Never forget: No matter what technical tools you use for continuous improvement, they always require change, which must be implemented with and through the people of your organization. Given how we all welcome change, it should come as no surprise that resistance limits the impact of many well-conceived initiatives. Thus, if you want to sustain process change, organizational change management skills must be learned along with lean, Six Sigma or any other improvement methodology.
Successful implementation requires, first and foremost, effective and highly motivating leadership from the top down. In addition, these elements are essential: