Chain of Learning: Empowering Continuous Improvement and Lean Change Leaders

Have you ever wondered why some organizations consistently outperform others? And why, even when using the same tools and methodologies, some companies are able to leverage them to achieve success whereas at others they just become the flavor of the month?If you are curious about the answers, you won't want to miss this episode with Steve Spear and Gene Kim where we unpack what makes companies “great” and explore key concepts in their new book, “Wiring the Winning Organization: Liberating our Collective Greatness through Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification”. Together, we peel back the layers of organizational innovation and problem-solving to focus on the critical – and often missing elements – for high performance.Tune in to discover the role that management systems and leadership play in shaping an organization's success, and the mechanisms that enable innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration across large, complex organizations.It makes no difference what you call it  – lean, agile, DevOps –  wiring your organization to win always comes back to the principles of good leadership.If you are a leader, an operational excellence practitioner, or simply someone aspiring to create and thrive in a winning organization, this is an episode you can't afford to miss.In this episode you’ll learn:What defines a winning organization and separates great organizations from “not great” onesHow to navigate from the “danger zone” to the “winning zone” The three layers of organizational problem-solving and continuous improvement The critical role of leadership and management systems in creating conditions for successThe sociotechnical mechanisms of winning organizations: slowification, simplification, and amplificationThree questions leaders should ask daily to enable a profound organizational transformationLeadership behavior shifts to be more effective in wiring your organization – and team –  to winHit play now to discover how you can build a high-performing organization and wire your organization for greatness.About my guests:Steve Spear is a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and is a renowned thought leader in the field of organizational excellence and high-performance organizations. Gene Kim is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author and former CTO of TripWire, specializing in improving software development and IT management for high-performing technology organizations.Links:Episode webpage and book giveaway registration: https://chainoflearning.com/8Book “Wiring the Winning Organization”: https://itrevolution.com/product/wiring-the-winning-organization/Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevespear/ Connect with Gene on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realgenekim/ My Book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/Work with me: https://kbjanderson.com/Timestamps 01:30 Introduction of Steve Spear and Gene Kim03:41 Definition of a winning organization04:02 Understanding what high performance is06:10 Disparities in organizational performance and the role of management systems07:53 Common mechanisms of performance 09:55 The three layers10:06 Social circuitry11:13 Capability and competency13:50  The socio part of the sociotechnical system14:05 Mr. Yoshino's paint mistake story15:49 Paul O'Neill's three critical questions for leaders18:50 The role of leaders in creating conditions that enable individuals to succeed19:07 How to move from the danger zone to the winning zone19:17 Slowification, simplification, and amplification21:29  Culture of learning and improvement through social circuitry25:30 How slowfication helps winning organizations30:24 The performance paradox and learning zones31:17 The importance of simulating disasters 33:03 Misuse of terminology and principles i.e., “lean”35:12 Interrelationship between management practices37:18 Lessons learned from the writing and collaboration process43:09 Steve and Gene’s behaviors to be more effective in wiring winning organizations47:17 Breaking the telling habit Apply for the Nov 2025 or May 2026 Japan Leadership Experiencehttps://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ 

What if HOW you go about setting your goals can change the impact you have – even more than the goals themselves? It’s that time of year for setting goals, to reflect on what you achieved – or didn’t achieve – in the past year and make resolutions and big goals for the coming year. Yet most of us have it backwards when we go about setting goals. We start with our minds before we connect with our hearts.In this episode of Chain of Learning, you’ll discover what’s missing for most people in our goal-setting culture. If you really want to create a meaningful impact and be more likely to achieve your goals, you need to start first with your intentions.Tune into this episode to learn how to make a shift in your thinking – and your goal-setting process – that will leave you more connected with purpose, fulfilled, and equipped to achieve your goals. You’ll understand how to connect who you want to be so that you are set up for what you want to achieve.In this episode you’ll learn:The difference between goals and intentions The importance of aligning actions in the direction of purpose About the Japanese concept of "kokorozashi" -- a leader's purpose, inner will, and enthusiasmHow a focus only on achieving goals is problematicWhy reflection is the beginning of learning and improvementA reflection exercise that will set you up for greater impactWhy you must align with your intentions before setting goalsHit play now – and be sure to grab a pen and paper to capture your reflections – to make plans on how you will take aligned action that will propel you towards the impact that you want in the coming year!Important Links:Full show notes: http://chainoflearning.com/7 Episode 4 Leading for Impact: The Power of Being Over Doing: http://chainoflearning.com/4 Episode 5 Achieve More by Performing Less with Eduardo Briceño: http://chainoflearning.com/5 Reflections on Intentions And Goals blog post: https://kbjanderson.com/reflections-on-intentions-and-goals/Timestamps00:31: Intention for this episode 02:55: Typical New Year goal setting03:27: Concept of intentions versus goals04:27: Importance of intention in leadership06:48: The difference and connection between goals and intentions08:24: Discovery of Intention = Heart + Direction ®09:52: Japanese concept of 'kokorozashi'12:00: The impact of focusing on goals only14:21: The power of intention in navigating setbacks15:09: The importance of connecting with your purpose17:05: Reflection process for   determining intentions and  goals19:27: Reflection exercise with questions 21:11: Steps for aligning actions with purpose23:35: Identifying and aligning actions for the next year26:06: Dealing with challenges, staying focused and moving forward27:09: Balancing professional and personal goals28:04: Legacy and the concept of intention31:04: Importance of focusing on intentions before goals31:38: Reflection on leadership with intention for the coming year and conclusion Apply for the Nov 2025 or May 2026 Japan Leadership Experiencehttps://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ 

Join the exciting behind-the-scenes conversations with transformational change leaders from GE's The Lean Mindset event. Discover insights on embracing failure, teamwork, leadership engagement, and cultivating continuous improvement. Learn about the significance of daily practice, effective problem-solving, and aligning action plans with resources for operational enhancement.

