Lean Blog Interviews Podcast
Leadership Conversations on Lean, Culture, and Continuous Improvement Across Industries
Lean Blog Interviews brings you honest, real-world conversations about Lean leadership, culture, and continuous improvement. Since 2006, host Mark Graban has interviewed leaders and practitioners who are doing the hard work of improving systems–not just talking about tools.
These conversations focus on practical experience: what helped, what got in the way, and what leaders learned along the path. Whether the setting is a hospital, factory, startup, or office, each episode highlights how respect for people, psychological safety, and better systems drive sustainable improvement.
If you believe improvement starts with respect for people–and that better systems beat blaming individuals–you’ll feel at home here.
What This Podcast Focuses On
- Lean as a management system–not just a toolbox
- Leadership behaviors that enable trust, learning, and improvement
- Continuous improvement, Kaizen, and problem-solving at every level
- Psychological safety and learning from mistakes
- Lessons from Toyota, healthcare, startups, and beyond
- Honest discussions about challenges, setbacks, and real progress
This is not a podcast about “Lean theater,” certifications, or chasing the latest jargon.
Who This Podcast Is For
- Lean practitioners and continuous improvement professionals
- Healthcare leaders and clinicians
- Executives and senior leaders
- Coaches, consultants, and facilitators
- Anyone interested in building better systems–not blaming people
If you believe improvement starts with respect for people, this podcast is for you.
How This Podcast Fits with Mark’s Other Shows
Lean Blog Interviews
In-depth conversations with leaders and practitioners about Lean, culture, and real-world improvement across industries.
Lean Blog Audio
Short-form audio essays based on LeanBlog.org posts, read and expanded by Mark Graban.
leanblog.org/audio
My Favorite Mistake
Personal stories from leaders about mistakes, learning, and psychological safety–across all industries.
myfavoritemistakepodcast.com
Subscribe and Listen
Recent Episodes
See all Lean Blog Interviews episodes
My guest for Episode #401 is my friend Jim Benson, who you might know as the co-author of the book Personal…
My guest for Episode #400 is Jeffrey Liker, the retired University of Michigan professor who has recently…
Lesa Nichols worked closely with Hajime Oba at Toyota’s Supplier Support Center (TSSC) and later became a…
My guests for Episode #398 of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast are Brett M. Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, both…
Joining me for Episode #397 is Hide Oba. His father was the late Hajime Oba, famous for his work at Toyota and…
My guest for Episode #396 is Patrick Adams, the author of the new book (released as a paperback today!)…
Subscribe and Listen
Lean Blog Interviews has been published continuously since 2006 and is part of the Lean Communicators network.
Learn more about Mark Graban and his work at MarkGraban.com.
