Lean Leader Arrives at the Top of China

I took a clipping from the December 5th 2012 edition of the China Daily, the article titled pomp and ceremony must end. Xi Jinping, the new leader of China urged officials to “slash red tape, including unnecessary visits, meetings, and pointless discussions“. As a leader of one of the most powerful nations, he emphasized the need for civil servants to be more effective. While this is a common call for political leaders, his approach stood out to me.

Xi Jinping Urges Political Leaders to Grasp Realities and Improve Governance

Here are some of the key points:

1. Grasp the situation… The article stated that all members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China were urged to understand the real situation facing society.

2. …through gemba walks… He asked that they conduct more thorough inspection tours where social problems are acute and that senior leaders go to the grassroots to listen to the public.

3. …to remove non-value added. Xi encouraged his leaders to end unnecessary pomp, extravagance, and displays, and to reduce the use of jargon and empty words in many speeches.

Xi Jinping’s Drive to Streamline Governance in China

Xi’s call for cutting down on unnecessary activities and jargon was aimed at improving the government’s ability to address the practical needs of the people.

The Politburo of the CPC holds vast regional authority and the ability to appoint other leaders. Xi’s statements are similar to a CEO telling senior VPs to visit the gemba, cut unnecessary meetings and extravagance, and take action to solve practical problems.

China’s Pursuit of Becoming the Gemba Kaizen Workshop of the World

China has already earned the title of the “workshop of the world”. The question now is whether it will also become the “gemba kaizen workshop of the world”. This development is definitely worth keeping an eye on.

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