Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership

Jenn Christison: Lessons in Even Better Leadership, Lean Thinking, and Organizational Transformation

Oct 2, 2024

Jenn Christison, founder of Seven Ways Consulting, has over 15 years in continuous improvement. She shares her fascinating journey from aerospace to healthcare, highlighting how her roots in teaching and stand-up comedy shape her leadership style. Discussion topics include the importance of empowering frontline employees in Lean practices, the value of mock-ups in planning, and how to facilitate a culture of psychological safety. Jenn also introduces her new book, offering insights on creative problem-solving and continuous leadership growth.

01:05:25

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Episode guests

Jenn Christison

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Quick takeaways

Jenn Christison highlights the importance of engaging frontline teams in continuous improvement, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability among employees.

Her transition from manufacturing to healthcare emphasizes the need for adaptable lean principles to address unique industry challenges and complexities.

In her book 'Even Better Leadership,' Christison provides a reflective framework for leaders to enhance their effectiveness and organizational culture.

Deep dives

Jen Christison's Lean Journey

Jen Christison's career transition from aerospace and defense at Boeing to leading continuous improvement efforts in healthcare highlights the adaptability of lean principles across various sectors. Her background in teaching and social work, combined with her experiences as a barista in a fast-paced environment, laid the foundation for her understanding of process optimization and people engagement. At Boeing, she immersed herself in lean methodologies, realizing the importance of respecting people and creating a collaborative workspace to improve operations. This experience shaped her approach in healthcare, where she emphasizes making work easier and more efficient for employees while ensuring quality patient care.

Intro

3min

From Comedy to Leadership

8min

Empowering People in Lean Practices

15min

Navigating Challenges in Healthcare and Aerospace

16min

The Power of Mock-Ups in Design and Space Planning

2min

From Employee to Consultant

5min

Embracing Creative Leadership

13min

The Comedy of Errors in Writing

5min

My guest for Episode #516 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jenn Christison, founder and principal consultant at Seven Ways Consulting.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Jenn has spent more than 15 years leading continuous improvement efforts across a variety of industries, including aerospace manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, pharma, and tech. Guided by the principles of Respect for People and Continuous Improvement, Jenn brings a wealth of experience to her work, helping organizations achieve meaningful transformation.

Jenn’s journey began with a desire to change the world as a teacher, social worker, or stand-up comedian. discovered my biggest impact could be made leading organizational transformation.

Jenn is also the author of the new book Even Better Leadership: Provocative Reflections to Guide Improvement and continues to embrace her stand-up comedy roots — if you know where to look. We’re thrilled to have her on the show today to share her insights and experiences.

In this episode, Jenn shares her journey from aerospace and defense at Boeing to leading Lean and continuous improvement efforts in healthcare and beyond. We discuss Jenn's Lean origin story, how her early experiences as a teacher, social worker, and stand-up comedian influenced her approach to leadership and transformation, and the lessons she’s learned from working in various industries. Jenn also talks about her new book, Even Better Leadership: Provocative Reflections to Guide Improvement, and the iterative process behind its creation. Additionally, we explore the challenges of applying Lean in healthcare and the importance of prioritizing quality and respect for people in organizational improvement.

Questions, Notes, and Highlights:

Can you tell us your Lean origin story?
How do lessons from being a teacher, social worker, and stand-up comedian shape your approach to transformation?
What inspired you to write your new book, Even Better Leadership?
How did you transition from aerospace to healthcare, and what sparked your interest in that shift?
What are your thoughts on Boeing’s recent struggles, especially on the commercial side?
What were some challenges and surprises you encountered when applying Lean in healthcare?
Can you share a favorite example of a successful Lean improvement at Seattle Children’s?
What led you to start your consulting firm, Seven Ways Consulting, and how does being an external consultant differ from working internally?
What is the meaning behind the name 'Seven Ways Consulting'?
What was the iterative process like for developing your book?

What insights did you gain from working in various industries that you apply to leadership and improvement today?

The podcast is brought to you by Stiles Associates, the premier executive search firm specializing in the placement of Lean Transformation executives. With a track record of success spanning over 30 years, it's been the trusted partner for the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare sectors. Learn more.

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.

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