tl;dr summary: This post examines the trend of Tommy John surgeries in MLB and MiLB using Process Behavior Charts, revealing that the perceived surge in injuries is within historical variation. The data suggests shifts in patterns rather than a sudden increase, emphasizing the importance of contextual data analysis. Is there a “spike” or a “rash” of Tommy John surgeries in Major League Baseball this year? Statistically speaking, NO. I've seen a rash of articles about […] The post Analyzing MLB Tommy John Surgeries: Data Insights and Trends from 2000-2024 by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean B ..read more

I'm really excited to host and moderate the latest webinar in the KaiNexus Continuous Improvement Webinar series, which will be presented by my friend Elizabeth Chase from the City of Frisco, Texas. Elizabeth is a librarian and Material Services Manager for the city's public library. I've had a chance to visit with her in their previous library location (where they implemented Lean methods to improve the flow and circulation of borrowed and returned items). I […] The post Webinar Preview: From Lean Theory to Practice in Libraries and Beyond by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more

I have been really enjoying this book, released in 2021, by Kiyoshi “Nate” Furuta, a retired Toyota executive: Welcome Problems, Find Success: Creating Toyota Cultures Around the World. I bought it a year ago and wish I had started reading it sooner! Furuta is the retired former chair and CEO of Toyota Boshoku America, Inc. — an automotive parts supplier to companies including Toyota and General Motors. As it says on the company's website: “…we […] The post Embracing Challenges for Success: Lessons in Toyota Culture and Kaizen from Nate Furuta by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more

Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #502 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is DeWayne Allen, an executive, speaker, and workshop facilitator. DeWayne is a results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience, renowned for leveraging a solid engineering and operations background to propel growth for Fortune 500 organizations.  As a visionary leader, DeWayne excels in crafting and executing strategic plans to deliver desired outcomes. With a proven […] The post Lean from a General Manager and Executive Perspective: DeWayne Allen by Mark Graban ..read more

Listen: In Episode 45 of the Lean Whiskey podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban join the Just-in-Time Cafe team of Elisabeth Swan and Tracy O'Rourke as a special nod to their 100th Episode, while also having a chance to toast Mark's accomplishment of 250 episodes of My Favorite Mistake podcast and 500 episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast. This episode blended the two formats a bit, but you can be sure whiskey was one of […] The post Lean Whiskey #45: Crossover Episode with the Just-in-Time Cafe: Flinchbaugh, Graban, Swan, O’Rourke by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more

Thanks, as always, to Ryan McCormack for this. He always shares so much good reading, listening, and viewing here! Subscribe to get these directly from Ryan via email. News, articles, books, podcasts, and videos about how to make the workplace better. Operational Excellence, Improvement, and Innovation What would you pay to not lose a finger? Elimination is thought to be the best method to mitigate risks for safety, quality, or otherwise. But what will consumers […] The post Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: April 5, 2024 by Ryan McCormack appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more

It was more than “mildly infuriating” to see this photo and post shared on Reddit's “mildly infuriating” subreddit. “Mildly infuriating” is when Group 7 passengers clog the boarding gate area when Group 1 is being called. Mildly infuriating is getting an unnecessary spoon in your diner coffee when you clearly said “no cream and no sugar.” Add your own example here. What was posted on Reddit, as shown below, is completely infuriating and dangerous. OSHA? […] The post A Warning Sign is Not Effective Mistake Proofing to Protect Worker Safety by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more

The other day, Katie Anderson and I did a livestream about her November Lean study trip to Japan. I'm going with her in November. Come join us! Summary: In our discussion, we delved into the rich learning opportunities presented by the upcoming Japan study trip, an endeavor I'm thrilled to join this November. With a focus on cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and leadership practices, these trips represent a unique chance to engage with […] The post Japan Study Trips: A Voyage of Leadership Discovery; Mark Graban and Katie Anderson Discuss by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blo ..read more

Embracing Imperfections and Learning from Mistakes: A Leadership Insight from the 2022 AME Annual Conference… In a riveting conversation between Larry Culp (at the time, CEO of GE and now CEO of GE Aerospace) and my good friend Katie Anderson at the 2022 Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) Annual Conference, valuable lessons on leadership, transparency, and fostering a culture where challenges and imperfections are openly shared were illuminated. Come join AME at their 2024 Conference […] The post Turning Bad News into Building Blocks: Cultivating a Culture Where Mistakes Fuel Growt ..read more

I recently spoke and facilitated at a health system's quarterly leadership forum event on the topic of “Psychological Safety as a Pre-Condition for Continuous Improvement.” It was very well received, and I'm very passionate about the need for leaders to help every team member believe that it's both safe and effective to speak up in the workplace. Psychological Safety plus Problem Solving is a very powerful combination. Let me know if you'd be open to […] The post Bring Me to Speak at Your Health System’s Quarterly Leadership Forum by Mark Graban appeared first at Lean Blog ..read more