Today’s Lean Leader

By:  Rob Ptacek, Mark Coats, Col. (Retired, US Army), Todd Ptacek

Today’s Lean Leader is designed for use as a quick and convenient reference, or as a training guide to improve your effectiveness in leading, supervising, and coaching employees. It provides valuable insight into the How To’s of leadership and supervision. Today’s Lean Leader can be used in a variety of ways, some of which are: (1)The guide is valuable for the new or veteran leader – supervisor (2) Remarkably, the guide in the hands of the workforce makes the task of leading and supervising all the easier when everyone is on the same page on these basic principles.

Each main chapter is segmented in the following way for ease of learning and implementation:

– Bike Racing icon – the What is it? is bold-italicized words used to define the tool or concept as well as the detailed characteristics, features, and salient points needed for an overall understanding of the tool or concept. This is similar to the beginning of the race, where everyone is poised and ready for the cycling event.
– Jersey icon – the How do you do it? is the step-by-step procedures (or guidelines) and checklists of the tool or concept while addressing social networking implications. This is similar to winning one of the stages in the cycling event where team strategies and adjustments may need to be made.
– Champs-Elysees icon – the Sensei Tips is comprised of the following three parts: (1) Key or summary points provided by the supervisors and industry leaders that contributed to this book. (2) Recommendations where specific emerging technologies might be applicable. (3) Case studies to further your understanding of the topic. This part is similar to completing the event at the historic Paris, France landmark and determining what went well and what needs to be improved at the next cycling event.

A team leader’s or supervisor’s role is loosely defined as creating an environment where people can motivate themselves to high levels of achievement and success. If as a leader you find yourself facing some of the following issues, this book (chapter referenced) will be of value:

– A worker is not pulling their weight with daily work requirements. (Layered Process Audits)
– A worker dominates all meetings. (Meeting Leading)
– A worker constantly undermines authority. (Discipline)
– A worker does not attend shift starts or team meetings. (Communications)
– A worker does not contribute their ideas anytime. (Innovation and Creativity)
– A worker constantly jokes around about improvement projects – saying, it s just another program of the month. (Motivation)
– A worker constantly is making mistakes or having to be told something over-and-over again. (Termination)
– A worker passively participates. (Leadership and Coaching)
– A worker is always late. (Conflict Management)
– Management just doesn’t seem to care. (Stakeholder Analysis)
– A worker constantly states that the previous supervisor had done things differently. (Managing Change)

These issues, as well as many other types, have a negative impact on productivity and morale. By using the knowledge, tools, and concepts conveyed in this book, it will allow you to more effectively supervise and lead others, thereby improving productivity and morale. Project success does not just happen!

Spiral Bound – 5.5” x 8.5” – 272 pages – 100+ Illustrations, Forms, Worksheets, and Checklists on how to more effectively lead and manager employee’s  (case studies included with each chapter)