Because “we’ve always done it this way” is not a strategy
Let’s play a game.
Look around your business—your processes, your systems, even your daily calendar.
Now ask yourself:
“If I were starting this from scratch today, would I still do it this way?”
If the answer is, “Dear God, no,” welcome to the world of Lean Thinking.
Contrary to popular belief, “lean” isn’t about stinginess, minimalism, or firing half your staff to feel productive. It’s about trimming the unnecessary, streamlining the essential, and making sure your team isn’t spending half their time fixing things that never needed to be broken.
Let’s dive into what Lean Thinking means, and how to use it to build a business that moves faster, works smarter, and doesn’t waste three hours a week chasing down a lost PDF.
What Is Lean Thinking? (No, It’s Not a Juice Cleanse)
Lean Thinking is a philosophy that came out of the manufacturing world—specifically Toyota—and focuses on eliminating waste, improving flow, and continuously improving without adding chaos.
The good news? You don’t have to build cars to use it. Whether you sell software, signage, sandwiches, or services, lean principles work across the board.
The goal is simple:
More value. Less fluff.
The 7 Wastes You Didn’t Know Were Running Your Business
Lean Thinking identifies 7 types of waste that eat time and profits like office donuts:
- Overproduction – Doing more than the customer needs. (Looking at you, 12-page reports no one reads.)
- Waiting – For approvals, assets, feedback, or someone to remember the Wi-Fi password.
- Transport – Moving stuff (or data) around more than necessary.
- Extra Processing – Fancy formatting, duplicate steps, or redoing work because Kyle didn’t use the new form.
- Inventory – Too much of anything, sitting around collecting dust or digital cobwebs.
- Motion – Unnecessary steps. Like walking across the office because the printer is in exile.
- Defects – Mistakes, rework, and the “oops, we forgot to send that” moments.
Find these, and start trimming. Like a very polite, results-driven ninja.
How to Apply Lean Thinking Without Breaking the Office
You don’t need consultants or laminated diagrams. You need common sense, good questions, and the guts to say, “Wait, why are we still doing this?”
1. Map It Out
Take one core process and break it down step by step.
Where are the bottlenecks? The redundancies? The “we’ve always done it this way” moments? Circle them. Then delete them. (Okay, not literally. But fix them.)
2. Automate the Obvious
If a robot can do it, let the robot do it.
Emails, reminders, data entry, customer follow-ups—it’s all fair game.
The future is now. Stop being your intern.
3. Empower Your Team to Spot Waste
Ask your staff:
“What’s one thing we do every week that feels pointless, annoying, or outdated?”
Then listen. Listen. You’ll get gold.
Bonus: people love improving things they work with. Wild concept.
4. Improve Continuously, Not Frantically
Lean isn’t about one big overhaul. It’s about small, constant tweaks.
Pick one area a month to improve.
Small wins compound—like interest, but less boring.
5. Measure What Matters
Track the impact of your changes.
- Time saved
- Errors reduced
- Staff not quitting due to frustration
Success in Lean Thinking isn’t just faster output—it’s smarter output.
6. Celebrate The Wins
Tiny improvements are still improvements.
- Shaved 10 minutes off a process? High five.
- Reduced errors by 3%? Champagne (or LaCroix) time.
- Karen used the new form? Alert the media.
Acknowledging progress keeps momentum going and reminds everyone why Lean Thinking is worthwhile.
Final Thought: Be Lean, Not Cheap
Lean Thinking is not about doing more with less—it’s about doing better with what you already have.
It’s about clarity. Efficiency. And maybe not having seven meetings about one email.
So if you’re ready to reclaim your time, reduce the noise, and build a business that runs like a calm, focused machine instead of a caffeinated hamster wheel, Lean Thinking is your new favorite coworker.