With GBMP’s 18th annual Northeast Lean Conference on the horizon, I’m reflecting on our theme, “Amplifying Lean—The Collaboration Effect.” The term collaboration typically connotes an organized attempt by unrelated, even competitive, parties to work together on a common problem; for example, the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) collaboration between GM and Toyota, or the international space station. In a sense, these types of organized collaboration are analogs to kaizen events and significant organizational breakthrough improvement.

Being a longtime proponent of “everybody, every day”-type kaizen, however, I think the greater amplification of our continuous improvement efforts lies in our ability to work together in the moment to solve many small problems. But, just as intermittent stoppages on a machine may be hidden from consideration, so too these on-the-fly opportunities for collaboration may pass without notice.

An example from my own career as a manufacturing manager sticks with me as I consider the importance of everyday collaboration.

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