So here I am once again, wading into the pool of the blogosphere to share my misadventures in Lean Transformation. This adventure is one in what I am calling "The Perfect Storm". Much like the movie it began in small squalls and gusts building unnoticed until it became a storm of record proportions.
The seas were calm as I prepared the Team Leader three weeks before our our improvement event. Though I could sense the hesitance with her and even the brewing negativity in her voice I chalked it up to her slight fear of change and general personality. First gust of wind and first red flag, missed.
The list of Team Members grew and it grew like mold on that loaf of bread in your cupboard; not there one day and them, bam, there just as you need to make a sandwich, whether you like it or not. The list of Team Members was red flag number two, full of introverts and subordinates to the Team Leader. Again missed it and the gusts began to blow harder.
The prep day for the event was red flag number three. Dark clouds loomed on the horizon as I struggled with the Team Leader over tiny details, such as two words in the definition of the metrics. The wind speed here began to increase and even the Team saw this ominous sign as they cringed and stared at the floor. Not good.
Event week dawned cloudy and grey as the Team gathered for kick off and training. Initially sailing was smooth through the training and lunch, then the gale force winds began as the Team Leader interrupted, talked over the top of and generally intimidated the Team.
For three days the storm raged as the Team Leader ranted, bullied, and complained; and yet the Team bravely sailed on and managed to design a robust new process with the patient at the center, better flow time and even reduced FTE's.
Then the Team began taking on water as the discussion of where to locate the new workplace began. Location was looming like a huge wave poised to take the ship down and it crashed over the bow on Friday morning as the Team Leader gave her final report out. Harsh words were exchanged with the Team Leader and Process Owner in front of a record report out crowd, and down went the ship.
A search party was sent out and many concerned citizens, mostly Executive Sponsors, expressed their concern over the disaster. But only wreckage could be found, the robust process designed by the Team was lost to Davy Jones' locker.
The perfect storm of poor prep, poor choice in Team Leader, and missing the warning signs caused a tragic loss of process improvement.
The silver lining of this tragedy is the learning opportunity given to me in the world of prep, team leader choice and awareness of team dynamics. Another perfect storm may not come again for years but I will now be better prepared to weather any storm.