Imagine an NFL team that has been on a decades-long streak of winless seasons. The owner, who has been at the helm for most of that period, always believes that finding the right coach will solve the team's woes. But it doesn't.
Every few years (or sometimes more often), the owner blames and fires the coach and hires a new one, but the team continues to lose.
In a desperate attempt to turn things around, the owner signs a decent (but inexpensive) free-agent left guard away from the previous Super Bowl champion. This player, hailed for their leadership on and off the field, is expected to be the sole “transformational leader” and bring winning tactics and a winning culture to the struggling team. All. By. Himself.
Would you expect that to work?
I would not.
After much initial hype, the team's plan quickly falls apart. The new left guard can not only play the position pretty well (he's not an “All-Pro” level performer), but he also has innovative ideas about improving the offense, fostering teamwork, and reshaping the culture.
But the coach and owner, set in their ways, refuse to listen. They don't change their strategy–on the offensive line or the offense more broadly. The owner refuses to sign key free agents who could help, staying well under the salary cap limits. The owner also strokes his ego by impulsively trading away high draft picks for “big name” players who are, according to everyone else in the league, well past their prime.
The problem on the team wasn't really the left guard.
They jumped to a solution, “Hire a guy from a winning team and winning culture,” without really understanding the problem and the roots of it.
Even with a better left guard, the team keeps losing. The new player demands to be traded but first gets “cut” by the team for being, allegedly, a “bad influence in the locker room.”
Sigh.
The Parallel in Healthcare and Other Industries
This scenario isn't just confined to the world of sports. It mirrors a common issue in healthcare systems (and organizations in other industries). In many hospitals, leaders look for quick fixes or miracle solutions without addressing the underlying systemic issues.
Just like in the NFL example, bringing in a “star player” (or a new technology or process) won't transform an organization if leaders are not willing to own the transformation and lead the way.
Even in the best situations, it's not realistic for one mid-level individual contributor to be expected to change the culture. The CEO owns the culture. They're responsible.
But many organizations think hiring one “Lean Facilitator” (a “lone wolf”) is going to transform the culture. I wouldn't expect that to work, either. I've met too many of those lone wolves — they usually end up stuck in a situation with a weak mandate to change much of anything. If the leaders aren't willing to change, the organization won't change.
Understanding the Real Problem
In both scenarios, the core problem isn't the lack of talent or innovative ideas–it's more often the failure to address systemic issues. The NFL team doesn't understand the root causes of their losing, so it's hard for them to imagine or embrace the right countermeasures. The same would be true for a struggling hospital or factory.
Lean theory, practice, and experience can teach us that improvement comes from a holistic approach where everyone in the organization is engaged in continuous improvement and problem-solving. But senior executives are the only ones who can really address the big picture systemic issues and strategic choices that set an organization up for success (or not).
Senior executives, including the CEO, must OWN the Lean transformation. They must LEAD it. They can hire people (not just one) to help, but they cannot delegate responsibility for the culture and the transformation.
Leadership and Cultural Transformation
The key to success, whether on the football field, in a hospital, or in a manufacturing plant, is effective leadership and a culture that supports continuous improvement. Here's how Lean principles can apply:
- Respect for People: Just as the NFL team needs to respect the insights and contributions of their left guard, hospitals and manufacturing plants must respect and engage all of their frontline staff. Leaders should listen to those who are directly involved in patient care or the production line, as they often have the best ideas for improvement.
- Continuous Improvement: Improvement isn't a one-time event but a continuous process. The NFL team can't expect to win just by hiring one great player. Similarly, hospitals and factories can't rely on a single change to solve all their problems. They must continually assess and improve their processes and systems.
- Systemic Thinking: The NFL team's failure is due to focusing on isolated fixes rather than systemic changes. In healthcare and manufacturing, this means looking at the entire value stream, from patient admission to discharge or from raw materials to finished products, and identifying areas of waste and inefficiency. The problem might be the culture and the management system, issues that won't be addressed or fixed using Lean tools or local projects.
Practical Steps for Leaders
1. Engage the Team:
In the context of sports, the coach should involve the left guard (and other players and coaches) in strategy meetings and practice sessions, valuing their championship experience. This player's insights can be invaluable, but only if the team is willing to listen and incorporate their ideas into the overall system and approach. And we can't expect the left guard to be an expert in all aspects of the game. We can't expect them to magically lead from the middle.
Similarly, in healthcare, hospital leaders should engage all staff members (and leaders at all levels) in identifying problems and brainstorming solutions. Tools like daily huddles and daily improvement systems can facilitate this process. By creating a culture where everyone's voice is heard and valued, leaders can tap into the collective knowledge and experience of their team, leading to more effective and sustainable improvements.
In manufacturing, plant managers should involve production workers in Kaizen events and value stream mapping exercises. This not only helps in identifying and eliminating waste but also empowers employees by giving them a direct role in the improvement process.
2. Promote a Culture of Learning:
Encouraging continuous learning and adaptation is crucial in any field. In sports, this means regularly reviewing game performance and making adjustments based on what is learned. This approach can help the team stay agile and responsive to new challenges.
In healthcare (or in manufacturing), implementing training programs that teach Lean methodologies can help. But what really matters is executives and leaders cultivating an environment where staff feels safe to experiment and learn from failures. This ongoing education helps build a workforce that is continually improving its skills and processes–but this only happens with a foundation of psychological safety.
3. Focus on Process, Not People:
One of the core tenets of Lean thinking is that the problem often lies in the process, not the people. In sports, this means recognizing that individual players are not to blame for the team's failures; instead, the focus should be on improving training, strategies, and teamwork.
In business, avoiding the blame game is essential. Leaders should use tools like root cause analysis to understand and fix systemic issues, rather than pointing fingers at individuals. This might involve redesigning workflows, implementing error-proofing techniques, or investing in better training and equipment. By focusing on the process, organizations can create a more supportive and productive work environment. This approach fosters a culture of trust and collaboration, which is critical for continuous improvement.
Conclusion
Transforming an organization, whether an NFL team, a hospital, or a manufacturing plant, requires more than just hiring a great player. It demands a commitment to leadership, culture change, and continuous improvement. By applying Lean principles, organizations can create an environment where every team member contributes to success, leading to sustained improvements and better outcomes.
Just as the NFL team must support their left guard (and other players) to harness their full potential, hospitals and manufacturing plants must support and engage their staff to truly transform and thrive.
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Great post Mark!
Every place I’ve worked in makes improvements or not, around the factors you have mentioned. Bringing in the ‘expert’ ain’t the answer! I like that you say ‘we can’t expect them to magically lead from the middle’ Leaders need to lead, pure and simple. A good start is to have a culture that is safe for folks to speak up and help solve problems.
Lone wolf (sometimes)