On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve. "It’s not joy that makes us grateful, it’s gratitude that makes us joyful."  —  Brené Brown According to Brown, people who have the capacity to lean fully into joy have one variable in common: They practice gratitude ..read more

Business is growing more competitive every day. In order to keep up with customer demand and expectations, companies are having to work faster and be more efficient than ever before. Value stream management is an emerging business process intended to gauge the flow of value into business resources and activities as well as the flow of value back into the business. Value stream mapping helps a business oversee the complete end-to-end activity cycle and measure the success of that activity cycle. In short, value stream mapping helps a business see what works and what doesn't. This lets a busi ..read more

For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey.  Another great reason to like A Lean Journey on Facebook. Click this link for A Lean Journey's Facebook Page Notes Feed. Here is the next addition of tips from the Facebook page: Lean Tip #3346 – Make the Problem Relatable and Put Yourself in Their Shoes It’s cr ..read more

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve. "The joy of brightening other lives becomes for us the magic of the holidays."  —  W.C. Jones During the holiday season our smiles are just a little wider, our handshakes a touch heartier, our purse strings a tad loos ..read more

An “old school” view of quality control viewed inspection as the key to quality. One-hundred-percent inspection is commonly used to avoid shipping nonconforming product. Each of the items produced is measured and judged to be either conforming or nonconforming​. Find the defects and throw 'em out. Whatever survived the inspection process was, by default, high quality. Visual inspection, especially 100% visual inspection, is used by many industries as part of their Quality or Risk Management programs. Sometimes, as the last resort, companies implement 100% inspection if the residual risk is de ..read more

A successful meeting needs to be well organized with a sense of purpose and direction. To ensure this, it is helpful to have a facilitator take charge of the session. A good facilitator adds immense value to any business or learning setting. The number of meetings is on the rise, with the average professional spending up to a third of their work week in meetings. However, with the right facilitator at the helm, the time spent in meetings doesn’t have to be lost time. Some people believe that facilitating a workshop/team is easy. It is not. When you have a group of people in a room, anything c ..read more

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve. "Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.."  — &nbs ..read more

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern workplaces, organizations are recognizing the transformative power of fostering a coaching culture. It's not just a trend; it's a strategic approach that empowers individuals, enhances teamwork, and propels businesses toward unprecedented success. In a coaching culture, managers and leaders act as coaches, guiding their team members towards achieving their goals and potential. This promotes a positive and empowering work environment, where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to take ownership of their growth and development. It aligns wit ..read more

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve. "Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."   —  F. Scott Fitzgerald The Fall season shows us that everything in life is fluid and changing and in order to move forward, we need to embrace the change ..read more

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve. "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."  —  William Arthur Ward Great leaders inspire greatness in others. They create an environment in ..read more