Lean

1655 Articles

GA 443 | Telling Stories and Making Meaning with Jamie Dixon

By Jessica Bush - September 29th, 2022

This week’s guest is Jamie Dixon. Ron and Jamie talked all about the power of storytelling, and how it’s done correctly. Jamie also specifically explained what the three ingredients of stories are.  An MP3 audio version of

A Simple Plan for Starting Your Lean Journey

By Steve Kane - September 23rd, 2022

There are many ways to lead a continuous improvement journey in an organization. A frequent question we get at Gemba Academy is, “Where do I start?” One strategy is to simply start eliminating pain-points in processes. R

GA 442 | Getting Decisions That Stick with Kurt Neubek

By Jessica Bush - September 22nd, 2022

This week’s guest is Kurt Neubek. Kurt explained how lean is used in the Design and Construction industries, and the differences between virtual and in-person dynamics. He and Ron also discussed navigating biases. An MP3 audio ve

How The Project Charter Evolves

By John Knotts - September 16th, 2022

A Project Charter is a contract that clearly explains what the process improvement project is all about, while also clearly stating when the team intends to accomplish the objectives of the project. The Project Charter should be carefu

GA 441 | Strategic Visioning with Deondra Wardelle

By Jessica Bush - September 15th, 2022

This week’s guest is Deondra Wardelle. Deondra, a keynote panelist at the upcoming AME Conference, talked to Ron about her consulting work and strategic visioning. They also discussed kata and the future of lean. An MP3 audio ver

GA 440 | Engagement, Education, and Recognition with Tom Hughes

By Jessica Bush - September 8th, 2022

This week’s guest is Tom Hughes. Ron and Tom discussed how culture and standards coexist in lean, and why it’s so important to be candid. Tom also shared some great anecdotes and lean wisdom. An MP3 audio version of this ep

GA 439 | Collecting and Interpreting Data with John Knotts

By Jessica Bush - September 1st, 2022

  This week’s guest is John Knotts. Ron and John talked all about data, how to approach it, and what tools John recommends. John also expanded on the concept of “being the rock.”  An MP3 audio version of this ep

GA 438 | The Importance of Understanding People with Brent Weichers

By Jessica Bush - August 25th, 2022

This week’s guest is Brent Weichers. Brent explained how his organization has made real changes to improve the lives of the employees. He also shared what he’ll be presenting at this year’s AME conference. An MP3 audi

Root Cause to Solution Identification Simplified

By John Knotts - August 19th, 2022

The one thing that differentiates process improvement projects from regular projects and project management is the methodical way a process improvement practitioner arrives at the root cause and then devises solutions or countermeasure

GA 437 | Virtual Training with Steve Kane

By Jessica Bush - August 18th, 2022

This week’s guest is Steve Kane. Ron and Steve discussed the benefits and challenges of virtual training. Steve also explained the trends in virtual training he’s observed recently. An MP3 audio version of this episode is a

GA 436 | Work Design and Intrinsic Motivation with Thomas Bertels

By Jessica Bush - August 11th, 2022

This week’s guest is Thomas Bertels. Ron and Thomas discussed how Thomas got into work design, how it relates to lean, and why intrinsic motivation is so critical. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download he

GA 435 | Golf, Coaching, and Intentional Leadership with Wendy Posillico

By Jessica Bush - August 4th, 2022

This week’s guest is Wendy Posillico. Ron and Wendy discussed her golf career, her company Live Your June, and the role of ethos and pathos in leadership. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In th

GA 434 | All About TPM with Ron Pereira

By Jessica Bush - July 28th, 2022

This week’s guest is Ron Pereira. Ron talked about our TPM, or Total Productive Maintenance, content, and then shared a previous episode on TPM by Balaji Chandrasekar. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for downloa

GA 433 | Being a Scientific Leader with Calvin Williams

By Jessica Bush - July 21st, 2022

This week’s guest is Calvin Williams. Ron and Calvin discussed his company Impruver, scientific thinking, and what it means to be a scientific leader. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this e

The Four Types of Measures and Why Each is Important

By John Knotts - July 15th, 2022

Last month, we talked about the Three Most Important Metrics in a Continuous Improvement Culture.  They were Workload Volume, Process Cycle Time, and Process Defects. Data is key to process management and improvement and The Continuou

GA 432 | “Lean” versus “lean” with Martina Kuhlmeyer

By Jessica Bush - July 14th, 2022

This week’s guest is Martina Kuhlmeyer. Ron and Martina talked about the true definition of culture, what it means to build lean into your company culture, and how to tell when things go awry. An MP3 audio version of this episode

GA 431 | Implementing a Quality Management System with Dereck Williams

By Jessica Bush - July 7th, 2022

This week’s guest is Dereck Williams. Ron and Dereck discussed Quality Management Systems, what they entail, and how to ensure your efforts are successful and sustainable. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for dow

GA 430 | The Importance of Empathetic Leadership with Bhavana Bartholf

By Jessica Bush - June 30th, 2022

This week’s guest is Bhavana Bartholf. Bhavana is the Global Head of Digital & Sales Strategy at Microsoft and a keynote speaker at this year’s AME International Conference. Ron and Bhavana discussed empathy, culture, t

GA 429 | Driving Excellence and Creating Value with Michael Lamach

By Jessica Bush - June 23rd, 2022

This week’s guest is Michael Lamach. A keynote presenter at this year’s AME International Conference, Ron and Michael talked about everything from his time at Trane Technologies, to promoting engagement, cycle time, and mor

Three Most Important Metrics in a Continuous Improvement Culture

By John Knotts - June 17th, 2022

How many things do you measure in order to tell you how you are doing in business?  I have seen organizations that measure everything and anything.  Many times, what is being measured is not something the business can do anything abo

GA 428 | The Power of Discovery with Colin Baird

By Jessica Bush - June 16th, 2022

This week’s guest is Colin Baird. Ron and Colin discussed the role of discovery and the importance of being appreciated. Colin also shared how his relationship with his father shaped the way he views continuous improvement. An MP

GA 427 | The Hierarchy of Action with Ryan McCall

By Jessica Bush - June 9th, 2022

This week’s guest is Ryan McCall. Ron and Ryan explored the Hierarchy of Action, and what it means to “Start with Why.” Ryan also shared some advice for what to do when your “Why?” isn’t embraced by

GA 426 | Deciding When to Use Technology with Lauren Hisey

By Jessica Bush - June 2nd, 2022

This week’s guest is Lauren Hisey. Ron and Lauren discussed the dangers of jumping straight into technology before exploring other options. They also covered value stream mapping, gemba walks, and more. An MP3 audio version of th

Speed Will Come

By Steve Kane - May 27th, 2022

The US Navy SEALs are credited by many with coining the expression “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” The idea here comes from training people to perform technical tasks correctly in an environment where there is no room

GA 425 | Lean and Racing with Beau Briggs

By Jessica Bush - May 26th, 2022

This week’s guest is Beau Briggs. Beau described his racing career and his family business, and how lean has been a part of both journeys. This is a particularly unique episode you won’t want to miss. An MP3 audio version o

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