How Should We Really Compare a Stoplight to Performance Management?
What does “yellow” actually mean on your performance scorecard? For most teams it’s a gray zone, where the response depends on workload, mood, and who’s paying attention, and that ambiguity drives inconsistent behavior. In this video I explain why you should either give yellow a precise definition or remove it,
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The Map Is Now a Verb: Leading Your Company Through the New Trade Disorder
For eighty years, global trade ran on a simple premise: everyone followed the same rules so that everyone could predict. That system is eroding, not everywhere, but exactly where it matters most. The share of trade running on standard terms dropped from about 80% to 72% in just two years,
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Advanced Lean Study Group
There are lots of ways to learn your way through the beginnings of lean capabilities, from books to courses, but at some point, you need to do most of your learning by doing. The Advanced Lean Study Group is an opportunity for groups of lean practitioners, whether full-time or not,
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What You Can Learn From the People Solve Problems Podcast
People Solve Problems Episode Question and Answer Reference I asked Claude to review all of my podcast episodes and summarize what questions each episode answers. The People Solve Problems podcast explores how people across industries actually solve problems, lead teams, and build more resilient organizations. Each episode features a conversation
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A primer on AI and Problem Solving
AI should never replace problem-solving, as problem-solving is a truly human skill, or a combination of skills, that is an act of discovery. However, AI can act as a great co-intelligence, helping us broaden our perspective, challenge our logic, or simply get unstuck when our wheels are spinning. In this
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The Culture of Problem Solving: How Leaders Shape Success
Section 5 from the People Solve Problems Book The Culture of Problem Solving: How Leaders Shape Success A strong culture doesn’t just solve problems—it prevents them. A problem-solving culture isn’t built on processes alone—it’s built on behaviors. Key Behaviors of a Problem-Solving Culture explores the role leaders play in shaping
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Coaching Problem Solving: Building Thinkers, Not Just Fixers
Section 4 from the People Solve Problems Book Coaching Problem Solving: Building Thinkers, Not Just Fixers Real impact doesn’t come from giving answers—it comes from building better problem solvers. Great leaders don’t just solve problems—they develop others to do the same. Coaching Problem Solving explores how to guide teams toward
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Beyond Tools: The Mindset That Drives Real Problem-Solving
Section 3 from the People Solve Problems Book Beyond Tools: The Mindset That Drives Real Problem-Solving The best solutions don’t come from the tools you have—they come from the way you think, act, and lead. Great problem-solvers don’t just follow processes—they take ownership, collaborate, and learn deliberately. This series from
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People-Centered Problem Solving: The Missing Link in Every Organization
Section 2 from the People Solve Problems Book People-Centered Problem Solving: The Missing Link in Every Organization Tools don’t solve problems—people do. The best solutions don’t come from checklists—they come from thinking, learning, and adapting. This video series covers section 2 of People Solve Problems, where we explore the skills
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Why Problem-Solving Fails—and How to Fix It
Section 1 from the People Solve Problems Book Why Problem-Solving Fails—and How to Fix It Problem-solving isn’t just about having the right tools—it’s about how we apply those tools in different problem-solving scenarios. In these videos, we’ll challenge conventional thinking, revealing why standardization alone doesn’t drive better solutions. This section
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