Dale Lucht on Leadership Habits That Sustain Lean Transformations

My guest for Episode #534 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dale Lucht, co-author of the new book Don't Repeat Our Mistakes: Nine Lessons for Leaders Championing Cultural Transformations.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Dale has led Lean transformations in manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services, and he brings decades of leadership experience shaped by mentors such as George Koenigsaecker and the Shingijutsu consultants.

In our conversation, Dale reflects on what it takes for a senior leader to go beyond being a "sponsor" of Lean to becoming a true champion. He shares stories of learning by doing, coaching from mentors, and mistakes that became turning points. We talk about leadership habits such as visibility, simplicity, curiosity, and the shift from solving problems yourself to developing others as problem solvers. Dale also discusses how to sustain progress and avoid the common plateau many organizations hit after a few years of Lean practice.

Dale and his co-authors, Peter Barnett and Morgan Jones, wrote Don't Repeat Our Mistakes not just to highlight what works, but also to candidly share lessons learned when things didn't go as planned. With proceeds from the book supporting the Michael J. Fox Foundation, it's both a professional guide and a personal legacy project. Whether you're a senior executive, a Lean coach, or someone working to influence leadership in your organization, this episode o

Questions, Notes, and Highlights:

Early Career & Lean Origins

• What's your Lean origin story, and how did you get started?
• What was it like learning from George Koenigsaecker and Shingijutsu?
• Can you share an example of the "homework" they gave you as a plant GM?
• How did those early lessons shape your leadership approach?

Leadership Lessons & Mistakes

• What mistakes or challenges did you experience that led to learning?
• Why do so many organizations plateau after a few years of Lean?
• What distinguishes improvement from true transformation?
• How can leaders practice self-coaching before coaching others?
• What shifts do leaders need to make--from solving problems themselves to coaching others?
• Why is curiosity such an essential leadership habit?

Cross-Industry Experience

• How did your transition from manufacturing into healthcare come about?
• Did you see the same progression from tools to leadership change in healthcare?
• How did you approach leading change in financial services?

The Book: Don't Repeat Our Mistakes

• What did you and your co-authors hope to capture in Don't Repeat Our Mistakes?
• How did the title and focus on mistakes come about?
• Were the leaders you interviewed open to sharing their own mistakes?

Practical Advice for Leaders

• How can someone move from being a Lean sponsor to being a true champion?
• How should leaders pick which habits or lessons to focus on first?
• What advice do you have for influencing senior leaders when coaching "up" isn't invited?
• How do organizations prevent backsliding when leadership changes?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.