Lean IT Leadership – the essential element
of a Lean IT transformation

Leaders and Managers have specific roles to play in support of a Lean IT transformation. Unfortunately, many Lean IT initiatives are hindered by Leaders who delegate their role and/or Managers who unintentionally disable the effort. This scenario always ends with disappointing results at best, and an alienated, bitter IT staff (and their customers) at worst. The problem lies not in what Leaders and Managers wish to achieve in their organization, it lies in what they focus on and how they go about positioning their people for success. Hundreds of books have been written on Leadership, and many describe the actions of effective leaders (establishing a vision, leading by example, holding people accountable, etc.). What is lacking in most of the Lean IT initiatives I witness are the daily activities that proactively prevent Lean Thinking in IT from taking a back seat to the daily firefighting that consumes people's focus and drains them of energy. This presentation will cover the role of Managers and Leaders in a Lean IT environment, addressing common challenges and ways to overcome them. The most common barrier to any Lean transformation is lack of support and direction by Leaders and Managers. This talk will explore the ten common mis-steps of Leadership as it applies to the IT workplace and include specific countermeasures to avoid these pitfalls in the first place, or to get your team back on track if you find yourself in a "Leadership vacuum.