You can tell when it is early January at my fitness club. In addition to the regular crowd shuffling in this morning were a healthy number of unfamiliar faces, presumably resolved to make this the year they become fit. While for their sake I hope they all stick around throughout the year it’s more likely that many will drop out as other priorities are judged more pressing and the realization sets in that people don’t become fit, but that being fit requires a state of continuous improvement. Those that embrace that reality will continue to show up regularly and become part of a very informal morning community.

You will find the same dynamic at work when companies and projects begin an effort to become Lean. Many are excited about the very real promise of eliminating roadblocks to doing good work, being more productive and enjoying collaborative relationships with colleagues. Then they come to a crossroads when they realize that this Lean ‘stuff’ requires a lot of discipline. This is where some companies fall away from Lean thinking, especially those that viewed Lean as a quick fix to their problems much the same way some people hope a $79 bottle of pills will help them lose 30 pounds in 30 days.

Happily there are a large number of companies and projects led by people that come to the crossroads and decide that the benefits from Lean thinking are more than worth the discipline required and ultimately realize that due to their Lean discipline they are working less, getting more done, and having more fun. If as a leader you haven’t started a Lean transformation, or if you have and turned away when you reached the crossroads, now is a good time to consider the path you will take in 2016.