Some of you might have seen it, but I wrote a piece for the LinkedIn Influencers series about how the “Lean Manufacturing” principles are being used in various “knowledge work” settings – including healthcare, education, software, government, financial services, etc. Here it is:
“Lean” is Not Just for Manufacturing – It Applies to Knowledge Work of All Types, Too
When I write for LinkedIn, I try to write for a broader, general business audience. By comparison, I presume the audience here is already interested in Lean, at the least.
I was happily surprised that the comments were pretty universally positive about Lean being used in other settings and people shared some of their experiences.
I hope you'll take a read… there might be some links there in the piece that are helpful even if you already see how Lean applies in non-factory settings.
As a reminder, Jim Benson and I are doing workshops in Phoenix and San Antonio this March on “Lean for Knowledge Work” including half days on “personal kanban” (Jim) and “kaizen” or continuous improvement (me).
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Let’s work together to build a culture of continuous improvement and psychological safety. If you're a leader looking to create lasting change—not just projects—I help organizations:
- Engage people at all levels in sustainable improvement
- Shift from fear of mistakes to learning from them
- Apply Lean thinking in practical, people-centered ways
Interested in coaching or a keynote talk? Let’s start a conversation.
