Kaizen is often misunderstood as small ideas or isolated improvement events. In practice, Kaizen is a daily, people-centered approach to learning and improving work—supported by leadership, good systems, and psychological safety. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and real-world examples of Kaizen in action, across healthcare and other industries, with a consistent focus on leadership behaviors, respect for people, and learning from problems rather than hiding them.
TL;DR: The wedge metaphor, often used to represent standardized work in Lean, can send the wrong message. Instead of assuming people will backslide without enforcement, we should focus on engaging them in meaningful improvements they want to sustain. Maybe it’s…
I want to give credit to my friend and colleague Tony Milian for the idea that prompted this blog post. Tony and I used to work together in a Lean healthcare consulting group that was part of Johnson & Johnson…
Cleveland Clinic’s daily tiered huddles are not just short meetings–they’re a Lean management system that connects front-line realities to executive decision-making in real time. By combining visual management, clear escalation rules, and psychological safety, these huddles help teams solve problems…
Joining me for Episode 346 of the podcast is Mark Ryan, a Transformation Coach and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt at Franciscan Health. Mark will be one of the hosts and facilitators at our upcoming “Kaizen Live!” site visit event…
Chick-fil-A is widely known for fast service, high quality, and a strong culture–but behind that reputation is a deliberate approach to Lean and Kaizen that engages every employee in continuous improvement. In this podcast episode, I’m joined by David B.…
Registration is open for “Kaizen Live!” — the 2019 edition. Joe Swartz and I are excited to announce that we are hosting the fourth site visit to his organization, Franciscan St. Francis Health, in Indianapolis. It’s being held October 3…
tl;dr: Toyota’s Takaoka #2 line shows how flexibility and Kaizen go hand-in-hand. With rapid, low-cost changeovers, worker-driven improvements, and a focus on customer needs, the line adapts to demand without sacrificing quality–a reminder that agility is built into the culture,…
TL;DR: Lean improvement depends on asking both “why?” and “why not?” Leaders who challenge assumptions and refuse to accept “we’ve always done it this way” unlock innovation in patient safety, flow, and quality. Asking “why not?” turns barriers into design…
I guess I’m wired for improvement. Or, it’s just become a habit. Or, it’s both. I celebrate moments when I can identify an opportunity for improvement in my work. I tend to be pretty transparent about problems and even mistakes…
Here is an interesting article that a few people pointed me toward the other day about the Seattle Mariners team: Mariners Sunday mailbag: Explaining the Japanese origin of the team’s new slogan “Manager Scott Servais does have a mantra each…
You might remember one of my favorite podcasts was with Dr. Bob Maurer of UCLA, author of two great books on the Kaizen style of continuous improvement. I’ll share it here… I guess it’s a “Throwback Thursday.” Dr. Maurer emphasizes…
I like to exercise, and it’s important to me and my health. I’ve never been a runner (bad knees), so I prefer using an elliptical machine. I’ve found that I work out more intensely when I use an iPhone app…
