Lean Blog Audio: Practical Lean Thinking, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement

Explore the key lessons from Liker's insights on Toyota's culture, emphasizing that Lean is not just a set of tools but a management philosophy. Discover how the 4P model prioritizes people development as essential leadership work. Hear about the fragility of culture amid high turnover and the importance of servant leadership, where managers act as teachers. The discussion highlights psychological safety as vital for continuous improvement, urging leaders to focus on fostering stability and learning rather than quick fixes.

The blog postHow should organizations think about using AI in Kaizen and continuous improvement? In this AudioBlog, Mark Graban argues that there are no clear answers yet—and that uncertainty is exactly why AI should be approached through small, disciplined PDSA cycles rather than big bets or hype-driven rollouts.Instead of treating AI as an expert or decision-maker, Mark frames it as a thought partner—a tool that can support brainstorming, reflection, coaching feedback, and clearer documentation. Used this way, AI becomes another input into the learning process, not a replacement for judgment, gemba observation, or human relationships.The episode emphasizes what AI can’t do—build trust, observe real work, or validate improvement—and why those limitations reinforce the need for small tests of change. When AI is used with curiosity, restraint, and real-world validation, it can support learning without undermining the purpose of Kaizen itself.The takeaway: treat AI like any other countermeasure. Start small. Learn quickly. Keep humans firmly in charge of thinking and improvement.

Discover why cherry-picking Lean practices fails to spark lasting change in organizations. Mark Graban reveals that without commitment to the full system, foundational elements like pull and continuous improvement can't thrive. He emphasizes the importance of psychological safety, where team members feel empowered to voice concerns. Delve into how a focus on long-term philosophy, aligned leadership, and confronting systemic issues is essential for true Lean success. This conversation challenges listeners to rethink their approach to adoption.

The blog postIn this Lean Blog Audio episode, Mark Graban reflects on an unexpected leadership lesson learned on the pickleball court. As a beginner unlearning decades-old tennis habits, Mark experiences firsthand how execution errors, muscle memory, and self-criticism can quietly undermine learning. A kind instructor and supportive playing partners provide timely feedback—without blame—turning mistakes into moments of growth.The story becomes a practical metaphor for leadership, psychological safety, and continuous improvement. Mark connects a missed serve, an illegal volley, and other rookie mistakes to familiar workplace dynamics: fear of speaking up, hesitation to give feedback, and cultures that confuse mistakes with incompetence. Drawing on themes from his book The Mistakes That Make Us, he explores the difference between judgment errors and execution errors, why unlearning is often harder than learning, and how leaders set the tone for Kaizen through their reactions.Whether in sports, healthcare, manufacturing, or office work, improvement depends on environments where people feel safe to surface mistakes, reflect, and adjust—one learning cycle at a time.

The blog postIn this episode, Mark reflects on a visit he made twenty years ago to the NUMMI plant in Fremont, California — the Toyota-GM joint venture that became legendary in Lean circles. What stayed with him wasn’t flashy tools or so-called Lean perfection, but a series of small, human moments that revealed how Lean actually works as a management system.Through six short stories — a broken escalator, aluminum foil, an explanatory safety sign, a pull-based gift shop, imperfect 5S, and visible audit boards — Mark explores the deeper principles behind Lean thinking: asking “why” before spending money, respecting people enough to explain decisions, encouraging small frontline ideas, and reinforcing standards through daily leadership behavior. Long before the term was popular, NUMMI demonstrated psychological safety in action.The episode also contrasts NUMMI’s management system with what came after, when the same building became Tesla’s first factory — underscoring a central lesson: buildings and technology don’t create quality. Culture does. These NUMMI lessons remain just as relevant today for leaders trying to build systems that support learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.Explore the original NUMMI Tour Tales:NUMMI Tour Tale #1: Why Fix the Escalator?NUMMI Tour Tale #2: The Power of Reynolds WrapNUMMI Tour Tale #3: The Power of WhyNUMMI Tour Tale #4: The Pull Gift ShopNUMMI Tour Tale #5: Nobody Is PerfectNUMMI Tour Tales #6: “You Get What You Inspect”

