Start a Lean Library and Start Learning
What’s the least expensive way to education people in your organization? Get them reading. There are now x,000 number of lean books available – I don’t actually know the number, but it’s a lot. At the Lean Learning Center, we buy everything we find for our book shelves as these shelves serve a purpose for our visitors and clients.
Some of you might be a lean leader in your organization. You’re trying to help people learn. Start your own lean library. Buy some books. Help people figure out what they should read. Allow them to sign out books out and read them.
A long time ago when I was working in a plant on the 2nd shift, it was very hard to get training to come onto 2nd shift. So we started reading books. Each week, someone lead a discussion of a different chapter of a book. We started with Suzaki’s The New Manufacturing Challenge and The New Shop Floor Management. We discussed it, and before we finished we determined what actions we would take from what we learned. It was simple and regular.
Don’t know what books to buy and read? You can find virtually every book on lean available by going through the Card Catalog at The Lean Library. There are many options. Still don’t know? Read the reviews. Have you read some of them and have your own opinion? Leave a comment on the book reviews. I of course hope that you include The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean. I was recently at a hospital who had a lean library, and their two most popular were The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean and Lean Hospitals by Mark Graban. What’s on your lean library book shelf? Please comment below.
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Being from a non-traditional manufacturing industry (modular homebuilding), I didn’t have many people to learn from in regards to Lean. For this reason, I was dependent upon books to develop my initial understanding of Lean. Of course books are not substitute for learning on the shopfloor, but they sure helped me in the beginning of my lean journey, and they continue to do so today. Here are some books that are on my bookshelf:
First, I have the series of books written by Womack & Jones: Machine that Changed the World, Lean Thinking, & Lean Solutions. Second, I have the “Toyota” series of books written by Liker and others: Toyota Way, Toyota Way Fieldbook, Toyota People, Toyota Culture, and Toyota Product Development System. Third, I have a series of books written by Pascal Dennis: Andy & Me, Lean Production Simplified, and Getting the Right Things Done. Fourth, and probably my favorite group, is a group of books that aren’t part of a series: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, Creating a Lean Culture, Profit Beyond Measure, and Gemba Kaizen.
Being from a non-traditional manufacturing industry (modular homebuilding), I didn’t have many people to learn from in regards to Lean. For this reason, I was dependent upon books to develop my initial understanding of Lean. Of course books are not substitute for learning on the shopfloor, but they sure helped me in the beginning of my lean journey, and they continue to do so today. Here are some books that are on my bookshelf:
First, I have the series of books written by Womack & Jones: Machine that Changed the World, Lean Thinking, & Lean Solutions. Second, I have the “Toyota” series of books written by Liker and others: Toyota Way, Toyota Way Fieldbook, Toyota People, Toyota Culture, and Toyota Product Development System. Third, I have a series of books written by Pascal Dennis: Andy & Me, Lean Production Simplified, and Getting the Right Things Done. Fourth, and probably my favorite group, is a group of books that aren’t part of a series: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, Creating a Lean Culture, Profit Beyond Measure, and Gemba Kaizen.
Being from a non-traditional manufacturing industry (modular homebuilding), I didn’t have many people to learn from in regards to Lean. For this reason, I was dependent upon books to develop my initial understanding of Lean. Of course books are not substitute for learning on the shopfloor, but they sure helped me in the beginning of my lean journey, and they continue to do so today. Here are some books that are on my bookshelf:
First, I have the series of books written by Womack & Jones: Machine that Changed the World, Lean Thinking, & Lean Solutions. Second, I have the “Toyota” series of books written by Liker and others: Toyota Way, Toyota Way Fieldbook, Toyota People, Toyota Culture, and Toyota Product Development System. Third, I have a series of books written by Pascal Dennis: Andy & Me, Lean Production Simplified, and Getting the Right Things Done. Fourth, and probably my favorite group, is a group of books that aren’t part of a series: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, Creating a Lean Culture, Profit Beyond Measure, and Gemba Kaizen.
Thank you for sharing Michael. I’m certainly honored that you have included our book, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, in that list.
Not that many people have read, or seem to like, Profit Beyond Measure. I consider it essential reading for true lean thinkers. I’m glad to see it part of your list.
Thank you for sharing Michael. I’m certainly honored that you have included our book, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, in that list.
Not that many people have read, or seem to like, Profit Beyond Measure. I consider it essential reading for true lean thinkers. I’m glad to see it part of your list.
Thank you for sharing Michael. I’m certainly honored that you have included our book, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean, in that list.
Not that many people have read, or seem to like, Profit Beyond Measure. I consider it essential reading for true lean thinkers. I’m glad to see it part of your list.
