Podcasts about continuous improvement

BONUS: Zach Goldberg shares how to build high-performing engineering teams and master the startup CTO role In this BONUS episode, we dive deep into the world of startup leadership with Zach Goldberg, author of The Startup CTO's Handbook. We explore the critical transition from engineering to leadership, the art of balancing technical debt with startup urgency, and the communication skills that separate great CTOs from the rest. The Genesis of The Startup CTO's Handbook "My original training in software engineering was not enough for being a leader. All the people and leadership skills, I had to learn on my own." Zach's journey to writing The Startup CTO's Handbook began with a stark realization about the gap between technical training and leadership reality. Despite his classical software engineering background, he discovered that the people and leadership skills required for CTO success had to be self-taught. The book emerged from a growing Google Doc of topics and frameworks addressing the leadership and management challenges that CTOs consistently face - from hiring and performance management to making strategic decisions under pressure. Today, we can either buy the digital/print book on Amazon, or read the book on GitHub.  In this segment, we also refer to the book The Great CEO Within. Learning to Truly Learn: The Max Mintz Story "Max only cared about my ability to learn - to get curious about something hard. He wanted to help me deal with complexity." Zach opens his book with a deeply personal story about his mentor, Max Mintz, who fundamentally changed his approach to learning during what he calls "the most impactful single coffee" of his life. Over 1.5 years of conversations, Max taught him that true learning isn't about accumulating facts, but about developing curiosity for hard problems and building the capacity to handle complexity. This lesson forms the foundation of effective CTO leadership - the ability to continuously learn and adapt in an ever-changing technical landscape. The Three Critical CTO Mistakes "As a CTO, the most important 3 things: people, people, people. Do the people have the right energy, the right passion? Assemble the right team." Zach identifies consistent patterns in startup CTO failures across his experience. The first and most critical mistake is undervaluing people decisions - failing to prioritize team energy, passion, and the right assembly of talent. The second category involves investment mistakes, particularly the challenge of balancing short-term survival needs with long-term technical goals. In startups, the ROI timespan is exceptionally short, requiring optimization for immediate objectives rather than hypothetical scale. The third mistake is treating technology as religion rather than tools, losing sight of what the business actually needs. Optimizing for Velocity and Developer Experience "You are optimizing for velocity! What are you doing to help developers get their work done? Look at developer experience as a metric." Successful startup CTOs understand that velocity - the time from idea to valuable market delivery - is paramount. This requires a fundamental shift in thinking about technology decisions, focusing on features that deliver real customer value rather than technical elegance. Zach emphasizes measuring developer experience as a key metric, recognizing that anything that helps developers work more effectively directly impacts the company's ability to survive and thrive in competitive markets. The Professional Skill Tree Concept "It's like a character progression in an RPG. When we learn one type of skills, we don't learn other types of skills. We make investments every day and we have a choice on where we learn." Drawing from gaming metaphors, Zach explains how technical professionals often reach Level 100 in engineering skills while remaining Level 1 in management. The skill tree concept highlights that every learning investment is a choice - time spent developing one skill area means less time available for others. For engineers transitioning to leadership, the key is recognizing opportunities to serve as tech leads, where they can begin setting culture and quality standards while still leveraging their technical expertise. Balancing Kaizen with Startup Urgency "Pick the high-impact debt, and pay that down. This is not always easy, especially because we also need to pick what debt we don't invest on." The tension between continuous improvement and startup speed requires sophisticated thinking about technical debt. Using financial analogies, Zach explains that technical debt has both principal and interest components. The key is identifying which debt carries the highest interest rates and can be paid down most quickly, while consciously choosing which debt to carry forward. This approach maintains the healthy tension between quality and speed that defines successful startup engineering. The Power of Audience Empathy "The single hardest skill, especially for very tech leaders is that of 'audience empathy.' When you explain ideas to people, you usually assume a lot - but they might not." According to Zach, the most undervalued communication habit for startup tech leaders is developing audience empathy. Technical leaders often suffer from the curse of knowledge, assuming their audience shares their context and understanding. The solution requires deliberately considering what the audience already knows before crafting any communication, whether it's explaining technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders or providing clear direction to team members. In this segment we refer to the concept of “the curse of knowledge”, a cognitive bias that occurs when a person who has specialized knowledge assumes that others share in that knowledge. About Zach Goldberg Zach Goldberg is a seasoned technical entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of The Startup CTO's Handbook. With a founder's mentality and a passion for systems thinking, Zach helps engineering leaders build high-performing teams. He also founded Advance The World, a nonprofit inspiring youth in STEM through immersive experiences. You can link with Zach Goldberg on LinkedIn, and visit Zach's website at CTOHB.com.

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Catherine McDonald, Shayne Daughenbaugh, and guest Sam Yankelevitch discuss the importance of respectful delegation in leadership. They highlight the significance of clarity, accountability, and continuous coaching in delegation. Together, they elaborate on the "commitment conversation" framework, which includes defining tasks, acknowledging uncertainties, and regular follow-ups. They emphasize the need for leaders to shift from being intimidating task givers to supportive coaches.About the Guest:Sam Yankelevitch is the CEO of Xpress Lingo Solutions, a TEDx speaker, and corporate trainer focused on aligning people, processes, and communication to close performance gaps. An industrial engineer and former VP of global operations, he brings deep expertise in Lean, Quality, and problem-solving methodologies. Sam is a popular LinkedIn Learning instructor with over 750,000 learners and the author of several books, including Lean Potion #9, Walking the Invisible Gemba, and the fiction title An Interview with Failure. He lives in South Carolina with his wife and borrowed dog, and believes in lifelong learning and giving back.Links:Click Here For Sam Yankelevitch WebsiteClick Here For Sam Yankelevitch LinkedInClick Here For Sam Yankelevitch YouTube

As we give ourselves to God, our life and work flows out as sacrificial labor as we strain to produce good things for others. This brings us back to the idea that we, the ones creating value for customers, are in a position of givers. We give of our time, strength, ideas, resources, and skills. And our work to produce value for our customer through a Disciplined Offering has eternal ramifications. There is a transcendent moral good in our physical labor. Kaizen is more than Continuous Improvement.Kaizen is Disciplined Offering.

As we give ourselves to God, our life and work flows out as sacrificial labor as we strain to produce good things for others. This brings us back to the idea that we, the ones creating value for customers, are in a position of givers. We give of our time, strength, ideas, resources, and skills. And our work to produce value for our customer through a Disciplined Offering has eternal ramifications. There is a transcendent moral good in our physical labor. Kaizen is more than Continuous Improvement.Kaizen is Disciplined Offering.

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Patrick Adams, Shayne Daughenbaugh, and guest Jason Schroeder discuss the importance of core values in leadership, particularly in the construction industry. Schroeder shares his journey from a command-and-control leadership style to a more collaborative approach, highlighting the significance of a clean, organized, and safe work environment.About the Guest:Jason Schroeder is a former Field Operations and Project Director. He has worked as a construction leader for 26 years, working in positions that ranged from field engineer to project superintendent, general superintendent, and field operations director. He is the Owner and Lead Trainer at Elevate Construction, a company focused on elevating construction throughout the world by providing insights, solutions, and training. His mission is to create respect in the field through trained leaders, which ultimately preserves and protects families in construction. He is the creator of the Field Engineer and Superintendent Boot Camps, which are immersive courses that train field leadership. Jason Schroeder hosts the Elevate Construction Podcast, a blog through Home - Elevate Constructionist, and trains, consults, and coaches throughout the world.Links:Click Here For Jason Schroeder's LinkedInClick Here For Jason Schroeder's YouTube Click Here For Jason Schroder's Podcast

