Lean Manufacturing

590 Articles

GA 455 | The Intersection of Lean and Sustainability with Julia Goldstein

By Jessica Bush - December 22nd, 2022

This week’s guest is Julia Goldstein. Ron and Julia discussed the concept of circular economy, what sustainability looks like in a lean context, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In th

Quick Way To Time A Process

By John Knotts - December 16th, 2022

Understanding and measuring process time is one of the most important aspects of process improvement. Much of the waste (muda) in a process causes a process to take longer than it should. When a process takes longer, customers are wait

GA 454 | Practicing Lean in a Pandemic with Sabrina McCorvey

By Jessica Bush - December 15th, 2022

This week’s guest is Sabrina McCorvey. Ron and Sabrina discussed what it’s like practicing lean in a pandemic, how she has used Gemba Academy, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. I

GA 453 | Navigating the Struggle of Learning with Katie Anderson

By Jessica Bush - December 8th, 2022

This week’s guest is Katie Anderson. Ron and Katie met up at the AME conference in Dallas to discuss what Katie’s been up to as well as her book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn. Katie also shed some light on her approac

GA 452 | The Power of Transactional Lean with Jen Borden

By Jessica Bush - December 1st, 2022

This week’s guest is Jen Borden. Ron and Jen discussed transactional lean, what it entails, and how you can get started with it.  An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll

GA 451 | Good and “Evil” in Kata with Scott Laundry and Marc Bicknell

By Jessica Bush - November 24th, 2022

This week’s guests are Scott Laundry and Marc Bicknell. Ron, Scott, and Marc discussed all things kata, including being a good coach and how kata can be “evil.” An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for do

GA 450 | Governing the Standard with Billy Taylor

By Jessica Bush - November 17th, 2022

This week’s guest is Billy Taylor. We caught up with Billy at the recent AME conference in Dallas, where he and Ron discussed his book The Winning Link and the concept of governance. Billy also shared some powerful anecdotes we t

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

By Jessica Bush - 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

GA 448 | Planning an AME Conference with Gregory MacDougall

By Jessica Bush - November 3rd, 2022

This week’s guest is Gregory MacDougall. Gregory’s interview is the first we’re sharing from the recent AME Conference in Dallas. Gregory explained how he chooses keynote speakers, what his health journey has taught h

GA 447 | Reality Fights Back with Trond Undheim

By Jessica Bush - October 27th, 2022

This week’s guest is Trond Undheim. Ron and Trond discussed Trond’s book Augmented Lean, and his thoughts on automation and technology. He and Ron also each shared their stance on social media and its effects on humanity. A

GA 444 | Navigating Volatility with Patrick Dippel

By Jessica Bush - October 6th, 2022

This week’s guest is Patrick Dippel. Ron and Patrick talked about volatility and how leaders and organizations everywhere can deal with uncertain times. Patrick also explained the merits of on-demand labor and how his website Ver

GA 443 | Telling Stories and Making Meaning with Jamie Dixon

By Jessica Bush - September 29th, 2022

This week’s guest is Jamie Dixon. Ron and Jamie talked all about the power of storytelling, and how it’s done correctly. Jamie also specifically explained what the three ingredients of stories are.  An MP3 audio version of

GA 442 | Getting Decisions That Stick with Kurt Neubek

By Jessica Bush - September 22nd, 2022

This week’s guest is Kurt Neubek. Kurt explained how lean is used in the Design and Construction industries, and the differences between virtual and in-person dynamics. He and Ron also discussed navigating biases. An MP3 audio ve

GA 441 | Strategic Visioning with Deondra Wardelle

By Jessica Bush - September 15th, 2022

This week’s guest is Deondra Wardelle. Deondra, a keynote panelist at the upcoming AME Conference, talked to Ron about her consulting work and strategic visioning. They also discussed kata and the future of lean. An MP3 audio ver

GA 440 | Engagement, Education, and Recognition with Tom Hughes

By Jessica Bush - September 8th, 2022

This week’s guest is Tom Hughes. Ron and Tom discussed how culture and standards coexist in lean, and why it’s so important to be candid. Tom also shared some great anecdotes and lean wisdom. An MP3 audio version of this ep

GA 439 | Collecting and Interpreting Data with John Knotts

By Jessica Bush - September 1st, 2022

  This week’s guest is John Knotts. Ron and John talked all about data, how to approach it, and what tools John recommends. John also expanded on the concept of “being the rock.”  An MP3 audio version of this ep

GA 438 | The Importance of Understanding People with Brent Weichers

By Jessica Bush - August 25th, 2022

This week’s guest is Brent Weichers. Brent explained how his organization has made real changes to improve the lives of the employees. He also shared what he’ll be presenting at this year’s AME conference. An MP3 audi

GA 437 | Virtual Training with Steve Kane

By Jessica Bush - August 18th, 2022

This week’s guest is Steve Kane. Ron and Steve discussed the benefits and challenges of virtual training. Steve also explained the trends in virtual training he’s observed recently. An MP3 audio version of this episode is a

GA 434 | All About TPM with Ron Pereira

By Jessica Bush - July 28th, 2022

This week’s guest is Ron Pereira. Ron talked about our TPM, or Total Productive Maintenance, content, and then shared a previous episode on TPM by Balaji Chandrasekar. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for downloa

GA 433 | Being a Scientific Leader with Calvin Williams

By Jessica Bush - July 21st, 2022

This week’s guest is Calvin Williams. Ron and Calvin discussed his company Impruver, scientific thinking, and what it means to be a scientific leader. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this e

GA 431 | Implementing a Quality Management System with Dereck Williams

By Jessica Bush - July 7th, 2022

This week’s guest is Dereck Williams. Ron and Dereck discussed Quality Management Systems, what they entail, and how to ensure your efforts are successful and sustainable. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for dow

GA 430 | The Importance of Empathetic Leadership with Bhavana Bartholf

By Jessica Bush - June 30th, 2022

This week’s guest is Bhavana Bartholf. Bhavana is the Global Head of Digital & Sales Strategy at Microsoft and a keynote speaker at this year’s AME International Conference. Ron and Bhavana discussed empathy, culture, t

GA 429 | Driving Excellence and Creating Value with Michael Lamach

By Jessica Bush - June 23rd, 2022

This week’s guest is Michael Lamach. A keynote presenter at this year’s AME International Conference, Ron and Michael talked about everything from his time at Trane Technologies, to promoting engagement, cycle time, and mor

Three Most Important Metrics in a Continuous Improvement Culture

By John Knotts - June 17th, 2022

How many things do you measure in order to tell you how you are doing in business?  I have seen organizations that measure everything and anything.  Many times, what is being measured is not something the business can do anything abo

GA 428 | The Power of Discovery with Colin Baird

By Jessica Bush - June 16th, 2022

This week’s guest is Colin Baird. Ron and Colin discussed the role of discovery and the importance of being appreciated. Colin also shared how his relationship with his father shaped the way he views continuous improvement. An MP

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