The Lean Solutions Podcast

In this episode, The Lean Solutions Podcast host Patrick Adams discusses the ingredients necessary to fuel a mighty flame of continuous improvement in an organization as well as his book Avoiding The Continuous Appearance Trap, which received the Shingo publication award earlier this year. In the show notes, there is an article that Patrick wrote regarding the topics he speaks about in this episode. What You'll Learn: The Tinder Stability in processes and leadership. (You cannot improve chaos.) The vision must be clearly communicated. Standards, accountability, and expectations are clearly stated. Targets to achieve business goals are set. The Kindling Choose a high-value target area. Empower committed employees to change. Leaders enable action by removing roadblocks. Deploy structured problem solving. (Constant learning is the norm.) Generate small, simple improvements. Celebrate success on small wins. The Firewood Continuous and frequent “touches.” Hard work. Inspect what you expect. (Audit.) Sustain, replicate, and integrate the improvements. About the Speaker:  Patrick 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. Links: Click here for Patrick's Article Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Chad Bareither and I discuss the importance of a continuous improvement mindset. What You'll Learn: What is continuous improvement? Is a continuous improvement mindset anchored more in the hard skills (tools/systems) or the soft skills (behavior/thinking)? How does an organization get started with Continuous Improvement? How would that same organization sustain the benefits? What are some of the challenges you see in the world of Continuous Improvement? About the Guest:  From an early career as a Quality Engineer, Chad Bareither quickly found his niche and passion in Continuous Improvement. Now, with years of experience as an internal change agent for larger organizations, including three Fortune 500 companies, he takes that operational excellence mindset beyond the “shop floor”. As the owner and principal consultant of Bareither Group Consulting, he enables continuous improvement through the application of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. Chad partners with his clients to clarify and deploy their strategy, make process improvements to achieve those goals, and establish a system for daily management of the business. Links: Click here to connect with Chad on LinkedIn Click here for more information on Bareither Group Consulting Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Tom Passaro and I discuss him and his team's early lean journey, and the challenges and wins they have experienced. What You'll Learn: 1. Tell us about your company. 2. What products/services do you provide? 3. Who is your ideal customer? 4. Why did you decide to embark on your own lean journey? 5. What challenges have you had? 6. What have the results been? 7. What do you have to celebrate? About the Guest:  Tom is the President and co-founder of Innovative Power Products, located in Long Island New York. He has been an entrepreneur for over 35 years in the RF and Microwave industry. Him and his team embarked on their Lean journey about 2 years ago. Links: Click here to connect with Tom on LinkedIn Tom Passaro's email: tpassaro@innovativepp.com Click here for more information on Innovative Power Products Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Matthew Singh and I discuss PI initiatives and programs as well as positively influencing culture. What You'll Learn: 1. What do you think are some important elements of a successful PI program? 2. How does one go about impacting positive cultural change? 3. What insights can you provide about the sustainability of a program? 4. What's been your greatest challenge in your PI endeavors? 5. What has been your greatest win in the PI endeavors? About the Guest:  Matt Singh is the Director of Operational Excellence and Master Black Belt for the Department of Administrative Services in the state of Nebraska. Over the last 20 years he has previously served in a variety of progressive management roles including sales & service, operations, and supply chain. He is certified as a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, Certified Lean Sensei, and holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential.  Links: Click here to explore Nebraska's Center Of Operations Page Matthew Singh's email: matthew.singh@nebraska.gov Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Ken Segel and I discuss the importance of continuous improvement principles as they apply to patient care. What You'll Learn: 1. Can you tell me a little bit about Value Capture’s mission and history so our listeners can get a sense for your work in healthcare, and how your firm combines leading with safety and Toyota Production System principles or lean?   2. How about your personal story?  How did you get connected to this mission? 3. Can you say a little bit more about the state of lean in healthcare?  What challenges are you seeing?  What are your health system clients doing to try to break through?  How are you advising them? 4. How about the current state of safety in healthcare?  There have been some scary headlines recently about patient safety not having progressed much in 20 years … 5. Last summer we both spoke at a conference where in a keynote you and Mark Graban announced that this is an ideal time for folks in any industry to grab WORKFORCE SAFETY as an imperative to revive or strengthen lean journeys.  Can you say why? 6. Where do you think the Operational Excellence movement should go next, to move deeper into the work and not risk being a series of the latest flavors of the month? About the Guest: Ken is the Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of Value Capture. In this role as CEO, Ken provides support to CEOs of healthcare organizations dedicated to eliminating injuries and improving quality as a means to dramatically raise the clinical and financial performance of the entire institution. Prior to forming Value Capture, Ken served as the founding director of the Pittsburgh Regional Healthcare Initiative (PRHI). PRHI achieved best-in-nation regional results in the elimination of several classes of risk for patients. Before helping to create PRHI, Ken served for five years as Senior Program Officer at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation of Pittsburgh, where he guided many community health improvement initiatives and initiated the Foundation's formal public policy program. Earlier in his career, he served as an aide to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives, directed the overnight operations in the 1992 Clinton-Gore presidential campaign “War Room,” and served as Policy Director and speechwriter for the Democratic Party. He also taught political organizing and election monitoring in Ukraine and Russia. He is also a Certified Facilitator of the Shingo Institute. Links: Click here to connect with Ken Segel Ken Segel's email: Ksegel@valuecapturellc.com Click here for more information on the "Leading With Safety" Seminar Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Adam Lawrence and I discuss the Wheel of Sustainability and its elements. What You'll Learn: 1. Which element of the Wheel of Sustainability do you find most challenging for your Kaizen teams to engage with and why? 2. How do you help your Kaizen teams deal with this element (Clear Benefits) 3. What are you trying to accomplish with this element during a Kaizen event? 