Article

The Five Whys

Dear Gemba Coach: I’m a lean coach and teach A3s in my company. Every lean book mentions “5 why,” and I can see the power…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Should we do lean maturity audits?

Dear Gemba Coach: Should we continue with lean maturity audits and, if so, how often?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Leadership and Having an Effective Plan

You wouldn’t want to be known as a source of “fake news” but are you practicing

by Andrew Quibell

Article

The Problem of Partial Participation: Why Failing to Fully Commit to Lean Is Not An Option. An Interview with Chris Vogel

It's surprising how many lean implementations fail due to an organization's employees not fully embracing the idea. There are many root causes of this common…

by Chris Vogel

Article

Lean Lessons from Tesla

This piece throws no shade at Tesla, a company that serves as a highly-charged conduit for many a heated debate about the future of manufacturing,…

by Tom Ehrenfeld

Article

What I Learned by Coaching at the Gemba Virtually

Lean Coach Mark Reich shares an example of how lean thinking is itself continually renewed, as leading practitioners use it to solve new problems.

by Mark Reich

Article

The Lean Farm

A cold wet fall Saturday at the Talking Farm in Skokie, IL was a workshop day of learning for a group of 25 urban farmers and urban…

Article

The Obstacle is the Path

Deborah McGee, LEI's Learning Activities Manager, reflects on the most common obstacles she sees people facing when they first try to introduce lean ideas in…

Article

Thinking End to End

Every value stream runs from raw materials all the way to the end customer. And value for the customer is only delivered at the very…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

Thank you, Tatsuro Toyoda

John Shook remembers the late Tatsuro Toyoda, former president of Toyota.

by John Shook

Article

Toyota Troubles: Fighting the Demons of Complexity

An interview with Professor Takahiro Fujimoto, Manufacturing Management Research Center, University of Tokyo

by John Shook

Article

Developing People Not Robots Through Karakuri

"Karakuri demonstrates that Toyota’s working currency is brainpower, grown through rigorous problem-solving and mentors who challenge their students," writes Matt Savas, "The wallet takes a…

by Matthew Savas

Article

Changing Routines

In this article exploring ways to help lead positive change, Josh Howell asks: is pursuing understanding and conviction part of your influence or change model?…

by Josh Howell

Video

Ask Art: What is the Walk of Shame, and Why Is It Effective?

Take your team on a walk of shame, urges lean veteran Art Byrne. He suggests that you have some fun with it, but ask serious…

by Art Byrne

Article

A Learning Partnership to Support A New Era in American Manufacturing

As policymakers and business leaders work to rebuild and reimagine a struggling U.S. economy, GE is not only at the center of the conversation about…

by Lex Schroeder

Article

No Really, Go to the Gemba

LEI coach Danielle Blais explains why it's so important for lean coaches, leaders, and all managers to regularly visit the gemba (the place where the…

by Danielle McGuiness

Article

Will changing the standard for supervisors' morning gemba walks make them pay more attention?

Dear Gemba Coach,  We have a standard gemba walk for supervisors to check their areas every morning. I’ve noticed that after a while, they tick the…

by Michael Ballé

Article

How Toyota Built its Culture Around the World

A new book takes a deep dive into a more effective way for senior leaders to manage talent to consistently achieve objectives -- and continually…

by John Shook

Article

Integrating Finance into Operational Kaizen: The Operational Leader’s Perspective

Two lean practitioners explain how and why they include accounting and finance teams in all continuous improvement efforts.

by Mike DeLuca

Article

The Lean Case for Founder Mode (plus Manager Mode)

Paul Graham's essay on "Founder Mode" vs. "Manager Mode" sparked a debate about how founders should lead their companies. Josh Howell offers a fresh perspective:…

by Josh Howell