Despite the popularity of lean and continuous improvement around the world, most organisations and their leaders struggle to make improvement work.
Many are trying to cope with day-to-day business issues. They bury their heads in the work as they either give up on trying to improve or are floundering as they keep trying new initiatives to improve with little success. Most lean thinking and improvement publications focus on the use of improvement tools but never really get to the core of why organisations are not seeing the real results from these techniques and lean thinking as an improvement strategy. They talk about what to do but not about the common problems you can expect along the way and how to navigate these and create a fundamental change in how the business works. Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work will help solve this problem and help leaders build a solid foundation to making lean and continuous improvement work in their business.
Through numerous examples and detailed case studies, the book shows how business leaders, managers and frontline supervisors can make lean and continuous improvement techniques work, increasing consistency and getting more work done, in less time.
Table of Contents:
Section 1: Introduction to Lean Thinking. Chapter 1: Introducing the Problem and What’s Not Working. Chapter 2: Introduction to Daily Management and Standardized Work. Chapter 3: Key Principles of Lean (Work, Value & Waste). Section 2: Daily Lean Management. Chapter 4: Four Elements of Daily Lean Management. Chapter 5: Pitfalls of Daily Lean Management. Section 3: Why Organizations Struggle to Fix Problems. Chapter 6: Breaking the Cycle. Chapter 7: A3 Problem Solving Process and PDCA Thinking. Chapter 8: Why Standardized Work is Not Standard (and acts as a foundation for continuous improvement). Section 4: How Leaders and Managers Can Help Play Their Roles. Chapter 9: How to Establish Effective Visual Management and Daily Management Routines. Chapter 10: Lean Management System. Chapter 11: Lean Management Routines – the Essential 3rd Cog in the System. Chapter 12: Summary and Conclusion.
About the Author :
Darren Walsh is Director & Leadership Coach at Making Lean Work Ltd. A leading management consultancy specialising in helping business leaders unlock the transformative power of continuous improvement. He has over 25 years of experience, working with some of the best in automotive, aerospace, medical devices, energy and financial services. Graduating with a Master's degree from Lean Enterprise Research Centre, his insights have been featured in industry-leading publications, and conferences.
Review :
“Darren Walsh’s work reflects the essence of the Shingo Guiding Principles, “Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work’s” combination of depth, practicality, and real-world insight makes it an essential resource for leaders committed to operational excellence.”
Ken Snyder,
Executive Director, Shingo Institute
Across industry sectors, thought leaders are calling Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work an indispensable guide for anyone serious about achieving sustainable, principle-driven improvement: Most Lean books explain tools. This one shows why they fail. A clear, comprehensive and highly recommended guide—grounded in experience, exposing the pitfalls of daily management, and focused on principles and systems, not just tools.”
Tom Ehrenfeld, Award-winning editor | 11× Shingo Prize recipient
“Great analysis of why lean programs fail and what to do about it. Darren Walsh’s understanding of the interplay of visual management, standard work and management routines makes for a clear diagnostic of lean challenges. I really like all this practical concrete examples of what this all means in practice!”
Michael Ballé, 5 times winner Shingo Prize Award,
Editorial Board Member of Planet-Lean
“Finally, a book that tackles the leadership systems most organisations struggle with. A great read and highly recommended.”
Cathal O'Reilly, VP Enterprise Excellence & Transformation, Teleflex Inc.
"For those committed to enhance their organization's efficiency via Lean and continuous improvement, this book is essential. It presents methodologies that will empower your organization to accomplish more in less time."
Rodger Hooker, Managing Director Optime Subsea – Halliburton
"Darren’s approach to continuous improvement is simple and clear. By utilising his methodology for Daily Lean Management, we achieved immediate impact and developed engaged employees in all areas to drive sustainable success."
Patrick Leroe, VP of Operations
Medical Devices
“An absolute must-read for transformation leaders, who want to develop the right improvement strategy and get a buy-in from across their organisation.”
Lenka Booker, Strategy and Transformation Director, Air Business
“This has been a game changer and led to significant improvements and results across the board. Darren has always been the "go to" for advice on how to approach Daily Management, his book has now codified this knowledge into an invaluable guide. Essential reading for Management and Practitioners alike.”
