This document provides 14 "do nots" or recommendations for Lean practitioners to prevent unnecessary problems when implementing Lean practices. It advises practitioners to avoid creating new inefficiencies when eliminating waste, to see problems for themselves rather than deciding remotely, to balance describing benefits and efforts required, and to involve employees, address problems, and recognize progress made rather than ignore issues or people. It also recommends having proper resources, learning by doing, planning maintenance, asking questions over giving answers, and keeping a positive attitude.

1. 14
do nots
for Lean Practitioners

2. Published 2012
by Tom Curtis
Blog: www.onimproving.blogspot.com
Presentations: www.slideshare.net/onimproving
Email: ideamerchants@gmail.com
Twitter: @onimproving

3. What follows is to
prevent unneeded pain
for those who will them
faithfully maintain.

4. Do not create mura
or muri while
eliminating muda.

5. Do not decide without
going and seeing.

6. Do not complicate
beyond required.

7. Do not oversell benefit
and/or undersell effort.

8. Do not overlook having
proper employee
involvement.

9. Do not discourage or
ignore problems.

10. Do not under resource
the effort.

11. Do not conduct
training without doing.

12. Do not forget to recognize
effort and progress.

13. Do not implement without
a maintenance plan.

14. Do not answer,
question.

15. Do not tell, teach.

16. Do not get
discouraged.

17. Do not
embarrass others.