The whole organisation has been given lean training. Over 200 people have taken up the opportunity to spend three hours in sessions in which they will be told how to be more efficient by identifying waste in processes. Yes, the irony is so tangible you could beat someone (someone less efficient, I hope) with it, but this is where many companies are right now. Digital transformations, process improvements, lean and agile ways of working are the de rigour of many an organisation, as if this was all that was holding them back. They are told that this is the reason why greatness is not being achieved, why work remains so stressful and complex, and why they lie in bed at night staring into the back abyss. The fix is lean training, obviously.
Seriously though, this does highlight something of an issue, and that is the false idea that a short burst of training, the naming of some ‘champions’, and a positive and uplifting rally cry (in the form of a dry and impersonal email) will change an organisation’s culture and general outlook. Lean can be good, can be great, but without fundamental top down change it remains a costly (600 hour) waste of time.