Hello, we’re Ernie and Tracey Richardson. We’re married and we work together as lean coaches, combining our unique experiences throughout our careers to teach others lean thinking and practice. Both of us have first-hand experience working at Toyota (TMMK plant in Georgetown, KY and TEMA headquarters in Erlanger, KY) in hourly production roles as well as management positions. Ernie worked 25 years in Manufacturing and Human Resources. Tracey worked 10 years in Manufacturing and became a Human Resources training and development instructor. Together, we have 54 years combined years of experience living, breathing, teaching, and translating the “thinking” behind the Toyota Production System.
These days we’re working on:
- How to evolve lean thinking to be more about people development than just “tool talk”
- How to sustain lean thinking past an “event” or “training session” and embed it as part of a team’s daily activities
- How to create a problem solving and “leading and learning” environment that allows leadership to learn from employees
But what would YOU like to know from us about the challenges of developing an organization of problem solvers? What problems are you working on with your lean culture change? This is your chance to ask us anything! So, go ahead, ask your questions in the comments below and we’ll respond here on the Post!
