Article

Standardize Your Problem-Solving Approach? Why One Size Does Not Fit All

Lean management practitioners know what a powerful tool standardization is for continuously improving processes. Without standards, there can be no improvement as the old saying…

by Art Smalley

Article

Was Steve Lean?

I don’t know that much about Apple. The only gemba I've visited are lots of Apple stores (I don't know if they're lean but they…

by John Shook

Article

A Little Bit of Lean Product and Process Development with Very Large Results

Believing it had only enough land and budget for a badly needed new parking garage, a hospital was able to build not only the garage but…

Article

How Accounting “Squirrels” Can Ferret Out Waste

While other functions are busy as beavers looking for waste during a lean transformation, your accounting staff is like a squirrel with its head stuck…

Podcast

Lean Accounting Podcast from OSU MBOE

It's a common misconception that lean in accounting equates to merely a cost-cutting tool. In this podcast from the Ohio State University Master of Business…

Article

Frontiers and Fundamentals

Thank you to the over 350 of you who replied to my letter of last month by sending in suggestions for a Learning Session at…

by John Shook

Article

Reflections from LEI’s New President, Josh Howell

Josh Howell, an experienced manager and lean management coach, is LEI’s new president and executive team leader. Read his note to the lean community and…

by Josh Howell

Article

Working on the Management

Effective daily management is still hard to achieve for most organizations, says Jim Womack. But until line managers start tackling problems first hand as they…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Senior Advisors and Staff

Lory Moniz

Lory Moniz is a relative newcomer to Lean despite her remarkable ability to think and communicate visually, which she’s noticed has propelled her career. In…

Article

Coaches coaching coaches

The Olympics are always great fun. It is inspiring to see human performance taken to such astounding levels. Watching the London games, I found myself…

by John Shook

Article

Lean Quotes from John Shook to Inspire You and Your Team

We share with you some inspiring quotes from LEI CEO John Shook.

by Lean Leaper and John Shook

Article

Why won’t senseis ever give a straight answer?

Dear Gemba Coach: Why won’t senseis ever give a straight answer?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Lean Is A Product-Driven Strategy

What is at the core of lean? Michael Balle argues, in terms of our best known example: "Toyota is not an efficiency-driven company. It’s a…

by Michael Ballé

Faculty

Katie Anderson

An internationally recognized leadership and learning coach, consultant, and speaker, Katie is best known for inspiring individuals and organizations to lead with intention and increase…

Article

Try These Three Deliberate Practices of Lean Coaching

A lean coach doesn’t do PDCA; she or he has three deliberate practices that keep the PDCA gear rolling with a check, adjustment, new purpose…

by Dan Prock

Article

Toyota and Sudden Acceleration: Facts from the NASA Report

NASA just released its highly anticipated report about the Sudden Unintended Acceleration (SUA) charge in Toyota vehicles. The verdict is in. And Toyota’s electronic throttle…

by John Shook

Article

Toyota Trouble: A Dialogue with Jeff Liker (AKA the Coffee Shop Talks)

With the appearance of Toyota's various quality and recall problems, Jeff Liker and I have been meeting in coffee shops in Ann Arbor to discuss…

by John Shook

Article

How Do I Tell Good Obeya Rooms From Bad?

Dear Gemba Coach: Obeyas are popping up everywhere in our organization, and I don’t know what to look for to distinguish good from bad obeyas.

by Michael Ballé

Article

Why We Believe We Have All the Bricks to Build Our Future

In this wide-ranging article, lead author Catherine Chabiron and her fellow Lean Sensei Women propose a number of ways to tackle the new emerging challenges…

by Lean Sensei Women

Article

Transforming Transformation

We are all trying to transform. That's what lean thinking and practice are all about: challenging us to reflect deeply on how we can improve…

by John Shook