“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.
You heard enough from me yesterday… today I want to share some other voices with you and their thoughts on Lean. First, familiar voices (John Shook and Jeff Liker) and someone who might seem like a new voice in the…
TL;DR: An NPR story about workplace “efficiency” illustrates L.A.M.E.–Lean As Misguidedly Executed–where tools like 5S are applied without respect for people or employee engagement. True Lean builds capability with the people doing the work, not through top-down cost cutting. Oh…
I had long given up on Newsweek as a source of news (hey, at least it’s published weekly unlike IndustryWeek). But this cover caught my eye at the airport on Friday, I had to buy it instead of waiting to…
Here is an article that discusses the adoption of Lean methods at Akron Children’s Hospital (“Hospital embraces lean strategies of manufacturing“). The article spells out how the hospital didn’t need the typical “mores” that most organizations want: More money More…
Dan Pink’s new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, has been getting a lot of press recently, and deservedly so. He demonstrates persuasively not only that people are self-motivated by the desire for autonomy, mastery, and purpose, but…
Yesterday, I was in the first day of two for John Shook’s “Managing to Learn” class about A3 management here at the Lean Enterprise Institute. The class is based on the book of the same name. In this course, I…
Language that undermines Lean, respect for people, and real improvement TL;DR: The words Lean leaders use matter–some common phrases quietly reinforce command-and-control thinking, fear, and misunderstanding rather than learning and improvement. If Lean is truly about respect for people and…
TL;DR: Sending nurses and other hospital staff home early when census dips may reduce short-term labor costs, but it undermines continuous improvement, morale, and patient flow. Lean organizations invest downtime in learning and improvement–because respect for people and better systems…
Today’s guest post is from Ankit Patel, who started his own blog and has been active on Twitter. Welcome to the Lean blogosphere, Ankit.
TL;DR: Hospitals that actively engage frontline staff through Lean suggestion systems are saving millions while improving patient care, morale, and safety–without layoffs. Staff-driven kaizen works because the people closest to the work are best positioned to improve it, every day.…
TL;DR: Disruptive and disrespectful behavior in hospitals creates fear that undermines patient safety, quality, and continuous improvement. Lean healthcare depends on psychological safety and respectful leadership–without it, even the best tools and technologies fail. amednews: Disruptive behavior by doctors, nurses…
I saw this quote on Twitter from the pastor Rick Warren (happens to fit in the 140 characters): “Love isn’t letting people do whatever they want. That’s often cowardice or apathy. Love cares enough to tell the truth.” I’m not…
