The word "Lean" in English can be translated in various ways, but when associated with the business world, it is usually best translated as "agile" or "streamlined." Throughout this analysis, we will use these terms interchangeably as synonyms. Agile business management methodologies, known as lean methodologies, originated from the principles of lean manufacturing and agile production at Toyota, the well-known Japanese car manufacturer. Starting with production, Toyota then extended these principles to other business areas, thus developing the concepts of lean thinking, lean management, and so on, until the concept of "Lean" became a true practical philosophy of business management.
We will delve into the Lean practice throughout this analysis. For now, we can say that, in general, it refers to an attitude aimed at continuous improvement, process optimization, and waste reduction. The ideal of efficiency is pursued through a strong focus on the customer and the people who are part of the organization, rather than on numbers, tools, and methods themselves. As we will see, it is a set of principles and practices that are adaptable to all sectors and contexts and applicable to all business areas.
The author, Michael Ballé, was also able to write this book thanks to his father, Freddy Ballé, who introduced him to the various systems used at Toyota. However, the book does not directly focus on the tools and techniques of Lean management; instead, it concentrates heavily on the changes in thinking that are necessary for the tools and techniques to work. This is because without a paradigm shift in the upstream approach, Lean tools turn into simple productivity improvement techniques that yield good results in the short term but almost zero results in the medium to long term. The Lean methodology therefore represents a new and different way of thinking, not just a set of agile production techniques used to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Just for a comparison, it's like when we do a good deed out of self-interest or without. If we do a good deed for someone just to get something in return, the immediate positive effect exists, but in the long run, our true intent will come to light, and the other person will notice. It will be difficult to build a good relationship. If, on the other hand, we act genuinely and without self-interest, just for the pure pleasure of doing good, what we do will have a completely different value, and in the medium to long term, it is much more likely that a good relationship will be created with that person. With the same action or tool, therefore, in both private life and the business world, different approaches produce different results.
Or, take this other example. It is not enough to have a loaded rifle in your hand to hit a distant and moving target. You must first know how to use the weapon. What is upstream of the tool, therefore, is even more important than the tool itself. This is why the book's goal is not just to teach us how to implement the practice of streamlined management—because to master the implementation you then have to actively work in the field—but it is above all to help us grasp the profound change in approach and attitude that are necessary to succeed with streamlined management practices.
