The Lowdown on Standard Work

Standard work is an important concept for any organization that is interested in embracing continuous improvement. It is relatively...

How Catchball is (a bit) Like Parenting

When my daughter was in elementary school, every weekday morning, I would drive her to the daycare center located on the site of the...

"Practice? We're Talking About Practice?" Yes, Practicing Lean

Allen Iverson was a legendary NBA point guard and scorer who played from 1996 to 2011. 

In a 2002 news conference that still appears...

How to Avoid 4 Common Catchball Errors

Of the four most popular professional sports in America, baseball is unique in many ways. In the others (basketball, football and hockey),...

The Difference between a Gemba Walk and Management by Walking Around

"Oh, we already do that. We just call it Management by Walking Around."

We hear this from leaders in every industry. The assumption that a ...

The Subtle Presence of Lean Practices in IKEA

Last weekend, I left my baby with Grammy and Poppy and journeyed to the Mecca of home furnishings. Obviously, I mean IKEA. I’ve crammed...

4 Common Myths About Standard Work

Have you heard the one about the engineer whose wife asks him to pick up a loaf of bread and, if they have eggs, get a dozen? They did have...

Got Problems? Get A3.

There’s a reason that it’s almost impossible to talk about continuous improvement without talking about Toyota Motor Corp. They not only...

Previewing The Lean Healthcare Transformation Summit

This upcoming week is one of my favorite weeks of the year - the Lean Healthcare Transformation Summit. I’ve been fortunate to attend each...