Shows
WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastLearnings of a Lean PioneerJim Lancaster, Owner and CEO of Lantech, talks with Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, about his lean journey and the decades-long transformation at his packaging-solutions company. Lantech, a lean pioneer, was highlighted in Jim Womack’s and Daniel Jones’ 1996 book Lean Thinking, and has steadily improved, growing the business 75% since 2020 despite economic and market factors that have derailed other companies.
Jim, author of The Work of Management, started at Lantech in high school when his father, Pat, was CEO. After college he worked in the financial industry, and then came back to Lou...2025-07-2244 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastLearnings of a Lean PioneerJim Lancaster, Owner and CEO of Lantech, talks with Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, about his lean journey and the decades-long transformation at his packaging-solutions company. Lantech, a lean pioneer, was highlighted in Jim Womack’s and Daniel Jones’ 1996 book Lean Thinking, and has steadily improved, growing the business 75% since 2020 despite economic and market factors that have derailed other companies.
Jim, author of The Work of Management, started at Lantech in high school when his father, Pat, was CEO. After college he worked in the financial industry, and then came back to Lou...2025-07-2244 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!My HIGH STAKES Lean challengeRyan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) sits down with podcast host Matthew Thompson to get deep into why he has made the boldest move of his life and made a high stake move that will be the ultimate test of lean.🟢 Ryan Tierney leaves his successful business to take on his biggest Lean challenge yet.🟢 Why Sperrin Metal needs more than just tools — it needed a complete culture reset.🟢 Discover the real-world pressures behind buying a struggling factory and leading from the front.🟢 This episode explores what it means to truly believe in Lean — when the stakes are high and nothing is guara...2025-07-2128 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!How ROLLS ROYCE does LEAN | Let's Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with Aiden Rogers from Rolls Royce, one of the world's most prestigious brands to dig deep into how they do lean.✅ Aiden Rogers shares how Rolls-Royce shifted from tool-driven fixes to culture-led continuous improvement.✅ Learn how a 100-year family legacy at Rolls-Royce shaped Aiden’s leadership vision.✅ Discover the power of “fix what bugs you” as a culture-builder, not just a process tool.✅ Real-world Lean examples — from silicon cases to digital tracking — making massive impact on the shop floor.✅ A behind-t...2025-07-1432 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!🌍 Inside Europe’s Leanest Nations | Let's Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with lean officials Phil Catherwood (Welsh Government), Robert Hernan (Enterprise Ireland) and John McClune (Invest Northern Ireland) to talk what it takes to bring lean to the nations.🌍 Three national leaders share how Ireland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are driving lean transformation at scale.🌍 Why site visits, clusters, and exemplars are more powerful than PowerPoints — and how they’re used to spread Lean thinking.🌍 A behind-the-scenes look at how national Lean programs are structure...2025-07-1430 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!The Future of Lean Is Here | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with Make UK mentor Mike Dimmack and lean apprentice Ruby Handley to discuss the future of lean in the UK and beyond.✅ Meet Ruby, a passionate Lean apprentice reshaping how we think about manufacturing at just 20 years old.✅ Discover how Make UK trains the next generation of engineers through hands-on Lean learning.✅ Why common sense, not complexity, is the key to great Lean thinking.✅ Hear why apprenticeship routes are gaining serious...2025-07-1427 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Toyota's CULTURE PLAYBOOK exposed | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with Toyota HR General Manager Liam Holmes to talk all things culture and people at the world's best manufacturer.🔴 Discover how Toyota develops not just cars, but careers – from the production line to leadership.🔴 Liam shares a 30-year journey of people-first principles and Lean culture.🔴 Learn the structured training system that gets results and builds loyalty.🔴 See why emotional intelligence matters just as much as engineering skill.🔴 Find out how Toyota pr...2025-06-2323 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!ZERO to 15,000 shipments per week with LEAN | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with former Premier League footballer Thomas Robson Kanu about his journey as an international soccer star turned SME owner and lean practitioner.Premier League to Entrepreneur – Thomas shares how a career-threatening injury became the unlikely spark for a functional wellness brand.Snapped Knee to Secret Weapon – Hear the story behind the homemade turmeric blend that changed his life and career.Scal...2025-06-1624 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!WOMEN in Manufacturing: Breaking the stigma | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with lean PhD Alisha Gibbons.Find out:- What its like being a woman in manufacturing- How can Toyota and others make lean cool- Attracting young people into lean for the future- Is lean really mean?➡️ Work with TOYOTA LEAN MANAGEMENT CENTRE: https://tlmc.toyotauk.com➡️ Order the book, LEAN MADE SIMPLE: 12 PROVEN STEPS FOR CREATING A VIBRANT LEAN CULTURE: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/store➡️ Book a Lean Made Simple tour: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/book-a-tour2025-06-0331 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!INSIDE TOYOTA: Toyota veteran talks lean | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode of Lets Talk Lean, Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with Totota senior manager Simon Rowley.Find out:- the three behaviors that all Toyota employees much do- how many times do they stop the line each week?- what its like living lean beyond the workplace- how Toyota finds their next senior employees➡️ Work with TOYOTA LEAN MANAGEMENT CENTRE: https://tlmc.toyotauk.com➡️ Order the book, LEAN MADE SIMPLE: 12 PROVEN STEPS FOR CREATING A VIBRANT LEAN CULTURE: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/store➡️ Book a Lean Made Simple tour: https...2025-06-0330 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!How TOYOTA transformed my SME | Let’s Talk Lean PodcastIn this episode Ryan Tierney (Lean Made Simple) and Paul Blahyj (Toyota Lean Management Centre) sit down with Oliver Conger from British Rototherm.Find out:- What its like working with Toyota to teansform an SME- How to be auccess in apllied AI to lean manufacturing- What is the best investment Oliver ever made?➡️ Work with TOYOTA LEAN MANAGEMENT CENTRE: https://tlmc.toyotauk.com➡️ Order the book, LEAN MADE SIMPLE: 12 PROVEN STEPS FOR CREATING A VIBRANT LEAN CULTURE: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/store➡️ Book a Lean Made Simple tour: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/book-a-tour2025-06-0324 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastLean Product Development for Tech Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with Sandrine Olivencia on Building Smarter StartupsIn this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Sandrine Olivencia, author of Build to Sell: The Lean Secret to Crafting Irresistible Products, co-founder of Taktique Academy, and partner at Lean Sensei Partners. This is the second time Sandrine has joined us on the WLEI podcast, and in this particular conversation, we discuss why lean product and process development principles are crucial for entrepreneurs in today’s rapidly shifting market demands.
