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GA 397 | Lean Leadership, Respect for People, and the Military with Michael Austin Giles

Avatar photo By Jessica Bush Updated on November 11th, 2021

This week’s guest is Michael “Austin” Giles. Austin explained what it’s like to practice continuous improvement in the military and how military leadership is similar to lean leadership. He also shared a great anecdote about making mistakes. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

  • Austin’s favorite quote (1:47)
  • His background (3:03)
  • A story about the canine unit (5:47)
  • About lean in the military (7:16)
  • How formal or informal their approach is (16:36)
  • The relationship between lean leadership and military leadership (20:21)
  • Balancing toughness with Respect for People (24:12)
  • An anecdote about learning and making mistakes (27:23)
  • Austin’s plan after the military (29:22)

Podcast Resources

What Do You Think?

Describe a time you learned from a mistake. How did your boss/coworkers react?

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Jessica Bush

Jessica is responsible for the editorial aspects of Gemba Academy’s content, focusing on course materials, podcast production, social media, and other copywriting efforts. An avid advocate of entrepreneurship, Jessica has worked with two technology startups as co-founder and head marketing strategist. Jessica received her BS in Business Administration from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, with a minor in Music.

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