Kaizen Archives | Page 3 of 12

GA 371 | Adopting a Learning-Based Approach to Lean with Scott Keenan

By Jessica Bush - May 13th, 2021

This week’s guest is Scott Keenan. Scott described his continuous improvement journey, and the work he’s been doing with Alan Wire. Ron and Scott also discussed our Toyota Kata course, and Alan Wire’s experience with

GA 370 | Improving Quality of Life with Lean with Rick Foreman

By Jessica Bush - May 6th, 2021

This week’s guest is Rick Foreman. Ron and Rick covered a lot of ground, including Federal Heath’s lean journey, and creating a strong culture of continuous improvement. Rick also gave some advice on “selling” o

Break the Habit of Breaking Good Habits

By Steve Kane - April 23rd, 2021

There are countless books, YouTube videos, and other media on topic of building good habits and breaking bad ones. So often the desire to change our ways comes light because of our realization that a problem exists. We learn and we fin

GA 365 | Adopting a Growth Mindset with Nik Kottha

By Jessica Bush - April 1st, 2021

This week’s guest is Nik Kottha. Ron and Nik covered several important topics, including what Nik has learned from yoga, what excellence means to him, and where his passion comes from. Nik also stressed the importance of coaching

Did Standardized Work Originate Thousands of Years Ago?

By Steve Kane - March 26th, 2021

Armies around the world and throughout history have many common practices and traditions. One practice, in particular, started thousands of years ago and is deeply rooted in what we today would characterize as Lean practices. This prac

GA 359 | Pink Tools and Preventing Injuries with Adam Lawrence

By Jessica Bush - February 18th, 2021

This week’s guest is Adam Lawrence. Ron and Adam discussed Adam’s new book, “The Wheel of Sustainability,” including how and why he wrote it. Adam also shared some very moving stories that highlight the true pow

GA 352 | Defining, Executing, and Aligning Winning with Billy Taylor

By Jessica Bush - December 31st, 2020

This week we’re sharing the audio of our recent Billy Taylor livestream. Billy is a lean powerhouse and his presentation is packed with practical and profound wisdom. If you’re looking for some New Year’s inspiration,

GA 348 | Communicating Respect in Lean with Tejas Munot

By Jessica Bush - December 3rd, 2020

This week’s guest is Tejas Munot. Tejas shared what he learned during his time at VIBCO Vibrators, the importance of respect, and more. Tejas also interviewed Ron about HIS lean journey thus far. A MP3 audio version of this episo

GA 347 | Leveraging Deliberate Practice with Billy Taylor

By Jessica Bush - November 26th, 2020

This week’s guest is Billy Taylor. Formerly the Director of Manufacturing at Goodyear, Billy has an impressive amount of lean knowledge. From the value of diversity, to performance maps, to deliberate practice, you won’t wa

GA 346 | Navigating the Gemba with Jay Hodge

By Jessica Bush - November 19th, 2020

This week’s guest is Jay Hodge. Ron and Jay discussed the confusion around the word gemba and how gemba relates to kaizen. Jay has worked at GM, Toyota, and Caterpillar, to name a few, so he shared what it’s like to make th

Stop Being the Expert and Be a Coach

By Steve Kane - October 23rd, 2020

I wrote the article below a few years ago and wanted to revisit it and include some thoughts on how this relates to coaching. “If I am wiser. . . it is because I know that I do not know.” ~ Socrates Is it possible that expe

5 Tips for Choosing a Lean Certification Course

By Steve Kane - September 25th, 2020

There are many Lean certification courses available from a wide variety of organizations. Choosing the right one to suit your specific needs can be a bit tricky. Here are some tips and considerations to help you find the right one for

GA 337 | Making the Best of Bad Circumstances with Skip Steward

By Jessica Bush - September 17th, 2020

This week’s guest is Skip Steward. Ron and Skip reflected on the year thus far and on some of the different challenges COVID-19 has created. Skip also shared his take on dealing with confirmation biases. A MP3 audio version of th

GA 336 | The Process of Process Improvement with Karen Friedenberg

By Jessica Bush - September 10th, 2020

This week’s guest is Karen Friedenberg. Karen, who has a diverse career background, broke down all the different ways she approaches process improvement. From DMAIC to change management, this episode is full of practical knowledg

GA 331 | Leading and Learning at Toyota with Katie Anderson

By Jessica Bush - August 6th, 2020

This week’s guest is Katie Anderson. Ron and Katie discussed Katie’s new book, the roles of a leader, joy versus happiness, and much more. Katie also shared some special stories about esteemed Toyota leaders like Isao Yos

GA 330 | The Power of 3P with Adam Lawrence

By Jessica Bush - July 30th, 2020

This week’s guest is Adam Lawrence. Ron and Adam talked all about 3P, including the steps involved and how it can be used for product innovation. Adam also shared a very interesting anecdote involving cat litter, corn flakes, and

GA 329 | Gathering Lean Stories with Dewey Mauldin

By Jessica Bush - July 23rd, 2020

This week’s guest is Dewey Mauldin. Dewey, who works for Daimler Trucks, shared some of the experiences that have stuck with him over the years. Dewey specifically touches on takt time, purchase processes, and more. A MP3 audio v

GA 328 | Lean in Hospitality with Aaron Davidson

By Jessica Bush - July 16th, 2020

This week’s guest is Aaron Davidson. Aaron explained how he and his team use lean in the hospitality industry, including some unique examples involving cleaning hotel rooms, gambling, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode

GA 324 | From Software Engineers to Face Shield Manufacturers with Radek Pietruszewski

By Jessica Bush - June 18th, 2020

This week’s guest is Radek Pietruszewski. To help fight COVID-19 in Poland, Radek and his software engineering colleagues figured out how to quickly manufacture thousands of face shields. He and Ron discussed the details of this

GA 319 | The Danger of Expertise with Audie Penn

By Jessica Bush - May 14th, 2020

This week’s guest is Audie Penn. Ron and Audie talked about the ways that lean can be used to help teams solve unique problems. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll lear

GA 312 | Practicing Kata in Secret with Tracy Defoe

By Jessica Bush - March 26th, 2020

This week’s guest is Tracy Defoe. Ron and Tracy discussed why people practice Toyota Kata and continuous improvement in secret, and why it’s problematic. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. I

GA 311 | The Lean Construction Movement with Hal Macomber

By Jessica Bush - March 19th, 2020

This week’s guest is Hal Macomber. Ron and Hal discussed the lean construction movement, the Last Planner System, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:

GA 310 | The Role of Motivation in Continuous Improvement with Brad Miller

By Jessica Bush - March 12th, 2020

This week’s guest is Brad Miller. Ron and Brad discussed how motivation factors into continuous improvement, and a modern motivation framework that could be useful to managers. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for

GA 304 | The Different Approaches to Training Leaders with Brent Weichers

By Jessica Bush - January 30th, 2020

This week’s guest is Brent Weichers of The Lighthouse for the Blind. Ron and Brent discussed the various approaches to training leaders, including the different hard and soft skills involved. A MP3 audio version of this episode i

GA 303 | Running a Successful Kaizen Event with Adam Lawrence

By Jessica Bush - January 23rd, 2020

This week’s guest is Adam Lawrence. Ron and Adam discussed everything that goes into running a successful kaizen event, including team selection, engagement, and increasing the chances of “winning.” A MP3 audio versio

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