Extensive Notes: The Truth About AI and Your Coding JobTypes of AINarrow AINot truly intelligentPattern matching and full text searchExamples: voice assistants, coding autocompleteUseful but contains bugsMultiple narrow AI solutions compound bugsGet in, use it, get out quicklyAGI (Artificial General Intelligence)No evidence we're close to achieving thisMay not even be possibleWould require human-level intelligenceNeeds consciousness to existConsciousness: ability to recognize what's happening in environmentNo concept of this in narrow AI approachesPure fantasy and magical thinkingASI (Artificial Super Intelligence)Even more fantasy than AGINo evidence at all it's possibleMore science fiction than realityThe DevOps Flowchart TestCan you explain what DevOps is?If no → You're incompetent on this topicIf yes → Continue to next questionDoes your company use DevOps?If no → You're inexperienced and a magical thinkerIf yes → Continue to next questionWhy would you think narrow AI has any form of intelligence?Anyone claiming AI will automate coding jobs while understanding DevOps is likely:A magical thinkerUnaware of scientific processA grifterWhy DevOps MattersProven methodology similar to Toyota WayBased on continuous improvement (Kaizen)Look-and-see approach to reducing defectsConstantly improving build systems, testing, lintingNo AI component other than basic statistical analysisFeedback loop that makes systems betterThe Reality of Job AutomationPeople who do nothing might be eliminatedNot AI automating a job if they did nothingWorkers who create negative valuePeople who create bugs at 2AMTheir elimination isn't AI automationMeasuring Software QualityHigh churn files correlate with defectsConstant changes to same file indicate not knowing what you're doingDevOps patterns help identify issues through:Tracking file changesMeasuring complexityCode coverage metricsDeployment frequencyConclusionVery early stages of combining narrow AI with DevOpsNarrow AI tools are useful but limitedNeed to look beyond magical thinkingOpinions don't matter if you:Don't understand DevOpsDon't use DevOpsClaim to understand DevOps but believe narrow AI will replace developersRaw AssessmentIf you don't understand DevOps → Your opinion doesn't matterIf you understand DevOps but don't use it → Your opinion doesn't matterIf you understand and use DevOps but think AI will automate coding jobs → You're likely a magical thinker or grifter

Jennifer Peterson, Manager of Continuous Improvement at Muscatine Power and Water (MPW) in Muscatine, Iowa, joined Jamie Flinchbaugh on the People Solve Problems podcast to share insights about her approach to problem solving. Jennifer's mission at MPW is to reduce frustration for coworkers through process improvement and problem solving. Working in a utility that provides critical services and never shuts down, Jennifer explains that prioritization is essential. At MPW, safety concerns come first, followed by reliability issues. Jennifer shares a practical example of how they tackled the recurring problem of squirrels chewing through utility lines by installing special pole wraps that prevent squirrels from climbing, significantly reducing outages. Rather than accepting this as an inevitable issue, her team actively sought solutions. When it comes to collaboration, Jennifer believes in inclusivity. She prefers having more stakeholders in the room rather than too few, aligning with Jamie's philosophy that problems can't be solved in isolation. Jennifer employs several facilitation strategies to ensure all voices are heard, especially from quieter team members. Her preparation includes learning about participants beforehand, sometimes through conversations with their supervisors, and creating a comfortable environment for contribution during sessions. Jennifer connects problem-solving effectiveness to the organization's mission. MPW revised their mission statement in 2023 to empower Muscatine residents and businesses to thrive, which has helped employees see the direct impact of their work. This connection to community creates natural motivation, as employees often serve their family members, friends, and neighbors. For tackling complex problems like safety and reliability, Jennifer recommends breaking them down into smaller, less intimidating parts. She draws a powerful connection between this approach and psychological safety, noting that when problems seem less overwhelming, people are more likely to embrace solutions and understand different perspectives. After 17 years at MPW, Jennifer recognizes the challenge of blind spots that come with long tenure. Her team documents processes for potential single points of failure and questions long-standing practices. They also use benchmarking and comparative data to challenge themselves, recently shifting from measuring against industry averages to top quartile performance. She notes that MPW's culture embraces holding themselves to high standards, with leadership promoting a standard of excellence throughout the organization. Jennifer combines her MBA from Western Illinois University, Bachelor's in English from St. Martin's University, and certifications as a PMP and Lean Black Belt to bring both analytical rigor and clear communication to her continuous improvement work. Learn more about Jennifer and Muscatine Power and Water at www.mpw.org or connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-peterson-muscatine/.

What You'll Learn:Are you learning about improvement or actually doing it? In this episode, host Patrick Adams is joined by continuous improvement leader Brian DeVries to dig into the power of hands-on learning and why lectures alone just don't cut it. From the shop floor to the boardroom, real growth happens when you roll up your sleeves and apply what you've heard. Whether you're training teams or leveling up your own skills, tune in to discover how action-based learning builds true confidence, competence, and lasting change. About the Guest:Brian is a global leader with over 13 years of experience in driving lean strategy and assessments within manufacturing, food processing, and distribution facilities. Industries served in his career include agriculture, office furniture, food & beverage, golf course maintenance, and insurance. He is dedicated to improving lives through continuous improvement work and focuses on his core values of Happiness, Empathy, and Hope.Professionally, Brian has been recognized in the lean industry, having been featured on podcasts, served as an elected member of the Board of Directors for the Michigan Lean Consortium from 2016-2020, and spoken at various conferences, including the 2016 Lean Six Sigma World Conference where his team won the Project of the Year award. He prides himself on empowering those he works with to change their lives and continues to seek opportunities to inspire others.LINKS:Click Here For Brian DeVries' LinkedInClick Here to Enter the giveaway and to learn more about Kaizen Kit!The Big Thinking of a Small Knight

Lori Guasta, senior director of consulting operations at the National Safety Council, joins us to discuss continuous improvement – one of the four weekly themes of National Safety Month (June). We also discuss content from the May issue of Safety+Health. Read episode notes, visit links, sign up to be notified by email when each new episode has been published, and find other ways to subscribe. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/26798-safe-side-podcast-continuous-improvement This episode is sponsored by Babbel for Business. Learn more about them at https://www.babbelforbusiness.com Published May 2025

Lori Guasta, senior director of consulting operations at the National Safety Council, joins us to discuss continuous improvement – one of the four weekly themes of National Safety Month (June). We also discuss content from the May issue of Safety+Health. Read episode notes, visit links, sign up to be notified by email when each new episode has been published, and find other ways to subscribe. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/26798-safe-side-podcast-continuous-improvement This episode is sponsored by Babbel for Business. Learn more about them at https://www.babbelforbusiness.com Published May 2025

My guest today is Sharon Joseph. In this episode we talk about Sharons impressive career working at zoos across the United States from Zoo keeper to Vice President. We also discuss structuring animal welfare programs for institutions large and small. Enjoy!   Resources:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-joseph-300b32164/ sjoseph@birminghamzoo.com

Gemma started her career studying Mechanical Engineering at Cardiff University. She quickly discovered the world of Continuous Improvement and spent 20 years working to improve processes and systems within various manufacturing industries including Automotive, Pharmaceutical, Dairy, Cosmetics & Toiletries, Food, and Medical Devices. She has been a CI Manager numerous times and an Operations Manager running a factory of over 500 people.Gemma is hugely passionate about Improvement and developing people and processes. She gets such a kick out of coaching and facilitating, especially when she sees the lightbulb switch on in someone's head – when they solve a problem; when they realize they have the power to change; or when they get excited about all the improvements they could make.In 2019, Gemma left the world of employment to establish her own business, SPARK Improvement, aiming to switch on as many lightbulbs as possible. Her mission is to help organizations and individuals be the BEST they can be, by helping people SEE, helping people THINK, and helping people CHANGE.Gemma is based in Cheshire in the UK, working globally.Link to claim CME credit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3DXCFW3CME credit is available for up to 3 years after the stated release dateContact CEOD@bmhcc.org if you have any questions about claiming credit.

