Tag: Manufacturing

Manufacturing Leadership, Lean Systems, and Continuous Improvement

Manufacturing is where many Lean ideas were first developed—but lasting results never come from tools alone. This archive explores manufacturing through the lens of leadership, safety, culture, and systems thinking, drawing lessons from real plants, executives, and frontline experiences that still matter today.

From Toyota and NUMMI to modern aerospace, appliance, and industrial operations, these posts show how manufacturing excellence depends on respect for people, learning from problems, and designing systems that make the right work easier.

Toyota vs. Tesla: What Manufacturing Mindsets Reveal About Quality and Culture

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Tesla builds cars in what used to be the NUMMI factory, a joint venture between Toyota and GM (which meant it was run as a Toyota plant with "Lean" practices). Before that, it was a dysfunctional GM plant. Now that it's a Tesla plant, did they learn from Toyota or does it seem more like "the old GM?"

Creating Value Without Command-and-Control — John Rizzo on Empowering People

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In this episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, John Rizzo explains how organizations create lasting value by empowering people instead of relying on...

Digital Support for a Culture of Improvement: A Reflection on Electrolux...

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In a webinar I hosted with Sandro Casagrande from Electrolux, we reflected on the 20-year evolution of their Electrolux Manufacturing System (EMS). One of...

Unlock the Power of Leadership: A Preview of the Electrolux Manufacturing...

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KaiNexus recently hosted a webinar I was especially looking forward to: "Unlock the Power of Leadership: The Electrolux Manufacturing System (EMS) Way," presented by...

From Firefighting to Flow — Darren Walsh on Lean Leadership Routines...

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Why do so many Lean efforts stall after early wins? In this episode, Darren Walsh explains why firefighting feels productive but prevents real progress--and...

GE’s Larry Culp: Why Lean Thinking Starts with Safety and Respect...

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TL;DR Larry Culp, CEO of GE Aerospace, shows that Lean leadership isn't about tools or slogans--it's about daily behaviors. By grounding Lean in safety,...

Lockout/Tagout Failures Kill Workers: A Lean Leadership Wake-Up Call

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TL;DR: Lockout/tagout failures kill workers every year--and they're not "operator errors." This post explains why ignoring LOTO is a leadership and culture failure, why...

Profitable at Any Price: Lessons from Toyota, Daily Kaizen, and Safer...

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Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #535 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Gregg Stocker, a seasoned...

Why Technical Solutions Fail Without People: Reflections from 30 Years in...

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This summer marked 30 years since I started my first job out of college--working as an engineer at a General Motors engine plant in...

Dale Lucht on Leadership Habits That Sustain Lean Transformations

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In this episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, Dale Lucht reflects on the leadership habits that separate short-lived Lean gains from lasting cultural...

Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: May 2, 2025

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This edition of Ryan McCormack's Operational Excellence Mixtape examines the shifting balance between people, systems, and strategy in the pursuit of better performance. From...

Safety First: GE Aerospace’s Lynn Facility Demonstrates True Lean Leadership

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At its core, Lean is about people--respecting them, empowering them, and ensuring their well-being while driving continuous improvement. Recently, GE Aerospace's Lynn, MA, facility...
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