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What To Do When Executives Think Continuous Improvement Smells Fishy

Top executives are smart, but they don't always see the value of continuous improvement efforts. And continuous improvement professionals don't always communicate that value well…

Article

The "Playbook" of Sustaining Change

In a world where most lean transformations fail, what can we do to learn from others' mistakes and help our own transformations succeed? After 30…

by Lynn Kelley

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Encountering Problems and Resistance

The doctor entered with a comforting bedside manner. We small talked. She asked about my work and I answered, in short. “Lean? You mean that Toyota thing?” In spite of the mask, I could read ‘Oh Brother’ on her face. “Yeah,…

by Josh Howell

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5S - The Way to Start Your Lean Journey…or Is It?

Many people think that a 5S implementation is the perfect way to kickstart a full lean transformation. It can be - IF you do it…

by Dale Savage

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Turn to Lean To Tackle the Problems You Want to Solve Right Now

Lean thinking and practice is hard, says LEI President Josh Howell; noting that it's well worth the effort for those whose lives it has improved,…

by Josh Howell

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Real Lean vs. Fake Lean

Dear Gemba Coach: I am a lean consultant who is totally dedicated to applying the lean principles. Unfortunately most lean gurus who I encounter seem…

by Michael Ballé

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Lean on Steroids: Why We Should Rely On Physical Measures, Not Financial Ones

"Lean has led me to question core business models, period," writes Doc Hall. "But while Lean focuses on improving a company’s existing business model... I’m…

by Robert W. (Doc) Hall

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How can I keep our lean management effort from becoming bureaucratic?

Dear Gemba Coach: Isn’t there a risk that all these lean tools in the workplace turn into yet more bureaucracy?

by Michael Ballé

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Lean Management’s Key Concepts

 The technical components and underlying philosophy of lean, based on the Toyota Production System (TPS), work together to create a lean enterprise. But companies embarking…

by Doug Bartholomew

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Create Profitable Value Streams

Why does lean product development focus on building profitable value streams? LEI Senior Advisor John Shook explains in this month's Design Brief Contributor's Corner.

by John Shook

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The Lean Community and the Second “P”

The second “P” in lean product and process development or LPPD is as important as the first “P.” At least it should be. But as…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

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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…

Article

Why Bother Making It Visual?

What to do when you need to make the work visible, but your people aren't behind it? Leslie Barker has some suggestions based on this…

by Leslie Barker

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How to Coach a Person Who Doesn't Want to be Coached?

How do you coach someone who doesn't need your help or who thinks they know everything? This was one of several interesting questions raised during…

by Lex Schroeder

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Change Your “Pet” Problem Solving Method

Got problems with your problem-solving method? This interview by LEI's Chet Marchwinski with Four Types of Problems author Art Smalley shares advice on how you…

by Art Smalley

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Lean Without Limits

We come up with many different types of answers that sort Lean conveniently into categories for easy understanding and storage, says Renee Smith; but what…

by Renée Smith

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Reducing Wasted Motion at a Conference: Collaborative Note Taking

Mark Graban reflects on the pros and cons of collaborative note-taking at conferences and offers up an invitation/experiment to Lean Transformation Summit attendees.

by Mark Graban

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Connecting Lean Thinkers With Nonprofits in Portland, Oregon

Matthew Horvat tells the story of Lean Portland, a lean community of practice connecting lean thinkers with nonprofit professionals in Portland, Oregon.

by Matthew Horvat

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10 Lean Steps for Surviving the Recession

Jim provides an action play for lean thinkers to think leaner to get through the recession and secure a strong position for the upturn.

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

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Don't you use kamishibai cards; you've never written about them?

Dear Gemba Coach: We use a kamishibai board along with standardized work and visual management to sustain our lean efforts on the factory floor. It…

by Michael Ballé