Tag: Psychological Safety
Five Years of My Favorite Mistake: Lean, Toyota, and the Human...
When I launched the My Favorite Mistake podcast in September 2020, I hoped to create space for leaders and innovators to share the moments...
KaiNexus Values: How a Startup Built a Culture That Scales (and...
A lot of companies "define" their values by gathering the leadership team in a room, tossing around words like "integrity" or "excellence," and selecting...
Fear and Futility: Two Barriers to Improvement (and How Leaders Can...
Have you ever seen a problem at work but decided not to say anything? Maybe you were worried about the reaction (fear). Or maybe...
Lean Lessons from Japan: Mindsets, Culture, and the Challenge of Speaking...
This article is based on my recent Catalysis webinar, "Lean Lessons from Japan: Mindsets, Culture, and the Challenge of Speaking Up." The session was...
Three Ways Pressure Warps Performance Metrics–and What Leaders Must Do Instead
Accurate data is essential in any system--for diagnosing problems, guiding decisions, and driving improvement. But when leaders react poorly to uncomfortable data, the message...
Kakorrhaphiophobia: How Fear of Failure Sabotages Continuous Improvement and Innovation
When I first came across the word kakorrhaphiophobia, I thought it might be one of those obscure terms you learn once and never use...
This Week’s Medical Mistakes from Around the World: Asking “Why?” Instead...
Each week, I keep an eye out for stories that help us learn--and teach--about the systemic nature of mistakes in healthcare. Well, actually Google...
Culture Is the Key — Reflections on Leadership, Mistakes, and Building...
I've always believed that culture isn't just one component of success--it's the foundation everything else is built upon. That belief is central to my...
Psychological Safety in Lean: What Toyota Gets Right–and Why It Matters
One of the most powerful--but often overlooked--lessons from Toyota's management system isn't just about kanban, standard work, or andons. It's about people. More specifically,...
The Mistake-Smart Leader’s Checklist: 6 Behaviors to Build Trust, Safety, and...
We all say mistakes are a part of learning. Or at least many of us do, as individuals.
But how many organizations actually act that...
Speaking at the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit: Why Culture Comes Before...
I'm excited to announce that I'll be speaking at the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit, which will take place September 24-26 in Detroit, Michigan.
This...
Psychological Safety at Work: Why You Get Your Say, Not Always...
There's a phrase I've been thinking about a lot lately:
"You get your say, not always your way."
It's a short sentence, but it says a...