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If you look at everyone in your organization as a potential change agent, how do you systematically engage them to remove waste? How can we be proactive – the basic premise of Lean – instead of reactive? We compete internationally with knowledge, innovation, flexibility, agility and speed. We communicate because we intend to accomplish something, so why not use transparent tools and processes to improve our success rate? The Eighth Waste of Lean is lack of employee involvement. We must involve

employees in the continuous improvement process because the people actually carrying out the job know how to do that job better.

Shortening the path to new product/service release is central to strategic customer service. When firms engage in research and product/service development, customers, R&D engineers, supply chain managers, operations professionals, marketers and suppliers work closely together. Poor communication and conflict between these groups delays development and reduces product/service quality. An analysis of interpersonal conflict issues among product/service development stakeholders can provide practical methods for removing waste from product/service production and delivery activities.