The Engine Behind Lean System Success?

Tilo Schwarz considers the four key trends to be discussed at KataCon Europe 2021 – April 27th to 29th

The beginning of the twenty-first century has continued the turbulence, uncertainty, and intense competition that marked the end of the twentieth century. Adaptation, innovation and flexibility have […] become necessary ingredients for survival, as well as the hallmarks of a successful business. To sustain such organizational behavior requires an essential attribute: the ability to learn. [p. 255]

It can be argued that this equally applies to the lean community. Are we able to continuously learn? Interesting things are happening that might very well take Lean as a system to the next level.

At KataCon Europe, we will discuss four important trends for the Lean community:

1. Scientific Thinking

Jeff Liker has revised his Toyota Way model based on his learnings and now puts scientific thinking at its core.

“Scientific thinking is the engine that drives The Toyota Way. Without it, the Toyota Way might remain at the level of principles without practice.”

Likewise, we could also say: without a scientific mindset and way of working together, our Lean efforts might very well remain at the level of tools and principles that lack sustainability and organiszation-wide organic growth.

At KataCon we’ll discuss these issues with Jeff Liker, Sarah Lethbridge and Gert Frick their recent learnings and how to take our Lean efforts to the next level.

2. Lean meets Agile

Lean and Agile thinking are beneficial when combined. Above all, they might very well have the same origins. At KataCon we will explore and discuss with Nigel Thurlow and Carl Starendal their current thinking around Flow and where Lean and Agile fit in an age of complexity.

3. Managers as Coaches

Since there is no roadmap for many of today’s challenges, having managers, supervisors and team leaders develop their people’s navigation skills is an increasingly crucial factor in reaching challenging goals, adapting, innovating and achieving continuous improvement at scale. As a result, coaching ability is becoming an essential skill for any manager. How can we develop and scale coaching throughout all management levels of an organisation?

We’ll discuss this with Andrea Wanerstrand, who has run a programme for over 16,000 managers across more than 100 countries at Microsoft to help leaders shift from “tell-first” to a “learn-first” approach.

4. Toyota Kata

Toyota Kata is practiced around the world – in and far beyond the Lean community. What is it about? We’ll discuss this in-depth with Mike Rother. At KataCon Europe, we’ll also be launching the Kata Competency System. It focuses on developing, in our teams and organisations, a more scientific way of thinking and working together, establishing managers as coaches and above all, sustaining a learning organization. It neatly fits with your LCS efforts and takes your lean system to the next level.

Join me for an awesome learning opportunity at KataCon Europe not to be missed by anybody interested in and practicing lean!