Lead With Respect: A Novel of Lean Practice

Michael asked me to do a review on his latest book as I expressed my excitement of his new book Lead with respect. And yes I was excited, ratther I am excited. What a great book!My Lean leadership journey started with Jeff Likers book The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership and then I got a green belt in Toyota Lean Leadership where I really understood the power of Lean Leadership and respect for people. So I thought ok I have this Lean Leadership pretty much under control, but there were still some holes here and there, but I figured that I will propably fill them up as I go along. But then Michael releases his book and it just fills in a lot of holes and even change some of the idea of Lean Leadership that I had.We are still following some of the old gang from the previous books Andy, Phil and now a new comer Jane Delaney. Jane is the CEO of a SW development company and is suffering quite a bit with her leadership - busy trying to find out how to run the business instead of leading her people. But then she gets cornered by Andy (remember: The Lean Manager - his now a hot shot VP and really into Lean and Lean Leadership). He teaches her the ropes of Leading with respect and of course she turns around her company and even gets to show Andy and Phil a few new things (the learner is teaching the teacher). A little stroke of genius that Michael has moved the learning into the SW industry but still keeps the connection to the manufacturing industry (they are developing SW for the plant that Andy is responsible for). It just shows that Lean and especially Lean Leadership is applicable in all industries and Leadership cases.And then one of the things that really blows me away is that Andy is spokesman for the way Taichii Ohono thought TPS should be applied, namely understand the why behing the concepts, perhaps get inspired - but make it your own (that means do it your own way - not the Toyota way). You will never be able to copy Toyota because every situation, plant etc. is different. And Michael really gets this thought out, as Andy gives Janes some ideas etc. but more than that tells her to make it her own. Really great!Read it! You will not be sorry that you did.Should you by any chance not know Michaels and Freddys other books, then you are really in for a treat. Read them and you will learn so much about Lean while being entertained by the universe that Michael have created. But do not be fooled - it is filled with a lot of valuable information and even a road map how to begin applying Lean. So go for it!Micael has done it again. Yet another Lean gem with a lot of knowledge and wisdom.

Familiar Michael Ballé format to introduce Lean concepts in an easy to read and understand format. Emphasizes the role of Lean leadership as THE coach of the organizations teams and describes the methods to do this. Lean is not just about tools, it is about creating a problem solving culture using a structured approach. Any lean leader can start using the described methods right away. As always, the challenge is to continue using them once the novelty factor starts wearing out...

OK, I'd better disclose my bias up front - "The Gold Mine" and "Lean Leader" are two of my favorite and most recommended books to colleagues when they ask me about lean. It's not because the concepts are so much better than other resources, or that I find the story lines riveting - it's because they're so spot on their portrayal of lean as it should be, rather than (as Mark Graban likes to say) L.AM.E. or lean as mistakenly explained. I'm also a fan of the novel format, especially when I pick out a book to loan to others not familiar with lean. If you're not, then the book may just not be your thing.So I had some pretty high hopes for Michael and Freddy Balle's latest addition to the storyline: "Lead with Respect: A Novel of Lean Practice" and I must say I was not disappointed.This latest addition takes us to a nice transition from the manufacturing floor - to the software development world. As I also, have moved from manufacturing companies to the service industry (which includes software development as an internal competency) over the past couple of years I must say the book certainly struck home. Reading about the stand up meetings, eagerness to jump to full system upgrades, missed milestones and re-releases, rework and scope creep due to poor user requirements...if you're in this environment now, this should all sound familiar.In a cord familiar with the concepts of A3 management or the Toyota KATA, there is absolute emphasis on the need to PRACTICE. (no sorry, reading the book isn't enough)Which is probably why I appreciate this book, especially for introducing others to lean. No endless discussions about kanban or poke-yoke or standardized work - nope this gets to the real heart of lean - respect, the scientific method, and humility. Everything else is just a countermeasure. Learn and teach the behaviors - it's something your competitors can't steal.

For me Michael and Freddy's books provides material that fill in the gap in Lean transformation related to change management. I believe that these novels, alongside an ever growing library of case studies on actual lean implementation work exceptionally well in getting people to connect with their hearts.It is a well documented fact that storytelling as a strategy for transformation does what 100's of PowerPoint slides can not do. It makes it real to the reader. It gives them something to relate to.I will continue to use these novels and documented case studies like VMMC to introduce newbies to Lean. And I thoroughly believe that these novels play an important part as they present the journey without corporate political information getting in the way.Well done to Michael and Freddy! Thank you.Ps. What's next? Maybe a high-drama story in the Services Industry...banking, an inner city hospital, public school or municipal transformation setting. Just thinking out loud - a inner city hospital setting could make for good reading.

This was a great read! I finished it on my trip easily and ordered the companion books immediately!

As someone who has written a case study of a lean implementation notably lacking in respect, I have enormous respect for Michael Balle's continued insistence that respect be the critical component of any lean delivery. This book is a continuation and elaboration of that message as he has consistently promoted it in his invaluable blog, The Gemba Coach.

Die Geschichte ist anschaulich aufgebaut und lässt sich nett lesen.

Very readable and good overview of the concept of leading with respect.

Insightful view on how develop healthy relationships between the team . Another great lesson that complete the trilogy stressing how important is respect in evolving in the current business. Super!

Great! The author translates in this novel the basis of lead with respect. He pushes us to go to Gemba and understand what's going on....

Wonderful book