When Taiichi Ohno and his team of engineers developed the Toyota Production System (TPS), they built a precision machine where every component worked in perfect harmony. Today, that finely-tuned system has been dismantled and reassembled countless times, with each new interpretation claiming improvements while actually compromising its core functionality. Like a high-performance engine modified with aftermarket parts that degrade its performance, the true power of Lean fundamentals risks being diminished by trendy methodologies and quick-fix solutions.
This article explores how the dilution of core Lean manufacturing principles threatens operational excellence, examining why organizations must return to fundamental practices to achieve sustainable improvement. Drawing from decades of hands-on implementation experience, we’ll investigate how to recognize and preserve authentic Lean principles while avoiding common pitfalls.
Keep reading to understand the critical elements of true Lean methodology, learn how to identify problematic deviations from proven principles, and discover approaches for maintaining authentic Lean practices in your organization.
The Lean Fundamentals at Risk
The Toyota Production System house represents the essential framework for Lean success. Lean’s fundamental elements form an integrated system that many organizations today implement only partially while claiming Lean status. “Almost everywhere I look, we are deviating from those practices. And when I say those practices, I’m talking about the basics,” observes Mark DeLuzio, founder and CEO of Lean Horizons Consulting and principal architect of the Danaher Business System.
These foundational elements include:
- Just-in-Time (JIT): A strategy focused on making quality products in the quantity needed, when needed.
- Jidoka: Often called “automation with a human touch,” this principle allows machines to detect abnormalities and stop automatically, preventing defects from moving downstream. According to Mark, “Almost no one is doing Jidoka today.”
- Standard Work: The documented best practice for consistent operations. As Taiichi Ohno stated and Mark emphasizes, “Without a standard, there can be no improvement.”
- Heijunka: Production leveling that minimizes the impact of demand variations, essential for implementing standard work and calculating takt time.
- Kaizen: True continuous improvement, not the limited “Wednesday 1-3 PM” version many companies attempt to implement.
The Proliferation of Alternatives
Modern manufacturing has seen an explosion of methodologies claiming to improve upon or replace traditional Lean fundamentals. Mark identifies several problematic trends:
- Lean Sigma: Created to sell consulting services
- Theory of Constraints: Often focused on software solutions
- Demand Flow Technology: Removes difficult but essential TPS elements
- Industry 4.0: Lacks clear foundational predecessors
- Kata: Not recognized by original Toyota mentors
- AI-driven approaches: Often positioned as Lean replacements
“There are no silver bullets,” Mark urges. “There are no plug-and-play transformations. There’s no magic sauce, and it’s a lot of hard work.”
The Knowledge-Doing Gap
The gap between knowing and doing is a critical issue in modern Lean implementation. Mark offers an insight from his mentor, Chihiro Nakao: “He could not understand why Americans would say they knew how to do something but couldn’t demonstrate it.”
This perspective extends to practical applications like SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Dies) teams. Many companies resist dedicated changeover teams, claiming productivity concerns. Yet, as Mark points out, “Their 15-minute changeover went to three hours” after removing team members – a clear example of misunderstanding actual efficiency.
The Message Dilution: The Telephone Game Effect
The transmission of Lean fundamentals across generations has suffered from what Mark calls “the telephone game” effect. Just as a story changes completely when passed through multiple people, fundamental Lean concepts have become distorted through reinterpretation and repackaging. This dilution manifests in several ways:
Understanding Flow and Pull
Many organizations rush to implement Kanban systems while missing the fundamental principle of flow. Interestingly, the concept of Kanban originated when Taiichi Ohno observed American supermarkets, specifically Piggly Wiggly, where customer withdrawal triggered product replenishment. Yet today, Mark clarifies that companies sometimes place Kanbans between adjacent machines – a clear misunderstanding of the system’s purpose.
Variance Reduction vs. Six Sigma
Within the Danaher Business System, traditional Six Sigma terminology was deliberately replaced with “variance reduction” to prevent what Mark calls “Six Sigma hysteria.” This change helped maintain focus on practical problem-solving rather than statistical dogma. “To try to solve the world’s problems with one tool is foolish,” he explains. “It’s kind of like building a house with only a hammer.”
Manufacturing Engineering’s Role
The role of manufacturing engineers has also been diluted. “Make the job of the operator easier,” Mark states simply. “Your job is not a catalog engineer to order parts and buy solutions.” He recalls Nakao checking engineers’ hands several times daily: “Ah, DeLuzio san, hand’s not dirty enough. Go back out to Gemba. Out of conference room.”
Preserving Authentic Practices
The journey to authentic Lean implementation requires more than understanding individual tools or techniques. Organizations must develop a comprehensive approach that integrates Lean’s fundamental principles while building internal capabilities. This systematic development creates a foundation for sustained excellence that withstands the test of time and avoids the pitfalls of surface-level implementation. To achieve this level of excellence, organizations must master several critical elements:
- Focus on Lean Fundamentals
- Return to basic TPS principles
- Implement all elements of the TPS house
- Maintain proper standards as improvement foundations
- Verify Implementation Capability
- Ensure hands-on demonstration ability
- Practice real kaizen, not scheduled improvements
- Develop a true understanding of tools like Kanban and flow
- Question New Approaches
- Evaluate methodologies against fundamental principles
- Understand the origin of practices
- Resist “silver bullet” solutions
- Maintain Standards
- Implement proper standard work
- Resist excuses about unique circumstances
- Remember, Toyota succeeded with high mix, low volume
Building Sustainable Excellence
The transformation to authentic Lean practices requires organizations to:
- Recognize True Lean Characteristics
- Universal applicability of principles
- Integration of all TPS house elements
- Focus on hands-on implementation
- Commitment to continuous learning
- Avoid Common Pitfalls
- Over-reliance on consultants
- Selective implementation
- Surface-level understanding
- Quick-fix mentality
- Develop Internal Capabilities
- Hands-on problem solving
- Deep understanding of principles
- Regular practice and improvement
- Cross-functional knowledge
- Maintain True North
- Focus on customer value
- Respect for people
- Process-driven improvement
- Long-term thinking
Achieving Lasting Transformation
Success in manufacturing operations requires more than superficial implementation of tools or techniques. Organizations must develop a deep understanding and commitment to Lean’s fundamental principles that have proven successful over decades. This approach means rejecting the allure of simplified solutions and trendy methodologies in favor of proven strategies that deliver sustainable results.
Lean Horizons Consulting brings decades of experience helping organizations navigate the complexities of authentic Lean implementation. Our approach, grounded in the original principles of the Toyota Production System, helps organizations build lasting capabilities while avoiding common pitfalls and misunderstandings. Contact us to learn how we can help your organization develop and sustain true operational excellence.
