Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership
Mark Graban
Since 2006, the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast has featured thoughtful, in-depth conversations with leaders, authors, executives, and practitioners who are applying Lean thinking and continuous improvement in the real world.
Hosted by Mark Graban—author of Lean Hospitals, Measures of Success, and The Mistakes That Make Us—the podcast explores Lean as a management system, a leadership philosophy, and a people-centered approach to improvement. Episodes span industries including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, technology, and professional services.
This isn’t a podcast about chasing tools, jargon, or “Lean theater.” Instead, guests share candid stories about what actually works—and what doesn’t—when organizations try to improve. You’ll hear honest reflections on leadership, culture, learning from mistakes, and building systems that help people do their best work.
Whether you’re a Lean practitioner, healthcare leader, executive, coach, or someone new to continuous improvement, each episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.
Common topics include:
Lean as a management system and cultural transformation—not just a toolbox
Continuous improvement, Kaizen, and problem-solving at every level
Leadership behaviors that enable trust, learning, and sustained change
Psychological safety as a foundation for improvement and innovation
Lessons from the Toyota Production System, Lean Startup, and Deming’s thinking
Real-world stories about mistakes, learning, and resilience
You won’t hear much about “Lean Six Sigma” here. But if you believe improvement starts with respect for people—and that better systems beat blaming individuals—this podcast is for you.
Many episodes feature a special focus on Lean in healthcare, reflecting Mark’s long-standing work with hospitals and health systems to improve patient safety, quality, flow, and staff engagement.
Find all episodes and show notes at www.LeanCast.org.Learn more about Mark and his work at www.LeanBlog.org.Questions or feedback? Email mark@leanblog.org
Hosted by Mark Graban—author of Lean Hospitals, Measures of Success, and The Mistakes That Make Us—the podcast explores Lean as a management system, a leadership philosophy, and a people-centered approach to improvement. Episodes span industries including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, technology, and professional services.
This isn’t a podcast about chasing tools, jargon, or “Lean theater.” Instead, guests share candid stories about what actually works—and what doesn’t—when organizations try to improve. You’ll hear honest reflections on leadership, culture, learning from mistakes, and building systems that help people do their best work.
Whether you’re a Lean practitioner, healthcare leader, executive, coach, or someone new to continuous improvement, each episode offers practical insights you can apply immediately.
Common topics include:
Lean as a management system and cultural transformation—not just a toolbox
Continuous improvement, Kaizen, and problem-solving at every level
Leadership behaviors that enable trust, learning, and sustained change
Psychological safety as a foundation for improvement and innovation
Lessons from the Toyota Production System, Lean Startup, and Deming’s thinking
Real-world stories about mistakes, learning, and resilience
You won’t hear much about “Lean Six Sigma” here. But if you believe improvement starts with respect for people—and that better systems beat blaming individuals—this podcast is for you.
Many episodes feature a special focus on Lean in healthcare, reflecting Mark’s long-standing work with hospitals and health systems to improve patient safety, quality, flow, and staff engagement.
Find all episodes and show notes at www.LeanCast.org.Learn more about Mark and his work at www.LeanBlog.org.Questions or feedback? Email mark@leanblog.org
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 11, 2013 • 49min
Karen Dunn Skinner & David Skinner on Lean in Law Firms and Legal Departments
My guests for episode #185 are Karen Dunn Skinner and David Skinner and our topic, for the first time on the Podcast, is Lean in law firms and the legal profession. David and Karen are husband and wife, attorneys, from Quebec, and consultants for their firm Gimbal. I had a chance to meet up with them in Montreal earlier this year, after connecting via social media, and they're a delight to talk to – in person and in our podcast.
I think there are a lot of fascinating parallels between Lean in healthcare and Lean in law. There are opportunities to focus on payment for value instead of activity, big opportunities to reduce waste and errors, and to make sure people are doing the right work for their job level. “The way it's always been” seems very powerful in both professions and the “but we don't make cars” objection can be powerful.
In the episode, we discuss topics including:
How do Lean methods apply in a Law firm?
What are some benefits to the clients and the firm itself?
How do you get past the “we don't build cars” objection?
How widespread is Lean in the legal profession?
How did Karen and David discover Lean (and Six Sigma) as attorneys?
What's the balance between using Lean and/or Six Sigma in law?
How can standardized work and checklists help?
Why are legal clients dissatisfied with the pricing and quality of legal work?
How do you strike a balance between law being an art vs. being a process?
