There are countless English words that start with the letters de and re and with the sounds dee and ree. Words such as derision and revision abound. Good words. Helpful words. No issues.
But in the Lean world, de and re are often waste-warning words. De-burr, or rework, or delay are synonyms for waste problem. A product recall is big money. Reconcile suggests incorrect source data. Detangle suggests a complicated mess.
Here are some of the words of waste. How many can you add?
- Debride
- Debunk
- Deburr
- Deduct
- Deduction
- Defile
- Deform
- Defuse
- Degrade
- Delinquent (as in accounts receivable)
- Delude
- Denial
- Derail
- Detoxify
- Devalue
- Deviant
- Recall
- Reclean
- Redesign
- Redo
- Redraft
- Re-engineer
- Refinish
- Retrain
- Remake
- Reschedule
- Rework
- Rewrite
Look and listen for these “uh-oh” words. If you hear them, see them, or say them, investigate. Look for a waste-causing problem. Then solve the problem. Turn waste into wealth.
This blog is adapted from my soon-to-be-published book (in stores TOMORROW) on how any company can turn inevitable waste into cash. Stay tuned for continuous blogs on how to “Turn Waste into Wealth” at my website: www.markdeluzio.com
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