Bill Canady, CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products and author of The 80/20 CEO, shares decades of experience in driving profitable growth. He discusses how to implement the 80/20 principle as a business operating system and the pivotal role of strategic alignment in continuous improvement efforts. Bill emphasizes the importance of lean methodologies across all company operations, not just in manufacturing. He also delves into the balance between empathy and execution in leadership and how AI can transform healthcare, ultimately advocating for a culture of small, incremental improvements.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Start With Data for Strategy
Start with data to identify where you're making money and where you're not.
Focus efforts on profitable areas before employing tools like lean or continuous improvement.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Focus on Few Priorities
Limit priorities to focus on a critical few initiatives.
Avoid spreading resources thin with too many projects labeled top priority.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
CEO Role in Operational Excellence
CEOs must set goals, measure progress, and enforce adherence to processes as conditions of employment.
Align teams around critical few priorities to accelerate profitable growth within fixed timeframes.
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In "The 80-20 CEO," Bill Canady presents a practical framework for achieving profitable growth. The book details his Profitable Growth Operating System (PGOS), a five-tool system that helps businesses identify their most profitable areas, develop effective strategies, manage talent, leverage mergers and acquisitions, and optimize efficiency. Canady emphasizes data-driven decision-making and the importance of focusing on key areas for maximum impact. The book offers a step-by-step guide to implementing the PGOS framework, empowering leaders to make informed choices and drive significant growth. It's a valuable resource for CEOs and business leaders seeking to enhance profitability and achieve sustainable growth.
From Panic to Profit
From Panic to Profit
Brooke Lively
In this special episode, I'm joined by Bill Canady, CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products and Chairman of OTC Industrial Technologies. Bill has spent over 30 years leading companies to profitable growth, building what he calls the “Profitable Growth Operating System.” He’s also the author of The 80/20 CEO, with a second book, From Panic to Profit, on the way soon.
We recorded this live as part of the KaiNexus Continuous Improvement webinar series. Bill shares hard-earned lessons on strategy, execution, and what it really takes to align a company around a few critical priorities.
We talk about:
How to apply the 80/20 principle as a business operating system
Why many improvement efforts fail from lack of strategic alignment
The CEO’s role in creating a culture of continuous improvement
Lean as a condition of employment—and what that actually means
Daily management, small wins, and sustaining momentum
Using Lean outside the factory—in sales, engineering, and the office
The future of improvement, from AI tools to leadership mindset shifts
What CI leaders should understand about a CEO’s perspective
Bill also discusses how he balances empathy and execution, shares thoughts on transforming healthcare through Lean, and offers advice for CI professionals who want to move into broader operational leadership roles.
KaiNexus: Continuous Improvement, Leadership, and More 