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/185.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Aug 13, 2013 • 32min
John Toussaint, MD on CEO Challenges & Enduring Excellence, Lean Leadership, and Shingo
It's great to have Dr. John Toussaint back for episode #184 of the podcast (see links to previous episodes below). He is, of course, CEO of the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value and the author of two Shingo Award-winning books, On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry and Potent Medicine: The Collaborative Cure for Healthcare.
In this podcast, we start by hearing John's thoughts on some of the top issues that healthcare CEOs are facing today, such as changes in payment structures and Accountable Care Organizations. We also talk about the “Enduring Excellence” program that Paul O'Neill and John are leading to teach healthcare senior leaders about Lean culture change and their important role.
This podcast was produced in conjunction with the Healthcare Value Network as a continuation of their previous podcast series.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/184.
Past episodes with Dr. Toussaint:
#159: (10/16/12) John Toussaint, MD on the new IOM report
#146: (5/2/12) John Toussaint MD, on his new book Potent Medicine
#72: (8/12/09) John Toussaint, MD, Lean and Health Reform
#62: (2/23/09) John Toussaint, MD, ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value
#54: (12/2/08) John Toussaint, MD, ThedaCare's Lean Journey
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Aug 6, 2013 • 35min
Scott Sambucci Discusses Lean Startup Ideas for Sales, Process, and Mistakes
My guest for episode #183 is Scott Sambucci, who I met at the 2012 Lean Startup Conference. Scott is author of an excellent book, Startup Selling: How to sell if you really, really have to and don't know how. Scott is also founder of SalesQualia, a firm that helps people improve sales performance. His latest project is the Sales Model Canvas, an online tool.
Scott and I talk about getting better at sales (something I've honestly struggled with, as an engineer, during my time with KaiNexus). Scott talks about how “sales is a process,” what some of the biggest mistakes people can make with sales, what some common “vanity metrics” are (to be avoided), and how to look out for “vampires and gatekeepers” as you sell.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/183.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen via Stitcher.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Jul 30, 2013 • 36min
Lean Healthcare in Tanzania - Michael Grogan and Dr. Brenda Dmello
Joining me for episode #182 are Michael Grogan and Dr. Brenda Dmello, joining me via Skype from Tanzania where they are working together to use Lean to improve health care at the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT). Michael is Irish born and left his career in the United States to work in Africa (which you can read about in his guest post that I published earlier this month).
In the episode, we talk about their mission to reduce maternal death rates and “needless suffering” by creating “engaging, problem solving managers” as “everything rises and falls with leadership.” They are developing leaders who can “stop blaming” and treat people with respect, eliminating the “culture of fear” that we see in far too many organizations around the world. Dr. Brenda says, “I don't think it's ethical to allow change to happen so slowly” and that “clinical skills alone” won't solve healthcare's problems.
Links about their work:
You can make donations toward their work via the Kupona Foundation
Mike Stoecklein's blog post about their work
Michael's blog post on his first 79 days in Tanzania
Register for a webinar by Michael, hosted by the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value on August 14
Jul 22, 2013 • 30min
Ron Pereira from Gemba Academy, Lean and Six Sigma
My guest for Podcast #181 is a good friend, Ron Pereira of Gemba Academy, an outstanding provider of online Lean (and now Six Sigma) education.
Ron's blog posts can now be found at the Gemba Academy blog.
I was recently a guest on episode #8 of his podcast series. Ron was also the guest host for episode #143 of my podcast, where he interviewed me with follow up questions from a webinar I did for Gemba Academy on SPC.
Before I moved to San Antonio, Ron and used to live just about five miles apart in Keller, Texas and would meet for coffee regularly… but, today, we are talking via Skype. We're talking about his background with both Six Sigma and Lean and about how these methods can be used together. Ron tells a story about a time he used statistical methods to solve something that might have been difficult with standard Lean approaches.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/181.
Conflict of interest disclosure: Gemba Academy is a formal partner of KaiNexus, a technology company I work with and have an ownership stake in. I have received a free subscription to the Gemba Academy training classes.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
Jul 15, 2013 • 34min
Dan Florizone, Lean in Saskatchewan, Government Health and Education Sectors
Joining me for episode #180 of the Lean Blog Podcast is Dan Florizone, who served from 2008 until last month as Deputy Minister of Health in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
Dan has just recently transitioned into his new role as the Deputy Minister of Education and he will also focus on the application of Lean principles across all departments of the government.
