Common problem-solving mistakes include jumping to a solution, assuming a cause without checking it, and declaring success before studying the results. The MRI example below shows how even a problem statement can commit a team to an expensive answer before…
If you’ve searched for “Lean methodology,” you’ve probably seen definitions about waste reduction or efficiency. That’s part of it — but Lean is much more than that. It’s a leadership system for building better organizations. I’ve been studying and practicing…
TL;DR: Data is what gets recorded. Facts are what’s actually happening. Confusing the two is how leaders get fooled by faked reports, broken sensors, and decorated dashboards. Deming and Ohno both warned about this in different ways. The fix is…
My wife and I watched Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing last night. It’s Rory Kennedy’s follow-up to “Downfall,” and it’s built around former Boeing employees, including quality managers and inspectors, describing what they saw on the floor and what happened…
Standardized work and kaizen are connected: one establishes the current method, and the other improves it. Toyota’s April 1992 booklet describes how the people doing the work participate in both. The 1992 Toyota booklet doesn’t see them as opposites. It…
Practical insights from Mark Graban on Lean management and continuous improvement, leadership, psychological safety, healthcare, and manufacturing.
It came across my LinkedIn feed again last week, and then a day later, a friend sent me the same thing from Instagram. Same story, a few words moved around, or copied word-for-word. If you spend any time in Lean…
The Sign on the Wall Was a Confession Two staff members are repositioning a patient by hand. The lift assist that’s supposed to be used for this — the equipment the hospital bought specifically so nobody does it this way…
Scott Burgmeyer, founder and CEO of Become More Group, has spent more than 30 years watching smart people make avoidable decisions — not because they lack intelligence, but because they stopped thinking. In this episode of Lean Blog Interviews, we…
Lean daily management connects daily huddles, visual boards, leader standard work, and problem-solving. Its purpose is to help teams notice problems, get support, and improve work between larger projects. A board or a meeting is not enough. People need to…
Want to start 2026 with a better mindset around leadership, culture, and continuous improvement? As we begin the year, it’s a natural time to reflect–not just on what went well last year, but also on what didn’t, and what we…
TL;DR: Psychological safety in Lean organizations means people can surface problems, admit mistakes, and challenge assumptions without fear. It is not about comfort or lowering standards–it is the foundation that makes Respect for People, learning, and continuous improvement possible. In…
