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 (29:2 ..read more

  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 Do ..read more

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 (1 ..read more

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 meas ..read more

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 ..read more

In the realm of business and organizational efficiency, understanding the nuances of process improvement across various industries is not merely an exercise in intellectual curiosity but a necessity. With 34 years of experience in this field, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of meticulous process optimization and the pitfalls of neglecting industry-specific considerations. This deep dive into the contrasting landscapes of various industries aims to illuminate the unique challenges and opportunities each sector presents. Traditional Manufacturing Traditional manufacturing is ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 p ..read more

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 ..read more