Tag: Problem Solving

Problem Solving, Scientific Thinking, and Lean Leadership

Effective problem solving is not about quick decisions, templates, or expert opinions—it’s about shared understanding, scientific thinking, and learning at the system level. These posts explore how leaders and teams approach real problems in complex environments, from executive decision-making to daily improvement work.

Drawing on Lean thinking, Toyota practices, healthcare, manufacturing, and knowledge work, this archive emphasizes problem-solving as a leadership capability: asking better questions, testing assumptions, and building systems that make problems visible instead of hidden.

Caution! Warning Signs in the UK

12
I was fortunate to be in England for five days last week. I saw the "gemba" at five hospitals in three days and attended...

Learn to Play Before Picking Up a Sax

6
by Jamie Flinchbaugh, co-author, The Hitchhiker's Guide to LeanA3 thinking, A3 problem solving, A3 report writing - whatever you might call it is growing...

My Daily Workaround: Deleting Commercial Emails

6
I had an epiphany the other day. It was one of those moments where I was pretty ashamed and was ready to turn in...

Leadership Thoughts from Late Great Detroit Pistons

1
NBA, Olympic coach Chuck Daly dies at 78 I grew up outside of Detroit during the Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys" era so I spent a...

You Observe A Lot Just By Watching – Then What?

11
Learned 2 things from this pic: men are taller than women; wh... on TwitpicScott McDuffee referenced the "Yogi-ism" the other day, that you see...

A Simple Toyota Root Cause Problem-Solving Example — From USA Today

3
A USA Today article offered a small but telling example of how Toyota applies root cause problem solving and kaizen in everyday work. Even...

Management "Moonshots." Really?

2
by Dan MarkovitzGary Hamel's Management 2.0 blog at WSJ.com features his ideas for "Management Moonshots" -- 25 ambitious and radical ideas that will significantly...

John Shook on A3 Problem Solving, Managing to Learn, and Why...

0
John Shook -- one of the first Americans to work deeply within Toyota -- explains why the A3 is far more than a template....

In Customer Service, Apologizing Does NOT Get to the Root Cause

9
I walked into my hotel room after three nights of complaining about the internet and found a stuffed bear on the bed. "Beary Sorry," it...

Managing to Learn, from John Shook

0
Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process to solve problems, gain agreement, mentor, & leadPublished by the Lean Enterprise Institute, John Shook has...

"JIT" As A Cause of Delayed Shipments?

5
"Just in Time" so often gets a bad rap. People blame "JIT" for all sorts of problems, when it's often a problem with how...

Taking Responsibility for Mistakes – On the Field, and Off

1
Wildcats know they have room to improve -- chicagotribune.comThose of you who know me recognize me as a diehard Northwestern Wildcats fan. Yes, it's...
An AI that won't just give you the answer. That's what makes it useful.Free Demo -- Learn More
+ +
lean coach ad