Lean knowledge creators: Empowering individuals

There is an ongoing paradox in the teachings of lean management. Working and teaching lean management builds on the view, that organizations and their members are all part of a complex system [15;29]. Hence, socialization into a shared under-standing of the system and the flow, to reduce variability and increase operational efficiency. Worker socialization processes is at the core of most modern lean teach-ing. At the same time, when job content is broken down and subordinated a larger system, there is little room for individual interpretation and creative expression.
As we see it, enrolling the insights and commitments of individuals in lean training programs represents a conundrum for lean training, as orthodox lean training pro-grams departs from a systems perspective of organizations, which tend to disregard the inclusion of individual knowledge and insights. At the same time, we believe a subjective, bottom-up approach to lean training, which starts from subjective and intersubjective sensemaking is possible and recommendable to mobilize and involve employment. Not least in the Nordic countries, recognized for democratic leadership styles and a small power distance between employees and managers, exploring and finding ways through this paradox is relevant and useful [8;22].