Every organization needs to improve, but only some have to improve. The eight Ivy League schools need to improve, but they do not have to improve because theirs is a sellers’ market. True, they must compete against themselves, so within the Ivies – if one can afford the tuition and living expenses – it is […]

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Every once in a while I run into a leader who brags they on the cutting-edge of Lean management. He inflates himself and his accomplishments to anyone who will listen. Behind the big ego and skillful manipulation of appearance, there are a multitude of wasteful behaviors. Sure, there is evidence of continuous improvement. But I […]

Call-and-response is a fundamental feature of any creative activity. A call is made by someone or some event that elicits a response from another. The response could be simple acknowledgment of the call, but when it comes to creative work, the response is an informed response built up over time as a result of practicing […]

Twenty-two years ago, I served on a strategic planning committee with 5 or 6 other up-and-coming young engineers. We carefully assessed the situation and told our leader that the breakthrough strategy he wanted was not attainable because we were not even able to do our fundamentals well. Our recommendation was to first master the basics […]

In a previous post, I said: “I am disappointed that, in general, the generation of executives who could have done the most good with Lean management did more harm that I ever expected they would. The baby boomers have learned little about Lean management and have essentially nothing to pass on to the next generation, who are […]

The Chronicle of Higher Education published the article “New Role for College Business Officers: Selling Change” (23 July 2014). It is remarkable. So, herewith are selected excerpts from the article and my critiques: “The college vice president agreed that some of the proposals discussed for fixing the broken financing model for higher education might alienate […]

What’s it like to be a Lean practitioner in higher education? I left industry in 1999 and began applying the Lean principles and practices that I learned in manufacturing to my work as a professor in higher education. I have always worked to improve administrative processes because that is another part of my job. But […]

Masaaki Imai, the author of books including KAIZEN, passed away recently at age 92, as announced by the organization he founded, Kaizen Institute. 

The Chronicle of Higher Education published the article “Senators in Both Parties Agree: States Must Do More for Higher Education” (25 July 2014). The article speaks to how states have defunded public higher education between 2008 and 2014. Here are a few excerpts and my comments: “Senator Harkin, the committee’s chairman, reiterated his view that states […]

I had the great pleasure of observing kaizen at a company in Connecticut the week of 28 July. The kaizen was facilitated by Chihiro Nakao, co-founder of the world-famous Shingijutsu company. For those who are not familiar with Mr. Nakao, here is a brief bio from Shingijutsu’s web site: “Mr. Nakao spent the first 27 years […]

Fall semester begins in a few weeks. Need some help applying Lean Teaching to your courses? If so, let’s have a conversation about about that, or more broadly Lean in higher education. Send me an e-mail to schedule a date and time. Discussion topics could include one or more of the following: Lean teaching Improving […]

In today’s dynamic business landscape, adapting quickly is vital. Continuous improvement processes enable organizations to proactively respond to changes in the marketplace, customer demands, and industry trends. By continuously monitoring and evaluating their operations, businesses can identify emerging challenges and opportunities, adjust strategies, and make informed decisions. This agility helps businesses stay ahead of the […]

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 […]

In a previous post, Nakao-san and Shingijutsu-Kaizen, I described some of what I learned observing Mr. Nakao lead kaizen for several days at a company in Connecticut. As I reflect back on that, as well as my previous experiences as a team member and team leader in Shingijutsu kaizens, I think about the different approaches to […]

I’m looking forward to the webinar that my friend Karyn Ross will be presenting on July 11th as part of the KaiNexus Continuous Improvement webinar series. I’ll be the host and moderator. You can register now: Why Kindness is the Key to Lean Leadership If you cannot join us live, register anyway and you’ll get […]

Most professors do not like to think of the university as business and students as customers, and that higher education is nothing like a manufacturing business. Yet, universities produce a service and provide it to people who pay for the service. It is not a stretch to say that colleges and universities manufacture educational services […]

I recently received an e-mail from Magna Publications inviting me to join an online seminar about online courses (for $349). It read in part: “In this new Magna Online Seminar you will learn how to modify your online courses and instructional approach so your students establish stronger connections with course materials and with you. Online Learning […]

In today’s global economy, you need to be able to adjust to changing markets, conditions, and technologies. This is where operational excellence comes in. It’s a great way for organizations to establish continuous improvement in a complex business environment. In today’s blog, we’ll be discussing what the key principles of operational excellence are in addition […]