4. Do you have some stories how using this element of the Wheel of Sustainability helped avert or avoid problems? 5. How does Leadership Commitment support and work with this element? About the Guest:  Adam Lawrence is the Managing Partner of Process Improvement Partners, LLC. He has 30+ years of experience in process improvement activities, targeted at manufacturing and business processes. Having facilitated 300+ Kaizen events in multiple industries around the world, Adam aligns with leadership, engages teams, and creates sustainable results. Adam is also the author of The Wheel of Sustainability.   Links: Click here to connect with Adam Lawrence Click Here to learn more about the Wheel of Sustainability Click here for the Process Improvement Partners LLC Website Click Here for Adam Lawrence's YouTube Channel Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Mike Leigh and I discuss the application of lean as well as the implementation of a lean mindset within organizations. What You'll Learn: 1. Can you describe your Lean journey so far? 2. How has your attitude toward the application of Lean changed? 3. What is your approach to helping companies move forward on their Lean journey? 4. You're not a big fan of Six Sigma. Why is that? 5. What advice would you give to Lean practitioners who want to make a difference in their organizations? About the Guest:  Mike Leigh is the President of OpX Solutions, a performance improvement company that helps manufacturers remove the barriers that prevent them from achieving their goals by developing leaders and improving processes.  Prior to starting his company, Mike had a 13-year manufacturing career where he held a variety of operational supply chain leadership roles.  Prior to that, he served in the US Navy as a surface warfare officer where he specialized in nuclear propulsion, and later retired as a Commander in the reserves. Links: Click here to connect with Mike Leigh Click Here to learn more about Opx Solutions Click here for the OpX Solutions YouTube page Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Rich Sheridan and I discuss the impacts of implementing a culture of storytelling. What You'll Learn: 1. Why are you called the Chief Storyteller at Menlo? 2. Why is storytelling such an important part of your company's culture? 3. What kinds of stories are relevant to tell? 4. How do you curate stories? 5. How do you build a storytelling culture? About the Guest:  Rich Sheridan, CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations, is a successful entrepreneur and author of two best-selling books—Joy Inc.: How We Built Workplace People Love and Chief Joy Officer: How Great Leaders Elevate Human Energy and Eliminate Fear. Rich’s passion for inspiring organizations to create their own joy-filled cultures has led him to address audiences across the world—through four continents and 18 countries (and counting) as well as throughout the United States. Links: Click here to learn more about Rich Sheridan Click Here to learn more about Menlo Innovations Click here for more information on Rich Sheridan's books Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Katie Anderson and I discuss a culture of excellence through continuous improvement during a pre-recorded webinar. What You'll Learn: 1. What are the ingredients that make up a culture of excellence? 2. In cultures of CI, what does it mean to “learn, lead, and care”? 3. Can you share your favorite story from Mr. Yoshino that exemplifies a culture of CI? 4. Why do you do the Japan study trip? 5. What will we see that backs up how the Japanese culture played a part in Toyota’s success? About the Guest:  Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership and learning coach, consultant, and professional speaker, best known for inspiring individuals and organizations to lead with intention and increase their personal and professional impact. Katie is passionate about helping people around the world learn to lead and lead to learn by connecting purpose, process, and practice to achieve higher levels of performance. Her book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: Lessons from Toyota Leader Isao Yoshino on a Lifetime of Continuous Learning is an international #1 Amazon bestseller Links: Click here to learn more about Katie Anderson Click here for more information on Katie Anderson's books Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit 

In this episode, Toby Curry and I discuss lean process implementation in an organization as well as factors that can contribute to failure in a lean practice system. What You'll Learn: 1. Can you give us some background on who you are and some of your work experience? 2. Lean manufacturing practices have been around for decades. Throughout the life of Lean Practices, the demand for these skills and practices has been cyclical. Why do you feel there is or should be a heightened awareness or attraction to Lean practices in today's climate? 3. Can you give us an example of a lean process implementation that your organization has benefited from? 4. What do you feel is the largest factor that contributes to failed lean initiatives in manufacturing facility? 5. If you could go back now and impart some wisdom to yourself before you started practicing lean initiatives, what would it be? About the Guest:  Toby Curry serves as the director of operations for Coastal Automotive, a Tier-1 global automotive safety component manufacturer, where he is responsible for operational P&L, continuous improvement, production, logistics and quality. Toby has spent over 20 years in the automotive manufacturing industry, with 10 of those years in executive leadership. He’s passionate about making a positive difference for customers, community, and employees through building a great workplace culture. A US Navy Submarine Veteran, prior to joining Coastal, Toby served in various roles including process engineering, continuous improvement, and production supervision. He earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Grand Valley State University and a certificate in executive management from the University of Notre Dame.  Links: Click here for Toby Curry's LinkedIn To Contact Toby Curry Directly: toby.curry@coastal-automotive.com Click here for The Lean Solutions Summit