LMC Communication & Stakeholder Relations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A lean team is preparing a gemba walk report for senior leadership. Which communication approach best supports stakeholder buy-in?
- Send a detailed written report with raw data
- Present visual management boards with annotated photos and key findings (Correct answer)
- Summarize findings in a brief verbal update
- Email a list of improvement opportunities without context
Correct answer: Present visual management boards with annotated photos and key findings
Visual management boards with annotated photos translate gemba walk findings into clear, actionable information that resonates with leadership stakeholders.
Question 2: During a value stream mapping session, a department manager pushes back on proposed changes to their process. What is the best lean response?
- Override the manager's objection since VSM data is objective
- Escalate the conflict to the manager's supervisor immediately
- Acknowledge the concern, involve the manager in problem-solving, and focus on shared goals (Correct answer)
- Remove the manager from the VSM team to avoid conflict
Correct answer: Acknowledge the concern, involve the manager in problem-solving, and focus on shared goals
Lean respects all stakeholders; involving resisters in problem-solving builds ownership and aligns personal interests with improvement goals.
Question 3: Which metric is most appropriate for communicating lean transformation progress to a financial stakeholder?
- Number of kaizen events completed
- Reduction in cycle time expressed in days
- Cost savings and ROI from waste elimination initiatives (Correct answer)
- Employee satisfaction scores from lean training
Correct answer: Cost savings and ROI from waste elimination initiatives
Financial stakeholders respond to business outcomes; quantifying cost savings and ROI directly connects lean activities to financial performance.
Question 4: A lean practitioner discovers that two departments have conflicting improvement priorities. What should be done first?
- Prioritize the department with higher revenue impact
- Facilitate a joint session to map interdependencies and align priorities to customer value (Correct answer)
- Let both departments proceed independently and reconcile later
- Escalate to the CEO for a final decision
Correct answer: Facilitate a joint session to map interdependencies and align priorities to customer value
Facilitating a joint session surfaces interdependencies and aligns competing priorities around the shared goal of delivering customer value.
Question 5: An A3 report is best described as a tool for:
- Tracking daily production output on a factory floor
- Structuring problem-solving and communicating root cause analysis on a single page (Correct answer)
- Documenting standard work procedures for new employees
- Scheduling maintenance tasks across multiple shifts
Correct answer: Structuring problem-solving and communicating root cause analysis on a single page
The A3 is a concise, structured format that guides problem-solving and communicates the full PDCA cycle on one page, facilitating stakeholder dialogue.
Question 6: When conducting a stakeholder analysis for a lean initiative, what is the primary purpose?
- To identify individuals who might resist the initiative so they can be replaced
- To understand stakeholder influence, interest, and communication needs to tailor engagement (Correct answer)
- To create a org chart showing who reports to whom
- To document all stakeholders' KPIs for performance reviews
Correct answer: To understand stakeholder influence, interest, and communication needs to tailor engagement
Stakeholder analysis maps influence and interest levels so lean leaders can prioritize engagement efforts and tailor communication to each group's needs.
Question 7: In lean, 'hoshin kanri' (policy deployment) communications typically flow:
- Only top-down from executives to front-line workers
- Only bottom-up from kaizen teams to management
- Bidirectionally through catchball, aligning strategy from senior leadership to front line and back (Correct answer)
- Horizontally between peer departments without senior leadership involvement
Correct answer: Bidirectionally through catchball, aligning strategy from senior leadership to front line and back
Hoshin kanri uses catchball — a back-and-forth dialogue between levels — to ensure strategic goals are understood, feasible, and owned across the organization.
LMC Communication & Stakeholder Relations 2
A lean team is preparing a gemba walk report for senior leadership.
Which communication approach best supports stakeholder buy-in?