Tag: Culture
Why “Red Isn’t Bad” Is the Wrong Mindset for Performance Metrics
In recent years, I've noticed a growing trend--one that might be well-intended, but one that could drift into unhelpful territory.
It's become fashionable in some...
Kakorrhaphiophobia: How Fear of Failure Sabotages Continuous Improvement and Innovation
When I first came across the word kakorrhaphiophobia, I thought it might be one of those obscure terms you learn once and never use...
Transforming Healthcare: Ken Segel on Lean, Shingo, and Operating Systems
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My guest for Episode #530 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Ken Segel, Co-Founder and...
When Was the Last Time a Leader Around You Admitted They...
When was the last time a leader in your organization openly said,
"I was wrong"?
It's not a common occurrence in many workplaces. And that's...
From Cost Cutting to Real Continuous Improvement: A Lesson from My...
Thirty years ago, I was fresh out of college and working at General Motors. Yikes! 30 years!
It was a time of reckoning--GM was finally...
What Visiting Japan Taught Me About Leadership–And What Healthcare Can Learn
This October, I'll be returning to Japan for another Lean healthcare study trip--my seventh time overall and my fifth healthcare-focused visit.
With each visit, I...
Culture Is the Key — Reflections on Leadership, Mistakes, and Building...
I've always believed that culture isn't just one component of success--it's the foundation everything else is built upon. That belief is central to my...
Psychological Safety in Lean: What Toyota Gets Right–and Why It Matters
One of the most powerful--but often overlooked--lessons from Toyota's management system isn't just about kanban, standard work, or andons. It's about people. More specifically,...
Mark Reich, Former Toyota Leader on Hoshin Kanri and ‘Managing on...
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My guest for Episode #528 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mark Reich, a Senior...
Lean Isn’t About Cutting Heads — It’s About Growing People
One of the most important, and most misunderstood, principles in Lean thinking is this:
Lean is not a cost-cutting strategy. Lean is a people-development strategy.
If...
“It’s Not Because They’re Japanese”: What Lean in Japan Really Teaches...
One of the most persistent myths I've encountered over the years goes something like this:
"Well, of course they can do Lean... they're Japanese."
I've heard...
How Safe is it to Admit a Mistake at Work? [Poll]
When someone on your team makes a mistake, what happens next?
Do they speak up--or stay quiet?
Do leaders give feedback that demonstrates curiosity--or do they...