7 Leadership Wastes

Leadership wastes arise from a failure of leadership to harness the potential that resides in all workgroups. It influences all other controllable problems that face the organization. If leaders want an efficient and effective organization, they must start with eliminating waste that they themselves create. The 7 leadership wastes are:

1. structure waste: When no comprehensive system is in place to maintain focus throughout the organization.
2. discipline waste: The loss caused by failure to maintain the behaviors and processes of the structure.
3. focus waste: Arises when everyone is not aligned and energized on critical issues.
4. ownership waste: Occurs when the management team and other significant individuals do not personally, take direct responsibility for eliminating all of these wastes.
5. resource allocation waste:  Happens when time and money are not formally committed to agreed upon initiatives.
6. involvement waste: Arises when employees are not required to participate in efforts that impact their work and work areas.
7. integration waste: Arises when all methods, initiatives, tools and programs are not compelled to work together seamlessly.