The conversation explores:
How Sandrine found her way to lean and agile and how early work by lean product and process development thinkers Al Ward...2025-05-2930 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastLean Product Development for Tech Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with Sandrine Olivencia on Building Smarter StartupsIn this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Sandrine Olivencia, author of Build to Sell: The Lean Secret to Crafting Irresistible Products, co-founder of Taktique Academy, and partner at Lean Sensei Partners. This is the second time Sandrine has joined us on the WLEI podcast, and in this particular conversation, we discuss why lean product and process development principles are crucial for entrepreneurs in today’s rapidly shifting market demands.
The conversation explores:
How Sandrine found her way to lean and agile and how early work by lean product and process development thinkers Al Ward...2025-05-2930 min
Raw Materials – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minLean Six Sigma Tools – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minEnergy – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minWater – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minPodcast – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minEmployee Engagement – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 minManagement – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE120: Tackling Green with Lean – Lean Global Connection 2024In this episode, I share a presentation that the Lean Sustainability Global Network (an unofficial team that I’m involved with) gave at the Lean Global Connection virtual conference in Nov 2024. We share how Lean principles can be applied to tackle pressing environmental challenges and improve processes. For example, Lean and Green expands the traditional
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2024-12-1624 min
AI, Agile & The Future of Work: ALI LabsALI Reads: Lean AI Meets Lean Startup: Revolutionising Customer Acquisition Through Smart AutomationSend us a textIn this episode, we explore how Lean AI intersects with the lean startup methodology, inspired by Lomit Patel's book "Lean AI." Learn how startups can leverage AI to drive growth and improve customer acquisition by aligning AI automation with lean principles.We'll break down the "intelligent machine framework," discuss real-world examples like IMVU, and consider the "build versus buy" dilemma for AI solutions. We'll also touch on the overlap between Lean Project Management, Lean UX, and AI, focusing on eliminating waste and optimizing user experiences.Tune in to discover...2024-10-0610 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastMoving from Agile to Lean: a Conversation with Sandrine OlivenciaIn this episode of WLEI Podcast, we welcome Sandrine Olivencia, author of Build to Sell and expert in applying Lean principles to software development. Sandrine shares her journey from waterfall to Agile and eventually to Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD), which she sees as a more holistic and sustainable system for building great products and lasting businesses. The conversation explores:
The importance of Gemba and why leaders at all levels need to stay closely connected to customers and the problems they face.
How Lean thinking can help companies avoid “feature frenzy mode” and maintain a clear f...2024-10-0354 min
The Lean Lounge with Jeff GrayThe Lean Lounge Episode 20: The Right Way to Lean!Jeff is in the lounge and shares his awesome experience during the Global Lean Summit and the visit to the Toyota Material Handling operation in Columbus, IN. The visit re-enforced and solidified how the team at Lean Revisions along with other Lean colleagues and practitioners have had enormous success within many industries as they follow the world-renowned Toyota Lean Management “Guide to Sustainable Process Improvement”. This is a must listen to session for anyone looking to go Lean, be Lean, and stay Lean. Jeff walks listeners through Toyota’s Code Values, Weak Point Management, Adrenaline Room, and much more.
2024-09-3038 min
Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | LeadershipGA 547 | Doing Lean vs. Using Lean with Gregg MinerThis week's guest is Gregg Miner. Ron and Gregg discussed the difference between "doing" lean and "using" lean, how this applies to leaders, the true definition of lean, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.
In this episode you'll learn:
The quote that inspires Greg (2:23)
His background (5:07)
What it means to "do" lean (6:28)
What lean is (8:54)
Why people fall into the trap of "doing" lean (10:13)
Why it's so important for leaders to know the difference (13:10)
How to "use" lean (19:06)
Why lean is more operationally focused (22:52)
Podcast Resources
Right Click to Download this Podcast a...2024-09-2631 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH: 12 Proven Principles for Creating a VIBRANT Lean CultureWelcome to Lean Made Simple, a podcast about transforming your business — and life — one step at a time.
In this very special episode, Ryan Tierney from Seating Matters officially launches his new book Lean Made Simple: 12 Proven Principles for Creating a Vibrant Lean Culture.
Along the way, he and Producer Matt talk about:
- What inspired Ryan decide to write this one of a kind book?
- Why is a vibrant Lean culture so important?
- Can Lean succeed without a vibrant Lean culture?
- How a vibrant Lean culture can...2024-09-0233 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!This POSTMAN will change the way you think about lean forever | Matt SimsMatt Sims is founder of the Ever-So-Lean podcast and a world renowned leadership and lean coach & consultant. He dropped in to the Lean Made Simple studio and shared incredible takeaways from his lean journey.
In this episode, Ryan and Matt caught up with him to talk about:
• His time as the "Lean Postman"
• How he helped Amazon transform its warehouses
• How he is teaching kids as young as 8 years old about lean
• The one this he wants for young people
Check it out!
Links:
• Mat...2024-08-1127 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's Podcast40 Years of Lean Observation: a Conversation with Art ByrneIn this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with prolific author and business leader Art Byrne.
During the discussion, Art shares his decades-long journey leading lean transformation, from running kaizen events with the first wave of ex-Toyota consultants in the US to leading manufacturer Wiremold to record profitability.
For a decade, Art wrote 100 "Ask Art" columns, answering the lean community's most pressing questions. He has compiled the best of those into a new book, The Lean Turnaround Answer Book: 40 Years of Lean Observation.
Our conversation covered:
The transformative impact of implementing the...2024-08-061h 14WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's Podcast40 Years of Lean Observation: a Conversation with Art ByrneIn this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with prolific author and business leader Art Byrne.
During the discussion, Art shares his decades-long journey leading lean transformation, from running kaizen events with the first wave of ex-Toyota consultants in the US to leading manufacturer Wiremold to record profitability.
For a decade, Art wrote 100 "Ask Art" columns, answering the lean community's most pressing questions. He has compiled the best of those into a new book, The Lean Turnaround Answer Book: 40 Years of Lean Observation.
Our conversation covered:
The transformative impact of implementing the...2024-08-061h 14
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Straight talking LEAN | Q&A Episode Part 2Welcome to Lean Made Simple, a podcast about transforming your business — and life — one step at a time.In this episode, Ryan Tierney from Seating Matters continues to answer your lean manufacturing questions.
Along the way, he and Producer Matt talk about:
- Is Ryan's factory as good as it looks on YouTube?
