article Archives | Gemba Academy

Developing People into Problem Solvers

By Alen Ganic - September 26th, 2025

Many organizations today struggle with high turnover, difficulty retaining talent, and constant firefighting. Day after day, leaders and teams are consumed by urgent issues, leaving little or no time to focus on solving problems in a s

What Is the Lean Practitioner Program and Why It Matters

By Alen Ganic - September 17th, 2025

Lean methodology is spreading worldwide because organizations are seeing the powerful benefits of introducing Lean into their work environments. In today’s fast-changing world, the ability to continuously improve is no longer optiona

The Importance of 1:1 Coaching

By Alen Ganic - August 20th, 2025

In Lean, one-on-one coaching is essential. If you really want to learn and apply Lean correctly, you need a coach who can guide you along the path. Lean is not something you can fully learn from a book. It is more like learning martial

How to Make Improvements Stick in Your Organization

By Alen Ganic - July 30th, 2025

Why Sustaining Improvements Is So Hard If we were to interview leaders in different organizations and ask them to describe one thing that is hard to do at work, most would likely say that sustaining improvements is a struggle. Perhaps

Empowering People, The Overlooked Key to Successful Change Management

By Alen Ganic - July 15th, 2025

One of the most persistent challenges in change management is the failure to empower and engage people. This is the seventh, and arguably one of the most overlooked, reasons why change efforts fall short. The truth is simple but powerf

The Communication Gap: Why Leaders Must Speak Clearly and Consistently

By Alen Ganic - June 17th, 2025

The Cost of Poor Communication In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, one of the most common reasons change efforts fail is poor communication. Miscommunication leads to confusion, resistance, and ultimately, w

Why Great Ideas Fail: The Change Management Challenge of Inadequate Resources

By Alen Ganic - June 2nd, 2025

Even the best ideas can fail if they aren’t supported with enough time, money, or people. For meaningful change to occur, leaders must not only champion improvement but also commit the resources needed to both implement and sust

Failure to Identify Risks

By Alen Ganic - May 6th, 2025

Ambition and drive are essential traits in leadership. But even the most well-intentioned leaders can fall short when they overlook one critical factor: risk. Whether it’s technical, related to people, or linked to timing, failing to

Clarity and Goals: The Missing Link in Change Management

By Alen Ganic - April 16th, 2025

W. Edwards Deming once said, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” This quote highlights a fundamental challenge many organizations face during change

Overcoming the Lack of Urgency: Why Good Ideas Often Go Nowhere

By Alen Ganic - April 10th, 2025

One of the biggest reasons change efforts fail is surprisingly simple: there’s no urgency. In Change Management, lack of urgency is often the first and most stubborn obstacle we face. Even when we know something needs to change—whe

Leading Through Change

By Alen Ganic - April 8th, 2025

For leaders, guiding a team through change can be one of the most challenging responsibilities. To overcome resistance, leaders must learn how to clearly and convincingly explain why a particular change is necessary. When people unders

The Difference Between a Lean Leader and a Regular Leader

By Alen Ganic - April 3rd, 2025

Many people dream of becoming a leader, but few truly understand what it takes to be a great one. When we teach leadership courses, we often hear the question:“Are leaders born?” I like how John Maxwell answers this:“Of cours

How to Recognize and Remove Waste in Your Organization

By Alen Ganic - March 10th, 2025

One of the most valuable skills you can develop in a Lean environment is the ability to see waste in any process. Whether in manufacturing, government, healthcare, an office, or a remote work environment, identifying waste is the first

Where Should We Start With Lean?

By Alen Ganic - February 11th, 2025

At Gemba Academy, one of the most common questions we hear from new customers is:Where should we start with Lean? It’s a great question—and an important one. On Gemba Insights, available on the Gemba Academy website, Ron explains i

The Power of Visual Management – Transforming Workspaces and Mindsets

By Alen Ganic - January 8th, 2025

In any lean organization, does visual management play a significant role? Absolutely. But before diving into its importance, let’s clarify what visual management actually is. Simply put, it means managing with your eyes. Imagine

Unlocking the Secret to Success: Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI)

By Alen Ganic - December 9th, 2024

Successful companies often have a simple yet powerful secret to their success—a daily meeting involving all employees. This practice is known as the Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI) meeting. MDI meetings are a structured approach

Building Loyalty and Empowering Growth: How Lean Principles and Genuine Mentorship Drive Employee Retention

By Alen Ganic - November 7th, 2024

To help others enhance their skills and improve their knowledge, we can build on the practices of successful organizations while recognizing the importance of Lean principles in creating a productive, satisfying work environment. Lean

Creating Future Leaders: Essential Tools for Youth Organization and Growth

By Alen Ganic - October 12th, 2024

Working with youth who have been volunteers for a non-profit organization for several years, I’ve observed the challenges they face in their personal and professional development. Many struggle with organization, staying focused,

New ways of working text on yellow notepad

Agile Process Improvement Efforts

By John Knotts - September 20th, 2024

In today’s leaner times, businesses are often forced to scrutinize their investments, and unfortunately, process improvement programs like quality initiatives are frequently among the first to be cut. These programs are often per

Understanding the Difference Between 5S Workplace Organization and Housekeeping

By Alen Ganic - September 13th, 2024

A common misconception is equating 5S workplace organization with simple housekeeping, but the two serve distinct purposes. 5S is a structured system designed to enhance operational efficiency by focusing on organization, standardizati

Man on a boat fishing for tuna fish in the North Atlantic ocean.

Are You Keeping The Line Wet?

By John Knotts - August 23rd, 2024

Last week, during a Gemba Academy Lean Bootcamp, Ron Pereira talked about “keeping the line wet” when teaching. This was a new term to me, but I found it to be an important term. “Keep the line wet” is a phrase

How to Shift from Resource Focus to Customer Focus

By Alen Ganic - August 9th, 2024

In the business world, it’s easy to get caught up in maximizing the use of resources, especially after significant financial investments. Often, we might acquire the latest tools simply because they are highly recommended or because

Why Sigma?

By John Knotts - August 2nd, 2024

I was asked a question that I had never been asked before: “Why Sigma: Why is only Sigma in Lean Six Sigma Yellow and Green & Black belt? Why not use Alpha, etc…?” Honestly, no one had ever asked me that question befo

A Company’s Continuous Improvement Journey

By John Knotts - July 19th, 2024

Embarking on your company’s continuous improvement journey can often be frustrating. This leads to the disheartening realization that your efforts seem ineffective. In the pursuit of excellence, many companies embark on a journey

Unlock Your Potential with Gemba Academy’s Master Black Belt Program

By John Knotts - June 21st, 2024

Are you ready to elevate your career and become a strategic leader in Lean and Six Sigma methodologies? Gemba Academy’s Master Black Belt (MBB) program is your pathway to mastering continuous improvement and driving significant b

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