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GA 449 | Firefighting, Docility, and the Top-Down Approach to Lean with Mike Thelen

Avatar photo By Jessica Bush Updated on November 10th, 2022

This week’s guest is Mike Thelen. Ron and Mike caught up at the recent AME conference in Dallas, where they discussed company culture, the role of docility, and why “firefighters” get promoted instead of leaders.  An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

  • The quote that inspires Mike (1:55)
  • Mike’s background (3:42)
  • What it takes to change your company culture (8:13)
  • Why it’s so difficult (11:54)
  • Breaking away from a culture of firefighting (15:40)
  • The role of docility (29:02)
  • Asking the right questions (30:41)

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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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