Podcast

Mindfulness and Leading with Respect

Mindfulness is both more essential today than ever, and a foundation for organizational lean excellence. Here John Shook and Mike Orzen explore this theme. “The…

by Mike Orzen and John Shook

Article

The Joys of a Brownfield

“Lean experience teaches us to enjoy and make the most of going to see. Go to the gemba, go there a lot, and learn to…

by John Shook

Article

A Lean Management System Starts with Senior Leaders

"From events, projects, and A3s to focusing on a lean management system, we’re discovering a new way to run and lead our healthcare organizations, or…

by Steven Leuschel

Article

Our technical guys are really resisting the idea of standard work. What should we do?

Dear Gemba Coach: Our technical guys are really resisting the idea of standard work. They believe they each have their own way of working and…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Feeling the Gemba Magic

After months of work at the gemba with his factory manager helping line workers grapple with problems, CEO Nicolas Chartier realized the true source of…

by Nicolas Chartier

Article

What Does "Waste" in Government Processes Mean Anyway?

"It is commonplace in the US Federal Government to see placards and signs admonishing us to be on guard for instances of 'Fraud, Waste, and…

by William Journigan and James Phillips Jr.

Article

5 Ways My Thinking Changed With the Help of a Lean Coach

"Coaching for development is different than being managed," writes Deborah McGee. "Lean coaching in our case was not directing an improvement swat team or teaching…

by Deborah McGee

Article

Understanding the 4S Help Chain, Part 2: Lessons from NUMMI on How to Adapt the Model to Product Development

How do you create an andon signal for your product and process development process? Matt Zayko, a technical coach for LEI's Lean Product and Process…

Article

Make the Shift: From “Churn and Burn” to Learn

Already practicing PDCA? Not so familiar with it? "If you’re not squarely in the PDCA camp, please accept this invitation to join!," writes Deborah McGee.…

by Derrick Redding

Article

Lean Books Roundup

"Several years back, LEI CEO John Shook discussed the need to explore the “frontiers and fundamentals” of lean..." writes Tom Ehrenfeld. "Three recent books reveal…

Article

"What Do I Need to Know?"

"What do I need to know?" A simple, but powerful, question to ask at the gemba and beyond. Kelly Moore muses on how this question…

by Kelly Moore

Article

How Can Lean Help Manage the Costs and Complications of Satisfying Customers During Rapid Growth?

An entrepreneur shares why and how lean management helps startups innovate and grow.

by Michael Ballé and Nicolas Chartier

Article

What Do Sensei Actually Do?

What do lean sensei do? Take you to the gemba, discuss what the real challenges are, prescribe exercises, teach PDCA, and push you to the…

by Dan Jones

Article

A Consciousness of Reality

There are countless cases of lean thinking being applied masterfully with the word lean (or the Toyota Production System) nowhere in sight, writes John Shook,…

by John Shook

Article

How the Toyota Way and Toyota Kata Fit Together

The author of The Toyota Way explains where Toyota Kata fits with Toyota’s broader management principles — and how each enhances the other to help…

by Jeffrey Liker

Lexicon Term

Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese word that means “continuous improvement”. Kaizen aims to make small, incremental improvements in processes and systems, leading to significant long-term benefits.…

Article

How a Lean Quoting Process Helps You Capture High-Value Opportunities, Part 3

Setting up a Daily Opportunity Review Board helps your company strategically respond to high-value customer inquiries.

Article

One Year Later, How Toyota Has Helped Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

There are few processes that are more critical to get right than those involved in disaster relief. Check out how Jamie Bonini and Lisa Richardson…

by Lex Schroeder and Lex Schroeder

Article

Putting Customers First

The cofounders of a successful startup share how lean thinking and practices helped ensure they kept their focus on the customer from startup to scaleup.

by Michael Ballé and Nicolas Chartier

Article

What is Your Line of Sight?

Coach Tracey Richardson explains why having a line of sight aligns you with the organizations purpose, and helps you determine how to define your own…