How long does it take to implement Lean and to see the benefits?

I read a lot about Lean and I think the philosophy and methodology behind it is great. I agree with the approaches as well. My concern is that it takes time and most of the time I need immediate results. I don’t have time to implement things and then wait to see the results after several months or even years. I currently deal with most of my common problems with a firefighting approach, and if I didn’t things could turn out to be even worse. This sometimes causes safety issues which have to be dealt with immediately. It’s also difficult to convince others to go on the Lean journey as their first question is what is the benefit of it and when can I realize investment returns?

To change a culture, habit or mindset is not easy and takes time; however Lean has several elements which can be implemented and used with immediate return and benefits. Yes, it will cause changes and it will affect the whole organization (or family, if you implement similar changes at home), but you can go step by step. You are right – there could be serious problems or safety issues that need to be solved immediately, but you can go back to the root cause immediately afterwards to avoid such incidents in the future. This step is usually forgotten. Learn from the problem and do your best to avoid it re-occurring. Does firefighting generate revenue, save cost or time, or eliminate waste? Is it part of the company’s long term vision and goal? Your company most probably has a 3-5 year plan. Won’t Lean fit into this plan? Does the plan include how much growth the company wants to achieve? How they will do it? Is it a wish or a concrete plan? Lean can help you to achieve your company’s goals and financial results and sustain growth. Start now.