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.

A Lean Guy Reads & Reviews “Henry Ford’s Lean Vision”

2
I'm a car guy. Above all other mechanical devices that we engineers get to be involved with, I am fascinated most with these incredible...

Be Careful With “No Waiting Rooms”: A Lean Lesson From Zero...

4
tl;dr: Lean doesn't mean "zero inventory" -- and it doesn't mean eliminating waiting rooms either. In both manufacturing and healthcare, low inventory and less...

Why Lean Hospitals Should Learn from Toyota About Staffing and Layoffs

1
I've written before about the subject of hospitals "flexing" nurses and employees. I've criticized flexing (or the practice of sending employees home early because patient census is low) and I've pointed out that it's not keeping with "Lean" principles to "save money" by sending people home early.

Why It’s OK That This Suggestion Box Was Full of Cobwebs

2
As a guy who started his career in manufacturing before moving to healthcare in 2005, I don't get many opportunities to visit the "Gemba"...

Part 4 – 3 Strategies for Leaders Who Have No One...

1
Mark's note: Here's the last of three change strategies in a series by a guest blogger, Paul Serafino. You can click here to read earlier posts in...

3 Strategies for #Lean Leaders Who Have No One to Lead

10
Mark's note: Today's post is by a new guest blogger, Paul Serafino. This initial post will be followed by a series of three posts...

The Biggest “Bang for Your Lean Buck?” Respecting Your People

0
Mark's note: Today's post is a guest contribution from Paul Critchley. Check out his previous posts here. As a long time Lean practitioner (and now...

Throwback Thursday: Various Posts from February 4th, Across 11 Years

0
My blog turned 11 years old last month. Thanks to everyone for reading! I looked back, as a Throwback Thursday, and found a number of really good posts that were published on this date...

Practicing Lean: Bob Rush on Learning From Mistakes at Tesla and...

2
Chapter 8 is written by Bob Rush, who currently works as a Lean Manufacturing Group Leader at Tesla Motors. Tesla, of course, is in the building that was the former NUMMI factory...

The NBC Report That Changed Quality Management: Deming in ‘If Japan...

14
The W. Edwards Deming Institute and Dr. Deming's grandson Kevin Cahill worked with NBC to make the 1980 program available, giving the institute perpetual rights to it (see their blog post). To the institute's credit, they've made this freely available on YouTube.

Podcast #234 – Mitch Cahn, President of Unionwear on #Lean Manufacturing

0
Today’s guest is Mitch Cahn, president of Unionwear, a manufacturer of hats, bags, and apparel in Newark, NJ. I first learned about Mitch and his company because of a display they had at the Northeast LEAN Conference, which I blogged about here. What caught my eye was their display of politician hats they produce, including the...

Fighting Against “The Way We’ve Always Done It” – Before Lean...

13
Through our practice of Lean, we're looking at processes and our management system, looking to identify waste and opportunities for improvement. Lean is about engaging...
On Sale - "The Mistakes That Make Us" Just $10.99Buy Now
+ +