- Being open to criticism and feedback.
- How leaders should let their people find the answers.
- Should the owner work ON the business or IN the business?
- Serving internal and external cust...2024-07-0125 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Why you're STRUGGLING with LEAN | Q&A EpisodeWelcome to Lean Made Simple, a podcast about transforming your business — and life — one step at a time.
In this episode, Ryan Tierney from Seating Matters answers your lean manufacturing questions.
Along the way, he and Producer Matt talk about:
- How much work goes into being a lean company
- How to get your people to buy into lean
- Ryan's lean recruitment process
- How to coach people to follow a standard
- Developing a morning meeting that works for your business
Check it out!
Links:
- Book a Lean Made Simple Tour: https://www.leanmadesimple.com/book...2024-06-1728 minThe Lean Lounge with Jeff GrayThe Lean Lounge Episode 2: Mason Gray, College Senior to a Lean Practitioner.
Jeff is joined by his son Mason Gray as he shares his journey from a college senior implementing Lean as his capstone at a fish hatchery to becoming a Lean Practitioner.
Mason discusses how he thought it was cool that his father traveled to client locations, especially when he did a long-term engagement at US Naval Base San Diego when he was a child. He embellishes on writing Lean training video segments as a teen, teaching his college Fisheries and Aquaculture classmates Lean and realizing an increase in the Salmon hatchery brood at his alma mater BTC.2024-06-0519 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Why Lean Fails…In this episode, Ryan Tierney unveils the hidden key to lean success: Focusing on People Development. He shares enlightening experiences and practical advice on:
How ignoring people development causes lean initiatives to fail
The critical mistake of seeing lean as merely physical changes
How to build a thriving people development system
Learning the true essence of lean from Yellotools
Starting every day with a purpose-driven morning meeting
Encouraging employees to pursue their dreams and start new ventures
Implementing three simple steps to cultivate a lean culture focused on people
Check it out!
https://www.leanmadesimple...2024-03-2523 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastDeveloping 35,000 Problem Solvers: OhioHealth's Journey in Lean Healthcare with Alli Kulp and Emily SwaneyIn this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Emily Swaney and Alli Kulp from OhioHealth. Emily is the senior director of OhioHealth's lean promotion office, leading the organization's continuous improvement team. Alli is a senior advisor in the lean promotion office and previously worked as a registered nurse.
In our discussion, we explore:
The lean journey at OhioHealth since 2006 and their goal of creating a culture of 35,000 problem solvers.
OhioHealth's strategic goal deployment process and how they cascade goals throughout such a large healthcare system.
How lean daily management and problem solving are implemented at...2024-03-0546 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastDeveloping 35,000 Problem Solvers: OhioHealth's Journey in Lean Healthcare with Alli Kulp and Emily SwaneyIn this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Emily Swaney and Alli Kulp from OhioHealth. Emily is the senior director of OhioHealth's lean promotion office, leading the organization's continuous improvement team. Alli is a senior advisor in the lean promotion office and previously worked as a registered nurse.
In our discussion, we explore:
The lean journey at OhioHealth since 2006 and their goal of creating a culture of 35,000 problem solvers.
OhioHealth's strategic goal deployment process and how they cascade goals throughout such a large healthcare system.
How lean daily management and problem solving are implemented at...2024-03-0546 minManagement – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE110: Lean for Community Projects with Lean Portland – Lean Global Connection 2023In this podcast, I share the presentation given by my peers who helped us create the Lean Portland group back in 2015. They gave this presentation at the Lean Global Connection on November 30, 2023. It is a free annual online event put on by the Lean Global Network (LGN). The event took place over
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2024-02-2027 minSolid Waste – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE110: Lean for Community Projects with Lean Portland – Lean Global Connection 2023In this podcast, I share the presentation given by my peers who helped us create the Lean Portland group back in 2015. They gave this presentation at the Lean Global Connection on November 30, 2023. It is a free annual online event put on by the Lean Global Network (LGN). The event took place over
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2024-02-2027 minNonprofit – Lean Six Sigma and the EnvironmentE110: Lean for Community Projects with Lean Portland – Lean Global Connection 2023In this podcast, I share the presentation given by my peers who helped us create the Lean Portland group back in 2015. They gave this presentation at the Lean Global Connection on November 30, 2023. It is a free annual online event put on by the Lean Global Network (LGN). The event took place over
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2024-02-2027 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastConnecting the Classroom to Industry: Experiential Lean Learning with Dennis Wade and Lisa EshbachIn this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Dennis Wade from Oakland University and Lisa Eshbach, PhD from Ferris State University. They share their universities' programs that provide hands-on lean learning experiences for students through collaboration with industry partners.
In our discussion, we explore:
The backgrounds and roles of Dennis Wade and Lisa Eshbach in academia and their work connecting students to real-world lean projects.
The models used at Ferris State University and Oakland University for experiential learning projects, including course-based projects and paid internships.
The impact of these programs on students' development of lean...2024-02-2046 min
Lean PortlandE25: Lean for Community Projects with Maria Grzanka, Dominic Stokes and Matt HorvatAt the 2023 Lean Global Connection virtual conference held in late November, Maria Grzanka, Dominic Stokes and Matt Horvat share their experiences setting up and participating within Lean Portland.
They discuss project examples of teaching Lean to nonprofits in the Portland area, and what they learned and benefitted from those experiences. There is also a video of the presentation you can watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwoRBFyN8_8
There were numerous presentations provided during this event, so you can check out all of them in the links below.2024-02-1826 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastBuilding a Problem-Solving Culture: Insights from Barton Malow’s Lean UniversityIn this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Jill Katic and Grace Eovaldi from Barton Malow, a major construction company that has recently seen significant growth. Jill and Grace share how they've been working to foster a culture of problem solving throughout Barton Malow, principally through a program dubbed Lean University.
During the conversation we dive into the following:
Lean Principles and A3 Problem-Solving: Exploring Lean University's five-day training program, which introduces participants to lean principles and the A3 problem-solving method over a three-month period.
Problem Identification and Analysis: How Jill and G...2023-12-1238 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastBuilding a Problem-Solving Culture: Insights from Barton Malow’s Lean UniversityIn this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Jill Katic and Grace Eovaldi from Barton Malow, a major construction company that has recently seen significant growth. Jill and Grace share how they've been working to foster a culture of problem solving throughout Barton Malow, principally through a program dubbed Lean University.
