Tag: Japan
Lean Lessons from Japan: Mindsets, Culture, and the Challenge of Speaking...
This article is based on my recent Catalysis webinar, "Lean Lessons from Japan: Mindsets, Culture, and the Challenge of Speaking Up." The session was...
What Visiting Japan Taught Me About Lean Leadership and Healthcare Culture
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...
Kaiteki: The Japanese Philosophy Behind Motivated Employees and Lean Success
During my most recent visit to Japan (as part of a tour hosted by Katie Anderson), we spent time in several remarkable organizations where...
Are Japanese Hospitals More Lean? What Global Healthcare Leaders Can Learn...
TL;DR: While some Japanese hospitals excel at Lean, many face the same cultural and systemic barriers seen elsewhere. Visiting Japan isn't about finding a...
Lean Isn’t About Cutting Heads–It’s About Growing People and Cultures of...
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...
Lean in Japan Works–But Not Because They’re Japanese
Why Lean Thinking Succeeds in Japan--Not Because of Culture, But Because of Intentional Leadership and Systems
One of the most persistent myths I've encountered over...
Inside the Lean Healthcare Accelerator: Lessons from Japan with Dave Fitzpatrick
Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #527 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dave Fitzpatrick, co-founder of...
Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: May 2, 2025
Thanks, as always, to Ryan McCormack for this. He always shares so much good reading, listening, and viewing here! Subscribe to get these directly...
New Book: How Psychological Safety Drives Digital Transformation and the Toyota...
Before I departed for my recent workshop tour of Australia and New Zealand, I knew that I would learn things in the process of...
Inside NUMMI: Isao Yoshino Reflects on Toyota’s Cultural Transformation in America
A former Toyota leader shares firsthand insights on the mindset shifts and leadership systems that turned NUMMI from failure to global case study.
The NUMMI...
I’m Still Dreaming About My Meal at Sukiyabashi Jiro’s Sushi in...
Before Katie Anderson's Japan Study Trip in November, I was able to spend six days in Kyoto and Tokyo with two friends (one of...
Leadership Without Blame: Building Psychological Safety in the New Year
Blame-based cultures kill improvement. Leaders must resolve to build trust and safety if they want innovation and engagement.
During Katie Anderson's #JapanStudyTrip this past November,...
