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.

Forget the Template: Why Lean Success Depends on Scientific Thinking and...

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Lean succeeds when people focus on scientific thinking and action, not perfect templates. A3s, hoshin kanri, and other tools only work when they support...

The Best of Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape 2024

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Thanks, as always, to Ryan McCormack for this. He always shares so much good reading, listening, and viewing here! Subscribe to get these directly...

Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: June 28, 2024

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Thanks, as always, to Ryan McCormack for this. He always shares so much good reading, listening, and viewing here! Subscribe to get these directly...

Embracing Creative Tensions: Wendy K. Smith on Both/And Thinking and Lean...

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Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #507 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Wendy K. Smith, co-author...

Tim Hobbs: AME Keynote Speaker and Passionate Problem Solver

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Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #506 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Tim Hobbs, the founder...

Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: May 17, 2024

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Thanks, as always, to Ryan McCormack for this. He always shares so much good reading, listening, and viewing here! Subscribe to get these directly...

Why “See, Solve, Share” Needs a Missing Step Before Solve

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tl;dr: Steve Spear's "See, Solve, Share" model assumes people will raise problems, but in most organizations, fear and futility keep them quiet -- which...

Uncovering Root Causes: Beyond the Conference Room – The Lean Approach...

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You don't find the root cause of a problem in a conference room. OK, so we've gotten away from the whiteboard. Now what? You might not...

GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp on Problem-Solving vs. Finger-Pointing Culture

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tl;dr: GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp argues that problem-solving cultures outperform finger-pointing and blame, leading to better learning, performance, and accountability. Problem-Solving vs. Finger-Pointing at...

Continuous Improvement Requires Psychological Safety and Problem Solving

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TL;DR: Continuous improvement only takes root when psychological safety and problem-solving exist together. Leaders who replace blame with learning unlock better performance, innovation, and...

Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: January 26, 2024

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Thanks as always to Ryan McCormack for this... there's always so much good reading, listening, and viewing shared here by him! Subscribe to get...

How to Build a Culture of Learning: Reducing Fear and Futility...

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TL;DR: A true culture of learning doesn't fear mistakes--it learns from them. Drawing inspiration from Toyota's mindset, this post explores how psychological safety and...
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