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Mark Graban

Lean Leadership, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement

Since 2005, LeanBlog.org has shared practical insights from real-world work in healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond.

Books Keynote Speaking Coaching / Advisory Podcasts
Books by Mark Graban on Lean, Leadership, and Learning (4)

Lean Blog Interviews Podcast

From Freight Trains to Beauty Pageants: Allison Greco’s Lean Six Sigma Journey

From Freight Trains to Beauty Pageants: Allison Greco’s Lean Six Sigma Journey

ByMark Graban June 22, 2021 1952
Scroll down for video, how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #419 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Allison Greco, an industrial engineer, a Six Sigma Black Belt, and the...
The Lean Journey (and Mass Vaccination Sites) at Munson Healthcare: Kaleb Foss and Butch Bowlby

The Lean Journey (and Mass Vaccination Sites) at Munson Healthcare: Kaleb Foss and Butch Bowlby

ByMark Graban June 15, 2021 1866
Scroll down for video, how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guests for Episode #418 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast both work for Munson Healthcare in northern Michigan. They are Kaleb Foss...
Dr. John Kenagy on Adaptive Design Kata: An Improvement and a Leadership Kata (Lean Healthcare)

Dr. John Kenagy on Adaptive Design Kata: An Improvement and a Leadership Kata (Lean Healthcare)

ByMark Graban June 8, 2021 1866
Scroll down for video, how to subscribe, video, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #417 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is John W. Kenagy, MD, MPA, ScD, FACS, of his firm Kenagy &...
Brad Jeavons on How to Remotely Deploy Lean and Agile (Outside of Manufacturing)

Brad Jeavons on How to Remotely Deploy Lean and Agile (Outside of Manufacturing)

ByMark Graban June 1, 2021 2252
Scroll down for video, how to subscribe, video, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #416 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, joining us from Brisbane, Australia, is Brad Jeavons, a principal...

More Blog Posts

1981 newspaper headlines showing mixed reactions to Ford and UAW learning from Japanese auto plants

What Ford and the UAW Saw in Japan in 1981 — and Why Some Leaders Missed the Lesson

Mark GrabanByMark Graban January 28, 2026 1037
In 1981, Ford Motor Company and UAW leaders traveled to Japan to study Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda — and they came home with very different conclusions about what they had seen. Another in this...
Automated valet request process contrasted with personal hotel valet service, highlighting added steps and waste.

When “AI Improvement” Adds Waste Instead of Value: A Hotel Valet Example

Mark GrabanByMark Graban January 28, 2026 905
lean blame toyota learning mistakes japan graban

You Can’t Punish Your Way to Pride: Deming, Toyota, and Learning from Mistakes

Mark GrabanByMark Graban January 27, 2026 1082
grocery store hourly cleaning standard work

Why Public Address Announcements Aren’t a Substitute for Management

Mark GrabanByMark Graban January 26, 2026 1322
Lean Blog Post Cover Image - 2026-01-23T071653.504

Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: January 23, 2026

Ryan McCormackByRyan McCormack January 23, 2026 4445

Webinars

karen martin ask the expert webinar kainexus

Ask Karen Martin Anything on Operational Excellence: A KaiNexus Webinar

March 5, 2026
Karen Martin is one of those people I've been lucky to know and learn from for a long time. She's...
1. Professor with glasses in front of EMS 20th anniversary logo and KaiNexus logo on blue background.

Unlock the Power of Leadership: A Preview of the Electrolux Manufacturing System (EMS) Webinar

December 4, 2025
KaiNexus recently hosted a webinar I was especially looking forward to: “Unlock the Power of...
Breaking Through Cultural Friction: Respect for People and Sustainable Performance

Breaking Through Cultural Friction: Respect for People and Sustainable Performance

June 9, 2025
When organizations struggle to sustain Lean transformation, people often look first at tools...
Driving a Culture of Patient Safety: Lessons for Healthcare and Beyond

Driving a Culture of Patient Safety: Lessons for Healthcare and Beyond

April 28, 2025
Recently, I had the pleasure of moderating a webinar titled “Driving a Culture of Transforming...
Why Lean Fails Without Psychological Safety

Why Lean Fails Without Psychological Safety

April 16, 2025
TL;DR: Lean tools don't fail because people resist change–they fail because people don't feel...
Preview: Driving a Culture of Accountability – Transforming Patient Safety with KaiNexus (Webinar, April 15)

Preview: Driving a Culture of Accountability – Transforming Patient Safety with KaiNexus (Webinar, April 15)

April 8, 2025
One of the most powerful elements of continuous improvement is the ability to learn from each other...
My Upcoming Webinar on Mistake-Proofing Across Industries

My Upcoming Webinar on Mistake-Proofing Across Industries

February 3, 2025
I'm excited to be presenting this webinar on February 12th at 1 pm ET as part of the KaiNexus...
Top 5 Takeaways from my KaiNexus Webinar: Psychological Safety as a Precondition for Continuous Improvement

