Article
Standardized Work in Business Processes
Dear Gemba Coach: How about standardized work in a business process environment? For example, in a procurement process or supply chain processes? There are not many…
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How do I re-size supermarkets when demand changes or to keep pace with seasonality?
Dear Gemba Coach: How do I calculate re-sizing supermarkets when demand changes or to keep pace with seasonality?
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Hanging Up My Cape
"Managers and front line workers hustle to work around problems resulting from poorly designed work systems... and with such pride!" writes lean coach Josh Howell.…
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Article
Forward to Fundamentals Redux – Kaizen Express
Thanks to those of you who joined last week’s webinar. We had some great questions, only a few of which we dealt with during the…
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Are morning team huddles that go on forever a waste of time?
Dear Gemba Coach: Our company has made morning team huddles mandatory. I don't see how that helps. On my team, huddles seem to go on…
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Forms and Templates
Downloads for A3 problem solving, standard work, project management, and value stream mapping.
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Article
Reason #27 Why Your CEO Is Just Not That Into Lean
You know the value of Lean, but maybe your boss or a key member of the senior leadership team doesn't. To get more traction and…
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Article
How do I know if someone is really incompetent or just struggling?
Dear Gemba Coach: How do I recognize when someone is really incompetent? Sometimes people don’t have results because they’re put in a tough spot.
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On Coaching
I'm a long-time fan of Brasilian futbol (or as some of us call it, soccer). This World Cup, I've been won over by the Mexican…
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Follow-up to your comments on the “lean is a scam” column
Dear Gemba Coach Readers: I’ve been following the “scam” discussion with interest. Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment. Maybe the original questioner’s…
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Advice from the Gemba: Top Mistakes Lean Leaders Make III
Mistakes are just a part of lean, even for leaders. Luckily they're also a great opportunity for improvement. Today three lean practitioners share mistakes they…
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Podcast
Becoming the Change: Talking Healthcare Transformation with Kim Barnas and John Toussaint on the WLEI Podcast
In this WLEI podcast, Becoming the Change authors Kim Barnas and John Toussaint discuss the personal challenges facing healthcare leaders who are committed to the…
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Article
Raised by Toyota: A Question and Answer with Tracey and Ernie Richardson
In this extended interview, Toyota veterans Tracey and Ernie Richardson share how they learned at the source, explain how they apply their lessons widely (including…
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Article
How do you define respect for people?
Dear Gemba Coach: Can you be more specific about “respect” in lean? The term is being used in our company but I fear it sounds…
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A More Prepared Coach
"Many coaching situations we enter...with so little knowledge about the situation and how things work," writes Josh Howell. "Instead we rely on our wits and…
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Article
Am I doing lean right? How can I tell?
Dear Gemba Coach: I’m spending a lot of time at the gemba, but how do I know if I’m doing lean right?
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Ask Art: What Does a Lean Manager Do Differently?
"The lean leader has a vision for growth just like the traditional manager, but he sees the source of growth quite differently," writes Art Byrne.…
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Article
The Lean Management System: The Key to Sustainability and CI, an Interview with Joe Murli
Achieving wins is only half the battle in a lean transformation - you also need a way to sustain those wins and foster a culture…
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Article
LEI's New Indicator That Can't Lie
I’m often asked by operations managers how they can know if their firm is really getting lean. My answer is simple: Just check your inventory…
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