You Can’t Cherry-Pick Lean: Why Pull, Heijunka, and CI Don’t Stick

the blog post

Why do Lean practices like pull systems and heijunka fail to take hold in so many organizations? In this AudioBlog, Mark Graban argues that the problem isn’t the tools—it’s how Lean is applied. Too often, organizations cherry-pick visible practices like 5S, huddles, or kaizen events while avoiding the harder work of adopting Lean as a complete management system.

This episode explores why foundational elements such as leveling, pull, and continuous improvement only work when supported by long-term thinking, aligned leadership behaviors, and psychological safety. Mark explains how these methods surface uncomfortable truths about variation, instability, and decision-making—and why organizations that lack a learning culture tend to avoid them. Drawing on Toyota Way principles, he makes the case that Lean fails when it’s treated as a toolkit for short-term results instead of a system designed for sustained learning and improvement.

If Lean hasn’t delivered the results you expected, this episode invites a more fundamental question: are you practicing Lean as a system—or just using the parts that feel convenient?