This week’s guest is Jennifer Drago. Ron and Jennifer discussed having a long-term vision, data-driven strategies, overcoming resistance to change, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote Jennifer likes (4:01)
• Her background (4:24)
• Why having strategy and vision is important (7:35)
• Balancing for-profit need with altruism (10:05)
• Painting the long-term vision and creating strategic pillars (15:56)
• Getting total buy-in (17:25)
• Communicating your vision (19:39)
• Some general examples (21:18)
• How Jennifer overcame resistance to change (23:27)
• Other challenges she has seen leaders face (25:30)
• What Jennifer is most proud of (29:30)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Jennifer’s Website
• Jennifer on LinkedIn
• Jennifer on YouTube

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What Do You Think?

What is your long-term vision? How did you arrive at it?

This week’s guest is Royden Johnson. Ron and Royden discussed lean in South Africa, connection before correction, 5S, authority, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote that Royden likes (3:23)
• Royden’s background (4:02)
• The state of lean in South Africa (10:41)
• Connection before correction (13:42)
• His journey with 5S (16:11)
• The contrast between moral authority and formal authority (23:24)
• Accountability vs. ownership (27:22)
• Advice for anyone at the early stage of their continuous improvement journey (29:27)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Royden on LinkedIn

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What Do You Think?

How is lean different in your country compared to other places in the world?

 

This week’s guest is Tim Pettry. Ron and Tim discussed outside perceptions of Toyota, Cleveland Clinic’s journey with continuous improvement, and Tim’s unusual workshop at the upcoming Shingo Conference. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote Tim likes (2:28)
• How his lean journey started (3:38)
• A Ford employee’s perception of Toyota  (9:30)
• The Cleveland Clinic Improvement Model (12:17)
• How they’ve involved physicians (19:19)
• About his unusual upcoming workshop (25:01)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Shingo 36th Annual Conference
• The Cleveland Clinic Improvement Model PDF
• Tim on LinkedIn
• Tim on X: @valuesstreamldr

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What Do You Think?

What about Cleveland Clinic’s story resonates with you?

This week’s guest is April Bell. Ron and April discussed how Jack Henry uses continuous improvement, specifically Toyota Kata. They also explored quantifying waste in an office setting, and the intersection of tools and scientific thinking. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• April’s favorite quote (2:08)
• Her background (2:56)
• Some of the challenges Jack Henry has faced with continuous improvement (4:57)
• Their experience with kata (8:38)
• The framework they use (12:03)
• How they quantify waste (13:38)
• Their vision and plan (16:25)
• The intersection of tools and scientific thinking (18:40)
• The challenges they’re facing (19:59)
• Advice for getting started (25:30)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• April on LinkedIn

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What Do You Think?

Have you used kata in an office setting?

This week’s guest is Alen Ganic. Ron and Alen discussed Alen’s work with the City of Grand Rapids, process improvement from the customer perspective, and the importance of celebrating quick wins. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• Alen’s favorite quotes (2:02)
• His background (5:21)
• How the mayor discovered lean (9:12)
• An anecdote about the water department (10:47)
• What you can do to introduce and sustain a lean initiative (15:03)
• Focusing on process improvement from the customer’s perspective (21:27)
• The importance of measuring (22:50)
• Approaching those “in the middle” (24:10)
• Alen’s advice for those getting started (29:23)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Alen on LinkedIn
• Gemba Academy Live City of Grand Rapids

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What Do You Think?

How do you celebrate quick wins?

This week’s guest is Michael Lombard. Ron and Michael discussed deliberate versus random practice, homeschooling, youth soccer, and what it’s like using scientific thinking in those environments. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote that inspires Michael (3:58)
• His background (5:42)
• Going from practitioner to CEO (9:11)
• His family’s experience with homeschooling (11:11)
• Using the scientific framework with homeschooling (20:56)
• Using the scientific framework with soccer (28:14)
• One of Ron’s favorite soccer memories (33:59)
• Kata as a method of balance (38:01)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Kata School Florida
• Kata School Florida on LinkedIn
• GA 004 | Leveraging the Toyota Kata Approach to Learning & Coaching
• GA 243 | How to Strive to Thrive

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What Do You Think?

