People often think in terms of dichotomies, a division or separation (sometimes opposition) between parts or forces. This differs from “Manichaean thinking,” a division between good and evil. Both can be powerful motivators for change that alter the course of history. There is a healthy dislike for such thinking in some quarters because it simplifies, […]

In this edition: Adaptive Organisation; 15-minute FOTO; New podcast interview; More free sessions; Train-the-Trainer / Facilitator (TTT/F); Top posts Adaptive Organisation There is plenty to report here! Let’s begin with its online, self-paced version. Now that I’ve finished hand-editing the captions on all of its videos, Adaptive Organisation (II) is out of beta. That’s both […]

In the field of project management, one often overlooked aspect is reliability. This includes the dependability of your business operations and team members, as well as your own dependability to your team. Understanding Accountability in Project Management Accountability is a cornerstone of project management. It’s not just about assigning tasks; it’s about ensuring they are […]

Online forums do not often discuss quality fundamentals like characteristics and tolerances. You find arguments about process capability, but the requirements for process capability are taken as given. Tolerances on characteristics are objectives that production is expected to meet, and deserve an exploration of what they mean and how they are set. Quality Characteristics The […]

I’m happy to be hosting a webinar that will be presented by Stephanie Hill from KaiNexus, on December 5th at 1 pm. It’s titled: Engaging Senior Leaders to Accelerate Your Continuous Improvement Program You can register to attend live, ask questions, and interact with Stephanie. I recently recorded a preview with Stephanie, which you can […]

Oftentimes, it is only later in life that you wish you had been given advice that could have helped you better succeed and avoid much stress and anguish. Pursuant to that end, here is my advice for young Lean professionals — and maybe some old professionals too! Don’t become blinded by the allure of Lean. […]

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of November 2023.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.     Understanding Misunderstandings – Bob Emiliani talks about his life work to advance progressive leadership and management.   The New Competencies – Christopher R Chapman discusses management competencies, in particular those […]

Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guests for Episode #493 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Gene Kim and Steve Spear, co-authors of the new book Wiring the Winning Organization: Liberating Our Collective Greatness through Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification. Joining us for the first time is Gene Kim, a Wall […]

Master the Learning Zone to Overcome the Performance Paradox Have you ever felt burned out and exhausted from the constant pressure to perform, to achieve, or to get it “right”? Or is your organization putting a lot of effort into improvement projects and strategic initiatives, but you are finding that you aren’t making much improvement […]

Lean is a lot of problem solving. Toyota excels at such problem solving, and they have developed their practical problem solving (PPS) approach. For many it is surprising how much time Toyota spends on defining and understanding the problem, whereas (many in) the rest of the world immediately jump to a (possibly inferior) solution. Let me […]

I’m sure it has not been difficult to figure out that my interests and my approach to what I do is not typical. It is less by design and more by the nature of who I am. When it comes to writing, my approach has been to avoid trends, be a friendly rebel, and satisfy […]

🚨 Special pricing this week only! 🚨 My latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation, is on sale: $9.99 paperback (regularly $18.99) $19.99 paperback (regularly $28.99) $3.99 Kindle (regularly $6.99) Buy Via Amazon The sale price should be available through Friday. It’s an award winner! Enter to Win […]

By Pascal Dennis (bio) In my last blog, I described my daughters experience, and mine with Ontario’s court system, which is similar to that used in the US, UK and many other countries. I experienced many of the Eight Wastes including delay, defects, over-processing, and inventory in my fellow prospective jurors! I spent much of […]

I’m sure it has not been difficult to figure out that my interests and my approach to what I do is not typical. It is less by design and more by the nature of who I am. When it comes to writing, my approach has been to avoid trends, be a rebel, and satisfy my […]

Image Source: Pexels Whether you’re a new leader or an experienced one, there’s always more to learn. This is especially true if you don’t get formal leadership training — which most leaders don’t. In one study, almost half of leaders with 10 or more years of management experience said they’d had nine total hours of […]

I was recently interviewed by Megan Wallin-Kirth for an article she wrote for Quality Digest. I thought she was interviewing me for a broader article about quality, but it ended up being a profile of me and my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. So I’m happy […]

Understanding Overburden in the Lean Context In the realm of lean manufacturing, addressing the trio of challenges – waste (muda), unevenness (mura), and overburden (muri) – is crucial for operational excellence. Overburden, or muri, often receives less attention yet has significant implications. Overburden in lean terms refers to unreasonable work demands that exceed an employee’s […]

