2018 | Page 4 of 14 | Gemba Academy

What’s the Best Way to Deploy Lean? TPS? DBS? HOS? Other..?

By Jon Miller - October 8th, 2018

The General Electric company has had a rough year. They were removed from the Dow Jones list after more than 100 years. Their stock price has dropped to half. This week they abruptly fired their CEO. On the bright side, Larry Culp, a G

Kata in the Classroom

By Ron Pereira - October 5th, 2018

I recently conducted a complimentary “Kata in the Classroom” workshop for a group of 15 students ranging in age from 7 to 13. I wasn’t sure what to expect… especially since the age range was quite large. But,

GA 235 | How to Embody the Spirit of Toyota with Jess Orr

By Jessica Bush - October 4th, 2018

This week’s guest is former Toyota employee Jess Orr. Jess reflected on her time there by sharing their “10 Attitudes” with us, which really capture the overall spirit of Toyota. An MP3 version of this episode is avai

Lessons in Problem Solving from the NFL

By Jon Miller - October 1st, 2018

As we wrap up week #4 for the 2018 season of America’s favorite athletic competition-based entertainment, the National Football League has already given us an important lessons in effective problem solving. More precisely, they a

Constraints Are Opportunities

By Steve Kane - September 28th, 2018

I started my lean journey many years ago while working in the motorcycle industry. I was a parts and accessories manager for a BMW Motorcycles dealership in the Monterey Bay area of California. This dealership had been in business

GA 234 | How to Apply Lean to Transportation with Gary Vansuch, Michelle Malloy, and Geneva Hooten

By Jessica Bush - September 27th, 2018

This week’s guests are Gary Vansuch, Michelle Malloy, and Geneva Hooten of the Colorado Department of Transportation. Together they shared how their Process Improvement program came to be, how it has changed, and some of the chal

How to Win with 80% Effort

By Jon Miller - September 24th, 2018

There is an old Japanese saying that I have always liked. It is hara hachibu ni isha irazu (腹八分に医者いらず). It advises, “Eat until 80% full and you’ll need no doctor”. The equivalent English proverb is

GA 233 | How to Develop a Strong Lean Culture with Raye Wentworth

By Jessica Bush - September 20th, 2018

This week we’re sharing another powerful keynote from the 2018 Lean Systems Summit, this time by Raye Wentworth. Raye has been with New Balance for 34 years, and she shared how the company has developed their lean culture. An MP3

How to Manage Continuous Improvement without Authority

By Jon Miller - September 17th, 2018

People with the title of “Continuous Improvement Manager” or similar often find that they have broad responsibilities but without the matching authority. The CI Manager may need to identify improvement projects. They may be

Lean Lessons from Driving on the Left Side of the Road

By Ron Pereira - September 14th, 2018

My professional career has afforded me the opportunity to travel across the world. I’ve explored the Amazon rainforest, I’ve forgotten all about my lack of clothes inside a Finnish sauna since I could barely breathe, and

Year: 2018