Ghostism

A strong culture of continuous improvement relies heavily on teamwork. When there is a problem, team members need to be able to rely on others to come to the rescue. Ghostism is the Lean affliction in which a person becomes invisible whenever it is their turn to provide help to Read more…

Concretitis

Work with Japanese Lean consultants for any length of time, and you will almost certainly hear the term “concrete head”. It is a derogatory term used to indicate people who are generally opposed to not only making changes, but even discussing them. People who are extremely susceptible to displaying this Read more…

Changeitis

Changeitis is an innate resistance to change, regardless of the merits of the new situation. It is one of many Lean afflictions that hamper the full potential of continuous improvement efforts. Some people get set in their ways and oppose change on general principle. These people might even complain about Read more…

Dirt Allergies

Unlike medical allergies, the Lean affliction of Dirt Allergies has no physical component to it. It is simply a condition in which people are extremely reluctant to get hands or clothing dirty. This condition is most common in leaders who are unwilling to get involved in production processes, or in Read more…

Clarity Impairment

Strong communication is an important ingredient for effective teams, and continuous improvement relies heavily upon teamwork. Some people, though, suffer from Clarity Impairment, a Lean affliction in which they are unable to provide information without ambiguity. This might fall into the realm of just not making sense with what they Read more…

Nopointosis

Smooth, efficient communication helps business management systems thrive. Many of the structures that we recommend having in place are specifically designed to help streamline the communication process. Morning standup meetings get everyone on the same page at the start of a shift. Daily management clarifies expectations and what the current Read more…

Selective Hearing Syndrome

Many Lean afflictions reduce the effectiveness of your continuous improvement efforts. One such affliction is Selective Hearing Syndrome. In this disease, people filter out information that doesn’t support their views or that involves things they don’t want to do. They also interpret the meaning of this information exclusively based on Read more…