The Lean community continues to face a problem that hurts efforts to advance progressive Lean management. It is the great difficulty in clearly separating and effectively communicating the difference between Real Lean and Fake Lean – Lean management done right from Lean management done wrong. On the surface, this distinction is rather simple. Real Lean is the […]

In this episode, guest Andy Carlino and host Jamie Flinchbaugh delve into an intricate discussion on the complexities of problem-solving within organizations and the crucial role of precise language in defining problems and solutions. They emphasize the importance of a clear problem statement, underlining that without one, efforts to solve problems often result in unsatisfactory […]

The concept of continuous improvement is rooted in the philosophy of Kaizen, which originated in Japan and gained popularity worldwide. It emphasizes that small, incremental changes can lead to significant improvements over time. Continuous improvement companies, such as the ones we will highlight, exemplify this philosophy by consistently striving for excellence and innovation. Continuous improvement […]

Why do professors always say, “the administration should hire more faculty”? It seems to be the universal solution to all academic problems that professors face. There are a few sound reasons for this, but some bogus reasons as well. A sound reason is that adjuncts constitute around 75 percent of the faculty, and full-time faculty […]

There are only two paths to Lean leadership that people can take. One path, based on traditional human resource development models, nearly always results in failure. The second path nearly always results in success, but precious few leaders are willing to take his path. The image below illustrates the two paths: The failed path (left […]

Colleyville, TX, July 05, 2023 –(PR.com)– Mistakes are often seen as roadblocks to success, but what if they were actually the stepping stones to growth and innovation? Mark Graban, award-winning author and consultant, tackles this paradigm in his latest book, “The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation.” Graban’s book presents a […]

In a recent blog post, I criticized higher education leaders who seek big disruptive strategies and suggested that they recognize the importance of small daily improvements that eliminate waste, unevenness, and unreasonableness in non-zero-sum ways. However, there is one big disruptive strategy that is worth pursuing: curriculum design. In most cases, products or services are designed by the producer […]

In my book Measures of Success, I share what I’ve learned about the “Process Behavior Chart” methodology for management metrics and business performance measures. In this post, I’ll connect these methods to an example from the world of sports — particularly “perfect games” pitched in Major League Baseball. I love this methodology and use it […]

A few days ago I attended the President’s and Provost’s meetings, given annually at the start of the fall semester. Here is a brief critique from my perspective as a Lean thinker and practitioner: The president emphasized accomplishments made over the last 9 years and attributed these achievements to a “culture of success.” What I saw […]

INTERVIEW – Drawing on 33 years of experience working in product development at Caterpillar, the interviewee reflects on lean in engineering. INTERVIEWEE: Steve Shoemaker, former Vice President of Engineering, Caterpillar Inc. Roberto Priolo: You have an impressive career in Caterpillar. Would you take us through it, while touching on some of the key milestones in […]

A McKinsey study states that there are four most important behaviors of successful leaders. As the report says, “Over 90% of CEOs are already planning to increase investment in leadership development because they see it as the single most important human-capital issue their organizations face.” McKinsey’s research has often emphasized the importance of good leadership […]

This is the back story to why some of my books are written in a tough tone. I receive a lot of feedback on my books. Most of it is positive, though occasionally it is negative. The negative feedback most often relates to the tone of my REAL LEAN and Lean Is Not Mean books, which are […]

Here is a thoughtful opinion piece titled, “I studied computer science, not English. I still can’t find a job.” The upshot is that college and university professors teach what they know, and if all they know is theory then they cannot convey practice to students. The hiring process in most college and universities strongly favors […]

This recent article from The Wall Street Journal, “Four Ways to Spot a Great Teacher,” underwhelms. The author cites the following elements of “superb teaching” among K-12 teachers: Have active intellectual lives outside their classrooms Believe intelligence is achievable, not inborn Are data-driven Ask great questions In my view, superb teaching (K-12 and beyond) is […]

Click on image to enlarge. For nearly 15 years, I have taught a graduate course on Lean leadership that has prominently featured the “Respect for People” principle and Lean behaviors and behavioral waste concepts that I developed in the mid-1990s. The course, consistently rated 4.8 out of 5.0 for quality of course and instruction, is taken […]