Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership GA 614 | Getting Lean to Stick with Joel Hugghins
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Jan 8, 2026 In this installment, Joel Hugghins, a Lean and performance consultant with 30 years of experience, shares insights about implementing Lean practices in various industries. He tackles the challenges of CAVE (constantly against virtually everything) people and emphasizes the importance of treating employee ideas as intellectual property. Joel discusses the need for balance between vision, culture, and skills for sustainable Lean adoption. He expresses optimism for innovation and collaboration, highlighting how creativity can emerge from empowering employees.
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Early Lean Roots In Train Manufacturing
- Joel started in train air conditioning and became a lean guinea pig sent to plants nationally.
- He combined mechanical engineering with industrial engineering and fell in love with continuous improvement.
Three-Legged Stool For Lean Success
- Vision, culture, and capability are the three legs of a successful continuous improvement system.
- Missing any leg makes tools and gains temporary and unsustainable.
Cascade Vision To Prevent Misalignment
- Cascade and communicate vision so every employee knows where the company is heading.
- Align priorities to avoid misalignment waste and boost collective energy toward common goals.