Michael provides a very good list. I would also add The Goal, the Haystack Syndrome, and It’s not Luck by Goldratt. Who Moved by Cheese, Fish, Gung Ho are also inspirational on cluture change and engaging people. The Tipping Point: How little things can make big difference by Gladwell is also another eye opeing read.
Michael provides a very good list. I would also add The Goal, the Haystack Syndrome, and It’s not Luck by Goldratt. Who Moved by Cheese, Fish, Gung Ho are also inspirational on cluture change and engaging people. The Tipping Point: How little things can make big difference by Gladwell is also another eye opeing read.
Michael provides a very good list. I would also add The Goal, the Haystack Syndrome, and It’s not Luck by Goldratt. Who Moved by Cheese, Fish, Gung Ho are also inspirational on cluture change and engaging people. The Tipping Point: How little things can make big difference by Gladwell is also another eye opeing read.
Not a lot of people can get through The Haystack Syndrome, but The Goal is a must read for anyone in operations anywhere.
The Tipping Point is great for building change. We actually use some of the research in teaching our Leading Lean course.
Not a lot of people can get through The Haystack Syndrome, but The Goal is a must read for anyone in operations anywhere.
The Tipping Point is great for building change. We actually use some of the research in teaching our Leading Lean course.
Not a lot of people can get through The Haystack Syndrome, but The Goal is a must read for anyone in operations anywhere.
The Tipping Point is great for building change. We actually use some of the research in teaching our Leading Lean course.
My recent additions to my Lean library include “Toyota Kata” by Mike Rother, “The Lean Manager” by Michael & Freddy Ballé and “Chasing the Rabbit” by Steven Spear. The first one is ground-breaking as I think no one has written about the fundamentals of Toyota’s Success in such a clarity so far. “The Lean Manager” is a great novel and fun reading, as it offers deep insights in a real-life context. “Chasing the Rabbit” includes a lot of case studies and examples of successful and not-so-successful lean transformations and is definitively worth reading.
I’ve bought a lot of books during the last months, but these are my favourites and I think everybody interested in the topic should have read them.
Jamie, unfortunately I haven’t read your book yet, but it’s on top of my shopping list!
My recent additions to my Lean library include “Toyota Kata” by Mike Rother, “The Lean Manager” by Michael & Freddy Ballé and “Chasing the Rabbit” by Steven Spear. The first one is ground-breaking as I think no one has written about the fundamentals of Toyota’s Success in such a clarity so far. “The Lean Manager” is a great novel and fun reading, as it offers deep insights in a real-life context. “Chasing the Rabbit” includes a lot of case studies and examples of successful and not-so-successful lean transformations and is definitively worth reading.
I’ve bought a lot of books during the last months, but these are my favourites and I think everybody interested in the topic should have read them.
Jamie, unfortunately I haven’t read your book yet, but it’s on top of my shopping list!
My recent additions to my Lean library include “Toyota Kata” by Mike Rother, “The Lean Manager” by Michael & Freddy Ballé and “Chasing the Rabbit” by Steven Spear. The first one is ground-breaking as I think no one has written about the fundamentals of Toyota’s Success in such a clarity so far. “The Lean Manager” is a great novel and fun reading, as it offers deep insights in a real-life context. “Chasing the Rabbit” includes a lot of case studies and examples of successful and not-so-successful lean transformations and is definitively worth reading.
I’ve bought a lot of books during the last months, but these are my favourites and I think everybody interested in the topic should have read them.
Jamie, unfortunately I haven’t read your book yet, but it’s on top of my shopping list!
The most practical of all Lean books I have read include the trilogy by Michel Baudin (Lean Assembly, Lean Logistics, and Working with Machines).
The other practical series I recommend to everyone is from LEI, and covers Creating Continuous Flow (by Rick Harris, Chris Harris, and Earl Wilson), Making Materials Flow (by Mike Rother and Rick Harris), and Creating Level Pull (by Art Smalley).
The most practical of all Lean books I have read include the trilogy by Michel Baudin (Lean Assembly, Lean Logistics, and Working with Machines).
The other practical series I recommend to everyone is from LEI, and covers Creating Continuous Flow (by Rick Harris, Chris Harris, and Earl Wilson), Making Materials Flow (by Mike Rother and Rick Harris), and Creating Level Pull (by Art Smalley).
The most practical of all Lean books I have read include the trilogy by Michel Baudin (Lean Assembly, Lean Logistics, and Working with Machines).
The other practical series I recommend to everyone is from LEI, and covers Creating Continuous Flow (by Rick Harris, Chris Harris, and Earl Wilson), Making Materials Flow (by Mike Rother and Rick Harris), and Creating Level Pull (by Art Smalley).