During the conversation we dive into the following:
Lean Principles and A3 Problem-Solving: Exploring Lean University's five-day training program, which introduces participants to lean principles and the A3 problem-solving method over a three-month period.
Problem Identification and Analysis: How Jill and G...2023-12-1238 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Lean Legends | Kolbe Akers & Lukas Holland | FastcapIn their roles at Fastcap, Kolbe Akers & Lukas Holland are on the front-line in the war against waste.
In today’s episode we talk about:
Kolbe having a front-row seat to his father’s lean journey
How Lukas went from “academic lean” to becoming a “lean maniac”
The power of asking people what bothers them
Removing places to hide
Focusing on people over profit
And their favourite lean improvements from over the years
Check it out!
Links:
FastCap website: https://www.fastcap.com/
Email address: info@fastcap.com.
Book a Lean Made Simple Tour...2023-11-2016 minLean PortlandE24: The 8 Nelson Rules for Detecting Out of Control Conditions in a Statistical Process Control (SPC) Chart - Lean Portland Happy Hour - July 2023When using Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts to monitor your process, you are comparing your current data to historical data to determine if the process is similar or different. The basis for this decision lies in the Western Electric Rules (now called Nelson Rules) for detecting out of control conditions.
For example, if you detect 6 consecutive data points going upwards from the previous data point, that is considered a trend, and the process should be stopped to investigate if there is a problem or not.
Brion Hurley, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with Business...2023-10-031h 05
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Lean Legends | Brad Cairns | My Door FactoryBrad Cairns is the senior principal at Quantum Lean and is dedicated to improving the woodworking industry in North America using lean methods. He also owns My Door Factory and Stolbek Machines.
In this episode he shares:
Why he changed his company name from “Best Damn Doors”
His first exposure to “lean manufacturing”
How waste is like gravity
Going from making 5 doors per day to 52 within a few weeks of implementing lean
And how he developed a multi-million pound product by solving his own problems
Check it out!
Links:
Brad’s YouTube channel: h...2023-09-1817 min
Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!Improve Your Business by 600% | Paul Akers | 2-Second LeanPaul Akers is the founder of FastCap: a multi-million dollar company he and his wife started in their garage 13-years ago.
Along the way he’s established himself as an internationally renowned lean thinker, educator, and practitioner as well as being the author of the hugely influential book: 2-Second Lean.
In today’s episode we talk about:
What 2-Second Lean is and how it can improve your business by 600%
Why companies who do lean properly dwarf their competition
The best kept secret of Japanese powerhouses like Toyota & Lexus
Books he’s read 10+ times
The import...2023-08-2935 minGemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | LeadershipGA 476 | Why Lean Accounting Matters with Nick KatkoThis week's guest is Nick Katko. Ron and Nick discussed the importance of leveraging Lean Accounting, Nick's book "The Lean CFO," and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.
In this episode you'll learn:
The quote Nick likes (2:55)
His background (3:51)
Why lean accounting matters (6:37)
The ramifications of a cost accounting system (8:07)
Why he wrote the second edition (11:36)
Why The Box Score matters (13:21)
Financial performance vs. results (15:01)
What "true north" means in lean accounting (16:42)
Why he added value stream management (19:35)
Nick's perspective on TOC (27:03)
Practical tips for getting started (28:10)
Podcast Resources
Right Click to Download t...2023-05-1832 minGemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | LeadershipGA 469 | Improving Lives with Lean with Steve BellThis week's guest is Steve Bell. Ron and Steve discussed Steve's work applying lean to NGOs, how he approaches Change Management, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.
In this episode you'll learn:
Steve's background (3:57)
What NGO stands for (6:13)
What problem Steve is trying to solve (10:25)
An example Steve recently saw (14:01)
How he handles the Change Management aspect (16:35)
What the lean community can do (22:35)
Two more stories of lean NGOs (27:30)
Podcast Resources
Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
Lean Agile NGO
Steve on LinkedIn
Lean Agile NGO LinkedIn Group
GA 010 | U...2023-03-3034 minGemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | LeadershipGA 468 | Lean Made Simple with Ryan TierneyThis week's guest is Ryan Tierney of Seating Matters. Ryan and Ron discussed the reactions Ryan got when he first discovered lean, the importance of being both humble and curious, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.
In this episode you'll learn:
The quote Ryan likes (3:48)
Ryan's background (4:30)
Why they got started with lean (6:18)
His colleagues' initial reactions (9:14)
His siblings' initial reactions (13:24)
His biggest struggle (15:51)
How he got people engaged (17:31)
What facilities Ryan toured (20:29)
About their One-Piece Flow purchasing system (23:14)
The "smallest batch practicable" (25:25)
Being humble and curious (27:23)
Remaining humble when you're successful (28:55)
A...2023-03-2336 minLean PortlandE23: Calculating Financial Benefits for Improvement Projects - Lean Portland Happy Hour - July 2022After making improvements to your processes, a best practice is to calculate the benefits to the organization. Calculating financial benefits is an important part of building momentum for improvement with upper management. However, this can be confusing for those not familiar with financial data, and is not done very often in organizations.
Brion Hurley will discuss commonly used methods for capturing financial impacts of process improvement work.
The 5 categories are:
• Income Statement
• Cash Flow
• Growth
• Avoidance
• Soft Savings
We will define each category, go through a few e...2022-07-131h 11
That Change Show#11 - Six Tips for Facilitating a KICK-ASS Lean Coffee SessionHave ideas for the show? Liked a topic? Let us know!Six Tips for Facilitating a Kick-ass Lean Coffee SessionLean Coffee is an amazing tool to use to flip your perspective from traditional change communications that focuses on broadcasting techniques, and toward creating meaningful dialogue.Meaningful Dialogue is one of the Five Universals of Change: https://leanchange.org/philosophyhttps://leanchange.org/elements/lean-coffeeTimestamps:===========00:25 What is lean coffee?00:55 Using a Theme01:35 Don't pre-seed topics02:23 Make it anonymous03:07 Better Voting Tips!04:42...2022-05-3007 min
It's Time To LeanIntroducing... It's Time To Lean!If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean - the most widely used phrase by every manager who’s ever managed. This single saying alone has lead to countless outbursts, mental health breaks, and rage quitters. It’s also the inspiration for the It's Time to Lean podcast - pouring our hatred for these words into golden nuggets of advice.
