“Respect for people” isn’t about being nice—it’s about how leaders design systems, make decisions, and respond to problems. In Lean organizations, respect shows up through listening, job security, psychological safety, clear communication, and a commitment to learning rather than blame. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and examples that explore respect for people as a core Lean principle—one that enables trust, engagement, continuous improvement, and better outcomes for customers and employees alike.
It’s nice to see examples of Lean Healthcare success in the news, this time on the front page of the Denver Post — “Denver Health saves millions using Toyota efficiency principles.” As the city health system, they are both an…
Forgive me if some Texas pride comes through in this post, as well as some former-client pride. The clinical laboratory team at Children’s Medical Center Dallas was featured in the peer-reviewed Medical Laboratory Observer for their combination of Lean and…
TL;DR: The New York Times showed that Lean healthcare isn’t about “factory medicine,” but about removing waste so clinicians can focus on patients. When grounded in respect for people and strong leadership, Lean improves quality, access, and cost–while misapplied versions…
Mark’s note: Today’s post is from a relatively new friend of my blog, introduced initially through our mutual friend, Jamie Flinchbaugh. Ankit Patel, today’s guest blogger, also shares with me former employment at Dell Computer Inc. I worked there so…
Mark’s note: Today’s vacation guest post is from D. Mark Jackson, a lawyer who has been studying and embracing Lean principles in a California law firm. He normally writes in his very interesting Lean Law blog and I’ve been following…
If you’ve been anywhere near a TV lately, you’ve probably heard and seen this hypnotizing “What is iPad?” commercial (YouTube link). The announcer breathlessly and shamelessly tells you how “beautiful” and “magical” the iPad is… “it’s crazy powerful,” he says,…
Last week, I published Part 1 of my notes about a breakfast talk by Dr. Brent James at the Shingo Prize Conference. One of the more interesting things that Dr. James said was something he prefaced as saying it would…
In this interview, Stephen Covey shares his perspective on Toyota’s “Respect for People” principle and why trust, empowerment, and leadership beyond command-and-control are essential to Lean success. Recorded at the Shingo Prize Conference, the conversation connects Covey’s ideas about the…
Mark’s note: I’m happy to welcome a relatively new friend, Mike Stoecklein, as a guest author here on my Lean Blog. We have shared interests in healthcare improvement and, particularly, in Dr. W. Edwards Deming, with whom Mike had personal…
I was recently in Toronto and I heard a story on an AM news station that really caught my ear. I have searched on the station’s website and the web, but I can’t find the exact story, but I found…
TL;DR: Patient safety leader Lucian Leape’s critique appears less about Lean itself and more about “L.A.M.E.”–Lean As Misguidedly Executed. True Lean in healthcare prioritizes patient safety, quality, and respect for people; when those are missing, the problem isn’t Lean–it’s how…
TL;DR: The Olympic gold-medal puck was almost lost not because of bad intent, but because the system relied on people remembering under chaotic conditions. The real lesson is timeless: leaders must design processes that account for human fallibility instead of…
