We have been discussing training for several months, offering ideas for in-house training, behavior changing and the great need for you to constantly and consistently set the example for change. You may have already begun to notice that your behavior, in and of itself, is not enough to tip the scale. You may not have reached the critical mass needed to transform the culture and behaviors into the patterns you need to create the LEAN or quality or safety initiative you seek to employ.

We have been discussing training for several months, offering ideas for in-house training, behavior changing and the great need for you to constantly and consistently set the example for change. You may have already begun to notice that your behavior, in and of itself, is not enough to tip the scale. You may not have reached the critical mass needed to transform the culture and behaviors into the patterns you need to create the LEAN or quality or safety initiative you seek to employ.

Critical mass is the “a size, number, or amount large enough to produce a particular result” according to Merriam Webster. I use it in the social sense of having enough people willing to risk being part of a change.

If you are the only one actively engaged in bringing about a major change to the culture of your company, while others in leadership are not completely on board, you continue to face a real uphill battle. You need not only top-down support, you will need some active support from those you have charged with making the change happen. If you manage a manufacturing department and your supervisors do not mirror your behavior, your efforts will be seen by all employees as ineffectual at best or totally out of touch with their reality in the worst case.

Whose behavior will they observe? Not yours. Those in your workforce need to survive and thrive day-to-day so the only thing they need to do is keep the supervisor off their back. They are not thinking about the changes you are trying to instill.

Even supervisors who think they understand what is happening can undermine your efforts. My favorite recollection is of a supervisor who hears talk of the Five S —Japanese manufacturing technique for improving productivity — then sees the first red  tape start appear and heartily approves: “Wow, they are really getting into this! Isn’t this great?!”

They? Really? This well-intentioned remark of support is a killer! This supervisor does not understand that it’s his job to make Five S work in order for the company to improve. And to do his job, he has to buy-in and own his part of the change.

Outside Leaders

What you need to do now is take some steps to build a team that believes as you do. You need enough people behind you to push the new behavior into the new reality. You are the first, so find, grow or train a likely candidate —someone who will accept coaching and be willing to take a risk to help. Two won’t be enough, but this first step will really help you. You will now have someone to talk to who understands and actively supports your efforts.

Now find another one. They can be from inside or outside; each has its advantages. An insider already knows you well enough to know that you mean what you say and that you can and do walk the talk. They will have seen plenty of examples.

An outsider can add new ideas, relate similar experiences, and provide a punch that the existing team has not had for a time. They are new to your effort, but the fact that you chose a specific person sends a message that this person has something that’s currently lacking in-house. A new person on a small team dramatically alters the team’s dynamic so choose carefully. You are not fitting the new person into your existing team, but into the team you are creating or re-creating.

In-House Leaders

Harder, but maybe more worthwhile, is creating a new team member from existing staff. Is there a non-supervisor who has shown some interest in the new way? Have they volunteered to chair a continuous improvement team or to be part of a group problem solving effort? Have they come forth with personal feedback about what you are doing or with ideas and suggestions that are cogent and well thought out? There are people at almost every level of an organization with hidden talents and skills.

What do you do if you find one? Give them an assignment to implement a change requested by their team. Give them the assignment of planning implementation of the solution decided on by the problem solving team they were on. Give them one of the books or articles that captured your attention when you were deciding to proceed with your LEAN initiative.  Observe their reactions and abilities. See how well they get along with peers and supervisors. Talk to them about what they have learned and observed. You will know quickly if this person is the right candidate.

The more people you can add to the list of those who really understand the purpose and reward of LEAN, the faster your ideas – and theirs – can take hold and make meaningful improvement happen. You will have the critical mass you need to sustain the behavior changes.