Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership

This week’s guests are Michelle Troseth and Tracy Christopherson. Ron, Michelle, and Tracy discussed the concept of an internal operating system, dealing with both burnout and boredom, the importance of personal alignment, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  Michelle and Tracy’s favorite quotes (3:12) Their backgrounds (4:37) Characterizing burnout (6:03) Dealing with boredom (9:27) About the “internal operating system” (11:24) How to prevent leaders from self-sabotaging (16:22) “Upgrading” your operating system (20:52) The importance of personal alignment (24:23) An example anecdote (26:52) How that kind of impact makes them feel (30:56) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Tracy on LinkedIn Michelle on LinkedIn Missing Logic Burnout Proof Leadership Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What about the concept of an internal operating system can you relate to?

This week’s guest is Nick Klein. Ron and Nick discussed how Nick applies lean at his organization, the challenges they’re facing, and why quick improvements like cleaning up your desktop do more than you think. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  The quote Nick likes (2:37) Nick’s background (3:34) His journey (5:52) An example improvement (8:30) The size of their organization (10:08) The challenges they’re facing (13:57) A breakthrough moment (17:08) One of Nick’s favorite mistakes (19:20) Advice for anyone who is new to lean (22:55) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Nick on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What’s a quick fix you could do today to make your life easier?

This week features Katie Anderson, a Shingo Award-winning author and leadership coach renowned for her expertise in continuous improvement. She dives into her Katalyst framework and its impact on organizational learning. Katie reflects on her growth since publishing her book and shares insights on the 'doer trap' that hinders organizations. Her observations from immersive trips to Japan reveal technological advances, while her thoughts on AI emphasize the need for human skills. Tune in for her valuable final advice on leadership development!

In this engaging conversation, Sarah Tilkens, a Lean and leadership expert, and Leah Roe, a leadership development coach, delve into the creation of a culture of problem solvers. They highlight the 'problem solver revolution', emphasizing the importance of trust and coaching in leadership. Both guests discuss practical strategies for rebuilding trust and engaging younger generations through Kaizen. Their insights into cultivating a problem-solving mindset reveal how collaborative approaches can lead to lasting change in organizations.

This week’s guest is Gui Costin. Ron and Gui discuss fostering a calm company culture, bringing out the best in people, dealing with different generations and personality types in the workplace, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  Gui’s favorite quote (2:49) His background (4:22) The concept of continuous improvement culture (5:45) The definition of kindness (10:46) Gui’s take on personality types (13:53) The culture of calm (18:01) Managing employees of a younger generation (21:04) Some actionable steps you can take to improve your company’s culture (30:50) Gui’s final words of wisdom (36:44) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Gui on LinkedIn The Dakota Way Gui’s Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you deal with generational differences at work?

This week’s guest is George Pesansky. Ron and George discussed taking gemba walks, what we can learn from factory parking lots, the Kano model, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  George’s quote (2:51) His background (4:39) His take on gemba walks (6:33) Leadership and setting expectations (9:28) The idea of failure (11:37) Clues from the factory parking lot (14:03) The Kano model (15:43) How George uses A3s (21:09) His final words of wisdom (27:18) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 George’s Website “Superperformance” on Amazon Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How else could the Kano model be used in continuous improvement?

This week’s guests are Josh Davis and Greg Prosmushkin. Ron, Josh, and Greg discussed NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, why it matters, how it can help in difficult situations, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  Their favorite quotes (3:07) Their backgrounds (4:21) What NLP is and why we should care (7:38) What a well-formed outcome means (10:47) Whether or not NLP is manipulative (15:38) Examples of when NLP has helped others (17:59) The techniques of NLP (20:27) How NLP can help in difficult situations (24:17) What NLP helps (29:29) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 The Difference That Makes the Difference Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Have you heard of NLP before?

This week we’re celebrating our 600th episode. Our Director of Studios Greg Nickell asked Ron about the company’s growth over the years, the challenges we’ve faced, what we hope the next generation will take away from our videos, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  Ron’s favorite quote (1:07) His background (1:32) How Gemba Academy began (3:24) The role of timing in Gemba Academy’s success (7:30) Some of our early challenges (10:20) What our library looks like now (12:45) Our focus on helping people solve problems (14:36) An anecdocte about a particularly powerful transformation (16:30) Whether or not Ron practices continuous improvement at home (18:39) The famous dishwasher video (20:11) What Ron hopes the next generation will take from Gemba Academy (21:30) What Ron would tell his younger self (22:47) About the power of showing up (23:43) Ron’s words of wisdom (24:55) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Do you have a favorite episode or moment from the first 600 episodes of the podcast?

This week’s guest is Melissa Sherman. Ron and Melissa discussed misconceptions about continuous improvement, navigating different personalities, the role coaching plays in change management, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you’ll learn:  The quote that inspires Melissa (2:25) Her background (3:13) A misconception about continuous improvement (5:35) Lean being done “to” people (7:27) The role of communication (8:32) An anecdote about change management (11:58) How Melissa coaches different personalities (15:40) Dealing with “CAVE” people (17:01) The role of coaching in continuous improvement and change management (24:53) Melissa’s take on AI (27:52) Her final words of wisdom (29:17) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Melissa on LinkedIn Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you deal with different personalities?

This week’s guest is Darren Walsh, an experienced Lean practitioner and author of 'Making Lean Work'. He shares insights on common pitfalls in continuous improvement and effective countermeasures. Darren emphasizes the importance of starting with daily management practices and offers actionable advice like using progress boards. He also discusses five key leadership routines to foster sustainable improvement. The conversation is packed with practical wisdom for transforming organizations through Lean principles.