When I began JFlinch in January of 2020, I simply got started because I really wanted to decide slowly over time what work I truly wanted to do. While the pandemic forced some changes, it also set a path of my honing of my strategic heuristics for decision making, and ultimately the shape of what […]

We can all make mistakes, so I advocate for learning from mistakes through my book, podcast, and speaking. I do my best to learn from my mistakes, so I don’t repeat them. I fail to meet that standard sometimes, and I try to learn from those moments (as I shared in this recent post). A […]

Welcome to a world where learning and professional growth go hand in hand and where the barriers to expanding your expertise are lifted! We’re thrilled to introduce you to our latest discovery: a Free Udemy Courses treasure trove, now accessible with a 100% Coupon. Whether you’re aspiring to master Good Manufacturing Practices, enhance your problem-solving […]

Introduction Change is a constant in the business world, and managing it effectively is crucial for any organization looking to stay competitive and efficient. Implementing a well-structured change control system is essential for maintaining process excellence and continuous improvement. This three-part blog series will guide you through the ten essential steps to establish a robust […]

What does it mean when a sensei challenges kaizen team members to think like a 9-year old? Sensei is asking them to do something that is very difficult. That is, to approach the work and the problems in ways that a 9-year old child would — free of preconceptions. What is a preconception? It is […]

Episode 44: “New Year’s Resolutions, just not Dry January. Boeing makes one too”  In Episode 44, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh get back together for this first episode of 2024. Since we’re not doing Dry January, we go right into the whiskey first by talking about old bottles including one very old one found at […]

Listen: In Episode 44 of the Lean Whiskey podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban get back together for this first episode of 2024. Since we’re not doing Dry January, we go right into the whiskey first by talking about old bottles, including one very old one found at auction. We then did our own comparison […]

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 […]

The first of two blog posts exploring shareholder and stakeholder theories of management. An excellent research paper by Vladislav Valentinov and Robert Chia on the different worldviews (ontologies) associated with shareholder and stakeholder theories. The paper discusses the difference between substance (atomistic individualism) and process (relational) ontologies. To improve, Lean promoters, influencers, and advocates must […]

In this episode of People Solve Problems, host Jamie Flinchbaugh invites a thought-provoking guest, Frank Nestore, Vice President at Mathtech’s public sector consulting practice. The episode delves into the intricate world of problem-solving within governmental agencies, a realm where Frank has extensive experience and deep insights. Frank begins by outlining the unique challenges faced by […]

The second of two blog posts exploring shareholder and stakeholder theories of management. An excellent research paper by Vladislav Valentinov on the shareholder (neoclassical economics) and stakeholder theory (institutional economics). Unfortunately, the neoclassical economics that most top leaders (and their lines of succession) remain strongly committed to, as well as their understanding of corporate purpose […]

“It is in Toyota’s DNA that mistakes made once will not be repeated.” — Akio Toyoda, Chairman, Toyota Motor Corporation I love that quote from Mr. Toyoda, and I use it to lead off Chapter 4 of my book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation, on “Preventing Mistakes.” We […]

Continuous improvement is a systematic and ongoing process to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and overall performance of an organization, product, or process. Rooted in the philosophy of incremental progress, continuous improvement involves identifying and implementing small, ongoing changes to achieve greater productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction over time. By fostering a culture of learning and […]

To both economists and top business leaders, a management system is not a determinant of business (financial) success. As much as we would like them to be wrong, they are right. It does not matter if the system is classical management, Lean management, a mash-up of the two, with or without six sigma, or anything […]

I’m frustrated that the official Boeing response to their high-profile quality problems (and safety risks) is more… INSPECTIONS! Boeing will inspect Boeing’s work more. Boeing will inspect Sprit AeroSystems’ work more. Airlines will be invited to come inspect the work. The F.A.A. will come to audit the work. I’m picturing a variation of the famous […]

The term “Gemba” comes from Japanese and is widely used in various industries, particularly in lean manufacturing practices (or lean in other settings). “Gemba” (現場)—sometimes spelled “Genba”—translates to “the real place” or “the actual place” in English. In the manufacturing context, it refers to the place where value is created, where the actual work happens, […]

Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for Episode #496 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Randy Carr, the CEO of South Florida-based World Emblem – one of the largest embroidery companies in the world with plants in the U.S. and Mexico.  Since 1993, the family-owned business has been the “go to” for emblems and […]

Setting effective and achievable business goals is at the heart of any good business goal setting strategy. While many people say they want to achieve success in business, not everyone has the wherewithal to follow through and do so. Determining the right direction for a business requires setting ambitious and inclusive—yet attainable—goals. If a business’ […]

In the competitive landscape of today’s business world, organizations face constant pressure to deliver superior products and services while optimizing operational efficiency. Continuous process improvement (CPI) contributes to success by providing a framework for organizations to regularly evaluate and refine their processes. This leads to cost savings and improved productivity, allowing businesses to meet or […]

This Snickers commercial always makes me chuckle, and I saw it again last night during an NFL playoff game: The punchline is that this stadium worker has meticulously painted, in the end zone, the word CHEFS instead of CHIEFS, as in the Kansas City Chiefs. The theme of this, and a series of Snickers commercials, […]

An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which a product is built in a step-by-step sequence. One of many decisions when installing an assembly line has to do with its pacing. When should you use a pulsed line? When a continuously moving line? And when is an unstructured timing best? This post will look […]

It will have been 95 years ago this month that Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in Atlanta. One of the greatest Americans to have ever lived, King devoted his life to the struggle for civil rights, a struggle that continues to this very day. In both word and action, he had a profound and […]

Yesterday I returned from almost two weeks in Iceland, which was tacked on to two weeks exploring Maine. Nearly a month away from the home and office, and our first international trip in well over a year. We had a fantastic time with great weather, experiences, and food. Too much food.  Travel takes me out […]

Our professional lives are generally consumed by trying to make our processes more efficient to reduce waste and help increase the value we deliver to our customers.  Our personal lives are similarly consumed by trying to find time on our busy schedules to take care of chores, have meaningful time with the family, or to […]

As I push through my later 50s I’m finding that I value flexibility and balance far more than strength and endurance.  This is augmented in my case as I’ve always had very high calcium levels, and even after removing dairy and other sources I still deal with calcification of various tendons leading to one shoulder […]

Have you ever wondered how venture capital firms turn modest investments into massive windfalls? Let’s pull back the curtain on the alchemy of VC firms and discover the secret recipe that makes startups and investors’ dreams come true. Creating the Potion: The Fund Imagine a cauldron that brews for ten years; that’s your typical VC […]

Earlier this week our good friend Mark Graban at Lean Blog reminded me of an article on how former Alcoa CEO Paul O’Neill focused on improving workplace safety, which contributed to driving growth from $3 billion in 1987 to $27 billion in 1999. “Focusing on worker safety can transform an entire organization and dramatically improve […]

My wife and I watched the documentary Stutz for the third or fourth time last weekend. It’s a unique story that always provides something new each time we watch it. The movie features actor Jonah Hill interviewing his therapist Phil Stutz, aiming to expand the knowledge and use of his unique tools. As a mental […]

Psychological Safety is not some nice-to-have touchy-feely concept. Psychological Safety means that you feel safe speaking up in the workplace. That could mean: It’s been pretty well proven that organizations with a higher level of Psychological Safety perform better. A lack of Psychological Safety in a factory can turn deadly. A lack of it has […]

The Gaussian – also known as “Normal” – distribution is used and abused in many domains. In Manufacturing, this includes quality assurance, supply-chain management,  and human resources. This is the first in a series of posts aimed at understanding the range of applicability of this tool.  Googling uses of the normal distribution produces nearly 1 […]

Thanks as always to Ryan McCormack for this… there’s always so much good reading, listening, and viewing shared here by him! 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 Practical Problem Solving – the Toyota Way […]

The manufacturing industry is one of the most important industries in the world. It is responsible for producing everything from cars to computers to household appliances. However, it is also one of the most dangerous industries, with a high risk of accidents and injuries. Near-miss incidents, where an incident almost occurs but is narrowly avoided, […]

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 […]

Scroll down for how to subscribe, transcript, and more My guest for this bonus episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Gregory H. Jacobson, M.D., a co-founder and the CEO of KaiNexus. Greg, also a practicing emergency medicine physician to this day, was previously a guest in Episode 149 and was a part of […]