Blog

Cheryl Jekiel on Shifting Leadership: Empowering Teams Through Lean Problem-Solving

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-03-24

In this episode of People Solve Problems, Jamie Flinchbaugh sits down with Cheryl Jekiel, CEO and Founder of the Lean Leadership Center, to discuss the intricate relationship between leadership development and problem solving within organizations. Cheryl brings her extensive experience in HR and leadership training to the forefront, focusing on

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Don’t Forget About Problem Identification

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 10-01-24

Almost every problem solving tool, method, and template begins with problem definition. But is that the beginning? It is not. One of the oldest models for problem solving, from John Dewey, begins with problem identification. That’s fundamentally important to get right, especially when our email inbox alone has more problems

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The Power of Narrowing Your Focus: Finding Your Perfect Customers

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-24-24

Narrow Your Focus to Find Your Ideal Customer Every company, product manager, sales leader, and CEO should be thinking about their target market. Who would make their best customers? I believe that the parameters used to define target markets are too broad and vague and that efforts to significantly narrow

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The Hidden Use of AI: Why Transparency Matters

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-17-24

As AI continues to gain momentum within companies, it’s important to distinguish between two main categories of AI usage: stationed, strategic projects, and the personal, often hidden, use of AI by individuals in their workflows. One challenge in the latter category is that people are hiding the fact that they

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Crystal Y. Davis of The Lean Coach, Inc. on Cultural Change and Problem Solving

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-12-24

  In this episode of the People Solve Problems podcast, Jamie Flinchbaugh sits down with Crystal Y. Davis, CEO of The Lean Coach, Inc., a boutique consulting and coaching firm that partners with mid-to-large cap companies to enhance operational excellence and drive cultural transformation. Crystal, also known as “Your Corporate

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Be Careful Before Standardizing Your Problem Solving

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-03-24

On LeanMag: Be Careful Before Standardizing Your Problem Solving You might be surprised to hear a lean advocate warning against a standardization. To be clear, I’m warning against both over-standardization and overly-rigid application of standardization. Standardization within problem solving is tremendously beneficial. First, it helps us train people on methods.

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Reimagining Productivity: Uncovering Hidden Problems in Organizations with Jacob Stoller of Conversation Builders

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 08-29-24

  In the latest episode of the People Solve Problems podcast, host Jamie Flinchbaugh welcomes Jacob Stoller, an accomplished journalist, speaker, facilitator, and Shingo-Prize-winning author of The Lean CEO. Jacob, who is also the author of the upcoming book Productivity Reimagined, brings his extensive experience in demystifying complex business and

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Supply Chain Leaders Need a New Playbook, Focusing on Risk

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 08-27-24

On IndustryWeek: Supply Chain Leaders Need a New Playbook, Focusing on Risk   For generations of supply chain leaders, the key words and phrases that dominated were optimization, rationalization, cost reduction, inventory reduction and so on. The basic performance of the supply chain was stable enough that it was often

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Rigorous Empathy?

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 08-20-24

Empathy is a popular concept these days, for many valid reasons. However, it is often conveyed as a sense of acceptance and sometimes even passiveness. What I mean is that empathy often means that you CAN’T understand someone’s perspective because it is different from yours and so therefore accept the

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Dr. Wendy Smith, Professor at Univ. of Delaware, on Embracing Paradoxes for Creative Solutions

by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 08-15-24

    In this episode of the People Solve Problems podcast, host Jamie Flinchbaugh is joined by Dr. Wendy Smith, a professor at the University of Delaware and an acclaimed expert in organizational behavior. Wendy, who co-authored the book “Both/And Thinking,” discusses the concept of how adopting a both/and mindset

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