People keep asking me a reasonable question: “Why not just use ChatGPT?” After all, ChatGPT “knows” a lot about Lean. You can ask it about value stream mapping, PDSA cycles, or the Toyota Production System and get a decent answer.…
TL;DR: Lean isn’t just about cost. When leaders prioritize cost first, they undermine safety, quality, and engagement–putting a “stick in the spokes” of Lean itself. Don’t Put a Stick in Your Bicycle Spokes There’s a meme going around — maybe…
TL;DR: A zero-injury bonus may look like a safety incentive, but it usually distorts behavior. Lean and Deming teach us that punishing bad numbers doesn’t improve systems–it drives problems underground. A friend of mine–with deep experience in Lean and the…
tl;dr: GE CEO Larry Culp emphasizes Safety, Quality, and Delivery before Cost (SQDC) as the foundation of Lean. By putting safety first and focusing on leadership behavior and daily management, GE is using Lean to improve performance without resorting to…
