“Fake it till you make it.” It’s quite the cliché`. It sounds good, and everyone will like any statement that provides some sort of solace. However, it’s a statement used to justify wrong choices. As a business leader you will be setting yourself up for failure if you decide to fake anything. In business, you cannot fake anything. If you try, you’ll waste resources and then your fake business empire will come crumbling down much sooner than later.

A business is like a building. You must lay a strong foundation before you start erecting floors going up. At the foundation level of a business, many are tempted to fake things so that their growth is rapid. That’s setting yourself up for disaster.

Take for example the celebrity business of the world. Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos, etc. These are some of the wealthiest people in the world. The all have a unique story about themselves and the way they grew their businesses. A careful look into the growth of their companies will help you see all the growth stages of a business. You can’t skip a stage, and you cannot fake success in business.

Lean Thinking and Understanding

It all comes down to lean thinking and understanding. The first step to lean thinking is having clear goals and objectives. Your goals and objectives are never clear until you understand your current state. It’s called self-awareness.

Many of these celebrity business had to raise their business from very humble beginnings. You’ve probably heard of stories of businesses being started in garages and basements. It takes strong self-awareness and a deep understanding our current state to be able to rise from the ground. You must have a vision and a plan to be able to wake up every day and work on something that everybody else thinks is vanity.

Lean thinking involves planning, learning, decision-making, and problem-solving. There is nothing to be faked in all these aspects. Building a business is a continuous process of learning, innovation and finding solutions to problems. The foundation stage of a business is usually the toughest. It will throw all manner of challenges at you. You can never fake solutions.

Becoming a Leader Needs Work

You’ve probably heard people say “Leaders are born not made.” That’s a misconception, at least in business. In business, your ability to provide solutions to problems, and move the business from one stage to another is what makes you a leader.

Through lean thinking, you can transform yourself into the leader you wish to be. Be a solution-oriented person. Do not settle for conventions and norms. None of the celebrity business persons we’ve mentioned did. You have to work toward coming up with unique solutions that make you stand out. Only then can you call yourself a business leader. And guess what? You won’t have to try to prove or fake to anyone that you are accomplished. They will see it from the results of your efforts.

About Lean Learning Center

The Lean Learning Center was founded in 2001 to address the gaps and barriers that are holding back companies from successful and sustainable lean transformation. In addition to the advanced curriculum, the Center has developed a learning environment designed specifically for adult learning utilizing techniques that include discovery simulations, case studies, personal planning, and reflection – ultimately engaging people at a deep and personal level. We bring our unique lean understanding in creative ways to executives, managers, supervisors, change agents and front-line employees.

info@leanlearningcenter.com
Phone: 248-906-8605