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.
tl;dr: Many people misuse the 5 Whys by asking five loosely related questions rather than a sequential chain of cause and effect. Real root cause analysis requires disciplined logic–each “why?” should build directly on the last. This post explains how…
Giant video board in new Cowboys stadium causes problems for Titans punter – The Huddle – USATODAY.com Are you ready for some football???? OK, so nobody ever accused Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones of being a lean thinker… but did…
I was fortunate to be in England for five days last week. I saw the “gemba” at five hospitals in three days and attended the Lean Enterprise Academy Lean Healthcare Transformation Summit on Friday. One thing I was taking pictures…
by Jamie Flinchbaugh, co-author, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean A3 thinking, A3 problem solving, A3 report writing – whatever you might call it is growing popular in the same way that value stream mapping did many years ago. But just…
I had an epiphany the other day. It was one of those moments where I was pretty ashamed and was ready to turn in my Lean credentials. I spent too much time each day deleting the same emails from companies…
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 lot of time watching Chuck Daly, who just passed away yesterday. Daly had a reputation…
Learned 2 things from this pic: men are taller than women; wh… on Twitpic Scott McDuffee referenced the “Yogi-ism” the other day, that you see a lot just by watching or observing. When we teach people Lean in hospitals, half…
A USA Today article offered a small but telling example of how Toyota applies root cause problem solving and kaizen in everyday work. Even in times of financial pressure–or when business is going well–this kind of employee-driven improvement shows what…
by Dan Markovitz Gary Hamel’s Management 2.0 blog at WSJ.com features his ideas for “Management Moonshots” — 25 ambitious and radical ideas that will significantly improve business management in the future. Frankly, I wasn’t terribly impressed. Some of the ideas…
John Shook — one of the first Americans to work deeply within Toyota — explains why the A3 is far more than a template. It’s a management process for solving problems, developing people, and leading organizational change. Episode #56 of…
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 said. Hampton Inn logo on the chest. Next to it, a handwritten apology note. I’d…
Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process to solve problems, gain agreement, mentor, & lead Published by the Lean Enterprise Institute, John Shook has a new book (available now) on the A3 problem solving process and on Lean leadership.…