Eduardo Briceño, growth mindset and learning organization expert, discusses the 'Performance Paradox' and how a constant focus on performing actually leads to lower performance. He shares tips on balancing the 'Performance Zone' and the 'Learning Zone', the impact of seeking feedback, and 5 tips to embed growth and learning micro-habits. Additionally, he explores building a high-performing learning culture in organizations.

Explore the concept of 'how to be' rather than 'how to do' in leadership, the power of purpose and being, and the challenges and importance of prioritizing 'being' over 'doing' as a leader. Reflect on purpose and connection, shift from doing to being, and be inspired to join a study trip to Japan and share your learnings on LinkedIn.

Psychologist Carol Dweck discusses the importance of a growth mindset in developing a culture of continuous improvement. They explore the difference between growth and fixed mindsets, the connection between a growth mindset and a Lean mindset, and strategies for creating an environment that embraces growth and learning.

Jamie Parker, a trusted partner for operational leaders and manufacturing executives, discusses the importance of love, empathy, and human connection in creating a thriving organization. They explore fostering a culture of continuous learning, cultivating empathy through listening, creating a team environment of respect and empathy, and the pleasure of reflection and connection for continuous learning.

The pressure to get results and outcomes, to deliver value for customers, and to stay ahead of the competition remains paramount for organizations to survive into the future. But what if the way to not just survive –  but also to thrive – is not through a singular focus on the outcomes themselves, but rather the learning process to get there?If you’re a leader who believes that people are at the center of exceptional organizational culture – and that a commitment to continuous learning is the way to create that culture – where everyone is capable, confident and empowered to solve problems and innovate at all levels – this podcast is for you!Welcome to Chain of Learning!Your Leadership Connection to Create a Culture of Continuous ImprovementThis is your trusted resource for actionable strategies and practices to empower you to build a people-centered learning culture, get results and expand your impact, so that you AND your team, can leave a lasting legacy.This new podcast is hosted by me, Katie Anderson. I’m an internationally recognized leadership consultant, keynote speaker, author of the award-winning book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn – and learning enthusiast.If you are like me, you believe in learning and continuous improvement. You know the impact this can have on people, teams, and organizations. You have a passion for solving important problems, improving processes, and achieving goals. You thrive on the challenge of figuring out how to make something better. And you love learning and improving. But more importantly, you too are inspired by creating connections between people and ideas, and what it means to help others learn, grow, and achieve more than they thought was possible. This is what you can expect from Chain of Learning:Learn from me and other thought leaders and professionals about how to achieve your goal of creating a thriving people-centered culture of continuous improvement and achieve business resultsWalk away with tangible practices and strategies that you can apply immediately Discover how you can become a highly influential change leader who accelerates the rate of learning and impact in your organization.What is a “Chain of Learning”?Chain of Learning® is one of my core principles. We are all leaders and learners – connected together by the bond between us. There is no strength in isolated links. We learn and improve better – together – and it’s why I started this podcast.A Chain of Learning is a metaphor for what a successful people-centered learning organization is all about – the connection and support between people to learn through success and failure alike,  grow, and achieve more than they could have on their own. This is the power of our Chain of Learning. At my core, I believe: When we stay in learning, anything is possible.In this introductory episode, I explore this and more. I invite you to hit play. Be sure to subscribe or follow and share it with your friends and colleagues so we can all strengthen our Chain of Learning® – together. Important Links:Full Show Notes: http://chainoflearning.com/1My website: KBJAnderson.comMy book, Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: https://kbjanderson.com/learning-to-lead/ Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/Subscribe to my newsletter: https://kbjanderson.com/contact/ In this episode you can expect to learn:00:00: Introduction to this podcast Chain of Learning02:07: Challenges in developing a people-centred learning culture03:26: Goals for the Chain of Learning podcast04:16: Upcoming discussions with global thought leaders06:43: Concept behind Chain of Learning08:17: Request to subscribe and share the podcast. Apply for the Nov 2025 or May 2026 Japan Leadership Experiencehttps://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ 

If you’re a leader who knows that people are at the center of exceptional organizational culture – and that a commitment to continuous learning is the way to create that culture – tune in now to Chain of Learning.Chain of Learning® is where the links of leadership and learning unite.Join your host, Katie Anderson, internationally recognized leadership consultant, award-winning author of “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”, and fellow learning enthusiast, for a journey that will help you master the skills to lead your organization from a traditional culture of “doing” into a vibrant, high-performing organization of continuous learning. Chain of Learning® is the trusted source for purpose-driven leaders and continuous improvement, lean, and agile practitioners seeking positive inspiration, innovative ideas, proven best practices, and actionable strategies to lead transformational change.Tune into each episode to gain the knowledge and skills you need to build a thriving people-centered learning culture, achieve needed business results, and expand your impact, so that you – and your team – can leave a lasting legacy.Subscribe and follow Chain of Learning® today so you never miss an episode!Podcast website: ChainOfLearning.comKatie Anderson’s website: KBJAnderson.comConnect with Katie Anderson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson/Read Katie's book: LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com