Have you ever used scientific thinking in an unusual setting?

This week’s guest is Robb Holman. Ron and Robb discussed Robb’s new book, “Lessons from Abdul,” navigating crises, filtering out the “noise” in our lives, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote that inspires Robb (3:30)
• About his new book, Lessons from Abdul (4:47)
• Who Abdul is (8:29)
• Robb’s basketball career (14:01)
• What Robb learned from Abdul (14:53)
• Receiving well with so much “noise” (19:06)
• Practical tips for being better at receiving (24:47)
• Where you can get Robb’s book (29:22)
• What else is going on in Robb’s life (30:22)
• A story about Robb’s wife’s cancer treatment (32:52)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Robb’s Website
• Lessons from Abdul
• Robb on LinkedIn
• Robb on Facebook
• Robb on Twitter

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What Do You Think?

Who in your life have you learned some unexpected lessons from?

This week’s guest is Jim Huntzinger. Ron and Jim discussed what it means to build a culture of continuous improvement, what the future of continuous improvement looks like, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote Jim likes (2:38)
• His background (3:13)
• About KataCon 2024 and other upcoming events (6:53)
• What a continuous improvement culture looks like (8:53)
• The commonality of having a hypothesis (11:53)
• The foundational skills to building a continuous improvement culture (13:34)
• Ron’s horse and cart analogy (19:27)
• Why it’s important to share this knowledge (23:41)
• What Jim thinks the future of continuous improvement looks like (28:09)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Lean Frontiers
• Jim on LinkedIn
• Lean Frontiers on LinkedIn
• KataCon10
• TWI Summit
• Skills Lab
• Skillpoint for Job Instruction
• Skillpoint for Toyota Kata

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What Do You Think?

What else do scientific thinking and continuous improvement have in common?

This week’s guest is Carlos Pereyra. Ron and Carlos discussed Carlos’s recent graduation from our Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt program, what it means to create psychological safety, measuring success, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote Carlos likes (3:31)
• His background (4:16)
• Failing faster (7:20)
• How we can encourage a culture of experimentation (11:21)
• Some personal examples (12:31)
• Getting people excited about lean (17:03)
• Advice for leaders (19:12)
• Why it is so difficult for leaders to create psychological safety (21:10)
• Measuring success (23:01)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Carlos on LinkedIn

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What Do You Think?

How do you get people excited about lean?

This week’s guest is Jim Vaselopulos. Ron and Jim discussed business distractions, AI, and the lean parallels in Jim’s book on clarity. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you’ll learn: 

• The quote that inspires Jim (2:41)
• His background (3:45)
• Why he wrote a book (5:10)
• What “clarity” means to Jim (8:03)
• What he means by “business distractions” (13:39)
• The lean parallels in this book (18:14)
• Ron’s fear regarding AI (21:52)
• What it means to “leave folks one inch taller” (25:27)

Podcast Resources

• Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3
• Jim on LinkedIn
• Jim’s Book on Amazon

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What Do You Think?

What does “clarity” mean to you?

This week's guest is Nikhil Joshi. Ron and Nikhil discussed the role of software in continuous improvement, what the future of AI looks like, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Nikhil likes (2:45) His background (3:35) How software plays a role in the continuous improvement world (5:44) The future regarding AI (9:29) Whether we'll still talk to each other (16:50) Practical tips for using technology and software (18:59) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 The Lean Startup Digital Hesitation Nikhil on LinkedIn Nikhil on Twitter Nikhil on Facebook Nikhil on Instagram SNIC Solutions Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What does the future hold as far as AI goes? Will we still know how to think?