Top 5 Takeaways from my KaiNexus Webinar: Psychological Safety as a Precondition for Continuous Improvement

January 8, 2025
TL;DR: Psychological safety isn't optional for continuous improvement. This KaiNexus webinar...
Creating Leader Standard Work (LSW) Across a Distributed Business Model — Webinar Preview

Creating Leader Standard Work (LSW) Across a Distributed Business Model — Webinar Preview

November 7, 2024
I'm happy to be hosting and moderating this webinar that will be presented by Brent Loescher, a...
Embedding Change Management into your Continuous Improvement Initiatives – Webinar Preview

Embedding Change Management into your Continuous Improvement Initiatives – Webinar Preview

September 25, 2024
I'm happy to be hosting and moderating this webinar that will be presented by Melissa Sherman, a...
View Our “Ask Us Anything” Event on Psychological Safety and Lean

View Our “Ask Us Anything” Event on Psychological Safety and Lean

August 20, 2024
Psychological safety is often described as “feeling safe to speak up.” In Lean...
From Strategy to Execution: Webinar with Karen Friedenberg

From Strategy to Execution: Webinar with Karen Friedenberg

July 17, 2024
Are you looking to transform your business strategy into actionable results? Join us for our...

Videos

Videos: Lean in Daily Work at the University of Michigan Health System

Videos: Lean in Daily Work at the University of Michigan Health System

ByMark Graban August 28, 2012 Comment (0) 1272
If your organization blocks access to YouTube… shame on them. The videos I'm sharing here are...
Slides & Recording of My “Healthcare Kaizen” Webinar – “The Suggestion Box is Dead.”

Slides & Recording of My “Healthcare Kaizen” Webinar – “The Suggestion Box is Dead.”

ByMark Graban August 22, 2012 Comments (2) 1616
Thanks to Karen Martin for hosting yesterday's webinar that I gave based on my book (with Joe...
Paul O’Neill Talks ThedaCare, Lean Healthcare on CNBC

Paul O’Neill Talks ThedaCare, Lean Healthcare on CNBC

ByMark Graban August 22, 2012 Comments (3) 1122
Here is about five minutes of video (no longer available, sadly) of Paul O'Neill (former CEO of...

Mark Graban on YouTube

"Great idea. Why don't you run with it?" Leaders mean it as trust. To the employee, it often means a second job on top of the first. At a fireside chat in Cleveland, Tennessee, someone asked me about the employee who keeps an idea to themselves because they figure they'll be stuck doing the work. It looks like fear. I think it's futility: they've learned what usually happens next. 🔵 Why "run with it" can turn an idea into unpaid extra work 🔵 When handing someone their own idea is a real opportunity, and when it isn't 🔵 The late Kim Barnas's rule: don't assign the follow-up to the person who raised the concern 🔵 Two questions to ask before you hand an idea back My upcoming book, The Silence Tax, is about the fear and futility that keep people quiet at work. Early chapters are on Leanpub: https://leanpub.com/silence-tax #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety #ContinuousImprovement #Lean #Shorts
Why Your Employees Stop Sharing Ideas (It's Not Fear)
Do we want to be right, or help others change? This speaker reel connects psychological safety, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. I’m Mark Graban, an author, speaker, and consultant. In these keynote clips, I discuss stories from Toyota and a comparison with Ford to explore how leadership and culture shape people’s willingness to speak up. The clips cover: - Responding constructively when mistakes happen - Combining psychological safety with practical problem-solving - Modeling vulnerability and rewarding people for speaking up Planning a conference, leadership meeting, or workshop? Let’s discuss your audience and goals. Speaking topics: https://www.markgraban.com/speaking/topics/ Booking inquiries: https://www.markgraban.com/speaking/book-mark/
Mark Graban Speaker Reel | Psychological Safety & Leadership
A patient was supposed to undergo surgery for a right-sided inguinal hernia. But the incision was made on the left side. Dr. David Mayer, then a senior anesthesia resident, recalls how the operating room team moved quickly into the procedure while everyone focused on their own responsibilities. About two minutes after the incision, the attending surgeon entered the room, looked at the patient, and asked: “I thought this was a right-sided inguinal hernia?” That was the moment the team realized what had happened. In this clip from *My Favorite Mistake*, Dr. Mayer describes the wrong-site surgery that became a defining experience in his career—and helped shape his commitment to patient safety, transparency, and learning from medical errors. The larger lesson isn’t simply “be more careful.” It’s to understand how systems, communication, time pressure, teamwork, and culture can allow an error to reach a patient. Full episode: **The Surgical Mistake That Changed a Doctor’s Life: Dr. David Mayer on Honesty and Patient Safety** #PatientSafety #MedicalErrors #Healthcare #Leadership #SurgicalSafety #MyFavoriteMistake
Wrong-Site Surgery: The Mistake Discovered Mid-Procedure
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