Article

Enabling Change Through the Power of Story

Roberto Priolo, editor of Planet Lean, shares why not just reflection, but writing (and storytelling) is so helpful for the lean practitioner. In short, a…

by Roberto Priolo

Article

In Search of Value Stream Architects

Recently I've been spending most of my gemba time walking through value-creating processes in organizations far away from manufacturing. And the further away I get…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

The Lean Genie Problem

"For leaders and CI professionals, it’s not practical to rely on the team you’re working with to institute every change that’s needed each time you…

by Daniel Fisher

Article

Sensing the Gemba

The next time you show up at the gemba to do a “go and see,” take a personal assessment of your level of focus, presence…

by Mike Orzen and Tracey Richardson

Article

How to Develop Healthy Habits for Mindful Coaching

Powerful lean coaches help others create productive habits that over time produce a type of "muscle memory" that forms a foundation for long-term growth and…

by Lean Leaper

Article

Multiply the Improvers in Your Organization Every Day

Be prepared to commit the time, patience and tenacity to unleash the power of improvement your organization, says Andrew Quibell. He illustrates how to actively…

by Andrew Quibell

Article

What I've Learned About Planning and Execution

By the time I founded the Lean Enterprise Institute in mid-1997, I had been thinking for years about how organizations prioritize and plan. And I…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

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WLEI Transcript with Natan Linder

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Article

What is Lean Management?

If lean thinking means a different approach to business, then it must also imply a different approach to managing by the people striving to operate…

by John Shook

Article

Using A3 Thinking to Solve Recruiting Problems: An interview with Gavin Martin

It's a shame that A3s are often thought of as being meant to solve manufacturing problems. The reality is they can be used to explore…

Article

Active Caring

Caring about others, caring about quality, caring about professionalism. When you care, continuous improvement and action come naturally. Turner Construction CEO Peter Davoren says that…

by Jim Benson

Article

Is Lean Getting "Fat?"

"Yes, lean has successfully spread around the world and gone from manufacturing to nearly every other type of value stream," writes Brent Wahba. But on…

by Brent Wahba

Article

Reaching Your Organization’s Full Potential

A visit to Turner Construction's New York Business Unit reveals how its leaders use the A3 process to build their staff's problem-solving capabilities.

by Josh Howell

Article

Are You Prioritizing Efficiency Over Value?

A major element of lean is efficiency, but it's certainly not the ONLY element. While it may seem logical that customers value efficiency, an overreliance…

by Cameron Ford

Article

Yes, Lean is About Cost Reduction

Why focus on cost reduction? Because many of the cost-saving kaizens of are simpler and require less engineering resources, and this type of kaizen motivates…

by Mark Reich

Video

Autonomous Car Beta Version, Anyone? A Q&A with Jim Womack on Disruptive Innovation

What may be ahead for carmakers, product developers, and the lean management movement in a disrupted world is the subject of this Q&A with management…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD and Chet Marchwinski

Article

Why don't you use plain English instead of confusing Japanese terms such as “monozukuri” or “hitozukuri”?

Dear Gemba Coach: Why do you keep using confusing Japanese terms such as “monozukuri” or “hitozukuri” rather than plain English? Isn’t that what professionals do…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Book Value: The Mental ABC's of Pitching

"With both the All-Star Game and our Lean Coaching Summit approaching, I got to thinking about ways that non-lean books offer insights into coaching and…

by John Shook

Article

The Next Frontier: Lean Government

On a recent trip to Saskatchewan Dan Jones went looking for a Canadian healthcare example but in the process he stumbled upon what he believes…

by Dan Jones