2008 | Page 26 of 27 | Gemba Academy

Lay First the Foundation of Humility

By Jon Miller - January 17th, 2008

I came across this great quote by St. Augustine. Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. These words work on many levels. When corporate board rooms

The Pros and Cons of Model Lines for Lean Implementation

By Jon Miller - January 16th, 2008

In continuous improvement terminology a “model line” is a closely connected series of processes that are the target of focused implementation of lean principles. It derives from the selecting a production line and convertin

Former Toyota Exec Speaks

By Ron Pereira - January 16th, 2008

My friend Pete Abilla (author of the Shmula blog – now creator of a site that can help you find a math tutor and more) often reminds us that, during his time at Toyota, the phrase “respect for humanity” was used, not “res

Shadows or Reality?

By Ron Pereira - January 14th, 2008

One of my passions in life is to learn. As such, I have begun the year by ditching books about leadership, lean, and six sigma (for now). In their place I have decided to study philosophy which may make you want to yawn… but I woul

101 Kaizen Templates: Safety Calendar

By Jon Miller - January 13th, 2008

Early in the year is a good time to refresh our commitment to health, safety and sustainability of our various enterprises. Despite our best intentions, habits being what they are, these resolutions are too often not so resolute. Unlik

Japan Here I Come!

By Ron Pereira - January 11th, 2008

I am excited to announce that I am headed to see lean manufacturing at its best as I join Gemba Research on their upcoming Japan Kaikaku Experience. We arrive in Japan March 9 and the plans are to visit the following companies during t

Building a Lean Supply Stream

By Ron Pereira - January 10th, 2008

If you happen to live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area or will be in town you may consider attending this conference. I plan to attend so let me know if you will be there so we can say hi! Apologize for sending this out late… bu

101 Kaizen Templates: Stand in the Circle

By Jon Miller - January 9th, 2008

The 60-minute kaizen exercise we call “stand in the circle” originates in the teaching method Taiichi Ohno used. This involved a piece of chalk, a circle drawn on the concrete floor, and a manager left to stand in it for ho

The Highest Form of Human Excellence

By Ron Pereira - January 8th, 2008

“I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.” -Socrates When someone asks me a question I typically respond with an immediate answer. There are many issues

The Secret Lives of Toyota Term Employees, Episode 5

By Jon Miller - January 7th, 2008

Do you live with the fear that your job may be gone tomorrow? Toyota group company workers do, according to an article titled Growing Reliance on Temps Holds Back Japan’s Rebound in the Wall Street Journal on January 7, 2008. The

Year: 2008