In the Lean movement, organizations are often wise to have some variation on a “no layoffs due to Lean” policy, as I’ve written about before. Many healthcare organizations, including ThedaCare, have made this commitment quite publicly. Since Lean is about…
Formerly known as “Lean Whiskey” Listen: In Season 2, Episode 9, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh recap the World Cup, declare a “dealer’s choice” coffee round, and wade into a very full news roundup of robots, layoffs, and quality turnarounds.…
Thanks to my Amazon Kindle app on my iPad, I get to carry much of my book collection with me. Sometimes, while on the road, I end up eating dinner alone with my iPad. Recently, I was in a Japanese…
In manufacturing, the term Lean has far too often been synonymous with layoffs. Doing so is more L.A.M.E. than Lean. People get anxious and throw around an acronym LEAN – Less Employees Are Needed. Ironically, Toyota (the inspiration or model for Lean)…
Generally, with the term “lean,” it’s easy for people to leap to a conclusion that Lean equals layoffs. This is often the fear in healthcare when Lean consultants are involved, especially since consultants usually equals cost cutting in healthcare, which…
Nokia Siemens Networks in ‘synergy-related headcount restructuring’ —Ä ¢ The Register Nokia may have developed the worst Orwellian euphemism ever. The company, in a press release, actually referred to layoffs as: “synergy-related headcount restructuring” As Liz Lemon said on 30…
Reminder: Reader Survey Link (2 minutes of your time) Economy brings layoffs at Kearney hospital – Top Local Stories – News : KHAS-TV Here is a story from Nebraska, local TV news again, about Lean at a hospital. If you…
Some Firms Cut Costs Without Resorting to Layoffs – WSJ.com Here’s a follow up to my recent post on layoffs (or not to layoff). There was a lot of good discussion and I’ll amplify my point that it’s got to…
The CNBC reporter is now saying that Ford will be “smaller and nimbler.” Smaller yes, but more nimble? That remains to be seen. But, I’d argue that companies in this shrinking cycle (and Ford has already been in this job-cutting…
Gary Peterson spent almost 40 years helping O.C. Tanner build a continuous improvement culture, work that earned the company the Shingo Prize in 1999. He joins me to talk about psychological safety, autonomy, leading change from the middle, and the…
TL;DR: Burger King, T-Mobile, and Domino’s have all built ad campaigns around the same confession: our product was bad, but it’s better now. The marketing is interesting. The leadership lesson is better. In each case, the harsh verdict comes from…
Formerly known as “Lean Whiskey.” Mark and Jamie Answer Listener Questions Listen: In Season 2, Episode 6, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh bring “lean coffee” to Lean Coffee Talk, kind of. But first, we haven’t caught up in a while,…
