The basic principles of lean -- waste reduction, customer centricity and flow optimization -- are fairly simple in theory. But when it comes to putting lean principles into practice, even the most well-intentioned manufacturers can run up against some roadblocks.

"Lean is about simplification, but the journey is complex," explains Jamie Flinchbaugh, founder and partner of the Lean Learning Center in Novi, Mich. "Change management is complex. Changing a culture is complex."

That's why many manufacturing firms begin their lean journey by seeking the counsel of a consultant.

While it seems that lean -- or some permutation of it – has become about as ubiquitous in the manufacturing world as forklifts and safety goggles, lean consultant and author Jean Cunningham notes that the concept of lean still is a bit foreign to many organizations, especially on the shop floor.

"[Lean] isn't what you learn when you go to business school," Cunningham says. " . . . Certainly no one who comes out of high school knows anything about lean, and most of our people who work in our companies don't have advanced degrees -- they have high school degrees."

A manufacturer needs to demand "real, measurable improvement" from its lean consultant. If not, "you hired the wrong sensei." -- Tim Whitmore, vice president and general manager, Simpler Consulting

"Cunningham, whose consulting practice emphasizes the importance of applying lean principles to accounting, human resources, IT and other non-manufacturing areas, acknowledges that organizations can learn about lean by reading books, attending workshops and visiting companies that have implemented lean strategies. However, "to really learn lean, you want to begin taking action within your own company," she asserts.

"And that's where I think a consultant can really help you," Cunningham explains.

Steven Abbott, senior director at BBK, a Detroit-based consulting firm that specializes in helping distressed manufacturers implement lean strategies, asserts that a consultant brings more to the table than simply helping organizations conduct kaizen events or create value-stream maps. Hiring a consultant -- particularly in the case of troubled manufacturers -- is "an excellent way for management and leadership to signal a change within the company and to use the consulting event to define and formulate a revised purpose or a reason for being."

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