Yes, it really has been just over a year since my last post! The past few years have been a whirlwind of activity, including building new video studios and offices for Gemba Academy. This period culminated in being approached by a large German multinational training company and, after nearly a year of due diligence and […]

Simplifying Your Work Life: A Guide for Team Leads   In the hustle and bustle of managing a team, it’s easy for team leads to find themselves buried under piles of tasks, emails, and meetings. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. With the right strategies and mindset, team leads can simplify their work […]

Navigating Entrepreneurship While Working a Corporate Job: Building Resilience for Success   Embarking on the journey of entrepreneurship while still holding down a corporate job can be a challenging balancing act. The demands of your day job combined with the uncertainties and risks of starting a business can test even the most resilient individuals. However, […]

Lately, I have been thinking more about these words I write in the blog post “Lean Zombies:” When one looks at all the great management thinkers over the last 100 years — from Taylor, the Gilbreths, to Follett, Mayo, Deming, Ohno Drucker, Argyris, Kanter, Senge, Schein, etc. — they have all had senior leaders’ attention […]

Building Resilience: Strategies for Entrepreneurs with a 9-5 Job   For aspiring entrepreneurs who are juggling the demands of a 9-5 job while pursuing their dreams, the journey can be incredibly challenging. Balancing the responsibilities of a full-time job with the demands of building a business requires a high level of resilience. Resilience is the […]

Mark Graban recently hosted James P. Womack on his podcast titled: “Jim Womack’s Observations and Reflections on the Evolution of Lean.” Dr. Womack made a few interesting comments that are worthy of some analysis. Let’s begin here: So [it is] quite amazing to me that the book [The Machine That Changed the World, published in […]

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, enterprise transformation has emerged as a strategic imperative for organizations seeking to thrive in the face of unprecedented disruption and uncertainty. From technological advancements to shifting consumer expectations, organizations are constantly confronted with many challenges that necessitate fundamental changes in how they operate and deliver value. In this […]

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 Danaher: Masterful Capital Allocation and Lean Manufacturing Combined Danaher […]

As a manufacturer, your pursuit for efficiency and continuous improvement is likely never-ending. That’s why you might search for innovative methodologies that offer significant benefits. One such strategy that has been popular is the Japanese 5G Methodology. Rooted in principles that emphasize a thorough understanding of the workplace, this problem-solving technique offers a structured and […]

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 […]

Today, more than ever, businesses are navigating a landscape characterized by rapid technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviors, and heightened competition. In this context, embracing digital transformation isn’t merely an option—it’s imperative for staying relevant and competitive. Digital transformation entails the strategic integration of digital technologies into all facets of a business, fundamentally altering how it […]

I’ve already written one blog post about this excellent Bloomberg BusinessWeek article about the Lean transformation at GE Aerospace, a post that focused on CEO Larry Culp saying that “a problem-solving culture is far more effective operationally than a finger-pointing culture.” AN EMPIRE DIVIDED The inside story of how GE CEO Larry Culp dismantled a […]

In the manufacturing industry, achieving operational excellence goes beyond just streamlining processes. It also involves creating a culture that resonates with every employee, from those on the production line to top-level executives. Recently, I had an engaging discussion about operational excellence during a morning walk. The discussion centred around a leading manufacturing firm undergoing system […]

Have you worked for or do you work for an organization that is growing exponentially. Our organizations are growing dramatically as it has become easier to expand operations globally either through acquisition or through addressing new markets. These fragmented segments and disconnected infrastructures can greatly impact radical transformation and business improvements. As the company grows […]

Professors Robert H. Hayes and William J. Abernathy have harsh words about a common, if not typical style of American management: “…an overdependence on analytical detachment – what they call ”managerial remote control.” They say it is an approach that exalts financial analysis, not line operations. It rewards executives who see their company primarily as […]

I am excited to bring you this great new feature! Introducing “Bob’s AI Book Chatbot.” As you know, I have written 28 books across a variety of subjects. Perhaps you, like many others, would like a way to obtain useful information but you do not have the time to read a book. The AI Book […]

When you love something too much it can prevent you from seeing problems that you need to see. Love is blind. Many people are so in love with Lean that they are essentially “Lean groupies,” which I define as: Excessively devoted fans of Lean celebrities who intently and uncritically follow their words and work and […]

A good question is one of the most valuable of my possessions, and I am always looking to add to my collection. I discovered, or rediscovered, a powerful question from commentator and author David Brooks. He was giving a talk at Lehigh University for the Hagerman Lecture from The Center for Ethics and was exploring […]

Pull requires a significantly different type of CEO leadership than push. Click here to learn more.

