ABSTRACT
As an organization decides to embark on a Lean journey, it makes sense that the top management, which comprises the chief executive officer (CEO), his direct reports, and the Lean Change Leader, comes up with a set of ground rules for working together. This is because Lean thinking is about changing the culture of the organization, and this should begin from the top. What worked previously may not be acceptable when Lean deployment is under way. These ground rules or “ways of working” act as guides and make sure the interaction among the leadership team is productive. An integral part of any Lean effort is ingraining new behaviors. There is probably no better way to make the top management start practicing a set of ways of working that will lay the foundation for the Lean journey. This is really a powerful approach to start the engine of Lean thinking in the company. I have got such ways of working crafted for top management and seen their impact not only on the quality of inter actions and teamwork among the management team but also on the larger organization. These shared ways of working also hold the leadership team together and help to negotiate tough challenges that come up during Lean transformation and the organization at large.
