Starbucks has been in the headlines for a renewed push toward hospitality and “moments of connection.” The Wall Street Journal recently reported on new training that scripts greetings, eye contact, and even handwritten cup messages–along with operational changes like better…
tl;dr: Headlines say kickoff returns are “dramatically up” in 2025, but process behavior charts show this isn’t random fluctuation. The NFL’s new dynamic kickoff rules created a true signal — proof that system changes drive performance, just as Lean teaches…
For years, trucks have been crashing into low-clearance bridges along Boston’s Storrow Drive, to the point where locals have coined the term “Storrowed.” Even the Trillium Brewing Company named a beer after it. Ironically, their own truck fell victim to…
Albert Einstein — the mind who redefined physics — once called something he did “the biggest blunder of my life.” When he completed his general theory of relativity, the math pointed to something extraordinary: the universe should be expanding. But…
TL;DR: When leaders apply pressure instead of support, people don’t improve processes–they distort data or hide problems. Real improvement starts when leaders make it safe to report bad news and respond with curiosity, not punishment. Accurate data is essential in…
TL;DR: Red metrics aren’t “good,” but they shouldn’t trigger blame or panic either. The real problem isn’t red–it’s leaders getting mad instead of curious. Improvement starts with better questions, not better colors. In recent years, I’ve noticed a growing trend–one…
Many Lean transformations stall not because of poor execution, but because respect for people is treated as an attitude rather than a system. In this conversation, Scott Gauvin explains how the Respect for People Roadmap turns respect into a deliberate…
Recently, I saw someone reference a chapter from Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s book Out of the Crisis on LinkedIn–Chapter 11, titled “Common Causes and Special Causes of Improvement. Stable System.” It was a good nudge for me to revisit a…
TL;DR: Red metrics aren’t always bad–or even meaningful. Fear-based reactions to red drive blame and wasted effort. Lean leaders learn to distinguish signal from noise using better metrics, better thinking, and a deeper understanding of variation. Red is a color…
tl;dr: If leaders have to “do the math in their heads” to see trends, the chart isn’t doing its job. Bowling charts hide signals and exaggerate noise. Process Behavior Charts reveal what’s really happening so leaders can react less, learn…
This edition of Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape explores the tension between short-term optimization and long-term improvement. The selections highlight why stability must come before automation, how over-optimization can erode resilience, and why improvement depends as much on social systems…
Are your improvement efforts falling flat, or are you constantly chasing red dots? Are you interested in improving the way we improve? I’ve had to re-tool my Cincinnati workshop (June 17th) since my collaboration partner is now, unfortunately, unable to…