Video
Leadership Lessons from Rivian: a Clip from WLEI
In a clip from one of our most popular podcasts, LEI President Josh Howell talks with electric car manufacturer Rivian's CEO RJ Scaringe and Jim…
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Article
Lean thinkers tell me not to give answers but my sensei keeps telling me what to do; which is it?
Dear Gemba Coach: My experience is that if you want to get anything done you have to ask very specifically and follow up thoroughly. Now,…
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Article
Real Leaders Think and Act Differently
Are your management routines and Gemba Walks suffering from the superficial observations of the day-tripper? Or are your leaders adding real value to your employees,…
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Article
Leaning Your Boss
What do top managers need to learn to be able to lead a lean transformation? I get asked this question frequently. The answer is the…
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Asking Questions
It is always refreshing going to the gemba – actually walking a value stream all the way through an organisation. This is where I learn…
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We Have Been (Lean) Thinking
In the many years since we launched Lean Thinking, events amply confirm our long-held view that managers will try anything easy that doesnít work before…
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Is there a spiritual dimension to lean?
Dear Gemba Coach: Is there a spiritual dimension to lean?
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Kata Konfusion
Author and LEI faculty member Drew Locher explains why it is important when using the kata improvement methodology to not focus solely on key performance…
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Article
What's the lean take on learning?
Dear Gemba Coach: Our previous CEO used to preach “servant leadership,” but now’s he’s left and the new style is far more traditional command and…
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Meeting Strategic Objectives
Turner Construction uses hoshin kanri (strategy deployment) and A3 problem-solving to create a management system that ensures it achieves its strategic business objectives.
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Article
Toyota the Bad Guy
Recently I am cornered frequently by beleaguered lean change agents eager to show me their scars inflicted by re-energized resistors. Lean naysayers have seized the…
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It's All About the Mindset on Gemba Walks
Darren Walsh believes that there are few things more critical to a successful gemba walk than the right mindset. Do you have the right one…
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Article
Shopping for a Sensei
We at LEI have been getting a lot of requests recently to help companies find lean expertise for harder times. Here are some simple guidelines…
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All Lean Is Local
When I think about the idea of “all lean is local,” I think about the fundamental entry point questions for any lean thinker in any…
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Article
Lead from the Front, Lead from Behind
In my last letter I alluded to a common view in the Lean Community – shared by the broader business community at large – that…
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Article
Talking Lean with a Neuroscientist
How do we turn large, complicated, risky projects into catalysts for learning and innovation? Lean IT expert Steve Bell reflects on this question after an…
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Article
Governance Matters
"The very term “governance” seems somewhat antithetical to lean," writes Mark Hamel. "Yet...over my 20-plus years of lean learning, I’ve witnessed a lot of implementation…
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Article
Learning the Hard and Soft Skills of Lean Coaching
While lean is often associated with process improvement, error reduction, and greater efficiency in a wide range of numbers; most veterans argue that above all…
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Article
Achieve Your Deeper Goals Through Daily Work With Hoshin Kanri
Hoshin kanri is a living process of planning, testing ideas, adapting, and learning, says Jeff Liker, in which people work towards clear targets addressing the…
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Article
Isn’t PDCA enough? Why do we always need to complicate things?
Dear Gemba Coach: Isn’t PDCA enough? Why do we always need to complicate things?
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