Dr. Kristilynn Turney is the CEO and Founder of Dr. Kristilynn Turney, LLC and the Co-Founder of Charter School Pros. Dr. Kristilynn Turney, LLC is certified as an Ohio Minority Business Enterprise and Ohio Women's Business Enterprise.Dr. Kristilynn Turney, LLC specializes in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plans, Consulting, and Professional Development, Educational and Organizational Leadership, Coaching, and Mentoring, and School Improvement.Charter School Pros is a full-service partner for charter schools, delivering personalized and impactful support to drive leadership growth, teacher effectiveness, and student success.Dr. Kristilynn Turney has served in public education for 20 years in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio areas. She began her career as an English, Theatre, and Public Speaking Teacher. She was also a School Improvement Consultant and Literacy Coach for Hamilton County Educational Service Center and then Assistant Principal at Winton Woods High School. In 2012, Dr. Turney became the first Black Principal at Fairfield Middle School, and in 2014, she became the first Black Principal and only the third female Principal at Colerain High School. She ended her career in public education as a district-level administrator where she was a curriculum director and human resources/diversity director. She maintains Ohio Education Licenses in-All Communications (7-12), Principal (5-12), and Superintendent ( P-12).Dr. Kristilynn Turney has worked in diversity and leadership for many years.  In these capacities, Dr. Turney has served as a building principal to improve cultural competency among her staff, a professor of “Community of Learners,” a course designed to make students more culturally aware, as a district-level administrator in the areas of curriculum, diversity, and human resources as well as an independent consultant helping individuals and organizations evaluate diversity practices and develop their diversity plans and models. Throughout Dr. Turney's work, she has successfully engaged 1000s of peopleands solicited help and guidance from many stakeholders of diverse backgrounds. While this has not been an easy task, especially when oftentimes she did not know the stakeholders prior to beginning the work, she made it seamless by building quick relationships through engaging activities, tasks, and social, and professional connections. In her “free time”, Dr. Turney enjoys spending time with her husband, Larry, and 4 kids-Kamille, Carson, Lailah, and Lennox. She spends many days and weekends chasing their many activities and sports. Kristilynn is also an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. and Quinn Chapel AME Church. She enjoys traveling, reading, exercising, spending time with extended family and friends, and online shopping.  She credits her success to her mother, Joan Burnett, who passed away in 2016. Her mother taught her grace, perseverance, strength, and to believe in God through all things! Currently, Dr. Turney works with public schools, charter schools, and organizations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practices and Professional Development, Educational and Organizational Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, and School Improvement. Her work sites have expanded the globe including Illinois, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and the Cayman Islands, just to name a few. She is trained in DEI by the University of South Florida. She is a consultant with the Ohio State Support Team, SST 11, in Continuous Improvement and Special Education. Dr. Kristilynn Turney is also the host of “Elevating with Equity,” an equity-centered education conference, and the author of “Inspiration and Reflections for the School Leader,” and “5 Months to School Improvement.” ______________________________________________________________________ The Edupreneur: Your Blueprint To Jumpstart And Scale Your Education BusinessYou've spent years in the classroom, leading PD, designing curriculum, and transforming how students learn. Now, it's time to leverage that experience and build something for yourself. The Edupreneur isn't just another book—it's the playbook for educators who want to take their knowledge beyond the school walls and into a thriving business.I wrote this book because I've been where you are. I know what it's like to have the skills, the passion, and the drive but not know where to start. I break it all down—the mindset shifts, the business models, the pricing strategies, and the branding moves that will help you position yourself as a leader in this space.Inside, you'll learn how to:✅ Turn your expertise into income streams—without feeling like a sellout✅ Build a personal brand that commands respect (and top dollar)✅ Market your work in a way that feels natural and impactful✅ Navigate the business side of edupreneurship, from pricing to partnershipsWhether you want to consult, create courses, write books, or launch a podcast, this book will help you get there. Stop waiting for permission. Start building your own table.

Send us a MessageIn this solo episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of cycles in healthcare organizations, emphasizing the need for a structured framework and execution systems to achieve long-term improvement and transformation. She highlights how continuous systems and cycles can lead to sustained growth and better results, ultimately strengthening healthcare organizations and their communities.The execution of plans is crucial for organizational improvement and growth.Continuous systems and cycles prevent the need for constant restarting.Regular cycles of goal setting and action planning enhances team performance.Leadership development efforts can be aligned to a continuous learning process.Embedding cycles in systems fosters a culture of continuous progress.Strengthening healthcare organizations strengthens communities.Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let's talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-usAre we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/13th Annual Healthcare Executive Forum - June 18 (afternoon) and June 19 (morning)High Reliability, Just Culture & Psychological Safety Made Simple focuses on breaking down these critical concepts into practical, actionable strategies tailored for senior leaders in small and rural healthcare settings.

CIT units are a valuable corporate component that can offer insight to necessary changes. As many athletic coaches have said, “if we are not striving to always get better, we are getting worse.” Why? Because competitors who use CIT units will surpass stagnant mindsets. Complacency breeds mediocrity.Support the show

In this episode of the ABB Solutions Podcast, host Mike Murphy is again joined by Randy Stevens, North American Training Manager for Automation Solutions at ABB. The conversation continues around continuous improvement and project management, focusing on integrity, consistency, and Randy's “Say What You Do and Do What You Say” philosophy. This episode dives into how trust, accountability, and communication play key roles in personal and professional success. Tune in to hear insights on:Trust & Integrity in Action: Why following through on commitments, big or small, matters more than ever.Practical Tools for Accountability: Leveraging simple tech like your phone's Notes app or to-do list to stay on track.Reliability as a Character Trait: Reliability builds stronger workplace relationships and team cohesion.Building Consistency: Reliability isn't part-time — it's an all-the-time mindset.Handling Mistakes: Owning up, communicating clearly, and using missteps as opportunities to improve.Reestablishing Trust: How to recover when things fall through and the importance of transparency in the process.  If you would like to attend a training, head over to our U.S. Drives & PAC Automations Solutions Training page.  Interested in learning more about ABB Drives? Join our Tech Tuesday webinars, where our experts tackle topics ranging from improving efficiency and reliability to solving maintenance issues.Podcast: Maximizing your learning potential Podcast: Mastering PresentationsPodcast: Continuous ImprovementPodcast: Training Metrics

Send us a textThis episode of the Customer Success Playbook podcast is a breath of fresh Livingston, Montana air. Kevin Metzger sits down with Katie Smith, fractional CMO and founder of Wild Path Consulting, to unpack how strategic marketing and proactive customer listening can transform customer relationships and drive sustainable growth. Katie dives into tactics that ensure continuous customer engagement, especially in volatile markets, and shares actionable insights on how aligning customer feedback with marketing can unlock next-level success.Detailed Analysis: Katie Smith's marketing philosophy is simple but potent: Always keep your ear to the ground. As a fractional Chief Marketing Officer, she specializes in building scalable strategies by embedding listening loops throughout the customer lifecycle. In this episode, Katie unpacks the critical role of subtle, continuous feedback gathering—from onboarding questions like "What are you most excited about?" to reflective prompts such as "What has changed the most for you?"She emphasizes integrating these questions into everyday interactions rather than relying on clunky surveys. It's about embedding marketing intelligence into the customer success function. And here's the kicker: Katie makes a strong case that the insights from customer success should be fueling marketing strategy just as much as sales data does. That shift in mindset helps brands stay ahead of the curve—adjusting messaging, realigning offerings, and reinforcing value in real time.The conversation also touches on the broader organizational alignment between marketing and customer success teams. With fast-moving market shifts, this collaboration isn't just beneficial; it's essential. Katie leaves us with a compelling preview of part two, where the focus sharpens on co-owning long-term value across departments.Now you can interact with us directly by leaving a voice message at https://www.speakpipe.com/CustomerSuccessPlaybookPlease Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. You can also find the CS Playbook Podcast:YouTube - @CustomerSuccessPlaybookPodcastTwitter - @CS_PlaybookYou can find Kevin at:Metzgerbusiness.com - Kevin's person web siteKevin Metzger on Linked In.You can find Roman at:Roman Trebon on Linked In.

