Implementation of lean leadership

Abstract

The Toyota case proves that lean leadership is of critical importance for the successful implementation and permanent functioning of Lean Production System. There is no ready formula for developing Toyota style lean leadership. However, one may gain inspiration from its experience. Practice shows that many implementations of Lean Management do not meet expectation in the long term. In the beginning enterprises are mainly focused on waste elimination and expect quick results. However, in the long run they do not always manage to create a Lean thinking and consequently the continuous improvement process. An important link between the reduction of waste and continuous improvement could be the lean leadership. The aim of this article is to present the role and importance of lean leadership for the successful implementation of lean concepts and the analysis and evaluation of the implementation of lean leadership in the practice of companies.