Some of you might be familiar with the internet meme, spreading on Facebook especially, about “what people think of my profession” (as described in this Washington Post blog post). For example, see “what a contemporary artist does.” It’s all a bit tongue in cheek and it’s good fun.
Here is my take on how people view what a Lean Healthcare Consultant does (click for larger view):
Now, they say if you have to explain the joke, then it isn’t much of a joke… but my thoughts behind the six images:
- Friends: When people hear about “lean,” they often think it’s a diet or exercise program
- Mom: This is just supposed to represent the general view that a mom might have, exaggerating their kid’s work in their own mind (I’m not saying my mom thinks I’m scrubbing into surgery).
- Doctors: Yeah, I wear karate gear and a black belt, spouting lots of Japanese terms.
- Executives: Now, not all execs think I’m there to “cut heads.” That’s certainly not what I do (see my article on the “no layoffs due to Lean” policies). Nurses and front-line staff might also be afraid I’d be there to cut heads.
- Me: Going with the meme, this is supposed to represent one’s inflated view of what they do (a “Lean as superman” image that I created to mock the idea that “Lean is here to save the day” as if it’s an easy answer and a quick fix.
- Really do: This is a picture I took visiting a team that was creating the most complex value stream maps I’ve ever seen (maybe too complex).
What images would you choose for different stakeholder groups?
Facebook users can easily share the picture from this page.
About LeanBlog.org: Mark Graban is a consultant, author, and speaker in the “lean healthcare” methodology. Mark is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen. Learn more about Mark’s on-site and public workshops. He is also the Chief Improvement Officer for the technology company KaiNexus.