I’ve spent half my working life in the world of Lean Six Sigma and the other half as an Ops Director, Managing Director and a Shareholder.
I’ve seen a manufacturing business grow by 300% under my tenure. I’ve also seen perfect Lean strategies die a slow, agonising death in the boardroom before they even hit the shop floor.
Here is the uncomfortable truth. You can have the most elegant Global 8D process or a fleet of Black Belts, but if your leadership team is a mess, it’s all wasted investment. 🗑️🔥
The Boardroom Reality Check
When I’m out with clients, the stats usually point to one thing, but the vibe points to another.
I see:
Metric Misalignment: Celebrating “Project Completion” while the actual quality of deliverables is in the basement.
Departmental Trench Warfare: Heads of departments protecting their turf like it’s a medieval castle.
The Echo Chamber: Quick decisions fuelled by groupthink because nobody wants to be the process nerd in the room.
The Missing Seat at the Table
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” We’ve all heard it. But if your culture is excessive protectionism, your strategy is just expensive wallpaper.
So, here’s a wild thought for Chairpersons everywhere: Why don’t you have a Master Black Belt on your Board?
And I don’t mean a purely academic one. I mean someone who:
Understands the brutal reality of dragging a business through a crisis.
Knows that statistics are the only way to kill off opinion-based shouting matches.
Acts as the critical voice that cuts through the noise.
A Totally Unbiased Suggestion 😉
Look around your boardroom table. Do you have a process improvement and stats expert? A leadership coach? Someone who knows exactly how a 300% turnover increase actually feels?
If you see a gap, you could keep doing what you’re doing. Or, you could find a rare specimen who bridges the gap between the boardroom and the Gemba.
I’m not saying that person is me. (I mean, it is me. I’m Gavin.)
But even if it’s not me, get someone who knows that Lean isn’t just a toolkit, it’s a leadership behaviour.
Is your Board driving the right behaviours? Let’s talk.