Hi it’s Inge and Kels and this is the It’s Time to Lean Podcast, a podcast that talks about the good, the bad and the ugly at work. Are you tired of the drama at...2022-03-0702 minThat Change Show#1 - Lean Change Management vs Change Agility: What's the difference?Have ideas for the show? Liked a topic? Let us know!Welcome to the first episode of our new show, That Change Show, hosted by Lean Change Management and Change Agility author Jason Little.This is a weekly video and podcast show limited to no more than 15 minutes per episode designed to help you get your change unstuck.Since 2014 Jason has traveled to 12 different countries, trained thousands of change agents and worked with, or in, organizations of all shapes and sizes. In this episode, Jason starts with a question from a lean coffee s...2021-11-2111 min
Lean PodiLeanpodi Jakso 6 – Lean taloOletko lean tietoinen, mutta et oikein tiedä miten koko aihe pitäisi hahmottaa kuvana mielessäsi? Tiedät ehkä jo paljonkin leanista, mutta oletko varmasti huomioinut kaiken oleellisen? Hae tukea lean ajatteluusi ottamalla haltuun lean talo, ja siinä esitetyt olennaiset asiat. Jaksossa puhutaan siis lean talosta, ja käydään läpi miksi se on hyvä kuva esittämään asioita. Lean talo...2021-09-0430 min
Lean PortlandE21: Applying Lean to Body Piercing with Stephanie Hill - May Happy HourCase Study with Stephanie Hill: Prysm Piercing Shop
As a member and volunteer for the Association of Professional Piercers (APP) and having a partner who owns a body piercing studio, Stephanie Hill had the rare opportunity to share a Lean case study with a room of 200 international body piercers at an annual APP conference. Modified for the Lean Portland Happy Hour, Stephanie will share this case study of how she worked with her partner, Rob Hill at Prysm Body Piercing in Des Moines, Iowa, to increase profit using Lean practices. While members of the Happy Hour may n...2021-08-3138 min
What if...?/ジェンダーについて考えてみた#5 Lean In Tokyo設立時と今、日本は変わった？＜Guest: Rena Suzuki Wagnerさん＞今回はLean In Tokyo Co-founderであるRena Suzuki Wagnerさんをゲストとしてお迎えしました！
Renaさんは日本で働き始めたことをきっかけに、日本社会におけるウーマンエンパワーメントの重要性に気づき、Faecbook COOシェリル・サンドバーグ氏が創設したNPO団体Lean Inの日本地域代表となるLean In TokyoをCo-founderとして設立。その後、夫と愛犬と共にオランダ・アムステルダムへ移住。現在はエンジニアとしてオランダで働きながら、パートナーとFelixさんとともに暮らしています。（Felixさんは前回のepisodeに出演！ぜひセットで聞いてみてくださいね）
◎今回のトピック
Lean In Tokyoを立ち上げたきっかけ/シンガポールと東京の職場のカルチャーショック/日本のバラエティ番組への違和感/社会人になって感じるバイアス/Lean In Tokyoの活動の中で一番印象に残っている出来事/2016年と2021年の日本のジェンダー問題の現在地/メディアや企業のジェンダー問題に対する真剣さの薄さ/セクハラ・パワハラ・コンプラがジョークであることの危うさ/オランダの職場では？/パートナーと一緒にいるときに気を付けていること/Renaさんの今後
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2021-06-2047 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastExploring the Continued Relevance of Lean, A Best of PodcastThe global pandemic coupled with profound structural economic shifts are two daunting challenges reinforcing the need for a powerful method of framing and facing crucial problems today. Over the past year, our monthly podcast WLEI has aired conversations with Jim Womack, Dan Jones, Karen Gaudet, and other thought leaders exploring the power of lean—and adjacent schools of thought—as a source of promising countermeasures.
Lean can help people face problems both large (reviving healthy enterprise in this economy) and small (clarifying tangible ways to create workplaces that respect their workers). Thinkers such as Dan Heath discussed the po...2021-02-2238 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastExploring the Continued Relevance of Lean, A Best of PodcastThe global pandemic coupled with profound structural economic shifts are two daunting challenges reinforcing the need for a powerful method of framing and facing crucial problems today. Over the past year, our monthly podcast WLEI has aired conversations with Jim Womack, Dan Jones, Karen Gaudet, and other thought leaders exploring the power of lean—and adjacent schools of thought—as a source of promising countermeasures.
Lean can help people face problems both large (reviving healthy enterprise in this economy) and small (clarifying tangible ways to create workplaces that respect their workers). Thinkers such as Dan Heath discussed the po...2021-02-2238 min
American Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesWhat to Include in Your Lean Training - Part 4Since it is near the end of the year and your company might consider Lean training, I thought I’d give you an early present and cover what to include in your Lean training. This is not an exhaustive list- I’m breaking the topics up over several weeks.Up to this point, we have covered 12 other Lean topics- Lean History, VA vs. NVA, the 8 wastes, 6S, Current state and future state VSM’s, waste walks, PICK chart, RIE’s, A3’s, setting up an LPO and developing a Master Plan and RIE report-outs.If you cover...2020-12-3006 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesHow to Engage Employees during your Lean TransformationEmployee engagement is going to make or break you on your Lean transformation. For those that are interested in a successful Lean Transformation, I have a secret for you. Lean is about changing the culture of your organization. Ask yourself, how do I turn my employees into daily problem solvers? One success indicator of employee engagement is having them drive the transformation effort within your company, but how do you get there? Here are five ways to engage employees during your Lean transformation.First, let’s talk about what the end state looks like. Ideally, you have de...2020-12-2905 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesTopics to Include in Your Lean Training- Part 3Since it’s near the end of the year and your company might consider Lean training, I thought I’d give you an early present and cover topics to include in your Lean training. This is not an exhaustive list- I’m breaking the topics up over several weeks.If you cover these topics, I know you will have a very solid start in educating employees on Lean topics that will benefit your company immensely! It’s helpful to add workshops for many of these topics to keep people excited and engaged when we can all get into a tra...2020-12-2304 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesWhat to Include in Your Lean Training- Part 2Since it’s near the end of the year and your company might consider Lean training, I thought I’d give you an early present and cover what to include in your Lean training. This is not an exhaustive list- I’m breaking the topics up over several weeks.If you cover these topics, I know you will have a very solid start in educating employees on Lean topics that will benefit your company immensely! It’s helpful to add workshops for many of these topics to keep people excited and engaged when we can all get into a tra...2020-12-1604 min
Lean In VoicesEpisode 8 - Lean In Life, and the Importance of ConnectionWe talk to integral members of the Lean In team for Auckland and New Zealand; Katharina and Siobhan.How did they find Lean In? Why did it appeal to them so much? They share their individual journeys with Lean In, as well as some fantastic Lean In moments they have had.They also talk about their experience of being involved in the Lean in Global conference, and the joy of connecting with so many amazing Lean In’ers around the world.Pl...2020-12-1243 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesTopics to Include in Your Lean Training- Part 1Since it’s near the end of the year and your company might consider Lean training for next year, I thought I’d give you an early present and cover what to include in your Lean training. This is not an exhaustive list and I’m going to break this up over several weeks. I'll cover more topics through the end of the year. So stay tuned!If you cover these topics, I know you will have a very solid start in educating employees on Lean topics that will benefit your company immensely! It’s helpful to add workshop...2020-12-0904 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesFour Steps to a Successful Lean