Lean Horizons Consulting

A Lean transformation can’t succeed when compensation systems reward the wrong behaviors.  This might seem like common sense, yet it’s where many organizations and the decision-makers behind them start to stumble.  For all the time organizations spend on...

The importance of purpose in Lean transformations is often overlooked by executives, even as Lean concepts get plenty of airtime in annual reports, shareholder presentations, and glossy slide decks. Yet despite the fanfare, most Lean transformations stall, or worse,...

You’ve likely heard the Danaher Business System (DBS) being cited as a gold standard for Lean Enterprise transformation, but did you know its success wasn’t built on tools alone? It was built on culture, mindset, and leadership discipline. Many companies adopt Lean...

Operational metrics — like absorption costing and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) — shape behavior not just in theory, but on the floor, hour by hour. They tell teams what to prioritize, signal when something’s “working,” and often determine which efforts get...

When organizations talk about problem solving, they often assume everyone agrees on what a problem actually is in the context of Lean principles. That’s not always the case. Effective Lean problem solving, then, begins with a simple but critical foundation: A clear...

Your profit might look great on paper, but it’s free cash flow that signals your company’s true financial health. After a company covers all its operating costs and invests in capital assets, free cash flow is what remains, and it is this cash that can be used to fuel...

When it comes to serving customers effectively and efficiently, few metrics are as universally tracked as on-time delivery (OTD).  It’s the number that shows up again and again in reports, dashboards, and review meetings. But behind many green OTD scores lies a...

Many organizations today proudly claim they've used value stream mapping to map the value streams throughout their organization, yet these same organizations continue to face operational inefficiencies. The reason? Value stream mapping alone is not enough when...

Manufacturing leaders understand the critical role of and approach to inventory management and resource planning can make or break a company’s operational efficiency. For decades, Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems have dominated this space, promising...

In manufacturing, Lean productivity metrics often overshadow more meaningful measures of operational excellence. But what does this mean? While productivity remains important, industry leaders at Lean Horizons Consulting argue that this narrow focus often misses...