The wrong-headed approach to lean, characterized by the desire for short-term gain only, is widely reviled in the lean community. Leaders, it seems, want to get the benefits of lean without committing to the hard work that a lean transformation requires.
I think the conversation about committing to lean is contingent on a much larger question: does the company’s leadership aspire to building an exceptional, enduring institution? Lean provides the most widely-proven road map for leaders who are so inclined, full of living, breathing examples. But it is not a teaching tool for promoting core business values.