Julie Simmons, now retired, worked with her husband Scott as part of the Scott Wade Simmons & Associates, LLC providing leadership coaching and training in Strategy Development and Deployment, Leadership Development, and the Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata. Julie always had a passion for helping others develop their skills, capabilities, and confidence to solve complex challenges in their organizations using scientific thinking. Julie had the honor to be a frequent speaker and presenter at KataCon. Julie retired as the Executive Director for the Northwest High Performance Enterprise Consortium (NWHPEC) in January 2018 after leading the organization for fifteen years. As the Executive Director, Julie was responsible for promoting the vision, mission, and purpose of the consortium within the Portland and Vancouver business area. Prior to joining NWHPEC in 2004, Julie worked at the The Boeing Company for 14 years as Flight Line Expeditor, Shortage Controller, Supply Chain Analyst, and Manufacturing Process Analyst. She developed her skills as a Continuous Improvement practitioner while working as a Manufacturing Process Analyst where she became a Certified Accelerated Improvement Workshop leader and supported several Shingijutsu led Kaizen events. In retirement, Julie spends her time planning future travel, cooking for family and friends, and spending time with her husband Scott in all of their shared hobbies.Link to claim CME credit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3DXCFW3CME credit is available for up to 3 years after the stated release dateContact CEOD@bmhcc.org if you have any questions about claiming credit.

Why do so many continuous improvement journeys fail? What are the essential ingredients to any successful continuous improvement journey? What's the link between continuous improvement and change management principles? To help answer these questions, we have Scott Burgmeyer joining us today on the Balancing Act Podcast. Scott is the founder and CEO of BecomeMore Group, a business transformation and optimization consultancy. Scott is also the co-author of Chief Optimization Officer: Shattering the Status Quo. Tune into episode 191 to hear Scott's story, his career rocket-booster moment, and his thoughts on all things continuous improvement and business transformation. Learn more about Scott Burgmeyer at: https://www.becomemoregp.com/  Learn more about Andrew Temte at: https://www.andrewtemte.com 

Insightful coaching session with Brian Doyle from VCIO Toolbox, listeners are introduced to the concept of "Governance as a Service" and how it can significantly impact and enhance the Managed Service Provider ecosphere. Brian explains the importance of governance in the security and compliance sectors, particularly in building a cybersecurity culture that increases cyber insurance viability and meets regulatory requirements. With the rising attention to governance in updates from frameworks like NIST CSF and CIS, organizations need a structured approach to ensuring cybersecurity and compliance efficacy.  Throughout the episode, Brian discusses the essential components of an effective governance service including policy development, risk management, compliance monitoring, and data governance. He accentuates the role of MSPs in facilitating these processes, helping clients navigate regulatory landscapes such as CMMC, HIPAA, and ISO standards. Listeners will learn valuable strategies for enhancing client MSP relationships through stakeholder engagement, training, and continuous improvement, ultimately driving new recurring revenue streams for their business. Tools like VCIO Toolbox's Cybranch GRC platform are highlighted for their efficacy in supporting these initiatives. Key Takeaways: Governance as a Critical Component: Governance plays a crucial role in cybersecurity, facilitating compliance, reducing audit workloads, and mitigating security risks, making it a valuable service offering for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Evolving Regulatory Landscape:** Frameworks like NIST CSF 2.0 and CIS have shifted focus heavily towards governance, underscoring the importance of having robust governance systems to adhere to compliance requirements. Continuous Improvement and Client Engagement: Proactively maintaining policies, engaging with multiple stakeholders, and fostering a cybersecurity culture can streamline governance processes and strengthen client relationships. Maximizing MSP Tools and Resources: Utilizing technologies and frameworks effectively can help ensure clients meet their cybersecurity objectives with increased efficiency. Emerging Opportunities in Vendor Management: MSPs can further integrate governance services by managing vendor and supplier risks, providing comprehensive security and compliance solutions to clients. Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Host Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylevciotoolbox/ Sponsor vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com

Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience - early registration rate now through May 31st! https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ How much of the Toyota Way is dependent on Japanese culture?And how much of it all comes down to… being human?There are questions I've explored with 130+ global leaders who've joined my Japan Leadership Experience programs. To help you answer this question, I've invited Tim Wolput – Japanologist and Toyota Way Management expert, to Chain of Learning.Together, we take a deep (and fun!) dive into the differences between classical Japanese and Western management and explore the cultural and historical roots of real lean leadership.In this episode, we travel through Japanese history—from Confucius' teachings to samurai and rice farming traditions, and Deming's influence on Japanese management. If you've ever wanted a masterclass on Japanese management and Toyota Way principles—and how you can apply these lessons to create a culture of excellence—these two episodes are a must-listen.YOU'LL LEARN:Misconceptions about the Toyota Way management practices and applying the principles across culturesDeming's influence on Japan and the development of the Toyota Production System and Toyota WayThe way of the samurai: Focus on the process, not just the outcomeShu-ha-ri: The process towards mastery and turning knowledge into wisdom by learning through doing The power of leading through influence and “doing the right thing”: true leadership inspires growth, not just resultsSubscribe so you don't miss Part 2, where we continue along this path of learning to explore the nuances of Japanese concepts like kata and obeya and their relationship to lean management practices today.ABOUT MY GUEST:Tim Wolput is a Japanologist and Toyota Way Management expert passionate about helping people transform themselves, their organizations, and the world for the better. Since 2023 Tim has been my in-country partner for my immersive Japan Leadership Experiences. Originally from Belgium, Tim has lived in Japan since 1999 where he attended Tokyo University Graduate School and studied traditional Japanese mathematics. Tim is a certified Toyota Way Management System instructor and consultant to global organizations on Lean, Agile, and Toyota Production System (TPS).IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/42Connect with Tim Wolput: linkedin.com/in/timwolputCheck out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.comFollow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson Learn about my Japan Leadership Experience program: kbjanderson.com/JapanTrip TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:03:53 Biggest misconceptions about Toyota Way management practices05:10 Katie's perspective Japan versus the west08:46 The meaning of Shu Ha Ri and the traditional way of learning10:23 Deming's influence on Japan and The Toyota Way13:05 Why Japan embraced PDCA15:45 Difference in mindset between Asia and the west17:28 The working culture in Japan and how work together in the community22:17 Power of the supplier relationship23:40 Japanese leadership style29:15 Concept of doing the right thing30:56 How to focus on processes as the way to get results34:13 Powerful words of wisdom about the way of the samurai Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Leadership Experience - early registration rate now through May 31st! https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/ 

Read to Lead: Why the Best Leaders Have Their Noses in Books Are you struggling to level up your leadership game? In this eye-opening episode, we dive into the secret weapon of legendary leaders like Warren Buffett, Abraham Lincoln, and Oprah Winfrey – they're all bookworms! Our panel of coaching experts breaks down why consistent reading isn't just helpful for leaders – it's absolutely essential. Mind-Expanding Mentorship From Warren Buffett devouring 500 pages daily to the average CEO consuming 4-5 books monthly, successful leaders are consistently feeding their brains. As one of our experts points out, reading gives you access to wisdom from people you'll never meet in person - it's like having Jocko Willink or Simon Sinek as your personal mentor! No Excuses, Only Priorities Think you're too busy to read? Our coaches challenge that notion head-on. As our coaching panel reminds us, "24 hours in every day is the only thing the good Lord gave us all an equal measure of." It's not about finding time; it's about making reading a priority. Cut just one hour of screen time weekly, and you've created space for literary growth. Brain-Rewiring Benefits Reading doesn't just provide information – it physically rewires your brain. According to our experts, physically reading and taking notes creates neural pathways that strengthen memory and enhance learning. For maximum benefit, follow up with quality sleep to cement those connections! ## The Bottom Line Leaders who stop reading stop growing. If you think you've "arrived," you haven't. If you're "too busy," you're not prioritizing correctly. Make a personal development plan that includes consistent reading, and watch your leadership capabilities soar. Tune in for: • Warren Buffett's surprising success secret (hint: it involves 500 pages daily) • Why reading trumps experience alone • Practical tips for creating your own leadership reading plan • The scientific reason reading physical books beats audiobooks Stop making excuses and start turning pages – your team is counting on you!

