The Lean Solutions Podcast

Wendy Sellers, a nationally recognized HR consultant and expert known as The HR Lady®, shares her insights on positive leadership. She discusses how focusing on strengths and psychological safety can drive continuous improvement. Wendy reflects on her experiences with negative leadership and stresses the importance of clear values and accountability in fostering a healthy workplace culture. She also highlights the role of leader emotions in shaping team dynamics and offers strategies for dealing with toxic employees.

In this engaging discussion, Alex Suchman, CEO of Barometer XP, shares insights on leveraging play for workplace improvement. She explains how play can enhance trust and accountability while addressing communication dynamics that often lead to conflict. Alex introduces a playful drawing exercise to highlight different processing styles and stresses the importance of intentional design in play activities. She also discusses ‘relational waste’ and offers techniques to convert play into tangible outcomes that boost team performance.

What You’ll Learn:In this episode, hosts Patrick Adams and Andy Olrich discuss the importance of soft skills in leadership, emphasizing empathy, communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.About the Guest:Andy Olrich brings over 25 years of expertise in engineering trades, services, manufacturing, mining and logistics processes and support. With qualifications in Continuous Improvement and LEAN Six Sigma, he is also a Certified Scrum Master. Andy finds fulfillment in witnessing the positive outcomes that result from teams collaboratively working towards shared and individual goals.Patrick Adams is an internationally recognized leadership coach, consultant and professional speaker. He is best known for his unique human approach to sound team building practices, creating consensus and enabling empowerment.Patrick has been delivering bottom-line results through specialized process improvement solutions for over 20 years. He’s worked with all types of businesses from private, non-profit, government, and manufacturing ranging from small business to billion-dollar corporations. Patrick is an Author of the best selling book, Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap.Links:⁠Click Here For Andy Olrich’s LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠Click Here For Patrick Adams’ LinkedIn⁠

What You’ll Learn:In this episode, hosts Catherine McDonald, Andy Olrich, and guest Leire Martinez discuss the importance of sustaining culture and connection in organizations. They emphasize that culture is crucial for continuous improvement and can vary across different departments and regions.About the Guest:With a strong Lean Six Sigma background, she is experienced as an Operations Director managing multi-site operations, as well as a Plant Manager, Production Manager, and Continuous Improvement Manager in the automotive sector within a VUCA environment and during challenging periods such as COVID, the chip crisis, and material shortages. Her aim is to inspire the teams she works with to achieve results as one, always acting with integrity, a willingness to win, and a commitment to making tomorrow better.Links:Click Here For Leire Martinez LinkedIn

Patrick Adams, the founder of Lean Solutions and a fervent lifelong learner, shares insights from his exhilarating experience on the live startup competition, The Blocks. He discusses how the intense week of learning has inspired him to simplify lean concepts for broader understanding. Network building with fellow entrepreneurs and the friendly competitive spirit were highlights for Patrick. He also touches on the exhausting yet rewarding challenges and the valuable lessons in marketing he plans to apply to his business.

What You’ll Learn:In this episode, host Patrick Adams welcomes Andy Olrich and John Dyer to discuss their experiences at the Lean Excellence World Championship. They share insights into the diverse strategies teams employed to tackle a common challenge and emphasize the critical roles of customer engagement and supplier analysis. Despite early obstacles, the winning team distinguished itself through data-driven decision-making. The competition’s real-world scenarios and collaborative dynamics offered valuable learning opportunities for all participants.Links:Lean Summit | Findleansolutions

What You’ll Learn:In this episode, host Patrick Adams and guest Craig Tedrow discuss the importance of long-term sustainment in organizational processes. Craig shares his journey from resisting Lean practices to embracing them, emphasizing the need for leaders to involve employees and revisit improvements regularly. They highlight the significance of clear expectations, enabling action, and sustaining improvements. About the Guest:Craig Tedrow is an experienced Continuous Improvement professional with a strong background in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industries. Known for his ability to bridge the gap between frontline workers and organizational goals, he brings expertise in training coordination, process improvement, and team development. With an Associate’s degree in Computer and Information Sciences from Grand Rapids Community College, Craig combines technical understanding with a people-centered approach to leadership.Links:Click Here For Craig Tedrow's LinkedIn

What You’ll Learn:In this episode, hosts Patrick Adams and Andy Olrich discuss Andy's recent trip to the US for the Lean Solutions Global Summit. Andy, was a speaker and judge at the summit’s Lean Solutions Competition. He notes the success of advanced manufacturing centers and the importance of lean and best practice tools. Patrick and Andy reflect on the new Lean Solutions office, emphasizing its immersive training environment and community service.About the Guest:Andy Olrich is a Business Improvement Specialist with over 25 years of experience driving meaningful change across industries including Mining, Manufacturing, Ports, Supply Chain and Logistics, Health, and Government services. With a strong foundation in trades and engineering, Andy has led Operations and Maintenance teams while leveraging formal expertise in Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Agile, and related disciplines.Known for his energetic facilitation and people-focused approach, Andy combines a customer-centric mindset with a deep commitment to community engagement. As an international speaker, coach, and co-host of the Lean Solutions Podcast, he empowers individuals and organizations to enhance processes, reduce risk, improve customer experiences, and deliver sustainable outcomes.Links:North St. Partners WebsiteClick Here For Andy Olrich's LinkedIn

In this discussion, Lee Campe, a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and former U.S. Army Airborne Ranger, shares how military leadership principles can enhance continuous improvement across industries. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication and hands-on training, advocating for leaders to actively engage with their teams. Lee also discusses the significance of creating cohesive teams, making decisive decisions under pressure, and the necessity of effective training methods that cater to all learners. His unique insights highlight the blend of discipline and adaptability from his military background to foster excellence in various sectors.

Tina Patel Gunaldo, a healthcare leader and interprofessional collaboration expert, shares her journey from physical therapy to advancing team-based care. She discusses the significance of interprofessional education (IPE) in shaping future healthcare professionals. Tina highlights challenges like traditional hierarchies but emphasizes the need for asynchronous collaboration. Through real-world examples, she illustrates how effective teamwork can enhance patient outcomes. Plus, she offers practical tips for leaders to foster a collaborative environment.