In Moving Forward Faster: the Mental Evolution from Fake Lean to REAL Lean Bob Emiliani identifies economic, social, and political ideas that must be eliminated; along with a list of management mistakes that are repeated throughout history. The book addresses a concern that while many people embrace the “Continuous Improvement” Lean principle, relatively few understand or acknowledge the “Respect for People” principle.

It is an important concern, and the book contrasts traditional management beliefs, behaviors and competencies with the beliefs, behaviors and competencies a Lean management approach warrants. I suspect that Lean thinkers reading the book will agree with much of what is written. I suspect many non-Lean, Fake Lean, and Bulk thinkers will cherry-pick entries and declare them to be either not applicable to them (denial), outright incorrect (denial), or that they already engage in the Lean beliefs and behaviors (and even more denial).

Here’s how I suggest using this book. Leadership teams that want to sincerely transform their enterprise and/or projects can together in a self-critical fashion evaluate not if, but how and where in their enterprise they exhibit the traditional beliefs, behaviors, and competencies. After capturing these deficiencies they can then decide upon actions that will reduce the most egregious and beneficially move the enterprise in a Lean direction. Then rinse and repeat. The major point here is that none of these actions will be about using Lean tools – all of these actions will be about changing the mindset and what Charles Taylor would call the social imaginary of the enterprise.

This work is not for the timid.