
Figure 6 Attributes of a
change agent
Communicate with the stakeholders
Top management must communicate
with all key stakeholders prior to commencing the lean transformation. A
stakeholder is someone with a vested interest in the activity, such as
production management, trade unions and the workforce. These stakeholders
should be adequately informed about all aspects of the lean transformation. To
address possible concerns, senior management should present a communication
brief, showing that the lean transformation is not just another initiative, but
a fundamental change of company policy. A suggested agenda for the brief is
presented in figure 7.

Figure 7 Contents of a communication brief
Create a steering committee
A steering committee should be
created to guide the lean transformation and transfer knowledge through
different functions in the business. The managing director or the most senior
person on the site should chair it. The committee should consist of all
departmental heads. See figure 8.
In most organisations, the
various functional departments have different attributes such as metrics,
motivations, objectives and understanding of lean. The misalignment of
objectives within attributes can impede the progress of the lean
transformation. A cross-functional steering committee can polarise these
attributes in accordance with the objectives of lean manufacturing. The
alignment of objectives enhances the likelihood of sustainability for the
transformation.
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