Dan previously had over 25 years of healthcare management experience, including a five-year stint as CEO of the Five Hills Health Region. Dan and I first met a few years back when we were at a Lean healthcare conference hosted by Cindy Jimmerson. I really enjoyed talking with Dan and have closely followed the Lean healthcare transformation work being done in the province.
In the episode, we talk about Dan's introduction to Lean, his 2005 visit to Seattle to learn more, and how Lean is part of their “patient first” model. Lean has been a shift from “traditional cost cutting” to a “patient-centered, not provider-centered” approach to care. Lean has helped change their leadership model, where “the barrier to our change was thinking,” as Dan says.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/180.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen via Stitcher.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Additional links and info:
Saskatchewan Intro to Lean Healthcare page
PROVINCE ACCELERATES LEAN JOURNEY TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE
LeanBlog.org post: CBC on Lean in Saskatchewan Hospitals
LeanBlog.org post: Lean in a Moose Jaw Hospital
LeanBlog.org post referencing “lean design” work in Saskatchewan
Follow Trish Livingstone (@LeanSaskHealth) on Twitter
Jul 9, 2013 • 30min
Judy Worth & Tom Shuker, Perfecting Patient Journeys, Lean Value Streams in Healthcare
My guests for Podcast #179 are my friends Judy Worth and Tom Shuker, two of the co-authors of the book Perfecting Patient Journeys, which was published earlier this year by the Lean Enterprise Institute.
About the book: “Perfecting Patient Journeys” is a guide for leaders of healthcare organizations who want to implement lean thinking. Readers will learn how to identify and select a problem, define a project scope, and create a shared understanding of what's occurring in the value stream. Readers will also learn to develop a shared vision of an improved future, and how to work together to make that vision a reality.”
We'll talk about their book, what types of value streams and “extended value streams” are being worked on in healthcare (including “end-to-end” flows), breaking down silos, improving quality and cost as a result of taking time out of the value stream, and more.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/179.
Other links and info:
Downloads and templates from the book (see the “downloads” tab)
A review of the book by John Miller at the Gemba Panta Rei blog
A review by Tim McMahon on his blog
Conflict of interest disclosure: I received a free copy of the physical book and e-Book from the Lean Enterprise Institute and I am formerly an employee of LEI.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen via Stitcher.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Jun 24, 2013 • 30min
Drew Greenblatt, President of Marlin Wire on Lean and Competing Against Cheap Chinese Imports
Joining me for Podcast #178 is Drew Greenblatt, President and Owner of Marlin Steel Wire Products, a manufacturing company based in Baltimore. I was really impressed with Drew's keynote talk at the recent AME Southwest Region conference here in San Antonio. Drew's company is successfully competing against cheap Chinese imports by using Lean and “theory of constraints” methods, being passionate about serving customer needs, and making a commitment to (and investment in) his employees.
Whether you're a manufacturer who is considering “re-shoring” your production (or avoiding off-shoring) or if you're an organization looking to success by partnering with all of your employees, I think you'll find Drew inspiring.
Drew and Marlin Steel Wire are featured in this month's Fast Company magazine
Check out Bill Waddell's recent blog post about Drew and Marlin Wire.
Inc. Magazine article on Drew
Video of Eli Goldratt's last speech, shared by Drew online
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/178.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen via Stitcher.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
Jun 10, 2013 • 24min
Bob Emiliani, Nobody Is Exempt From Improvement - Lean Leadership
My guest for Podcast #177 is a returning guest, Bob Emiliani. In this episode, we're talking about one of his latest eBooks: Nobody Is Exempt From Improvement.
Check out our previous podcasts together – Episodes 132, 77, 48, 38, and 30. Bob is a professor at Central Connecticut State University and a prolific author on Lean management.
Also check out his new book – “The Lean Professor.”
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/177.
For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen via Stitcher.
Podcasts Sponsored by KaiNexus
May 29, 2013 • 25min
Norman Bodek, on ’The Harada Method: The Spirit of Self-Reliance’ *
Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/176
Remastered June 20201
Today, we discuss his latest book, The Harada Method: The Spirit of Self-Reliance.
Joining me once again for episode #176 is my mentor good friend Norman Bodek, who has been a guest many times here.
You can also learn more about the book and Norman's workshops at his website, PCSPress.com. As always, it's great to hear Norman talk about his interests and what he has learned in his trips to Japan, including Takashi Harada's work.
For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/176.
For earlier episodes of my podcast, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS, through Android apps, or via Apple Podcasts. You can also subscribe and listen via Stitcher. Please leave us a review and rating!