TransformationOver the thirty years that I have been honored to work with companies, I have seen fantastic, mind-blowing results from Lean efforts. I have also seen companies lose interest after a short time. They treat their Lean innovation like a Book of the Month Club or get frustrated from a lack of results. Some organizations become paralyzed and never begin their Lean Innovation. To me, that is the worst situation of all.I would like to share some gotchas I have seen.Companies make their Lean Innovation more complicated than it needs to be. They gather too...2020-12-0205 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesElements of a Lean CultureI’m sure preparing for 2021 is on the minds of many organizations this time of year. Given the strange year it has been, I’m sure we all want to move on from 2020. I have seen companies “decide” they want to implement Lean in the next year when they do their annual planning. What I rarely hear is we need to develop a culture that supports Lean efforts. To get you thinking along those lines, here are some elements of a lean culture.It starts at the topAny successful business or cultural transformation starts at the top. ...2020-12-0104 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesTip for Being Grateful During Your Lean JourneyUndertaking a business transformation is difficult. After all, who are the only people who like change? Wet babies. Depending upon where you start, it can take a lot of heavy lifting from many people in the organization. It’s easy to get caught up conducting “activities” on a weekly or monthly basis, which is why it’s important to slow down, reflect, and be grateful during your Lean journey.Henry Ford recognized the value of bringing people together to accomplish work and make improvements so a business could last multiple generations. He realized the opportunity to work together, rea...2020-11-2504 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastMaking Lean Stick and Avoiding Flatlining: A Conversation with Mark Deluzio, Art Byrne, and Jim WomackThe long-term success of companies like Danaher, Fortive, Herman Miller, Parker Hannifin and many others, have all validated the power of lean thinking and practice. But if that’s the case, why aren’t there more exemplars? And why do so many companies either intentionally misconstrue Lean, or fail to realize its full promise over time?
Long-time Lean veteran Mark Deluzio has recently published Flatlined: Why Lean Transformations Fail and What to Do About It. Join him, Art Byrne, Jim Womack and host Tom Ehrenfeld in a wide-ranging conversation about the ongoing gap between operations at most comp...2020-11-231h 01American Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesHansen Plastics Sees Huge Success from their 12 year Lean Journey!One of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. These are keynotes from a conversation with Tim Bayer, President of Hansen Plastics in Elgin Illinois.Hansen Plastics is an employee-owned (ESOP) and they maintain a can-do attitude because their employees are also owners. Respect and trust for each other are key elements of their True North. They have over 70 molding presses pr...2020-11-1315 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesFour Steps for a Successful Lean TransformationThere are four simple steps I have road-tested over the years that will make your Lean transformation easier and successful! Follow these for success.Vision- Develop your unique Lean Game PlanEmployee training camps- Train employees on Lean topicsExecute the Lean Game Plan- Conduct Rapid Improvement Events (RIE's)Half time adjustments- measure and adjustRate and Review HereMore show notes are hereSchedule a free 1/2 call with Tom Reed.Buy the Lean Game Plan Follow me on Twitter@dailyleancoachJoin me on Linked In2020-11-0405 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLean Accounting Helps you Keep Better ScoreLean accounting may not sound very exciting, but this podcast episode with Jerry Solomon brings all kinds of energy and excitement!Jerry shares how he moved from an accounting role into VP of Operations roles and shares the struggles of getting business performance information that employees can use to make improvements.These are some key points taken from my interview with Lean accounting expert Jerry Solomon. I was asked to move from the COO position to running operations. What a difference. I went from being a provider of information to a consumer and saw som...2020-10-3016 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesReplay- MD Engineering Uses Lean to Improve Cash Flow to GrowOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. These are keynotes from a conversation with MD Engineering.MD Engineering founded in 1999 and located in Corona, California is a nationally recognized leading producer and distributor of quality machined products providing parts to the military, industrial and commercial manufacturers worldwide. They are a leading supplier of complex machined parts, assemblies, and “buy comple...2020-10-2313 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesKeep Your Lean Journey Moving ForwardOne of Henry Ford’s sayings is that “Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is a success.” Grand words from a great Lean influencer. The tendency might be to put off your Lean activities given the current environment. I believe it’s more important than ever to keep your Lean journey moving forward!I still coach companies and lead Rapid Improvement Events in today’s environment. We all wear masks and stay six feet from each other as much as possible. We can still use our most important attribute- our brains to solve proble...2020-10-2104 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesDigitize your Lean Efforts to Increase Employee EngagementGiven the impact to supply chain performance that many manufacturers have felt do to the pandemic, it's become important to speed up the use of technology. Implementing more technology as part of Industry 4.0 will allow you to take on larger improvement activities. Here are some tips you can implement to digitize your lean efforts.Tip 1 - Digitize your Lean FrameworkMuch operational excellence and Lean improvements involve pen and paper. Clipboards, stopwatches, times studies. Calendars of events printed and placed in a PMO- Project Management Office for all to see.One limitation of thi...2020-10-0104 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesOncore - Quit Making your Lean Transformation so HardCompanies make their Lean transformation too complicated. They spend too much time collecting data, they put the success in the hands of a few people and they measure the wrong KPI's for success.Here are four steps you can take to have success in your Lean transformation:Establish your companies vision and True North - Understand where the waste is in your business - Develop your Lean Game Plan.Train the employees on Lean concepts.Follow the Lean Game Plan - Have events as scheduled.Half time adjustments- measure and adjust....2020-09-2506 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLearn what the Kettering Health Network does to Stay Lean 1. Tell us about yourself and your company Chris Luckett, Industrial, and Systems Engineering Degree. I have worked in various industries throughout my 20+ years. I am the Network Manager of Process Excellence for Kettering Health Network in Dayton Oh. Kettering Health Network is a faith-based award-winning healthcare system of 10 hospitals, 10 emergency departments, and 120 outpatient facilities serving southwest Ohio. With nearly 13,000 employees and 2,100 physicians and ~2B Revenue per year. Emergency Care, Cancer Care, Orthopedic Surgery and Rehab, Neuro & Stroke Care, and Heart Care. Our calling card is to provide improvement science and best practice throughout the NW.2020-09-1114 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLean Efforts Pay off - Gaining Boeing as a CustomerOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies using Lean principles to improve. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. This podcast can be found here. It is episode 136 on the American Lean Weekday podcastKV Engineering is a family-owned machine shop located in Santa Ana, California and primarily supports the Aerospace and Defense industry. Established in 1984 starting with one manual mill in a garage, they have grown into a 22,000 square foot...2020-08-2106 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesSingles will Drive your Lean Gains- W Machine Uses Small Wins to Drive Employee EngagementIt's baseball season. At least for now in the COVID19 era. While we all think we need to hit home runs on the Lean journey- you don't. Hear how W Machine Works used small wins to drive their employee engagement!This week on American Lean Weekday, I interview W Machine works who have been on a continuous improvement journey since 2005.One of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I hav...2020-08-0706 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastTailoring a Path to Lean TransformationOver the past five years, the Lean Global Network’s Lean Healthcare Initiative has carried out extensive research in eight hospitals across five countries, and recently published the white paper, "5 Guiding Principles to Transform Healthcare." In this podcast, LEI Senior Coach and white paper co-author Alice Lee shares insights into the research conducted by this group of “tailors” (individuals who saw patterns and helped identify how to apply them). She expands on the five guiding principles they developed and explains how these insights were gleaned from healthcare organizations. The principles provide guidance for any chief architect in any organization looking fo...2020-07-2726 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastTailoring a Path to Lean TransformationOver the past five years, the Lean Global Network’s Lean Healthcare Initiative has carried out extensive research in eight hospitals across five countries, and recently published the white paper, "5 Guiding Principles to Transform Healthcare." In this podcast, LEI Senior Coach and white paper co-author Alice Lee shares insights into the research conducted by this group of “tailors” (individuals who saw patterns and helped identify how to apply them). She expands on the five guiding principles they developed and explains how these insights were gleaned from healthcare organizations. The principles provide guidance for any chief architect in any organization looking fo...2020-07-2726 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesUnited Airlines Maintenance Crew Embraces LeanOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. You can find the podcast here. It is episode one hundred and seven of the American Lean Weekday podcast.United Airlines has been on their Lean journey since at least 2004. This is an interview with a retired United mechanic who shares his experience with all of us. Larry Reece was in the or...2020-07-1708 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesRV Supplier Stays Lean to Keep up with DemandOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations.Lippert Component Inc. (LCI) in Goshen, Indiana world’s leading supplier of highly engineered products for the leisure and mobile transportation industries. LCI employs roughly 9000 employees throughout 70 locations worldwide. They have annual sales greater than $2.5 Billion dollars. These are some key points taken from my interview with the Director of Lean Manu...2020-07-1014 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesWhat American Lean Means to MeAs we approach the Fourth of July- America's Independence Day, I want to reflect on why I chose the name American Lean for my business and American Lean weekday for my podcast. It is very personal for me.When I was an Industrial Engineering student at Huffy bicycle in Celina, Ohio we hired Arthur Anderson (now Accenture) to come and provide some consulting for us. At the end of their time there, they presented their report-out and suggested that we embrace this new manufacturing methodology being used in Japan called Lean manufacturing.This was the la...2020-07-0304 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLevel Five Leadership in LeanLevel Five Leadership: The PinnacleWhether we are talking about a businessman, a football coach, or a teacher; there is one thing they all have in common…they are leaders. But what level of leadership are they? How do they treat their employees? What do they think about results and deadlines?Every leader operates at his/her level. According to John C. Maxwell, there are five levels. In his book, “The 5 Levels of Leadership,” he describes five leadership levels that lead to a phase of leadership maturity. For the past few weeks, we have looked at the ot...2020-06-0805 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesElkay Manufacturing Improves their Supply Chain with LeanOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. This podcast can be found here. It is episode seventy-seven of the American Lean Weekday podcast. Ron shares how Elkay improves its supply chain with Lean.Elkay Manufacturing is headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year! They employ roughly 3,500 employees across 29 locations worldwide.These are s...2020-06-0510 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesSetting up Your Lean Promotion OfficeYour organization has developed current state and future state value stream maps. You have identified waste opportunities that exist and have laid out your quarterly Lean Game Plan. Now it is time to set up your Lean Promotion Office. This is the “war room” or headquarters for all your lean communication, planning, and Rapid Improvement Events.I realize there are thousands of ways to set up a Lean Promotion Office but I would like to provide you with some examples I have seen work well.1. Set it up in a Plan, Do, Check, Act formatEa...2020-06-0304 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLevel Four Leadership in LeanLevel 4 Leadership: People DevelopmentJohn Maxwell in “The Five Levels of Leadership” writes that with Level 3 leaders, the emphasis is on personal and corporate productivity and this ability to create a highly productive team, department, or organization shows a higher level of leadership ability than most others display. To reach the upper levels of leadership that create elite organizations, leaders must then transition from producers to developers. Why? Because people are an organization’s most appreciable asset.Good leaders at Level 4 invest their time, energy, money, and thinking into growing others as leaders. How does this e...2020-06-0105 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesDeveloping Your Lean Game PlanLast week I talked about developing a future state Value Stream Map. After you have developed what you want the organization to look like in the future, now comes the hard work of moving toward that future state. That calls for developing your Lean Game Plan.I believe there is a simple way to ensure you will have a successful Lean Innovation- one that involves true culture change. This entails developing your own Lean Game Plan one quarter at a time. To keep it simple, focus on four steps in your Lean Game Plan.1. Define your...2020-05-2704 minWLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's PodcastHow Will Lean Shape the Post-Covid World?"What will the world look like when Covid-19 recedes, and what role will Lean play? According to Lean Pioneer Dan Jones, Lean can play a key role in shaping the emerging economy in numerous ways—not simply boosting performance of legacy assets of mass production, but also helping to scale up new technologies much faster through several generations with user feedback. “Most significantly, it can mobilize the creative contribution of everyone, including users, to develop very different and sustainable systems for the future.”
