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Tips for Proving the Financial Value of Lean to Leadership

Of the many aspects of lean accounting, one that has proven especially useful is the principle of “cost avoidance.” Today on the Lean Post, lean…

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Learning from Toyota Way Principles versus Copying Toyota Practices

Toyota is an exceptional company, says Jeff Liker, who argues that the way of thinking is a model to learn from. But simply copying Toyota’s…

by Jeffrey Liker

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The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection

"I began to notice that there was a sharp contrast between well-made, crafted products and poorly made ones, and an even greater distinction between the…

by James Morgan, PhD

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How do I keep visual management from becoming “wallpaper?" A Q&A with John Drogosz

"Many managers try to convince everyone (including themselves) that they are visually managing their projects or departments," writes John Drogosz, "but during the gemba walk…

by John Drogosz, PhD

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The Hidden Benefit to A3 Thinking

"A3 thinking helps us think, solve problems, and strategize," writes José Ferro. "But it also helps us calm down, concentrate, and think deeply. It lets…

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Defining LEI’s Customer: Understanding Your Real Problems & Needs

"Our customer is part of everything we do, but defining them and their needs… well, it’s like describing the air you breathe," writes Josh Rapoza.…

by Joshua Rapoza

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Developing Better Habits Using A3 Thinking

Think A3 thinking is only for solving organizational problems? Think again! LEI faculty Katie Anderson shares her secrets for using A3s as a tool for…

by Katie Anderson

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Lean Thinking On Purpose

Katrina Appell reflects on a provocative op-ed by Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times from earlier this year and asks some big questions of…

by Katrina Appell, PhD

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John Shook on Where Lean Thinking and Practice is Headed Today

LEI's John Shook shares his view of how and where lean thinking can be used most effectively today. Insights on everything from how to apply…

by Lean Leaper

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Part 2: What is the best lean way to understand VALUE (in terms of what our customers want)?

Dear Gemba Coach,   What is the best lean way to understand VALUE (in terms of what our customers want)

by Michael Ballé

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Waste-Free Capitalism

In his first piece for The Lean Post, lean thought leader and LEI author Michael Ballé shares Toyota's lessons for society at large and calls…

by Michael Ballé

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How can we remain positive?

Dear Gemba Coach: I am a kaizen coach in a large company, and it never seems to get any easier. We’ve been doing kaizen for several…

by Michael Ballé

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Should I be worried that management is buying software for virtual gemba walks?

Dear Gemba Coach: A consultant is selling us “virtual gemba walks” software to schedule gemba visits with a “leader standardized work” checklist and key indicators…

by Michael Ballé

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Engineering Checklists

Dear Gemba Coach: How do I apply standardized work to product development?

by Michael Ballé

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How Do Lean CEOs Learn To Improve?

What, and how, do I have to learn? This key question confronts all CEOs who are practicing lean seriously, argues CEO Nicolas Chartier, who shares…

by Nicolas Chartier

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The Post COVID Crisis Supply Chain: a Time to Rise (Part 2)

In a two-part call to action, LeanCor Supply Chain Group CEO Robert Martichenko says that now is the time for public and private sector leaders…

by Robert Martichenko

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Thinking About Waste Helps Build A Learning Culture Everywhere

Developing people to reduce waste in everything from using toilets to saving one second of work is key to creating a learning platform, says Sammy…

by Sammy Obara

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Reimagining restaurants after Covid-19

The future has never looked more uncertain for restaurants and cafes. The authors share a set of practical lean tips that can guide these organizations…

by The Lean-n-Food-Initiative

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Lean Roundup: Respect for People

Respect for People is one of the most abstract and yet most concrete tenets of lean, a guiding principle that informs how people work, coach,…

by Tom Ehrenfeld

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A Deeper Dive into Visual Management at Toyota

"In a previous sketch I introduced Toyota’s approach to visual management, or Floor Management Display Systems (FMDS), including the six elements of creating FMDS," writes…

by Andrew Quibell