Fix the Process, Not the People: Why Lean Thinking Still Wins in Manufacturing
Is Lean Dead—or More Relevant Than Ever?
If you're in manufacturing, you've probably heard the term lean tossed around for years. Some see it as a buzzword. Others see it as a standard. But for Matthew Rassi, founder of Twenty Helping Hands, lean is a living mindset—a philosophy that can take any business from chaos to clarity, from stagnation to sustainable growth.
We sat down with Matthew on Episode 39 of The Germinate Podcast to dive into lean principles, servant leadership, and why throwing people at a problem is not the answer—fixing your process is.
Meet Matthew Rassi: Engineer, Entrepreneur, Father of 11 (!)
Yes, you read that right. Matthew and his wife are parents to 11 kids. That family dynamic gave birth (literally) to the name Twenty Helping Hands. But it's Matthew’s 25+ years in manufacturing—spanning lighting, medical devices, and now lean consulting—that make him a powerhouse in operational strategy.
After years of corporate work, Matthew took the leap to consulting, starting with just one day a week. Fast forward to today, he’s running a successful lean consulting business helping companies "make more without more people or machines."
Flipping the Org Chart—Literally
Matthew’s first move with any new client? Flip the org chart upside down.
“If a leader sees themselves at the top and not as the support system for everyone else, we have a problem,” he said.
This inversion sets the tone for servant leadership, a core value that guides every improvement initiative he leads. If your leadership team isn't ready to serve, empower, and listen—lean won’t work.
The 3-Part Litmus Test for Lean Success
Before working with any client, Matthew makes sure they pass this simple test:
Are you a servant leader? If you’re not, no improvement will stick.
Can you sell more if you make more? Lean will increase capacity. Can you handle it?
Are you ready to look at the ugly stuff under the rug? Because that’s where the bottlenecks live.
From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs
Matthew confidently claims he can walk into a plant and find the biggest bottleneck within 10 minutes.
“You want to know where the problems are? Look for the piles—of inventory, people, paper, or work orders. The bottleneck leaves clues.”
Once identified, he doesn’t fix it alone. He engages the entire team through a structured, empowering Lean Foundations program—where real improvement happens on the floor, not in a boardroom.
Why Servant Leadership Isn’t Just Nice—It’s Necessary
Leadership in many plants today is outdated, often placing the “best operator” into a management role—without any leadership training. That’s a recipe for frustration and inefficiency.
“Leadership is a different skillset. If you take your best welder and make him the boss, you just lost your best welder—and maybe got a poor leader,” said Matthew.
He teaches leaders how to build systems, motivate teams, and develop others, rather than micromanage.
Stop Scaling Chaos
Companies often believe that adding automation or people is the answer to their production problems. Matthew disagrees:
“If your processes are broken, scaling them with more people or robots just spreads the dysfunction.”
Before you invest in new machinery or an ERP system, fix your daily disciplines, simplify your workflows, and let your people shine.
Signs, Lines, and Labels: The Lean Holy Trinity
Want to know Matthew’s secret weapon? It’s not software or complex metrics—it’s “signs, lines, and labels.”
“Give every tool a home. Label everything. Draw the line where it belongs. You should be able to find anything in five seconds.”
This simple system builds visual accountability, reduces waste, and makes onboarding or training seamless.
Cleanliness = Sales? Absolutely.
Your workspace reflects your culture. Whether it’s a shop floor or a grocery store, mess equals missed opportunity.
“If my shoes stick to the floor in your restaurant, I don’t care how good the food is—I’m not coming back,” Joe joked.
Cleanliness, structure, and discipline lead to better customer experiences, higher team morale, and ultimately, more sales.
From Frustrated to Empowered: Give Your Team Ownership
Matthew emphasizes the importance of daily discipline and empowering every employee—from the front office to the floor—to contribute to process improvement.
“You’re paying for their hands, but you’re not mining their minds.”
His programs include training for supervisors, shop floor teams, and working groups that solve real problems together. The result? Culture transformation and measurable results.
One Client’s Transformation: From “Maxed Out” to 30% Growth
In one case study, Matthew asked a team how much more they thought they could produce. The unanimous answer: “We’re maxed.”
Three months later, they were producing 30% more—with no new hires.
Even more powerful? When asked again, the same team said, “We could probably get another 30%.” That’s the power of belief through results.
So... What’s the First Step?
Matthew’s advice is as simple as it is powerful:
Start small. 15 minutes a day per person.
Clean, declutter, organize.
Use signs, lines, and labels.
Engage the team.
Sustain through daily discipline and audits.
Want help? That’s where Twenty Helping Hands comes in.
Final Thoughts: What’s Your Elephant?
Every organization has an elephant in the room—maybe it’s a sacred cow project, an underperforming division, or outdated leadership practices. Whatever it is, lean won’t succeed until you confront it.
“I don’t know where the elephant is in your business—but I’m going to find it. And we’re going to deal with it.”
Connect with Matthew Rassi
If you're a business owner, plant manager, or operations leader ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building a scalable, lean operation, Matthew Rassi is your guy.
Website: www.twentyhelpinghands.com
Serving: Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana — and now expanding select services nationally
Ideal Clients: $5M–$50M in revenue, ready for growth
Listen to the Full Episode
Episode 39: Fix the Process, Not the People
The Germinate Podcast with Joe Sampson
Listen Now (https://youtu.be/HbY-Lpu2U6U)
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