Lean Whiskey Episode #18
In Episode 18, Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh return to our tried and true format of “just the two of us”, although that won’t last long as Mark will soon have a guest co-host and then we will record an episode live as part of the Colorado Lean Network Summit.
Read MoreThrow Away Your Favorite Lean Tool
Whether it’s problem-solving, or kaizen, or process optimization, or waste elimination…no matter what you’re trying to accomplish, you must have a firm understanding of the current reality. This doesn’t mean just the results, but the process or work or causes that lead to those results. Every lean thinker understands this.
Read MoreWorking on the Very Big Problem [from the archives]
This article first appeared on JFlinch on 10-12-09. Problems will always be with mankind, read as Jamie asks some basic yet key questions to help you get to the root of your problems. Do you have a starting point for your strategic plans? A very short post today, but
Read MoreProblem Solving the Whole or the Pieces?
I’ve always considered Russell Ackoff one of the most persistent and insightful systems thinkers. While sometimes his ideas are elusive for organizations to grab ahold of (I don’t always agree with his conclusions), he expects better from organizations, and I think those ideas are worth delving into. As I prepare
Read MoreInnovation is Inefficient Problem Solving (even Simon Sinek says so)
Innovation is about solving real problems. It does NOT require that you solve the problem in a unique or imaginative way. It really is all about solving problems. To be fair, if you don’t solve it in a unique way, then that innovation might not be a competitive advantage, or
Read MoreWould You Cut Off Your Hand to Improve Your Problem Solving?
This article originally appeared on IndustryWeek. I’ve been rereading, in greater depth, Art Smalley’s book Four Types of Problems. Art and I first worked together about 25 years ago on the transformation of Chrysler. It went from near bankruptcy to the most profitable company in the industry, until it was
Read MoreAdvice during COVID19 for Internal Lean Resources
During the past couple of weeks, I’ve had numerous conversations with internal lean resources with all sorts of titles, struggling with how to support lean during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Some are shut down, others are on work from home restrictions. Some companies are at full tilt, supporting the crisis
Read MoreDo you know what problem you’re working on right now?
In this (somewhat dated) interview with Professor Nelson Repenning, he explores that question. Nelson was a first-year professor at MIT when I was there and was one of my favorites, teaching systems dynamics. He suggests “leaders who can formulate clear problem statements get more done with less effort and move
Read MoreA Few Nuggets on Lean Product Development
I have spent as much time on lean product development as I have on any other area over the past 10 years. That’s largely because, for most companies, manufacturing products a little faster or cheaper is nothing compared to the overall business results delivered through a stronger product-development engine. I’ll
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
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