Tune in to this conversation between Dan and WLEI Podcast Host Tom Ehrenfeld for an eng...2020-05-2526 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLevel Two Leadership in LeanLevel Two Leadership – Permission – You Can’t Lead People Until You Like People John Maxwell, in his book “The 5 Levels of Leadership” writes that this leadership level is about the human relationships that the leader has built up around him. Making the shift from Level 1 leadership -Position to Level 2 leadership- Permission is a person’s first real step into leadership.Leadership is influence, and when a leader learns to function on the Permission level, everything changes. This is where people do more than merely comply with orders. They start to follow. And they do so because they...2020-05-1806 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLean in a Printed Circuit Board Company that sees Huge SavingsOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations.NeoTech in Longmont, Colorado is a contract manufacturer that primarily supports the Aerospace and Defense industry. NeoTech is the combination of Natel, EPIC Technologies added in 2013 and OnCore Manufacturing which was purchased in 2015.Locations include California, Nevada, Ohio, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mexico, and China. The Longmont location has about 150 employees acro...2020-05-1508 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesLevel One Leaders in LeanResearch states that "46% of all improvement initiatives fail because of lack of leadership."1 Having too many Level One Leaders will kill your Lean transformation. Here is how to identify them!Much has already been written on Lean Leadership. Jim Womack and John Shook at the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) describe the evolution of leadership models as going from ‘Do it my way’ (old Dictator style) to ‘Do it your way’ (1980s Empowerment style) to ‘Follow me … and let’s figure this out together’ (Lean style).This week’s blog focuses on the ‘Do it my way’ style, John Maxwe...2020-05-1105 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesHow to Increase Your Confidence as a Lean CoordinatorWhat if you are the employee assigned to guide your companies Lean journey but you have little experience? Here is how you can increase your confidence.1. Have Confidence in your Lean AbilitiesIn our minds, we believe that we have to know everything there is to know about Lean before we can confidently deliver results. We overcomplicate things. Increase confidence with the decision to be confident in what you are doing. This is a choice that you make every day. Choose to have confidence!The reality is you have to be one page ahead...2020-05-0505 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesFive Levels of Leadership Applied to LeanWhen talking about Lean, people often focus on the process management part. They focus on value stream mapping and try to improve processes while neglecting to update leadership and management systems. The lean leadership model is based on one crucial belief – the leader’s goal is to raise new leaders. To do that, leaders must become teachers and coaches. A good roadmap is a book- The 5 Levels of Leadership.In his book, “The 5 Levels of Leadership” John Maxwell details the concept of 5 levels of leadership. The levels represent stages in leadership development starting with being the boss who people...2020-05-0404 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesKeep Better Score with Lean AccountingLean accounting may not sound very exciting, but this podcast episode with Jerry Solomon brings all kinds of energy and excitement!Jerry shares how he moved from an accounting role into VP of Operations roles and shares the struggles of getting business performance information that employees can use to make improvements.These are some key points taken from my interview with Lean accounting expert Jerry Solomon. I was asked to move from the COO position to running operations. What a difference. I went from being a provider of information to a consumer and saw som...2020-05-0116 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesMastermind Groups Can Speed Up Your Lean ResultsFor many middle-market organizations, they want to speed up their Lean Transformation as quickly as possible, but they don’t have experienced Lean professionals on their staff. A great way to speed up a new Lean coordinator's learning is to encourage them to join Mastermind groups.I led Mastermind groups in the late nineties consisting of four companies within different industry segments and we conducted round-robin Rapid Improvement Events (RIE) at these four companies. Each month one company would host a Rapid Improvement Event at their location with Lean coordinators from each of the other three companies as par...2020-04-2704 min
Lean In VoicesEpisode 1 Pt 1 - Lean In in a COVID-19 world with Adele TaraWe connect with to Adele Tara who is part of the Lean In NZ leadership committee to talk with her about Lean In in a Covid world and her initiative to extend Lean In to the Maori Pasifika community. Lean In to the Maori Pasifika Facebook group: Lean In Māori & Pasifika Wāhine o Aotearoa - New Zealand This episode was recorded during lockdown over the phone so please excuse the sound quality. A note from our guest, Adele Tara:"Everything I speak about here is fr...2020-04-2626 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesMD Engineering's Lean Journey Helped them Free Cash to GrowOne of the key elements on my American Lean Weekday podcast is the weekly interviews that I conduct with companies on their Lean Journey. These companies are from various industries and are all different sizes. I have interviewed leaders from family-owned businesses to multi-national organizations. These are keynotes from a conversation with MD Engineering.MD Engineering founded in 1999 and located in Corona, California is a nationally recognized leading producer and distributor of quality machined products providing parts to the military, industrial and commercial manufacturers worldwide. They are a leading supplier of complex machined parts, assemblies, and “buy comple...2020-04-2413 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesHow to Overcome Imposter Syndrome as a Lean Leader1. Establish a vision for your Lean transformationThis helps drive alignment and support. Develop a management system and share the vision with the entire organization. Employees will get behind the change effort then they can see there is a vision for change.2. Select a few KPI's to measure the businessThere is a saying in Lean that is very important- measure what matters. Don't go to the KPI smorgasbord when developing your KPI's. Keep them simple, and don't use so many that you confuse the organization. Develop KPI's that employees can impact through their p...2020-04-2004 minAmerican Lean Weekday: Leadership | Lean Culture & Intrapreneurship | Lean Methods | Industry 4.0 | Case StudiesCapco Inc. Seeing Benefits from Lean in 7 MonthsOnly 7 months into their Lean Journey- Capco Inc. a $65M company headquartered in Grand Junction, CO has seen benefits and inventory improvements by implementing Kanban.Capco Inc. has 100,000 square feet, 404 employees and has been around since 1968. They are a Department of Defense critical supplier.This interview is with the Paul Kobishop the Director of Production and Inventory control. He has over 30 years of lean experience and is a great example of how a company can speed up results by using an experienced coach."We have a product that has 2500 parts and we will...2020-04-1708 min
Lean PortlandEp 5: Lean Brain Thinking with Brock HusbyAbout the presentation
Left brain thinking. Right brain thinking. How do our brain functions impact our Lean practices? Continuous improvement implies continuous change. How do our ingrained habits influence our actions? There is an increasing awareness and incorporation of psychology and neuroscience in business and leadership reading; how and which of these concepts have you integrated into your Lean practice?
You can watch the video of the presentation at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EBEoiWaTtw
Brock Husby, PH.D., P.E.
2019-01-1533 min