Daniel Jones Podcast
Lean Enterprise Academy No, not my podcast series… but Dan Jones, of the UK Lean Enterprise Academy has started his own podcast series. Not sure of a web link, but it’s on the Apple iTunes store. When searching there for…
Month December 2006
Should Nurses Be Jailed for Medical Mistakes? Blame, Systems, and Patient Safety
In the news: Charges against nurse igniting a debate This case — involving Wisconsin nurse Julie Thao — is still referenced in debates about whether medical professionals should face criminal charges for unintentional errors. A Fatal Medication Error — and…
How Bad Labor Relations can Kill Opportunities
American Proposes Chicago-Beijing Route – Los Angeles Times A lot of lean is based on the idea of “respect for people.” That was often lacking when I worked at GM in the 90’s. It certainly seems to be lacking in…
New WSJ Article on Toyota
As Rivals Catch Up, Toyota CEO Spurs Big Efficiency Drive – WSJ.com Not sure if there will be a free version online (if so, I’ll try find it or someone post a link). Welcome, WSJ readers who found me via…
I Bought a Lean Comic Book
I’m still waiting for the lean comic book to arrive after buying it on eBay. The link above is a column written about Hytrol Conveyor Company (more on their lean effort). They created a custom comic book to help explain…
The Perils of Ignoring 5S in Offices
By : Daniel Markovitz, Markovitz Consulting Note: This posting is from a guest Blogger, Dan Markovitz, founder and president of Markovitz Consulting a consulting firm in California. Dan has been quoted in Time.com, written for the Wall Street Journal, Industry…
New Contest — Pose a Lean Question or Challenge
We have winner (12/27) Hi, blog readers. It’s time for another Lean Blog contest. Our first was the “Everyday Lean” contest, where the winner won a copy of Jamie Flinchbaugh’s book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road.…
Ok Then, I’ll NOT Wreck My Car
The consulting group I work for is a subsidiary of a very large company, with a large fleet of company vehicles. Driver safety is a major focus, both because it’s the right thing to do (help keep employees safe) and…
30 Rock: Jack Donaghy, Jack Welch, and the Sweet Juice of Mind Grapes
NBC’s 30 Rock gave us another gem of workplace satire in its first season–this time blending reverence, absurdity, and a strange reference to fruit. In one scene, corporate executive Jack Donaghy (played by Alec Baldwin) delivers another over-the-top line of…
Leading Lean: PDCA
In my Assembly Magazine monthly column Leading Lean, I chose to address in December one of my favorite topics, PDCA or Plan-Do-Check-Act. This is the practice of learning through improvement. I hope I did it justice, at least as much…
Secrets to Success from Phil Gordon
Recently I was giving a speech and had to follow Phil Gordon, famous poker pro and host of Celebrity Poker Showdown. Needless to say, he’s a tough act to follow with stories of massive pots, wealthy businessmen who lose millions…
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean ON SALE!
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is offering a special holiday sale on their best-seller for 2006, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road. The price on Amazon is $30, but SME is selling it for $25.50 for regular…