Assembly lines are everywhere in mass production. From mobile phones to cars to airplanes, almost all items produced in large quantities come from an assembly line. Just look around you wherever you are and try to find a produced item that did NOT come from an assembly line. My general recommendation is that if you […]

In this edition: Books in progress: 2; Two new videos; Upcoming: online, Berlin (SOLD OUT), London, and Southampton; Top posts Books in progress: 2 I’m putting the final touches on Organising Conversations: Patterns of Dialog for the Transforming Organization and have a decent first draft of the first part (of two) of Wholehearted: Engaging with […]

It’s interesting to observe a hospital process (or lack thereof) when a family member needs surgery. I had the opportunity to do so one day last week. I originally shared this on LinkedIn as a post and real-time updates. Thankfully, the clinical care seemed to be good, and that family member is recovering well from […]

Many years ago I learned the term “materiality” in accounting practice. It is defined as: Materiality is an accounting principle which states that all items that are reasonably likely to impact investors’ decision-making must be recorded or reported in detail in a business’s financial statements using GAAP standards. Essentially, materiality is related to the significance […]

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of April 2024.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.     Strategy Digi-deployment – Bruce Hamilton shares a few potential (and common) pitfalls to avoid when digitizing your strategic deployment plan.   Simplifying Lean – Bob Emiliani discusses the problems from […]

Today I posted these two items on LinkedIn (click here and here to view them). Note: To the simple minds, this blog post expresses war and hate. To the intelligent, it merely points out the facts. Which are you? Research? 🤣 As far as know… The number of peer-reviewed research papers since 2000 = 0 […]

The other day, I read about the passing of Donald E. Peterson, who was a key CEO for Ford Motor Company in the 1980s (from 1985 to 1990). From the Detroit Free Press: Former Ford CEO Don Petersen, who spent 41 years with automaker, dies at 97 From that article: “He was a real change […]

By Pascal Dennis (bio) Building on a blog from earlier this year, the strategy is not about perfection. In fact, there is no right strategy. This is often difficult for senior leaders to accept because it runs contrary to their experience. Senior leaders are usually the smartest kids in the class, the ones who always […]

What is a Fishbone Diagram? A Fishbone Diagram is a “Cause and Effect” diagram. The importance of the FBD is that it uses visual power to highlight the problems and the relationship between problems and their potential sources. When to use a Fishbone Diagram? When a simple approach is needed to reduce the effect of […]

Embarking on a Lean transformation journey can revolutionize the way you operate. It can help you streamline processes and enhance efficiency to achieve extraordinary levels of performance and customer satisfaction. At its core, a Lean transformation is about adopting a mindset of continuous improvement and waste elimination. Moreover, it enables businesses to focus on value […]

Welcome to my book chatbot! I have written a lot of books and perhaps you, like others, would like a way to obtain some useful information but you do not have the time to read a book. That AI Book Chatbot will help you get the information you need. The AI Book Chatbot gives you […]

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 […]

On IndustryWeek: What We Learned: Expertise and Episodes from Three Years of ‘Factory Talk’ The video series Factory Talk began as a collaborative project between me and IndustryWeek to bring voices of leadership from the factory floors to all of you. These interviews were meant to focus on practical techniques and experienced perspectives helpful to […]

In this episode of People Solve Problems, host Jamie Flinchbaugh welcomed Jeff Grimshaw, Principal at MGStrategy, for a thought-provoking conversation. Jeff Grimshaw, who has dedicated over 25 years to assisting leaders worldwide in aligning their organizations’ people, strategy, and culture for better business outcomes, shared his insights on creating environments where taking calculated risks is […]

Navigating Corporate Politics & Leading Through Influence What’s your reaction when you hear the phrase “corporate politics”? Does it make you cringe and want to run away, or do you get curious about how to leverage them to influence outcomes? In this episode, Betsy Jordyn joins me to discuss the essential skill of successfully navigating […]