Carmen Jurado: The Power of Being Heard, Turning Critics Into Agile Advocates Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Carmen shares how she was asked to step in as a Scrum Master for a struggling team that had a particularly vocal and critical lead developer. This developer had experienced multiple transitions and transformations, leading to significant resistance that was affecting the entire team's morale and creating unresolved conflicts. Carmen focused on building individual relationships with each team member and setting clear expectations. She discovered that the lead developer simply didn't feel heard. By listening and addressing these concerns, Carmen was able to transform her biggest critic into one of her strongest advocates. She emphasizes that resistance is often a sign of loyalty to something else and that understanding this can help transform a dysfunctional team into a high-performing one. Self-reflection Question: How might you address resistance in your team by focusing on individual relationships and understanding what team members feel loyal to? Featured Book of the Week: Joy Inc. by Richard Sheridan Carmen recommends Joy Inc. by Richard Sheridan, highlighting its practical insights for creating a motivating and enjoyable workplace. The book covers everything from hiring practices to team collaboration and experimentation, yet never explicitly mentions "Agile." Carmen appreciates the inspiring stories about understanding users in their environment and how these principles can be applied to create better working environments. [Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode of the Tyler Tech Podcast, we examine how the evolving tech landscape, AI adoption, and changing organizational demands are reshaping state and local government.Guest host Bob Ragsdale, director of analyst relations at Tyler, sits down with Dustin Haisler, president of e.Republic, for a forward-looking conversation on the trends shaping public sector innovation. Drawing from his insights at the Center for Digital Government's Beyond the Beltway conference, Dustin explores how governments are managing technical debt, building enterprise technology strategies, and adapting to emerging tools and innovations shaping public sector operations.Dustin also discusses how agencies can embrace continuous improvement, foster a culture of innovation, and meet rising expectations from residents. From workforce reskilling to the importance of data governance and enterprise solutions, this episode is full of practical guidance for public sector leaders charting a course through uncertainty.Tune in to hear how IT leaders and mission owners alike can seize this moment to reimagine service delivery — and why there's never been a more exciting time to work in government.This episode also highlights Tyler Connect 2025, our annual conference designed to bring public sector professionals together to empower, collaborate, and imagine. Join us in San Antonio, Texas, from May 11-14, 2025, for product training, networking, and inspiration to help drive your organization forward. Early registration is now open — visit tylertech.com/connect to secure your spot!Blog: Let's Empower, Collaborate, and Imagine at Connect 2025!And learn more about the topics discussed in this episode with these resources:Download: Building a Resilient GovernmentDownload: A Digital Guide to Modernizing the Resident ExperienceDownload: Revolutionizing the Government Workforce With AIDownload: Digital Access and Accessibility in the Resident ExperienceDownload: How to Create a Unified Digital Payment ExperienceBlog: Partnering With Communities to Build ResilienceBlog: Increase Community Resilience With Modern Payment SystemsBlog: How Cloud-Based Solutions Expand Access to State ServicesListen to other episodes of the podcast.Let us know what you think about the Tyler Tech Podcast in this survey!

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Catherine McDonald, Patrick Adams, and guest Olaf Boettger discuss the importance of coaching for success, particularly in developing and mentoring emerging leaders. They highlight the need for leaders to unlearn harmful behaviors and adapt to new leadership styles.About the Guest:With 26 years of experience in Continuous Improvement, our guest brings a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective shaped by leadership roles at two of the world's most respected organizations: Procter & Gamble and Danaher. He spent 10 years at P&G, including time as a Brand Manager, and 16 years at Danaher, where he served in a variety of critical roles. His expertise spans over three core areas, Business Leadership, Continuous Improvement Leadership, and Executive Coaching. Whether driving operational excellence, leading transformation, or coaching executives, he brings a powerful blend of strategy, systems thinking, and people development to the table.Links:Click Here For Olaf Boettger LinkedIn

In this episode, Michael Takla interviews Katie James, a Texas licensed attorney who has successfully transitioned to a remote law practice while utilizing technology and AI to enhance efficiency. They discuss the challenges and benefits of remote work, the integration of AI in legal processes, and the importance of effective task management systems. Katie shares her experiences with various legal tech tools, including Even Up and Hona, and emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in legal practices. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of law in the digital age and the balance between technology and the human element in legal services.Chapters00:00 Remote Law Practice: Breaking Boundaries06:01 Harnessing AI in Legal Workflows11:52 Streamlining Task Management with Technology23:31 The Impact of Technology on Legal Efficiency25:55 Continuous Improvement in Legal Systems27:56 Maximizing Technology for Law Firm Efficiency30:23 The Importance of Client Communication32:30 Receptionist Services and Call Management39:14 AI in Legal Practice: Opportunities and Challenges44:29 Conclusion and Contact Information

Wade Keith grew up in Alabama, and came to Colorado as a raft guide - but after he found love and wanted to start a family he decided to pursue a professional career.  This journey included stops at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Odell's Taproom, Otterbox, and now approaching 15 years “Working at the Carwash”.  But - not just any car wash - Breeze Thru Car Wash, the dominant membership car wash club in Northern Colorado.  Wade is now a partner in the business, and serves as Brand Manager and is also a community ambassador of sorts - and he's a very insightful guy.  This episode digs into the business of washing cars - the capital investment, the recycling of water, the continuous finding and development of entry level employees - and the heart of Wade's why in finding joy in this journey.  Wade's journey was heavily impacted by a health scare - early in his relationship with his wife - in which an infection nearly severed his spine - and left him still unable to do some of the things he loves.  But he finds joy in his work, and in his music, and in his family - and you'll hear about all of those things and more, so please join me in enjoying my conversation with Wade Keith.The LoCo Experience Podcast is sponsored by: Purpose Driven Wealth Thrivent: Learn more

In today's episode, we're exploring a foundational yet often overlooked element of continuous improvement: psychological safety. It's the belief that team members can speak up—about mistakes, concerns, and ideas—without fear of punishment. And it's not just a “nice-to-have”—it's a must-have for any organization striving to learn and grow.Drawing insights from The Mistakes That Make Us and the powerful principles of the Shingo Model, we'll unpack how leading organizations like Toyota create cultures where mistakes become opportunities—not for blame, but for learning and improvement.To learn more, please visit https://shinog.org/articles and https://www.markgraban.com/shingo2025/.

Are you empowering others or unleashing agency? In this episode, Judith Katz and Fred Miller join Kevin to discuss the role of agency in the workplace. While autonomy and authority are often topics of discussion, agency — the ability for all individuals, regardless of their role or tenure, to possess power, influence, and a voice — is crucial for high-performance organizations. They explain how organizational cultures often "smother" this natural agency through excessive rules, approvals, and "checkers checking checkers," which leads to the slow implementation of even the best strategies. Judith and Fred highlight that organizations need to transition from control-based leadership to trust-based leadership. Listen For 00:08 Autonomy, Authority, and Agency Introduction 00:40 Join Future Episodes Live + Book Promo 01:31 Introducing Judith Katz and Fred Miller 02:15 Background of the Guests and Their Work 02:58 Focus on Their Book: The Power of Agency 03:43 Fred's Journey to Writing the Book 05:22 Constraints in Organizations Today 06:15 Speed vs. Bureaucracy and Motivation for the Book 07:03 Judith on Why the Book Matters Now 08:08 Uncovering Ideas and Talent in the Workplace 08:38 Defining Agency 10:02 Who Should Have Agency in Organizations 10:26 Agency vs. Empowerment 11:34 The Natural State of Human Agency 12:16 Smothering vs. Unleashing Agency 12:43 Empowerment as Bestowing vs. Agency as Unleashing 13:42 Is the Trend Toward or Away from Agency? 15:16 Organizational Culture Post-COVID 16:14 Importance of Being Physically Together Sometimes 17:21 Human Connection and In-Person Insights 18:17 Discretionary Energy Drives Great Organizations 18:53 Skills Needed for Practicing Agency 19:55 Trust, Experimentation, and Continuous Improvement 21:13 Ownership and Decision-Making in Action 22:16 Fear of Going Big in Organizational Culture 23:05 Leadership and Facilitation for Voice 24:14 Mindset Shift Needed for Agency 25:05 Fear, Control, and Trust in Talent 26:29 Talent Retention Through Agency 27:17 Disengagement and Side Gigs 28:03 Saying Yes as a Leadership Strategy 29:07 The Core of Agency in Action 29:34 What the Guests Do for Fun 30:41 What They're Reading Now 32:09 Where to Find the Book and Connect 33:39 Final Thoughts and Call to Action  This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations The Power of Agency by Frederick A. Miller and Judith H. Katz No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Like this? Understanding Employee Engagement with Jacqueline Throop-Robinson Creating a Culture of Reinvention - Lessons from Netflix with Erin Meyer A Practical Guide for Building Engagement with Brian Hartzer  

