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

Karen Martin: Why Value Stream Mapping Must Be Strategic, Not

Episode #190 features Karen Martin, co-author of Value Stream Mapping, on using VSM as a strategic leadership…

Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations, on His Book ‘Joy,

Joining me as my guest for episode #189 is Rich Sheridan, CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations…

Dan Jones on 25 Years of Lean, Healthcare, Startups &

Listen: My guest for Episode 188 has been a leading voice in the Lean community for 25 years, Daniel T. Jones…

Joe Swartz Discusses Healthcare Kaizen and a Culture of Continuous

Joining me for episode #187 is Joe Swartz, my friend and esteemed co-author of our books Healthcare Kaizen:…

Podcast #186 – Jon Miller Discusses His Book Creating a

My guest for episode #186 is my friend Jon Miller, CEO of Kaizen Institute and a long-time blogger at Gemba…

Podcast #185 – Karen Dunn Skinner & David Skinner on

Listen: My guests for episode #185 are Karen Dunn Skinner and David Skinner and our topic, for the first time…

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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.