Comments on: Lean: Letting our human characteristics flourish… http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/ Mark Graban's leanblog.org - Lean Healthcare, Lean Thinking, Lean Manufacturing, Toyota Production System Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:01:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jose M Raventos http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6975 Jose M Raventos Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:35:28 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6975 Great post!!! It comes to my mind a sports analogie: I'm supporter of the FCBarcelona (soccer). We have winn all the tournaments last year. It was the first season for the new young coach (Pep Guardiola). Many people here ask themselve how he does it. One of the reasons is that he has a enormous respect for the players. When lossing a match he never blame to the players. We lost a match last week. He says: "we didn´t used a good strategy". By respecting the humanity and particularity of their players he is abble to get the best from each of them. Great post!!!
It comes to my mind a sports analogie:
I’m supporter of the FCBarcelona (soccer). We have winn all the tournaments last year. It was the first season for the new young coach (Pep Guardiola). Many people here ask themselve how he does it. One of the reasons is that he has a enormous respect for the players. When lossing a match he never blame to the players. We lost a match last week. He says: “we didn´t used a good strategy”. By respecting the humanity and particularity of their players he is abble to get the best from each of them.

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]]> By: Mark Graban http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6970 Mark Graban Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:51:42 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6970 Tom S - don't beat yourself up. It was a new insight for me, that's why I shared. Live to learn... Tom S – don’t beat yourself up. It was a new insight for me, that’s why I shared. Live to learn…

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]]> By: Tom Southworth http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6969 Tom Southworth Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:23:54 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6969 Great post, Mark. As I often tell my students, clients, blog and column readers I am a perpetual student - I'm always learning something new. Although I've read MTL twice (I had an advance copy) I somehow missed the subtlety that you've now made so obvious. Another lesson learned. .-= Tom Southworth´s last blog ..<a href="http://leanprinting.blogspot.com/2010/01/international-response-fund.html" rel="nofollow"></a> =-. Great post, Mark. As I often tell my students, clients, blog and column readers I am a perpetual student – I’m always learning something new. Although I’ve read MTL twice (I had an advance copy) I somehow missed the subtlety that you’ve now made so obvious. Another lesson learned.
.-= Tom Southworth´s last blog .. =-.

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]]> By: Brian Peshek http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6965 Brian Peshek Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:37:57 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6965 "'Respect for people' sounds simple and gets so easily misinterpreted. It doesn’t mean being soft or nice or easy on people. It means helping them be as successful as they can be." Regarding this observation and echoing the sentiments of previous comments, I think of Kant's argument for capital punishment (which before I go any further, I must state that I am very much against). His point is that to not hold people accountable is to dehumanize them, to reduce them to animals without thought or will. That which distinguishes all of us from beasts is the profound ability to assimilate our environment and to adapt to it or adapt it to ourselves. Being polite and understanding is humane, but patronizing and expecting very little of people is inhumane. And in the end everyone looses. How strange it is that in late advanced civilization we have to go out and spread the gospel of treating humans as humans, and not as animals or robots or "resources." Perhaps it is because the architects of the industrial revolution consciously tried to turn people into machines (quotes available). Perhaps it is because so many of us have developed an addiction to the creaturely comforts offered in a consumerist society, expecting little of ourselves. Still, those with which we work are partners, equals and potentially freinds. Their utterly unique perspective is irreplacable. "Humanity" can be mistaken for some abstract concept "out there." But we have the option of looking at it as that which allows concrete human beings in the here-and-now to connect. Though we are, of course, concerned with solving problems, this goes well beyond any practical use of a "resource." This, I believe, is the radical implication of a "Lean Revolution" - humans working in concert to serve humans. Bravo for bring up this point, and sorry if I am a bit too inspired / wordy for a "comment." “‘Respect for people’ sounds simple and gets so easily misinterpreted. It doesn’t mean being soft or nice or easy on people. It means helping them be as successful as they can be.”

Regarding this observation and echoing the sentiments of previous comments, I think of Kant’s argument for capital punishment (which before I go any further, I must state that I am very much against). His point is that to not hold people accountable is to dehumanize them, to reduce them to animals without thought or will. That which distinguishes all of us from beasts is the profound ability to assimilate our environment and to adapt to it or adapt it to ourselves. Being polite and understanding is humane, but patronizing and expecting very little of people is inhumane. And in the end everyone looses.

How strange it is that in late advanced civilization we have to go out and spread the gospel of treating humans as humans, and not as animals or robots or “resources.” Perhaps it is because the architects of the industrial revolution consciously tried to turn people into machines (quotes available). Perhaps it is because so many of us have developed an addiction to the creaturely comforts offered in a consumerist society, expecting little of ourselves.