Brett Shavers joins the Forensic Focus Podcast to discuss the critical "investigative mindset" needed for effective digital forensics. Drawing from his unique background in undercover law enforcement operations and his transition to digital forensics, Brett shares invaluable insights on why technical skills alone aren't enough in DFIR. Digging into practical challenges with hosts Si and Desi, Brett tackles head-on why DFIR isn't an entry-level field, the importance of understanding human behavior behind digital evidence, and how to approach cases with both technical precision and investigative strategy. He discusses his journey authoring several influential books including "DFIR Investigative Mindset," "Placing the Suspect Behind the Keyboard," and the definitive guide to X-Ways Forensics. Whether you're a seasoned investigator or considering a career in digital forensics, Brett offers practical wisdom on balancing technical proficiency with investigative thinking, effective communication of complex findings, and why we should remember we're not investigating computers—we're investigating people who use computers. #digitalforensics #dfir 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 02:01 Brett Shavers' Background in Law Enforcement 03:33 Transition to Forensics 05:03 Challenges in DFIR 07:17 Educational Pathways and Industry Insights 12:51 X-Ways Forensics and Tool Proficiency 16:58 Investigative Mindset and New Book 27:46 The Importance of Education in Cybersecurity 28:04 Challenges in Teaching Investigative Skills 28:59 Real-World Training Scenarios 30:38 Understanding the Human Element in Cybersecurity 35:35 The Role of Communication in Cybersecurity 42:59 Technical Proficiency and Case Management 47:32 Continuous Improvement and Collaboration 53:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Show Notes Brett's Ramblings - https://www.brettshavers.com/ DFIR Training - https://www.dfir.training/ Brett's Books - https://brettshavers.com/my-books  

In this episode we are joined by Jeff Stringer, co-owner of VPA Broadheads. We discuss his passion for manufacturing, the acquisition of VPA, Continuous Improvement, Manufacturing in the USA, and new product offerings coming out soon! Enjoy the show! SAVE 10% on your VPA Broadhead Orders by using discount code: THEPUSH  Shop VPA Broadheads: https://vparchery.com This Podcast is sponsored by you guys, the listeners! We intentionally do not accept or seek out sponsors for the show so I can use gear from around the industry and provide honest feedback throughout the year. If you enjoy that about our show, please consider supporting the channel by heading to our website and making a purchase, large or small, which keeps the lights on and conversations flowing here at Push HQ! Shop all Gear and Apparel: www.ThePushArchery.com Online Courses & Coaching: https://thepusharchery.teachable.com  

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

In this episode, host Tyler Chisholm reconnects with returning guest Jennie Gilbert, a Calgary-based leadership development specialist and long-time SAIT facilitator, to explore the real meaning of feedback at work. Together, they unpack what makes feedback difficult, how power and ego often get in the way, and why leaders need to move from feedback to feedforward. Jennie shares practical strategies for reframing performance conversations and highlights the importance of building social capital and psychological safety in teams. This episode is for people leaders who want to lead with clarity, curiosity, and care.This episode is brought to you by clearmotive marketing. When it comes to marketing that truly matters to your business, clearmotive is your go-to partner. With a proven track record of more than 15 years, they understand what makes your business tick. Learn more at https://www.clearmotive.ca and discover how clearmotive can help your marketing thrive.We're on social media! Follow us for episodes you might have missed and key insights on Western Canada directly on your feeds.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collisionsyycLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/collisions-yycYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@collisionsyycWebsite: https://www.collisionsyyc.comThank you for tuning into Collisions YYC!Remember to subscribe and follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.If you loved the episode, please leave us a 5-star review and share the show with your friends! These things really help us reach more potential fans and share everything that's amazing about Western Canada.We sincerely appreciate your support of our local podcast.Host links:Tyler's website: https://www.tylerchisholm.comTyler's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerchisholmGuest links:Jennie Gilbert's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniengilbertSAIT's Website: https://www.sait.caSAIT's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/edu/southern-alberta-institute-of-technology-20153SAIT's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saitSAIT's Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/saitSAIT's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SAITSAIT's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVAqa3U8cTowb92y4NgLQVgCollisions YYC is a Tyler Chisholm original production // Brought to you by clearmotive marketing

e.l.f. Beauty —a 2025 recipient of the Corporate Responsibility Awards— is the only cosmetics brand to have grownits market share for 24 consecutive quarters, all while being a leader in innovation, diversity, and Fair Trade certification.What lessons can other businesses learn from e.l.f.'sembrace of diversity, sustainability, and affordable products?     Join Steve Odlandand guest Tarang Amin, chairman and CEO of e.l.f. Beauty, to find out how e.l.f.aligns its purpose with customer values, how the companyformulatesproducts that are clean, vegan, and cruelty-free, and why e.l.f. wants to make the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip, and face.    The 2025 Corporate Responsibility Awards, taking place on April 23, celebrates organizations that have moved beyond public commitments to fully integrate responsible business practices into their core strategies, driving measurable, positive impacts on their organizations, stakeholders, and society.    (00:35) Elf Beauty's Mission and History (01:58) Building Brands and High-Performance Teams (02:50) Purpose-Driven Strategy and Values (04:51) Sustainability and Social Impact (12:19) Innovation and Technology in Sustainability (13:58) Global Expansion and Market Strategy (18:19) Supply Chain and Responsible Sourcing (23:25) Continuous Improvement and Future Goals   For more from The Conference Board:  2025 Corporate Responsibility Summit  2025 Corporate Responsibility Awards Dinner  Regulatory Shifts in ESG: What Comes Next for US Companies? 

In this episode, we have a conversation about continuous improvement in higher education.  Our guest is Will Miller.  Will serves as Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he and his colleagues also host the annual Continuous Improvement Summit, which is open to the broader higher education community.Links to resources mentioned during this episode:Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University:https://erau.edu/ Continuous Improvement Summit, hosted by Embry-Riddle:https://erau.edu/continuous-improvement/continuous-improvement-summit This season of Leading Improvements in Higher Education is sponsored by the Center for Assessment and Research Studies at James Madison University; learn more at jmu.edu/assessment. Episode recorded: March 2025.  Host:  Stephen Hundley.  Producers:  Chad Beckner and Angela Bergman.  Original music:  Caleb Keith.  This award-winning podcast is a service of the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis; learn more go.iu.edu/assessmentinstitute. 

