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

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Recent Episodes

See all Lean Blog Interviews episodes

Podcast #365 — Dan Markovitz on His Book “The Conclusion

Joining me again for Episode #365 is Dan Markovitz, now a five-time guest (but he doesn’t get a special jacket…

Podcast #364 — Mitch Cahn on Lean and Pivoting to

Joining me for Episode #364 is a returning guest, Mitch Cahn, the president of Unionwear, a Newark-based…

Podcast #363 — Crystal Y. Davis on the Business Impact

For Episode #363, I’m joined by Crystal Davis as we discuss: What are you seeing in terms of how Covid19 is…

Adam Lawrence on The Wheel of Sustainability

My guest for Episode #362 is Adam Lawrence, managing partner with Process Improvement Partners LLC. He’s an…

Podcast #361 — Ask Docs Anything on Covid-19 / Coronavirus

Episode #361 of the podcast is admittedly not about Lean, but it’s an important topic that I think needs to be…

Podcast #360 — @LeahBinder of @LeapfrogGroup on Coronavirus Prep &

Returning for Episode #360 of the podcast is Leah Binder, the president and CEO of Leapfrog Group. We last…

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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.