Toyota

137 Articles

GA 345 | Hearing for the First Time with Adam Alamade

By Jessica Bush - November 12th, 2020

This week’s guest is Adam Alamade. Adam works for a cochlear implant manufacturer and he described how they use continuous improvement. He and Ron also discussed dealing with resistance, owning problems, developing habits, and mo

GA 339 | Applying Lean and Six Sigma to Human Resources with Michael Parent

By Jessica Bush - October 1st, 2020

This week’s guest is Michael Parent. Ron and Michael discussed the role of continuous improvement in HR and the challenges Michael faces. Michael also shared his take on applying these principles in untraditional contexts. A MP3

GA 332 | Lean, Fashion Photography, and E-Commerce with Adam Murfin

By Jessica Bush - August 13th, 2020

This week’s guest is Adam Murfin. Adam described how he uses lean in fashion photography, including the pre and post-production stages. This episode is a great example of how versatile and universal lean really is. A MP3 audio ve

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 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

Respect for Humanity: To Be Lean or Not to Be, That Is the Question

By Jessica Bush - June 12th, 2020

The following article was written for Gemba Academy by Mohamed Saleh, PhD Many of us grew up admiring figures like Gandhi, King Arthur, Michael Jordan, figures of faith, and our own parents for how they inspired us. They gathered follo

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 308 | Lessons Learned at Toyota with Andy Reith

By Jessica Bush - February 27th, 2020

This week’s guest is Andy Reith. Ron and Andy discussed working at Toyota, the challenges small businesses face, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn: 

GA 298 | Defining Standardized Work with Mike Thelen

By Jessica Bush - December 19th, 2019

This week’s guest is Mike Thelen. Ron and Mike explored all things standardized work, including the components, how often it should be improved, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In thi

GA 297 | The Importance of Hansei and Revitalization with Katie Anderson

By Jessica Bush - December 12th, 2019

This week’s guest is Katie Anderson. Katie described what it’s like working with former Toyota leader Mr. Isao Yoshino, and why the practices of reflection and revitalization are so critical. A MP3 audio version of this epi

How to Run Kata in the Classroom

By Ron Pereira - December 6th, 2019

If you’re interested in learning how to think scientifically I strongly recommend the Kata in the Classroom (KiC) exercise. I’ve personally run a number of KiC workshops.  On one end of the spectrum I’ve run workshop

GA 296 | How Toyota Uses Agile with Nigel Thurlow

By Jessica Bush - December 5th, 2019

This week’s guest is Nigel Thurlow.  At the time of this recording Nigel was Chief of Agile at Toyota Connected. He has since moved on from Toyota Connected.  Nigel explained how Toyota has used agile, and why it’s so imp

GA 291 | Understanding Your Suppliers with Denise Meredith

By Jessica Bush - October 31st, 2019

This week’s guest is Denise Meredith. Ron and Denise discussed everything from working with suppliers, to casket manufacturing, to automation. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode yo

GA 282 | Toyota Kata and Scientific Thinking with Mike Rother

By Jessica Bush - August 29th, 2019

This week we’re sharing a keynote by Mike Rother. Recorded at KataCon5, Mike stresses the value of scientific thinking and Toyota Kata, touching on specific tools like deliberate practice as well. A MP3 audio version of this epis

GA 275 | Leading vs. Serving with Sarah Tilkens

By Jessica Bush - July 11th, 2019

This week’s guest is Sarah Tilkens. A Lean Manufacturing Leader at GE Healthcare, Sarah and Ron discussed the differences between mentoring, coaching, leading, and serving. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available for dow

GA 273 | Lean as a Management System with Skip Steward

By Jessica Bush - June 27th, 2019

This week’s guest is Skip Steward. Ron and Skip continued their conversation from Episode 269, diving deeper into scientific thinking, Toyota Kata, management systems, and more. A MP3 audio version of this episode is available fo

GA 270 | The Simplicity of Lean with Philip Holt

By Jessica Bush - June 6th, 2019

This week’s guest is Philip Holt. Philip discussed the books he’s written, the concept of “mosquito leadership,” and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you

GA 269 | Establishing a Standard Behavior with Skip Steward

By Jessica Bush - May 30th, 2019

This week’s guest is Skip Steward. Ron and Skip had a long conversation all about healthcare and the transformative powers of TWI, Toyota Kata, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In thi

GA 265 | Finding Your Best Way with William Harvey

By Jessica Bush - May 2nd, 2019

This week’s guest is Dr. William Harvey. William and Ron discussed William’s research on Toyota Kata, including his process and what he learned from other lean thinkers. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for

GA 264 | Repeating the Process of Learning with Dr. Jeffrey Liker

By Jessica Bush - April 25th, 2019

This week we’re sharing an incredible keynote by Dr. Jeffrey Liker that he gave at KataCon5 earlier this year. Dr. Liker shared a wealth of information regarding his background, his lean journey, and the lessons he’s learne

GA 262 | The Next Generation of Lean with Tyler Athey

By Jessica Bush - April 11th, 2019

This week’s guest is Tyler Athey. Tyler is at the beginning of his career but has accomplished a lot in just a few years. Ron and Tyler touched on a lot of different aspects of lean, including kanban systems, flow, culture, and m

GA 260 | The Secret to Excellence with Oscar Roche

By Jessica Bush - March 28th, 2019

This week’s guest is Oscar Roche, Director of the TWI Institute in Australia & New Zealand. Ron and Oscar discussed the humanity of lean, the components of TWI, and more.  An MP3 version of this episode is available for down

GA 252 | Standard Work in the Office with Steve Ansuini

By Jessica Bush - January 31st, 2019

This week’s guest is Steve Ansuini. Steve discussed his time at Toyota, including how he implemented Standard Work and Job Instruction Breakdowns in the office. An MP3 version of this episode is available for download here. In th

GA 248 | The Importance of Creativity with Karyn Ross

By Jessica Bush - January 3rd, 2019

This week’s guest is Karyn Ross. Ron and Karyn talked all about the power of creativity, why lean thinkers should focus on it, and how you can learn to be more creative. An MP3 version of this episode is available for download he

GA 244 | How to Teach Kata in the Classroom with Mike Rother

By Jessica Bush - December 6th, 2018

This week’s guest is Mike Rother. Mike actually interviewed Ron for this episode, and the two of them discussed scientific thinking and Ron’s experience facilitating a kata workshop for kids. An MP3 version of this episode

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