BONUS: Maria Chec Explores the Divide Between Agile Leaders and Practitioners In this BONUS episode, we explore Agile leadership with Maria Chec, author and host of Agile State of Mind. Maria shares insights from her analysis of Miro's Agile Survey, revealing a concerning disconnect between how Agile leaders and practitioners experience agile methodologies. We explore the roots of this divide, discuss practical approaches to bridging the gap, and consider the implications of recent industry developments like the PMI-Agile Alliance merger. Maria offers valuable perspectives on creating truly collaborative environments where frameworks serve the teams, not the other way around. The Disconnect Between Leaders and Practitioners "Practitioners feel pressured to comply with agile practices when they don't seem to add value." Maria highlights a stark divide revealed in Miro's survey of 1,200 agile practitioners and leaders. When asked if agile is living up to its original values, leaders and practitioners gave drastically different responses. For example, 69% of practitioners felt processes and tools overshadow individuals in their organizations, while only 43% of leaders shared this view. Similarly, 58% of practitioners believed documentation was prioritized over delivering final products, compared to just 39% of leaders. These disparities point to a fundamental disconnect in how agile is experienced at different organizational levels, with practitioners often feeling frameworks are imposed rather than collaboratively implemented. When Frameworks Become the Problem "The framework is too rigid... The framework is too complex... We have to change too much to use the framework." The issue isn't with agile frameworks themselves but how they're applied, Maria argues. Leaders often implement frameworks like SAFe without sufficient practitioner input or adaptation to organizational context. This creates an anti-pattern of "magical thinking" where companies believe they can install off-the-shelf solutions that worked elsewhere without considering their unique circumstances. The practitioners, who must live with these frameworks daily, experience frustration when rigid implementations fail to address their actual needs. Conway's Law comes into play here – the structure imposed by leadership often doesn't align with how teams naturally need to collaborate based on the systems they're building. The Role of Psychological Safety "Can I really admit that something the leadership made me do is not working for me? Will I be the only one admitting it?" This disconnect reveals deeper issues around psychological safety and trust within organizations. Many practitioners fear speaking up about framework problems, especially when they've just endured yet another organizational transformation. Maria emphasizes that without psychological safety, feedback loops break down, preventing the continuous improvement that's central to agile philosophy. Leaders must create environments where teams feel safe to provide honest feedback about what's working and what isn't, without fear of being singled out or dismissed. Without this safety, frameworks become rigid implementations rather than adaptable approaches that evolve with team needs. Reconnecting Through Gemba Walks "Be there where the value is created and know what's going on." To bridge the gap between leadership vision and practitioner reality, Maria strongly recommends Gemba walks – a concept from Lean and Toyota where leaders go to where value is created. This practice helps leaders understand the actual work being done and build relationships with team members. Maria references Project Aristotle at Google, which found that trust and psychological safety are fundamental to team success. She also notes the importance of leaders articulating a meaningful mission to inspire teams, sharing her experience at a taxi-hailing app where the CEO's vision of reducing urban parking needs made her feel she was "building something for the future." Leaders should regularly spend time where the actual work happens Teams need to understand how their work contributes to a larger purpose Open communication channels must be genuine, not just symbolic In this segment, we refer to Management 3.0 and Managing For Happiness by Jurgen Appelo.  The PMI-Agile Alliance Merger and the Future of Agile "Have we really found better ways? Why are Agile Alliance and PMI merging?" The recent merger between the Project Management Institute and Agile Alliance represents a surprising development in the industry. Maria takes an optimistic view, wondering if this indicates PMI recognizing that agile is truly the way forward. She acknowledges the perception that "Agile is dead" discussions highlight a crisis in the movement, but suggests the merger might be an opportunity to influence project management with agile values. She emphasizes how AI is creating massive changes that require experimentation and adaptation – precisely what agile approaches enable. This industry shift offers agile practitioners the chance to shape how traditional and agile methodologies might complement each other in the future. The merger could be seen as closing a circle or as an opportunity for cross-pollination "Agile is dead" discussions reflect growing pains rather than true failure Rapid technological changes with AI require more experimentation, not less Breaking Down Silos with "Glue Roles" "What are the 'glue roles' that you need in your organization?" Maria introduces her concept of "glue roles" – positions that help break down silos and foster collaboration regardless of what they're called. Whether they're RTEs (Release Train Engineers), Agile Coaches, or Technical Project Managers, these roles can transform organizational effectiveness when focused on enabling teams rather than enforcing processes. She observes that nature constantly changes, yet we expect our companies to remain static. This mindset prevents the adaptation necessary for true agility. Instead, organizations need individuals who can facilitate communication, remove barriers, and help teams collaborate effectively across boundaries. Focus on the function of collaboration rather than rigid role definitions Adapt roles to organizational needs rather than forcing organizational change to fit frameworks Use these roles to foster psychological safety and open communication Learning Through Experimentation "We need to experiment." Looking toward the future, Maria emphasizes the importance of experimentation in the face of rapid technological change, particularly with AI. She notes that while tech professionals are often thought to be early adopters, AI tools like ChatGPT are being embraced across all industries. The accelerating pace of change means we can no longer plan years ahead with certainty – what we use today may be obsolete in two years. This reality makes agile approaches even more relevant, as they embrace change rather than fight it. She encourages agile practitioners to openly discuss how they use these new tools, adapting their practices rather than clinging to outdated methods. The accelerating pace of change makes long-term planning increasingly difficult AI is already transforming work across all industries, not just tech Agile principles of adaptation and experimentation are more relevant than ever About Maria Chec Maria Chec is a seasoned Agile leader, ProKanban Trainer, and creator of Agile State of Mind. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in transforming teams through SAFe, OKRs, and process optimization, achieving remarkable productivity gains. Maria's mission is empowering teams to thrive through collaboration and adaptability. You can link with Maria Chec on LinkedIn and subscribe to Maria Chec's Substack.

If you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety--4110266/supportBook your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendar.app.google/rXHMt8sRYft5iWma8Take back control over your negative thoughts and calm pain and anxiety with this beautiful course in conjunction with The Physio Crew - https://offers.thephysiocrew.co.uk/home-pain Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.If you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)Organic Pure Hemp CBD Capsules - https://amzn.to/3

You're doing great work….yet you know you could have a greater influence.You have a vision for more. More strategic work. More influence.Only question—how do you get there?The issue isn't your talent or skills. It's how you are positioned—how your clients or organization see (and value) your role.In this episode, I'm joined by Betsy Jordyn—former Disney OD consultant turned brand positioning strategist—to help you reshape how others perceive your value and become the one leaders turn to when it comes to making significant changes to their leadership and culture.Besty shares actionable ways to communicate your value so you can land the roles and work you truly deserve. And we both share insights we've learned from evolving the framing of our own positioning over time.Whether you're an internal change leader tired of being stuck in execution mode or a consultant struggling to land strategic engagements, this conversation is your road map to stop playing small.YOU'LL LEARN:What positioning actually is—and why it mattersHow to spot the signs your positioning isn't landing the way you wantThe 3 levels of positioning every leader and consultant should masterReal examples from our own careers on how we've evolved our positioningA simple process to clearly articulate your value and stand out in your marketABOUT MY GUEST:Betsy Jordyn is a Brand Positioning Strategist who helps consultants and coaches clarify their message, amplify their influence, and monetize their strengths. Drawing on her experience as a former Disney OD consultant and leader of an external practice serving brands like Wyndham and AAA, she empowers clients to make a bigger impact through authentic thought leadership.IMPORTANT LINKS:Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/41Watch the Bonus Video – Elevate Your Positioning to Lead Transformational Change: https://youtu.be/O0W9dq3jYnw Connect with Betsy Jordyn: linkedin.com/in/betsy-jordynBetsy's Meeting Discovery Script: betsyjordyn.comBetsy's Podcast, Consulting Matters: betsyjordyn.com/podcasts/consulting-mattersMy website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.comFollow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjandersonMy Japan Leadership Experience program: kbjanderson.com/JapanTripFREE KATALYST™ Change Leader Self-Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/katalystTIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:03:26 What positioning is and why it matters06:48 Why your brand is your reputation07:54 Signs your brand positioning is off10:38 Betsy's personal story in understanding the importance of positioning18:28 How Betsy helped Katie improve her positioning25:37 Changing the name from Japan Study Trip to Japan Leadership Experience28:42 Clarity - the highest level of positioning32:25 Second level of positioning that happens a client approaches you with a request35:25 How to clarify the strategic frame and position yourself against that42:15 Third level of positioning in positioning yourself as a strategic partner46:12 How to position yourself when working with a new client48:44 The opportunity of stepping out of the box and become a thinking partner50:06 One key learning to reposition your own work54:07 The strategic framework to pivot your messaging

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Shayne Daughenbaugh, Catherine McDonald, and guest Sebastian McLeod, discuss the importance of frontline leaders in driving organizational change. Sebastian McLeod, CEO of TrippNT, shares his company's journey from a basement startup to an industry leader, emphasizing the significance of frontline workers and the impact of Lean principles.About the Guest:Sebastian McLeod, CEO of TrippNT, transformed the company from a basement startup into an award-winning industry leader recognized by Inc. Magazine since 2014. A U.S. Army veteran, he leverages his background in discipline and efficiency to streamline operations and foster innovation. Known for his respectful, problem-solving leadership style, Sebastian has built a global client base with customizable, efficiency-driven products. In 2018, he received the Made in Missouri Leadership Award for Manufacturer of the Year.Links:CLICK HERE FOR TRIPPNT LINKEDINCLICK HERE FOR TRIPPNT FACEBOOKCLICK HERE FOR TRIPPNT INSTAGRAMCLICK HERE FOR TRIPPNT WEBSITE

