5 Questions with Dave Hagan, Executive Director of Continuous Improvement at Devenney Group
This week, Dave Hagan, CM-Lean, LCI-CPC, Executive Director of Continuous Improvement at Devenney Group shares his thoughts on what it means to commit to Lean.
If you are a member company and have a story to tell about your Lean journey, we want to share it. Reach out to Maryann Fiala.
1. What hurdles did you encounter when implementing Lean on a project (or in your company), and how did you tackle them?
The biggest hurdle that I see is that people think “why should I change since we’ve been doing it this way one-hundred years, and we’ve managed to do ok?” You must get people to see the value in a Lean approach. If they see enough value they’ll usually jump in and support the process.
2. What story or stories can you share about a successful Lean project (company-wide Lean implementation effort) you participated in and what do you think made it work?
The first Integrated Project Delivery project I was on was made up of team members who had never taken a Lean approach to a project. They were traditional design/bid/build folks. When we first started the Lean planning process, it was chaos. At one point I “pulled the chord” and called an all-hands meeting to discuss what was happening. When we really looked at the situation, we realized that people had a different idea of what “Lean delivery” would look like. Many thought “Lean” equaled “easy”. I ended up telling everyone that they should expect chaos – at first – because we were all getting to understand an entirely new process together. We also emphasized that Lean was easy, it’s change that’s hard! Before long, the project was humming along and we got better and better as time went on.
3. In your opinion, what are the biggest benefits of applying Lean and how have they impacted your projects, your teams, or your organization?
I came from a family that owned an architectural woodwork and casework subcontracting business. It was always a fight – a fight to get a copy of the real schedule, a fight to get room on the site to do our work, a fight to get paid on time, a fight to keep the cash flow coming so we could make payroll. My dad saw the collaborative process as a way out of that insanity. He really was ahead of his time. That drove my curiosity about Lean and made me realize that all of it was about respect for people. People who feel respected will do almost anything to help you out if you need a hand. Building that trusting culture pays big dividends.
4. How do you assess if your Lean game is strong; are there metrics or techniques you rely on and can share?
I know our Lean game is strong if the people on the project feel engaged, productive, listened to, and of course respected. And there is no better way to gauge that than to go out and ask people how they’re doing and what is in their way. If there is something in their way, and you help them remove that constraint, it deepens your relationship with them. You want them to understand that you are not the enemy, but an ally. Of course, there are productivity metrics and it’s always good to know if your planning is on-track – and some of these touchy-feely things are hard to measure. But a good “Lean game” is all about the culture of the project.
5. If someone’s just dipping their toes into Lean, what advice would you offer from lessons you’ve learned?
NO TOE DIPPING.
To quote Yoda, “there is no try – only do!” If you’re really going to practice Lean you’ve got to be all in. If you’re not all in you will not succeed. I’m not saying you should try and eat the elephant in one bite, but Lean done well takes real commitment. I know it’s a bit obvious, but “continuous improvement” requires “continuous improvement.” Not ”intermittent commitment” and not “occasional implementation.” Jump in. Get a guide if you need one (most do at some point). Look around – there are lots of places to get help – especially from the Lean Construction Institute!
Did you enjoy getting to know Dave? Explore more Member Connections! If you are a member company and have a story to tell about your Lean journey, we want to share it. Reach out to Maryann Fiala.