For the 23 years that I taught graduate students (who were working professionals), I always included the “Caux Round Table Principles for Responsible Business” in my Lean leadership course (view the current version of the CRT Principles here). Sometime around 2004, I contacted the head of the Caux Round Table and asked him if he […]

I will venture to guess that most people who love Lean management have an affinity for helping to make processes run smoother, with less struggle, and with fewer problems, with the overall goal being productivity improvement at the genba. That is an important goal given that most businesses face competition in the marketplace and thus […]

I have a limited number of copies of my book Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More that are available for about half of the Amazon retail price — and this includes free shipping. CLICK TO BUY There’s a small misprinting on the cover, where the subtitle almost runs off the right edge […]

What are traditions? They are the stock of wisdom of our ancestors, handed down through the generations orally and by practice. Traditions are generally regarded as being useful or beneficial, a type of glue that binds people without which things would fall apart. Therefore, stability demands that traditions must be preserved and handed down, knowingly […]

Every now and then, someone on social media gets annoyed with me because they think I am selling Lean tools or Lean transformation consulting services. Or, when I provide a link to one of my books, someone gets annoyed (a few get really annoyed!) that I am trying to sell them a book. I don’t […]

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 […]

Maintenance is essential for any business or organization that relies on equipment and machinery. Without proper maintenance, machines can break down unexpectedly, causing costly downtime and repairs. However, not all maintenance processes are the same. Planned and scheduled maintenance are two terms are often used interchangeably. While they go hand in hand with one another, […]

In the world of project management, there are many misconceptions. Today, we’ll debunk some of them. Myth #1: Change is Inherently Negative Contrary to popular belief, change isn’t something to be feared. While finding solace in the familiar is natural, clinging to the status quo often hinders progress. Change, be it in technology, processes, or […]

At the hospital on Monday, a chaplain shared a Thanksgiving poem on the theme of being grateful. It struck a chord with me. As a Lean practitioner, it’s easy to focus on the waste… the problems… the gaps. We think about what could be and the “ideal state.” We strive for perfection and it’s easy […]

Thanksgiving Day has evolved over the years as an important holiday. It is not just about feasting and merrymaking. The tradition of Thanksgiving dinner teaches us to appreciate the finer things in life. It is about showing one’s gratitude for the blessings that we are showered with. In all the hustle and bustle of getting […]

In 2014 and 2015, I had the great pleasure of spending quite a bit of time with Mr. Nakao (he was 74 years old in late 2014). It was during those years that I was working on the books shown Kaizen Forever and Shingijutsu-Kaizen. The time I spent with him was one of the most […]

Imagine a world where every production process flows seamlessly, like a well-orchestrated symphony, eliminating bottlenecks and delays. This is the world of continuous flow manufacturing, a revolutionary approach that has left an indelible mark on the industrial landscape. Continuous manufacturing isn’t just a process; it’s a mindset that challenges the status quo and drives organizations […]

On this episode “People Solve Problems” podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh hosts Dr. Zach G. Zacharia, the Interim Department Chair (DATA) and Associate Professor at Lehigh University and Director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at Lehigh. Dr. Zacharia, with his extensive background in Supply Chain Management, shares his insights on problem-solving in various roles and […]

Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #492 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Nick Katko, previously here in Episode 428 in 2021 with his co-author Mike DeLuca talking about their book Practicing Lean Accounting.  Today, Nick is here to discuss his book, The Lean CFO: Architect of […]

Overburden (muri) is one of the three evils of manufacturing, along with unevenness (mura) and waste (muda). Out of the three, overburden is probably the least understood. Hence, in this post I will look deeper at overburden, including plenty of examples as well as the effects of overburden on your people. Introduction There are three […]

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you might like the way I think or what I have to say. Or maybe not 🙂 But if you do… here’s an opportunity for a free virtual consultation with me. As 2023 draws to a close and 2024 gets started, it’s naturally a time for reflection […]

In a world where efficiency is the lifeblood of success and waste is the silent killer of profits, there exists a methodology that promises to transform businesses and organizations into lean, mean, profit-producing machines. Imagine a system that combines the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel with the power of a sledgehammer, aiming to eliminate errors, […]