Lean Leadership 5

Links Between Lean Leadership and Servant Leadership

“I trust, Jaded Julie, that you are still willing to play the role of a front-line leader in a generic hospital?”

“No sweat, Curmudge. That’s as easy for me as it is for you to play the role of a cantankerous old codger. I believe last time we promised to describe how servant leadership can be tied with Lean leadership. To me, the most obvious connection would be through the Lean principle of respect for people.”

“Good observation. In manufacturing the Lean manager respects the knowledge and ability of the workers to solve—with coaching—the problems that arise in their process. This should be easier in a hospital, where most of the people in gemba are professionals. In your role, Julie, achieving mutual respect might be the most important element of respect for people. In your unit the ‘people will not care what you know until they know that you care, and they won’t believe the message until they believe the messenger (1).’ “

“I agree, Curmudge. As Hunter has said, ‘Management is what we do; leadership is who we are. Simply knowing how to do the job well has little to do with developing the skills necessary to inspire others to do the job well.’ “

“In our lesson on becoming a servant leader back on May 22, 2008, we mentioned the need to get feedback from one’s direct reports. In doing so, you might tell your people about servant leadership and your efforts to become one. Hopefully they will acquire a stake in your success.”

“Accountability is essential in Lean management, and it’s an important part of servant leadership. Of course, it should not be a problem if people are motivated. ‘Motivation is people moved to action because they want to act. We cannot change anyone; the best we can do is influence their future choices.’ “

“It’s clear to me, that while a servant leader will help his/her people be the best they can be, he will strongly influence them to do so. Here is what Hunter’s book says about accountability: ‘It is immoral not to fire those who can’t do the job. Think about the bad messages we send about our lack of commitment to excellence and our failure to do the right thing.’ ‘The biggest gap in leadership skills is failing to confront people with problems and situations as they arise and to hold them accountable.’ I’ve seen that at all levels, Julie, and I confess to not having acted promptly in at least one case. But that was before Hunter wrote his books.”

“I think I’ve got it, Curmudge. A servant leader is a person of high character who is willing to use ‘tough love’ to help his/her direct reports to be the best they can be. Now here’s a tough problem for you. What about the employee with family responsibilities who simply wants to work her shift and go home as soon as possible? She has little interest in ‘being all she can be.’ ”

“Let’s not overlook the possibility that she might already ‘be all she can be.’ If she really wants to leave promptly, she might be your strongest ally in improving the unit’s efficiently. People in health care usually believe on the day they are hired that what they are doing is important, that it serves a purpose, and adds value to the world. Perhaps between then and now something has caused her to become de-motivated. Your training as a servant leader should help you differentiate between a person with legitimate needs and one who is truly a detriment to the organization. Thus servant leadership doesn’t provide silver bullets; it develops the character to make difficult decisions.”

“Lean is based on continuous improvement, and Lean leadership—supported by servant leadership—is the way we make the improvements happen. Leaders are made, not born, and they don’t leap from the cradle as servant leaders. Becoming a servant leader, like Lean, requires continuous improvement.”

“That’s it, Julie. While one can read books on Lean and servant leadership, one can only accomplish the desired goals of each by continuous efforts in the workplace.”

“Well senescent senior, that’s a lot to learn. But if you can, anybody can.”

Affinity’s Kaizen Curmudgeon

(1) Hunter, James C. The World’s Most Powerful Leadership Principle (Crown Business, 2004)

P.S.—Back on May 22, 2008 we talked about how one might become a servant leader. Anyone who wasn’t reading our blog back then can click on the link and learn about Hardwiring What We Have Learned.