directly to the front-line employees -- not just top leadership or managers. This leads to a unique perspective on Lean and how it can benefit all employees. Hajek gives advice to front-line staff about how they can most effectively participate in a Lean implementation, including how they can "lead up" to prompt managers to follow through on the Lean expectations they've set. -- Mark Graban, author of 'Lean Hospitals'

Review:

Most books on Lean contain an overabundance of technical tools and jargon...This book is refreshing in that it approaches the deployment of Lean from a worker's perspective without using unnecessary acronyms or complicated terms. In fact, it contains a full range of Lean topics which are presented using simple examples "Whaddaya Mean I Gotta be Lean" should be given to every Kaizen team to increase their understanding of useful Lean topics.

About this edition

• Publisher: Velaction Continuous Improvement
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1606280015
• ISBN 13: 9781606280010
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 344