Why you need a “Lean Management System”
"Many people go to the gym and exercise but few people are really fit. Similarly, many organizations use Lean tools but few are truly Lean. In both examples the key…
The defect in our brains
"Unfortunately, our general human tendency is to assume with great certainty that we know far more than we really do. Our primitive brain hates uncertainty and drives us to assume…
FREE Training Material Downloads
All currently-available training materials ("Lean Training Series" topics and Book Study Guides) are available for free download. Materials distributed on physical media (print, SD card, etc.) have a fee to…
Discipline and Accountability
"This culture [Toyota's] has, in our view, two pillars--the discipline to follow a path of continuous problem solving and self-improvement, and accountability to work standards, fellow team members, company goals,…
9 ways Lean is like Hiking
How I learned that high performance in business is like high performance on challenging trails. A big optimistic goal In 2014, my wife suggested: "Let's vacation in the Southwest, do…
A simplistic look at Lean
"If you look at the Toyota Production System simplistically, it's about making problems and improvement opportunities visible to workers and management, and addressing them as close to the source as…
What deeply trained Lean sensei look for…
Description of what deeply trained Lean sensei look for when visiting an operation that claims to be Lean: "… If they see material flowing smoothly through the plant from start…
Lean is engaging everyone
"Instead, [Lean] is about seeking accelerating, dynamic economies through engaging everyone — shop floor and management — in using scientific problem-solving to define and continually improve their work, supported by…
Javan Lapp to co-facilitate next LLPG
The next Lean Leader Peer Group begins on March 5, 2024 here in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area and I’m pleased to announce that Javan Lapp will join me as co-facilitator.…
What Makes Lean Great?
Lean is a rare and powerful business strategy. Lean's unique feature is this:Involve EVERYONE in your company to...* shrink waste,* solve problems, and* make your process better. If you get…