Lean fails when leadership forgets how it works. This article outlines how Lean erodes in aerospace, defense, and manufacturing environments when leadership shifts and cultural memory fades, and what CBS recommends to restore it before it’s too late.
Words Shape Culture I’ve said it before: relationships are the work. But relationships are built—and broken—by how we talk to each other. That’s why I always say: develop leaders who speak with purpose and lead with clarity. Great leaders inspire confidence by giving people the tools, direction, and support they need to succeed. Lean in,…
When Layout Is the Real Problem If your plant feels like organized chaos – constant firefighting, late deliveries, excess WIP, increased operating costs despite process improvements – odds are the layout is part of the issue. Many manufacturers try to solve missing delivery dates, fighting WIP pileups, or spending too much time (and money) moving…
Manufacturers are obsessed with waste. Scrap. Downtime. Defects. All of it matters. But in my experience, the biggest waste is the one almost no one talks about: not using the knowledge and capability of your people. The Manufacturing Waste You Don’t See You walk into a plant and see the usual problems: quality issues, long…
Culture Is the Work I’ve walked into shops where few people say hello. Few folks make eye contact. The walls are covered in laminated posters about safety, performance, and accountability—and not one person believes any of it because it flat out contradicts their reality. That’s what happens when culture is treated like a bolt-on. You…
Lean manufacturing is one of the most misused terms in industry. It’s often pitched as a checklist of tools or a methodology you can buy off the shelf and plug into your production floor. But that belief is not just flawed — it’s dangerous. Thinking of lean as a toolbox leads to inconsistent results, frustration,…
Most leaders don’t realize they’re in the change business. They think they’re launching a new product. Rolling out a new process. Hitting a new revenue target. What they’re actually doing is leading change—whether they recognize it or not. And that distinction matters. Because when you treat an initiative like an isolated goal instead of the…
Building Lean Culture: Why Relationships Drive Team Trust & Engagement
When a Tier-2 aerospace company with 14,000 employees across 62 locations faced mounting pressure on margins, cash flow, and growth — along with declining customer satisfaction — its leadership didn’t ignore the challenge. They took action. By engaging CBS Consulting, they showed the foresight to bring in a partner who could help accelerate improvement. Together, CBS and company…
A few months ago, I worked with a client that had done everything right — on paper. The leadership team rolled out a new continuous improvement system with clear goals, strong messaging, and full commitment. But something wasn’t clicking. When we visited the floor, it was clear: leaders weren’t present. The system wasn’t visible in…
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