Lean Culture for the Construction Industry (PDF)

Many of the struggles that we are currently experiencing when attempting to implement Lean in the construction environment are the direct result of applying Lean tools out of proper context. Understanding Lean as an overall operating system will help to avert this all too common pitfall.

An in-depth exploration of the application of Lean initiatives in the construction industry, Lean Culture for the Construction Industry: Building Responsible and Committed Project Teams, Second Edition provides updated chapters with new insights on the relationships between owners, architects, general contractors and subcontractors - demonstrating how Kaizan events focused on building positive culture through vulnerability-based trust improved processes and eliminated work stoppages.

Lean tools alone don't lead to successful Lean initiatives: the missing piece is culture. Written by a veteran consultant in the construction field, the book draws a connection between how construction professionals act as leaders and how their attitude and behavior affect productivity and waste daily. While value stream mapping is an important tool for righting broken processes and resolving conflicts, future state maps will fail if leaders continue to work in silos, protect their territories, and don't see that their success is directly tied to the success of their co-leaders.

The author expands the notion of ethics beyond the simple litmus test of right and wrong, so team leaders can adopt professional and productive attitudes and behaviors toward the implementation of Lean improvements. This book demonstrates how, in an industry where waste is rampant, and depends on wide range of people and personalities to successfully build a job, Lean thinking can make the difference between a profitable, competitive construction team, and mass inefficiencies, stunted profitability, and lost future opportunities.