Bend, Oregon, with a population of over 80,000 people, offers great skiing and snowmobiling in the winter at nearby Mt. Bachelor and white water rafting, trout fishing and camping in the spring and summer.  It also has one of largest concentrations of microbreweries and craft breweries in the world, making Bend, Oregon a perfect setting for a father-and-son Spring Break vacation.
 
...and so it was.
 
But amid the great snowmobiling, skiing, and great food, my son and I stumbled (...well, not really stumbled) onto the world-famous Deschutes Brewery, established in 1988.  Deschutes is home to one of my most favorite beers: the Black Butte.
 
During the tour of their brewery that ends with a generous "tasting," the Lean Principles and Lean Rules of Deschutes Brewery caught my attention:
 
Deschutes Brewery, Est 1988
 
Lean Principles

• Do our best and next time do it better
• Focus on processes and systems as well as results
• Problems are opportunities
• Standardization allows creativity
• All work leads to damn tasty beer

Lean Rules

• Don't take yourself too seriously
• Plain and simple, here on the wall of a brewery in Bend, Oregon is a recipe to brew perfection for you and your company. 

Consider this ...  

• If we all did our best and focused on doing things even better next time, we would make the impossible, possible. 
• If we all focused on processes, systems, and results, we would become more efficient and effective
• If we removed all the drama and blame around problems and treated them as opportunities, we would all make more money and add years to our lives
• If we allowed standardization to build the foundation that allows creativity to take root, we would be free to innovate
• If we all didn't take ourselves so seriously -- laugh more, forgive ourselves for not being perfect, and swallowed our pride more often  -- we would all lead happier, more fulfilled lives

Well, how about it?  Will you adopt the Deschutes Brewery Principles and Rules? 
 
Keep in mind, all work leads to... "damn tasty beer."
 
Until Next Friday,