Don’t Copy: There Is No “Instant Pudding”
One of the things I get frustrated with is people who want to take shortcuts with Lean. There are some who are only interested in copying and taking the easy path to yummy Lean goodness. You see this in the…
Tag Deming
W. Edwards Deming: Leadership, Quality, and Continuous Improvement
W. Edwards Deming’s ideas about leadership, systems, variation, and psychology continue to shape how organizations pursue quality and improvement. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and reflections exploring Deming’s teachings—and how they apply to Lean, healthcare, management, and continuous improvement today. Many of these posts challenge common misinterpretations of Deming’s work, emphasizing that quality cannot be delegated and that improvement starts with leadership.
Labor Day – Our Obligation for Worker Safety
Today is a federal holiday in the United States, Labor Day. I know that’s obvious to the 70% of you reading from the U.S., but it seemed worth pointing out to the international readers. Labor Day became a holiday in…
Economics: From “Dismal Science” to Dismal Home?
I nearly drove off the road when I heard this NPR story yesterday: “Allowance Economics: Candy, Taxes And Potty Training.” Please take a listen or a read. In the piece, an Australia economics professor who is “an expert in incentives”…
If You Had to Rebuild Your Workplace Tomorrow?
I’ve had the chance recently to re-watch some of The Deming Library DVDs, thanks to my friends at CC-M Productions (found at www.managementwisdom.com). I’m watching some of the videos for the first time. It’s always a joy for me to…
Top 10 Signs You’re In a Fear-Based Workplace
Dr. W. Edwards Deming always said we need to drive out fear from organizations, as point 8 of the 14 Points said: “Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company.” Too many organizations, including hospitals, are…
Survey: Dr. Deming’s Influence on Lean and on Your Organization?
Since I talk about Dr. Deming a lot, I thought I’d take a little survey and gauge your exposure to Dr. W. Edwards Deming: [polldaddy poll=”3593500″]
Everett Clinic Video, Redux – The Need for SPC Thinking
Yesterday, my blog post featured a YouTube video that Everett Clinic was kind enough to share with the world, showing their Daily Huddle process (“Video of a Daily Huddle at Everett Clinic“). In that post, I alluded to there being…
The Hidden Cost of 100% Utilization: Bad Service and Long Waits
If your goal is long wait times and frustrated customers, design your system for 100% utilization. Whether it’s airlines, call centers, or healthcare, the same predictable pattern emerges: full capacity destroys flow. Drawing on queuing theory, Factory Physics, and Lean…
Do You Know More Than a Hospital CEO About…
If you’re a regular reader of my Lean Blog, you might know more about preventing Hospital Acquired Infections than many healthcare CEOs do, says a report in the Washington Post: “Hospital infection deaths caused by ignorance and neglect, survey finds.”…
Guest Post: Lean Starts at Home
Mark’s Note: Here’s part 3 of a series by our guest blogger, Andy Wagner – a series that started here. Many of us work in an environment that our host, Mark Graban, would characterize as “non-Deming”: LAME more often than…
Guest Post: Lean Lessons from the Non Profit World
Mark’s note: I consider myself very fortunate to have met Patrick Anderson during my journeys in the Lean world. Patrick is the executive director of Chugachmiut, a non-profit corporation to advance the overall economic, social and cultural development of the…
LeanBlog Podcast #92 – Mike Micklewright, Another Crisis
Episode #92 brings a returning guest, the always entertaining and thought-provoking Mike Micklewright. He is the author of a batch of two new books: Out of Another @#&*% Crisis! Motivation through Humiliation and Lean ISO 9001: Adding Spark to your…
