Lean Archives | Page 24 of 67

GA 277 | Analyzing Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model with Randy Matusky

By Jessica Bush - July 25th, 2019

This week’s guest is Randy Matusky. Ron and Randy analyzed a change management model called Gilbert’s Behavior Engineering Model, which addresses six different factors that influence human performance. A MP3 audio version o

Moonshots, Rocket Science and Taking Small Steps

By Jon Miller - July 22nd, 2019

This week we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing by the Apollo 11 mission. After a sleepy half-century in which space exploration has been largely unmanned, interest in sending humans further out in space is growing at l

GA 276 | Using Lean to Enrich Lives with Ben van Asselt

By Jessica Bush - July 18th, 2019

This week’s guest is Ben van Asselt. Ron and Ben discussed the inspiring ways Ben and his team use lean at Lunet Zorg, an organization that provides services for people with intellectual disabilities. A MP3 audio version of this

The Lean Leader as Player-Coach

By Jon Miller - July 15th, 2019

Player-coaches are far less common today than they were in professional sports a few decades ago. A few notable superstar players informally perform a similar role today, but under a dedicated head coach who guide the team. In modern b

More Ways to Dig Deeper Using Five Questions

By Kevin Meyer - July 12th, 2019

On a plane the other day I listened to a Tim Ferris podcast with Chip Conley. To be honest, I’m not usually a fan of Mr. Ferris or his long format podcasts, but I do scan his guest list from time to time to look for interesting

GA 275 | Leading vs. Serving with Sarah Tilkens

By Jessica Bush - July 11th, 2019

This week’s guest is Sarah Tilkens. A Lean Manufacturing Leader at GE Healthcare, Sarah and Ron discussed the differences between mentoring, coaching, leading, and serving. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for dow

The Guessing Game of Lean Leadership

By Jon Miller - July 8th, 2019

“Eliminate slogans and exhortations asking the workforce for zero defects” or other such improvement targets, Dr. Deming set down as one of his fourteen principles. Yet this piece of advice ignored by even the most dedicate

What Happened to Blockbuster Nights?

By Ron Pereira - July 5th, 2019

Do you remember how you felt walking into a Blockbuster store to rent some movies on a Friday night? I do. It felt wonderful… curiosity mixed with anticipation created a powerful elixir. Add in some junk food (for the kids

GA 274 | Retiring from a Lean Career with George Saiz

By Jessica Bush - July 4th, 2019

This week’s guest is George Saiz. George walked Ron through his career and the observations he’s made over the years, including during his time as President of AME. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for downl

Six Month Reflection Questions

By Jon Miller - July 1st, 2019

A colleague recently suggested reflecting back seven years on what we learned and what we would do differently today based on that. Seven years is so long ago. It almost makes me dizzy to consider. The big issues and questions from bac

GA 273 | Lean as a Management System with Skip Steward

By Jessica Bush - June 27th, 2019

This week’s guest is Skip Steward. Ron and Skip continued their conversation from Episode 269, diving deeper into scientific thinking, Toyota Kata, management systems, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available fo

Standard Work for Solving Crossword Puzzles

By Jon Miller - June 24th, 2019

Lately I have been having fun solving daily crossword puzzles with my family. By reflecting on both mistakes and successful approaches, I have arrived at a strategy, even something like standard work, for solving crossword puzzles. Ste

GA 272 | The Role of Lean in Empowering People with Disabilities with Brent Weichers

By Jessica Bush - June 20th, 2019

This week’s guest is Brent Weichers of The Lighthouse for the Blind, a non-profit that employs people who are blind, DeafBlind, and blind with other disabilities. He explained the inner workings of this unique organization, and h

Review of The Lean Sensei by Balle, Chartier et al.

By Jon Miller - June 17th, 2019

The Lean Sensei by Michael Ballé, Nicolas Chartier, Pascale Coignet, Sandrine Olivencia, Daryl Powell and Eivind Reke collects the co-authors’ wisdom to answer, “what is a lean sensei and what do they do?” The auth

3 Tips for Overcoming Confirmation Bias

By Ron Pereira - June 14th, 2019

Making decisions is an important part of being human. Some decisions, like which shirt to wear today, aren’t all that important. But other decisions, like which person to marry, are incredibly important. And, to be sure, we c

GA 271 | Scientific Thinking as a Lifestyle with Panos Efsta

By Jessica Bush - June 13th, 2019

This week’s guest is Panos Efsta. Ron and Panos discussed the value of scientific thinking, confirmation bias, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn: A

A Surprisingly Simple Gemba Story

By Jon Miller - June 10th, 2019

During a recent workshop, a customer asked me to share some inspiring Lean conversion stories. It was an impromptu request. I did my best but didn’t quite nail it. In hindsight, I think there is a difference between stories abou

Creating Range Through Exploration

By Kevin Meyer - June 7th, 2019

Last weekend I powered through David Epstein’s new book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. The book has received rave reviews from the likes of Daniel Pink, who calls it “an essential read for bosses,

GA 270 | The Simplicity of Lean with Philip Holt

By Jessica Bush - June 6th, 2019

This week’s guest is Philip Holt. Philip discussed the books he’s written, the concept of “mosquito leadership,” and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you

How to Choose a Continuous Improvement Approach

By Jon Miller - June 3rd, 2019

Most business leaders are at least familiar with one or more of the popular modern management improvement approaches such as BPM, TQM, Six Sigma and Lean. In many large organizations, several of these are being attempted at the same ti

GA 269 | Establishing a Standard Behavior with Skip Steward

By Jessica Bush - May 30th, 2019

This week’s guest is Skip Steward. Ron and Skip had a long conversation all about healthcare and the transformative powers of TWI, Toyota Kata, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In thi

Lessons Learned as a Kata Coach

By Steve Kane - May 24th, 2019

I first learned about Toyota Kata many years ago by attending a one-day workshop presented by Beth Carrington. A short time later, I read Toyota Kata and I began practicing. The practice as a new kata coach was difficult for me.

GA 268 | Breaking Down the Seven Wastes with Jeff Kaas

By Jessica Bush - May 23rd, 2019

This week’s guest is Jeff Kaas. We’re sharing the audio from an upcoming course that features Jeff’s company, Kaas Tailored. Using real life examples, Jeff explains each of the seven wastes in a unique and dynamic way

First, Make a Human Connection

By Jon Miller - May 20th, 2019

A recent conversation with a friend of mine who is a continuous improvement director at a sizable North American corporation yielded some personal insights for him and general ones about being a technical change leader. This story is s

GA 267 | The Nature of Coaching with Steve Kane

By Jessica Bush - May 16th, 2019

This week’s guest is our Director of Customer Success, Steve Kane. Ron and Steve talked all about Steve’s coaching journey, including using kata, the power of the right mindset, what it means to be a coach, and more. An MP3

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