When Are Training Wheels Bad?

Training wheels.  Do you remember them - that extra set of wheels attached to the rear axle of your first REAL bicycle?  They gave you just enough stability on the bike to get used to the concept, but eventually, they came off.  Not immediately, but fairly quickly, after some time and attention from a dedicated coach (in my case it was a friend who was tired of me lagging way behind during bike rides!!!)

What do training wheels have to do with lean?  Think about the checklists and templates that eventually make their way into most organizations’ lean transformations.  They can be a good tool to get stability, but the goal should be to not use them at all.  The only way to insure that your lean thinking will stay ahead of the curve is to make sure people are THINKING in the first place.  And therein lies the danger of templates and checklists.  They can become a substitute for the thinking.  And leadership can quickly support the lean transformation by looking for the “training wheels” instead of looking for a “skilled bike rider.”

Personally, my preference is to start with the thinking.  So, if your organization chooses to use training wheels, just remember to have a strategy to remove them or improve them.  Otherwise you will be slowly wobbling along the side of the road as those who learned to ride fly past you.