Listen: In Episode 48 of the Lean Whiskey podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban begin by comparing two whiskeys from the same distillery. Mark selected Woodford Reserve, and had a pour of both the Double Oaked (which we both agree…
When discussing mistakes, it’s common to hear terms like “stupid mistake” or “dumb mistake” thrown around, especially when reflecting on our own errors. However, labeling mistakes in this way is unproductive. In The Mistakes That Make Us, one of the…
TL;DR: Learning from mistakes requires more than problem-solving tools — it requires psychological safety.In this Shingo Institute webinar, Mark Graban explains why fear and futility prevent people from speaking up, how Toyota and healthcare organizations respond constructively to mistakes, and…
Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #504 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Katie Anderson, author of the book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn. In this episode, Katie takes the reins…
tl;dr: GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp argues that problem-solving cultures outperform finger-pointing and blame, leading to better learning, performance, and accountability. Problem-Solving vs. Finger-Pointing at GE Aerospace There was a fascinating article in Bloomberg BusinessWeek about GE doing its final…
The other day, Katie Anderson and I did a livestream about her November Lean study trip to Japan. I’m going with her in November. Come join us! Summary: In our discussion, we delved into the rich learning opportunities presented by…
Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #500 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is me, your usual host Mark Graban. Today, I’m mixing up the format with a solo episode that celebrates 500…
tl;dr: Shingo renamed “foolproofing” to poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) after the old term made a worker cry. The lesson holds: blame doesn’t prevent defects, and respecting people is what makes zero defects possible. I’m currently working on a Mistake Proofing class for…
Jim Womack returns to the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast to reflect on how Lean thinking has evolved–and where it has gone off track. Drawing on decades of firsthand experience, he shares candid perspectives on leadership, daily management, and why tools…
The most read articles of 2023, book and podcast recommendations From Ryan McCormack… Dear Subscribers and Readers, Thank you for your continued readership and support. 2023 marked another year of continuous improvement, improving organizational culture, and driving excellence in the…
Thanks, everybody, for reading my blog here in 2023. And for listening to podcasts… oh so many podcasts. This blog post is the “year end” report with the most read posts of the second half of the year. On one…
This post is built around excerpts from the book The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. Read more about Toyota, including stories and key lessons learned in the book. Download a free preview Today, we explore…
