ABSTRACT
Knowing lean leaders' customers are the first step in being a Lean leader, and even more important is instilling a sense of customer expectation into their employees. The most economic downturn revealed a lot about the power of Lean and continuous improvement. Leadership can change lean leaders either positively or negatively. It can make lean leaders either a demon or a saint, and it will make or break Lean in an organization. Organizations embarking on Lean need effective leaders who understand the importance of employee contributions, and how much their efforts and attitudes affect the success or failure of a company. Poor Lean leadership definitely results in lack of motivation, poor performance, high absenteeism, and, ultimately, high employee turnover. Avoid thinking about Lean only as a return on investment. Lean is a business model, which is about developing the right type of processes, changing culture, and improving organizational performance.