Still, those with which we work are partners, equals and potentially freinds. Their utterly unique perspective is irreplacable. “Humanity” can be mistaken for some abstract concept “out there.” But we have the option of looking at it as that which allows concrete human beings in the here-and-now to connect. Though we are, of course, concerned with solving problems, this goes well beyond any practical use of a “resource.” This, I believe, is the radical implication of a “Lean Revolution” – humans working in concert to serve humans.

Bravo for bring up this point, and sorry if I am a bit too inspired / wordy for a “comment.”

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]]> By: Scott McDuffee http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6957 Scott McDuffee Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:47:13 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6957 Mark, Great lesson! I will steal without regret and use frequently - as you would want! Thanks for the wisdom on "respect for humanity". Language is such an important part of the thinking change process and this is a very useful distinction for thinking. Scott Mark,
Great lesson!
I will steal without regret and use frequently – as you would want!
Thanks for the wisdom on “respect for humanity”.
Language is such an important part of the thinking change process and this is a very useful distinction for thinking.
Scott

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]]> By: Dale http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6955 Dale Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:48:02 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6955 Thank you for this post. Tomorrow I am scheduled to train new "Group Leaders" in the Lean principles. One item I am stressing is how important leadership is to our company being able to achieve and sustain a Lean culture. Although in my class I do talk about people not being robots and "producing, i.e. developing, our people before we produce product, I do not mention the "Respect for People" principle as such. I am grateful for this reminder and will add it to my presentation and class. This is the core to what I am trying to get across to our management in implementing Lean principles. Thank you for this post. Tomorrow I am scheduled to train new “Group Leaders” in the Lean principles. One item I am stressing is how important leadership is to our company being able to achieve and sustain a Lean culture. Although in my class I do talk about people not being robots and “producing, i.e. developing, our people before we produce product, I do not mention the “Respect for People” principle as such. I am grateful for this reminder and will add it to my presentation and class. This is the core to what I am trying to get across to our management in implementing Lean principles.

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]]> By: Robert Hafey http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6954 Robert Hafey Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:27:10 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6954 A subtle but very important distinction. New learning for me that I can put into use when discussing the value of engaging everyone in continuous improvement. Thanks. I also remember reading in one of your past blogs that creative cooking is a passion of yours. Mine also. It would be interesting to poll a group of lean thinkers to assess how many of them are right brain creative types. I hope to meet you some day and talk cooking! A subtle but very important distinction. New learning for me that I can put into use when discussing the value of engaging everyone in continuous improvement. Thanks.
I also remember reading in one of your past blogs that creative cooking is a passion of yours. Mine also. It would be interesting to poll a group of lean thinkers to assess how many of them are right brain creative types. I hope to meet you some day and talk cooking!

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]]> By: Mark Welch http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6952 Mark Welch Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:53:30 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6952 Up to now I haven't read John's book, but this post got me off the dime and I've gone through our hospital's library to order it. Thanks, Mark. Up to now I haven’t read John’s book, but this post got me off the dime and I’ve gone through our hospital’s library to order it. Thanks, Mark.

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]]> By: Dean Bliss http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6951 Dean Bliss Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:21:41 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6951 Great stuff, Mark. When I teach, one question that is raised frequently is the one about respect for people. We all think we have it, or we do it, but it's difficult to describe the difference between the typical "people are our most important asset" and the Toyota approach. I think the ideas and wording in your post hit the mark (no pun intended) very well. Great stuff, Mark. When I teach, one question that is raised frequently is the one about respect for people. We all think we have it, or we do it, but it’s difficult to describe the difference between the typical “people are our most important asset” and the Toyota approach. I think the ideas and wording in your post hit the mark (no pun intended) very well.

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]]> By: Bob Emiliani http://www.leanblog.org/2010/01/lean-letting-our-human-characteristics-flourish/#comment-6950 Bob Emiliani Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:39:55 +0000 http://www.leanblog.org/?p=4651#comment-6950 We can indeed say that progress has finally been made when people become aware of and begin to practice the "Respect for People" principle in Lean management. However, most people comprehend the "Respect for People" too narrowly as the employer-associate dyad. The principle includes all five key stakeholders: employees, suppliers, customers, investors, and communities. That creates a much different challenge in the practice of Lean management compared to only the employer-associate dyad. We clearly have much more work to do to teach this principle to many more people faster, especially executives, as we are way behind. We must also show the way on how the "Continuous Improvement" and "Respect for People" principles are inter-related. We can indeed say that progress has finally been made when people become aware of and begin to practice the “Respect for People” principle in Lean management. However, most people comprehend the “Respect for People” too narrowly as the employer-associate dyad. The principle includes all five key stakeholders: employees, suppliers, customers, investors, and communities. That creates a much different challenge in the practice of Lean management compared to only the employer-associate dyad. We clearly have much more work to do to teach this principle to many more people faster, especially executives, as we are way behind. We must also show the way on how the “Continuous Improvement” and “Respect for People” principles are inter-related.

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