Critique Your Process, Not Your People

Coming next Wednesday: a new episode of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast with Keith Ingels from The Raymond Corporation.

You can listen now with a free trial or paid subscription for “early access” through the Apple Podcasts app.

One thing that stood out was a variation on a common Lean expression that says, “Be hard on the process, not on the people.” I've used that phrase a lot.

Keith was taught to “critique your process, not your people.”

I think I like that phrase better. Much better.

To me, that language makes a big difference. “Critique” is more open-ended and less judgmental to me. We shouldn't assume that the process is bad enough to the point where we have to be “hard on it.”

What do you think? Post a comment here or join the discussion on LinkedIn:

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Mark Graban
Mark Graban

Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker, and podcaster with experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups.

Mark's latest book is The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation, a recipient of the Shingo Publication Award.

He is also the author of Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More, Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, and the anthology Practicing Lean.

Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.

Articles: 5892

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