All innovations and improvements start with everyone in the organization becoming aware of the need for change and the role each will play in the realization of that change. The most important step is to begin by catching people's attention and raising their awareness.

Lean manufacturing means more than changing production methods. The awareness for change must begin at the top of the company and establish a sense of urgency that "trickles" down to the next level and ultimately to the shop floor. There are many ways to start this chain-reaction (in-house training, team building work shops, shop floor study or work teams, etc.) The one key element is that it must be fully understood that the status quo is not enough to ensure the company's survival in the future.

Following are some considerations regarding employee involvement when implementing Lean strategies:

Push decision making and system development down to the "lowest levels"

• Ensure that people are fully trained and truly empowered
• Provide widespread orientation to continuous improvement, quality, training and recruiting workers with appropriate skills
• Create common understanding of the need to change to lean
• Fully prepare and motivate people
• Share information and manage expectations
• Identify and empower champions, particularly operations managers
• Remove roadblocks (i.e. people, layout, systems)
• Create an atmosphere of experimentation, toleration, patience, risk taking
• Install "enlightened" and realistic performance measures, evaluation, and reward systems
• Do away with rigid performance goals during implementation