All posts from Mark Graban’s LeanBlog.org, including podcasts, announcements, articles, and more.
The average NFL score is around 44-46 total points per game — but that number hasn’t always been stable. Has scoring truly surged, or are fans reacting to short-term noise? TL;DR: NFL scoring trends reveal a real system shift–not just…
Since I’ve started two new podcast series during the pandemic, it’s been admittedly a little chaotic about what gets published when. It was probably a mistake to not have a predictable schedule for each. I’ve been recording so many great…
I say it a lot, but two data points are not a trend. I didn’t invent that idea, of course, but I’ve tried to help leaders and organizations stop reacting to every up-and-down in a metric through the methods I…
TL;DR After devastating 2020 wildfires blanketed Oregon vineyards in smoke, Native Flora Winery resisted quick judgments or panic decisions. Instead, the owners tested, learned, and experimented–prioritizing quality standards and long-term reputation over short-term financial pressure. Their response mirrors Lean thinking:…
My guest for Episode #387 of the podcast is Seán Paul Teeling, who joins us from Dublin, Ireland. He is the Programme Director for the Professional Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Lean Healthcare at UCD Health Systems. Seán Paul is…
Thanks as always to Ryan McCormack for this… Healthcare — Creating Value for Patients Why did Covid overwhelm hospitals? By trying to “over-optimize” for years. The Wall Street Journal reports on the years-long drive for efficiency that made our systems vulnerable…
Thanks to my friend Brian Buck (and his co-host Catalina Park) for having me as the first guest in their podcast series (in previous episodes, it’s the two of them talking and sharing together). Their podcast (also a YouTube channel)…
Steve Spear shares lessons from Hajime Oba, who founded Toyota’s Supplier Support Center (TSSC) and became one of the most influential teachers of the Toyota Production System in North America. In this episode, Spear describes how Mr. Oba looked at…
I’ve seen a number of people post on LinkedIn about the passing of the legendary “Mr. Oba” of Toyota (sometimes spelled “Mr. Ohba”) — Hajime Oba passed away on September 4th, in Connecticut. I’ve heard many stories from people who…
I make mistakes all the time. I do try to make sure I learn from them instead of repeating them over and over. Learning from small mistakes and help prevent big mistakes — I think that’s true in the workplace…
As I blogged about recently, there are plenty of new podcasts being launched in the Lean community. Since that post, I’ve learned of two more podcasts that I’ll share with you here. THE EDGES OF LEAN I’ve recently met Bella…
My guest for Episode #385 of the podcast is Emily Elrod, the president of the firm Workzbe, based in Georgia. We have shared interests in Lean, ergonomics, healthcare and creating better workplaces. We met earlier this year and she was…