Paul Whyte, Director, Digital Systems & Value Streams
– Advanced Operations, Stryker
In his book Making Lean I Continuous Improvement Work, Darren Walsh fills a critical gap that exists among the vast publications in Lean principles. Darren's focus on leadership routines to drive business improvement is fundamental to the sustained implementation of any Lean transformation. This is a must-read for leaders who have all of the tools yet still struggle to implement continuous improvement initiatives in their organizations.”
Robert Sealy, Vice President of Service, Asia Pacific
– Vestas Energy
"There are many books to talk about what makes you Lean, but very few makes the difference as they do not explain the common problems you can expect along the execution. Darren’s book explain cristal clearly how to navigate these and create a fundamental change in pratical day to day work through the Daily Lean Management. I highly recommend as it works and provides practical tools to make the difference. "
Gabor Szabo, Plant Manager
- Bunge Global
“Lean and continuous improvement is not new, although there are many textbooks explaining the theory and principle, implementation is always a challenge. Darren offers a real-life insight on how to turn lean terminologies into measurable success, guiding leaders to execute the lean principle daily to drive sustainable result, and creating a problem-solving organization!”
Nadine Cheung, FPS Global Quality Director, Baker Hughes
“For both Managers and Lean Specialists, Making Lean Work is a practical & hands-on way of how to bridge continuous improvement pitfalls & gaps and making Lean Management stick within your company”.
Michael Vellinga, Global Operational Excellence Director
- DLL Financial Services
"Darren made me think on how to transform myself before changing my peers and teams through Lean. With a scientific approach and the support of Darren's insights, you will just improve."
Neary Tek, Director Subsea Services Business Performance, TechnipFMC
“Darren provides a powerful message to all who seek process excellence, one that will provide the step-by-step tactics and tools to accomplish real improvement results. This book can make a huge difference in your value stream and problem-solving capability.”
Frederic Schnider, Vice President Technical, Strategy & Transformation, Aerospace
“Darren has really changed our behaviour, removing silos, improving our business performance and delivering robust results. Starting on understanding lowest level of business’s problems and solving them, as also changing the leadership mindset with leadership routines to really embrace change”.
Lauro Mendonça Da Silva, Global Engineering Lean & Operations Leader,
FPS Baker Hughes
“A fantastic book. The definitive guide to help Leaders take their businesses to the next level”.
Gary Lines, Quality Manager, LB Bentley
“If you are looking for a foundational base to improve your business or operation then Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work is a must-read. It is filled with hard-earned experience in lean management and improvement philosophy. Making lean and continuous improvement work in business is not for the faint of heart. Darren provides us with the knowledge and wisdom to make it work.
Terry Ortynsky, Owner, Royal Auto Group
“Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work fundamentally focuses on the main reason Lean fails to be sustained in businesses…..leadership routines to support the teams delivering the improvement projects!”
Stuart Lawson, Global Head of Manufacturing.
Hanley Energy Group – A Jabil Company
“It is essential that every team understands their performance and any problems in delivering customer value, but they also need to know that help is there to address problems that they cannot fix themselves. Darren outlines a proven system that combines technical improvement aspects combined with the support and human touch to see it successfully implemented”
Neville Moore, Managing Director – Ulster Stores & De Gruchy
“This book offers intriguing insights into the effectiveness and sustainability of continuous improvement techniques, after more than two decades at the coalface this Lean scribe offers his secret sauce to bridging the huge gap between continuous improvement techniques and a highly effective continuous improvement culture.”
Ray Jacques, EMEA Business Process Lead.
Customer Excellence & Value Improvement – Boston Scientific
“A must-read for aspiring leaders and managers! Supervisors, managers, senior management teams, business owners, and anyone looking to become a better leader should read this book and look to apply just some of the lessons it offers.”
Mike Dimmack, Make UK
“A practical guide to making change and should be read by all practitioners. Darren Walsh possesses a wealth of knowledge in applying that learning, based on many years of practice. Certainly the most useful book on the subject that I have read in years.”
John Lovell, Fmr Aerospace Director of Operational Excellence