The blog postDwayne “The Rock” Johnson once joked that his incredible physical transformation came from one simple routine: working out six hours a day, every day, for twenty years. In this episode, Mark explores why that line from Central Intelligence mirrors how organizations misunderstand Lean. Many admire the “after” picture of Toyota, ThedaCare, or Franciscan St. Francis Health, but far fewer commit to the steady, everyday habits that make those results possible.This short reflection looks at the gap between wanting improvement and practicing it, the risks of “instant pudding” thinking, and what real diligence looks like in organizations that sustain progress year after year. Continuous improvement doesn’t require six hours a day—but it does require showing up, consistently, over time.

Mark Graban shares his personal journey with Lean, from his studies to transformative experiences at GM. He emphasizes Lean as a management system rooted in respect rather than just tools. Psychological safety is highlighted as crucial for sustaining progress, enabling open dialogue and genuine engagement. Graban identifies healthcare as a prime opportunity for Lean improvements, addressing persistent issues like preventable harm. The conversation underscores that Lean evolves through experience and continuous learning, shaping a more effective and human-centered approach.

Discover the powerful principle of no layoffs as a key to successful Lean implementation. Mark Graban reveals how a culture of safety, rather than fear, drives continuous improvement. He shares eye-opening examples from healthcare organizations that emphasize protecting careers and fostering trust. Learn how leaders can enhance engagement by committing to staff welfare and using productivity gains to reinvest in better services. This approach transcends industries, illustrating that when employees feel secure, they contribute creatively to progress.

The blog postIn this episode, Mark Graban explores why so many organizational change efforts stall—not because people are resistant, but because leaders rely on telling instead of asking. Drawing from his recent Lean Blog article, Mark introduces five Motivational Interviewing questions that shift conversations from compliance to genuine commitment.He explains how MI, a framework rooted in empathy and autonomy, helps leaders uncover intrinsic motivation, build psychological safety, and coach more effectively. Mark also shares a personal example of self-coaching through these same questions, illustrating how they move us from guilt to growth.Listeners will learn how to use these questions in team huddles, one-on-ones, and moments of cultural transformation — and why respectful curiosity often outperforms pressure in sustaining continuous improvement.If you’ve ever struggled to “get people on board,” this episode offers a practical, human-centered alternative.

The blog postThis episode looks at how GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp grounds Lean leadership in two fundamentals: safety and respect for people. Drawing on his recent appearance on the Gray Matter podcast, we explore how Culp applies the core habits of the Toyota Production System—not as slogans, but as daily practice.Culp traces his Lean development back to Danaher, where he learned kaizen directly from consultants trained by Toyota’s Shingijutsu pioneers. That early exposure shaped his belief that improvement is a behavior, not a program. He still invites those same advisers, including Yukio Katahira, onto GE Aerospace’s shop floors—reinforcing that the real expertise lives with the people doing the work.He describes how he “kaizens himself” after board meetings and plant visits, using the same PDSA cycle expected throughout the organization. His message is blunt: Lean fails when leaders try to drive improvement from conference rooms instead of going to the work.The conversation also highlights GE’s SQDC focus—Safety and Quality before Delivery and Cost—and why Culp begins every leadership meeting with a safety moment. Given that three billion passengers fly each year on GE-powered aircraft, he frames safety as a responsibility, not a dashboard metric.Culp’s turnaround work emphasizes cultural change as much as operational results. He’s pushing GE from a finger-pointing culture toward a problem-solving culture, where issues are surfaced early and treated without blame. Psychological safety is essential to that shift.The throughline is simple and consistent: continuous improvement requires humble leadership, curiosity at every level, and a commitment to getting closer to the work. Culp’s approach is a reminder that Lean endures not because of its tools, but because of the behaviors it cultivates.