Takt Time On Unsteady Work
How do you match your flow rate to your customer demand rate when you are executing unsteady or unpredictable work? Is it even possible? The answer is yes. Watch my video and learn how to use this lean method and eliminate waste.
Read MoreDeciding When to Dig [[From the Archives]]
Originally Posted: by Jamie Flinchbaugh on 09-29-09 If lean is about anything, it is about solving problems both large and small. Becoming a world-class problem-solving organization takes time. It requires learning new skills and developing the culture to truly invest in problem-solving as a daily practice. But as you begin
Read MoreThe 4Cs of Building Trust [Lessons From the Road]
Trust is an important precondition for lean success, but it’s not as easy as asking people to trust you. You must take deliberate actions to build trust. In my latest column for Industry Week, I share the systems I use to build trust-based cultures. I have developed and tested these
Read MoreDon’t Hand Over the Keys to Outside Lean Resources
While engaging outside resources for your organization certainly has its benefits, you need to be careful not to fall into the pitfall of over-reliance on these lean resources. Believe it or not there can be too much outside help. Watch the video to find out what happens when you rely
Read MoreLean Lessons from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ [Lessons From The Road]
What do your lean journey and The Wizard of Oz have in common? More than you might think. In my latest Lessons from the Road column, I take you down the Yellow Brick Road of lean and share with you the similarities in the two journeys. In the article we
Read MoreWhy Genericizing Lean is a Problem
We use the word lean as a descriptor for many things, the problem with this is it becomes very generic and becomes attached to anything positive or good within the organization. In this video, I explain why putting everything good you do as a business under the umbrella of lean
Read MoreAvoid These Three Lean Pitfalls
I have worked with hundreds of companies on their lean journeys and want to share with you some of the pitfalls and challenges businesses experience. Here are three things to avoid as you continue or start your lean journey. Watch the video for a deeper dive into each pitfall. Lean
Read MoreMy Notes from Jeff and Mark Bezo’s Rare Interview
This interview was conducted in 2017 but I only just watched it (but wrote it before the news of his pending divorce). It is very unique, with Jeff Bezos’ brother conducting the interview, and at no point do they delve into the Amazon.com business model. It is really about Jeff, which
Read MoreDoes Your Lean Culture Measure Up? [Lessons From The Road]
How do you know when you’ve shaped your lean culture effectively? You create a mechanism to measure the results. In my most recent “Lessons from the Road” article written for Industry Week, I share the five essential mechanisms that will help you establish a management system to measure and improve
Read MoreInterview with Mark Graban, Host of Lean Blog Podcast
Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend and host of the Lean Blog Podcast, Mark Graban, but this time instead of sitting in the chair of the interviewee I was, instead, the one asking the questions about Mark’s new book “Measures of Success: React Less, Lead
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