Daily Habits of High-Performing Leaders

The Power of Leader Standard Work

In every successful Lean organization, structure is the backbone of consistency. Leader Standard Work (LSW) outlines the daily, weekly, and ongoing activities that keep processes flowing, teams engaged, and improvements alive. It’s not about adding more tasks but about embedding discipline into leadership routines at every level—from team leaders on the floor to executives in the plant.

---

Daily Practices that Build Discipline

Leadership starts with presence. At the team leader level, this often means checking call-ins, adjusting the labour plan, and leading a brief team start-up meeting. These meetings, typically lasting 5–10 minutes, align the group, highlight priorities, and prepare the team for the shift ahead.

Supervisors reinforce this by attending team leader meetings, coordinating shift changes, and leading start-up meetings of their own. Their focus: addressing misses, issues, and improvements.

At the value stream level, leaders balance administrative tasks with gemba walks, ensuring they stay close to actual conditions. Plant managers and executives set the tone by reviewing trend charts, walking the floor, and validating visual controls.

---

Structured Meetings That Drive Improvement

Leader Standard Work isn’t just about observing; it’s about structured reflection and improvement.

• Tiered meetings: Team leaders, supervisors, and value stream managers participate in tiered discussions, escalating issues and ensuring accountability.
• Gemba walks: These occur at every level—team leaders with supervisors, supervisors with managers, and managers across departments. Walking the floor is not symbolic; it’s where problems surface and solutions begin.
• Formal audits and reviews: Value stream leaders and managers conduct audits, verify standards, and assess plant-level performance.

This rhythm creates a cascade of accountability. No one operates in isolation, and each layer reinforces the other.

---

Standardization and Monitoring

Repetition builds habits, but monitoring ensures those habits deliver results. Many activities repeat multiple times a day, such as:

• Monitoring buzzer-to-buzzer work before and after breaks
• Verifying pitch performance and documenting variation
• Checking standardized work in each station and correcting as needed

Supervisors spend time validating pitch charts, while value stream leaders verify that visual controls are being used correctly. Plant managers dedicate floor time and walk through each value stream weekly with staff managers.

---

Continuous Improvement Embedded in the Routine

Leader Standard Work also reinforces improvement. Team leaders hold weekly continuous improvement meetings with their teams. Supervisors and managers regularly review processes and product improvements. Leaders revise production standards as needed, and operators receive training to address identified gaps.

This ensures that improvement isn’t a side project—it’s built into the daily rhythm of work.

---

Leadership at Every Level

What makes LSW powerful is the way responsibilities cascade across roles:

• Team Leaders: Focus on immediate daily activities, labour planning, and engaging directly with teams.
• Supervisors: Ensure coordination, validate standards, and support team leaders through coaching.
• Value Stream Managers: Balance administration with improvement, monitor across areas, and ensure alignment.
• Plant Managers & Executives: Validate performance at a high level, reinforce culture, and maintain visibility.

Each role complements the others, ensuring alignment from the shop floor to the executive office.

---

Why Leader Standard Work Matters

Without structure, even the best systems erode. LSW provides a framework to ensure leaders are visible, engaged, and focused on the right things. It prevents drift, sustains gains, and fosters a culture where problems are addressed promptly rather than being ignored.

When applied consistently, these routines transform leadership from reactive firefighting to proactive coaching. And over time, that’s what builds a culture of operational excellence.