Ready to Get Curious?! Check out Starting Points! our Operationally Curious QuestionsIn today's episode... Sam, The HOP Nerd, kicks off the brand new "What Now?" mini-series!Tired of just talking about Human & Organizational Performance concepts and ready to actually do something? This series is for you. Each episode breaks down a key HOP principle and delivers concrete, practical actions you can take to operationalize it in your workplace. Sam, known for blending real-life sharp-end strategy with a comedic eye for workplace absurdity, draws on his experience helping hundreds of businesses ditch ineffective approaches and successfully implement Human & Organizational Performance (HOP). If you've ever asked "Okay, I get the theory... What Now?", tune in as Sam guides you through the real steps to make HOP happen.FOLLOW SAM https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-goodman-03a95391/Contact him at: thehopnerd@gmail.comBook an initial consult at: https://calendly.com/d/26x-qs8-xnv/initial-consultation-callVisit TheHOPNerd.com to schedule a consultation, access free resources, snag some exclusive merch, and more.Sam, a unique blend of strategist and comedic creator, brings a fresh perspective to organizational improvement. He's not your typical consultant; he's The HOP Nerd, dedicated to highlighting the absurdity in our workplaces and workplace safety through his hilarious and insightful content. With a track record of helping hundreds of businesses successfully operationalize HOP, and teaching tens of thousands of people around the globe HOP concepts, Sam uses his comedic lens to expose the ineffectiveness of our more traditional approaches.Beyond his consulting prowess, Sam's comedic creations shed light on workplace safety and culture, proving that sometimes, a dose of absurdity is exactly what we need to see things clearly.Ready to take your organizations efforts around learning and improvement to the next level? Book Sam Goodman for consulting, speaking engagements, or to inject some much-needed thought and humor into your next event.Follow Sam on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-goodman-03a95391/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHOPNerdInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehopnerd/Keywords: Safety, Continuous Improvement, Leadership, Quality, HOP, Human & Organizational Performance, Learning Teams, Culture, HR

Want to start your own podcast? Watch my free webinar Podcast Success Secrets to learn how to start, grow, and monetize your own podcast: https://www.podcastsuccesssecrets.com Welcome to the optYOUmize Podcast where we help entrepreneurs build the business AND life of their dreams. Get tips, tactics, stories, and inspiration from interviews with business and personal development experts and lessons from my own successes and failures so you can make more, work less, and live better. You don't have to go it alone--we're here to support and motivate you, and encourage you to keep going until you reach your goals. Follow optYOUmize Podcast with Brett Ingram: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Website Summary Brett Ingram discusses 10 strategies for creating lifetime customers, emphasizing the importance of retaining existing customers over acquiring new ones. He highlights exceptional customer service, quality products, loyalty programs, personalization, regular communication, community building, feedback solicitation, surprise and delight tactics, consistency in brand experience, and customer education as key strategies to foster loyalty and long-term relationships with customers. The episode underscores that investing in customer retention is a cost-effective way to drive business growth and create advocates for your brand. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creating Lifetime Customers 02:54 The Cost of Acquiring New Customers vs. Retaining Existing Ones 04:53 Exceptional Customer Service as a Key Strategy 07:43 Quality Products and Services: The Foundation of Loyalty 08:41 Implementing Loyalty Programs for Repeat Business 09:36 Personalization: Making Customers Feel Valued 13:00 Staying in Regular Communication with Customers 14:57 Building a Community Around Your Brand 16:50 Feedback and Continuous Improvement for Customer Satisfaction 18:45 Surprise and Delight: Creating Emotional Loyalty 19:43 Consistency in Brand Experience 20:40 Educating Customers for Long-Term Relationships #customerloyalty #lifetimecustomers #customerservice #personaldevelopment #entrepreneurship #optyoumize #brettingram #entrepreneurpodcast #podmatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Sustainable Ways To Use Relationship Continuous Improvement To Supersize Your Business! Drop in here every day for a dose of different business building perspective: https://facebook.com/supersizebusiness #supersizeyourbusiness #relationship #continuousimprovement #5sustainablepractices

Be A Better You Annual Challenge Day 102: Continuous Improvement In Relationships! Do one thing every day to be a better you! Join us every day in 2025 for a quick challenge that is all about you improving and creating the life you want! https://www.facebook.com/ThrivingSharon Ask your questions and share your wisdom! #beabetteryouannualchallenge #relationship #communication #continusousimprovementinrelationships #continuousimprovement

This week's guest is Christopher Lieb. Ron and Chris discussed Chris's transition from practicing continuous improvement at a large company to a startup, the mentality he likes to adopt, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The "mentality" Chris likes (2:45) What happens when someone has a bad attitude or doesn't care (4:49) His background (5:59) Using SPC and other tools in a startup environment (11:52) The fact that no one else had continuous improvement knowledge (14:39) How it's impacted the supply chain (18:35) How Chris avoided being the "annoying" guy (21:51) His final words of wisdom (30:48) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Christopher on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Have you practiced continuous improvement at different sized organizations?

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Shayne Daughenbaugh, Patrick Adams, and guest Micki Vandeloo, discuss the transition from a learning culture to actual capability in organizations. They highlight the importance of applying learning to real-world applications and the role of leadership in fostering this culture.About the Guest:Micki is the President of Lakeview Consulting, Inc., leading a team of five grant professionals who have secured over $220 million in funding for nonprofit and for-profit clients. Specializing in the manufacturing and trade association foundation sectors, Lakeview provides grant research, readiness, and writing services. With over 15 years of grant consulting experience and 25 years in manufacturing, Micki's engineering and business background strengthens her expertise. She has personally obtained over $70 million in grants and authored THE For-Profit Grant Writing Guide in 2014. A former chair of the Grant Professionals Foundation Board and past president of the St. Louis Grant Professionals Association Chapter, she also volunteers for her church, school, and a nonprofit supporting sight-impaired individuals.Links:Click Here For Micki Vandloo LinkedIn

Dr. Khwaja Moinuddin grew up in India with what he calls a “normal childhood”. He attended high school and then received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in his home town. With some convincing and soul searching he then came to the United States and attended Texas Tech university where he obtained his Master's degree and began working toward obtaining a PhD. Khwaja tells us about his time at Texas Tech including how, when funding grew hard to get, he overcame his fears and adversity and found a job that helped him stay in school. Even so, while working on his Doctorate degree he secured a job with 3M and, as he tells us, he learned a lot and even today he is grateful for the opportunities he had at this company. Eventually, however, under the advice of others he did finish his PhD, but not in Mechanical Engineering as such.   Khwaja began learning about organizations, how they worked, why often they didn't work well and he developed ways to help people at all levels of organizations learn how to stop being so resistive to change and thus develop more positive attitudes and constructive methods of accomplishing tasks.   We get to hear much wisdom from Khwaja on leadership, resistance to change and how to better accomplish tasks by being more open to new ideas. This episode is a MUST for everyone if you are at all open to learning some new ideas and growing to be better in whatever you do at work, in life and at play.       About the Guest:   Dr. Khwaja Moinuddin is a renowned leader in Continuous Improvement, Change Management, and Business Transformation, with over 22 years of hands-on experience driving measurable impact across diverse industries. His mission is clear: to help organizations embed a culture of excellence, resilience, and continuous learning - not as a temporary initiative, but as a way of working. Whether leading large-scale change programs, coaching executives, or transforming operational models, he has built a reputation for delivering tangible business results and lasting cultural shifts. With deep expertise in Continuous Improvement, Change Leadership, and Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Dr. Moinuddin partners with organizations to challenge the status quo, eliminate inefficiencies, and create high-performing teams. He has worked across multiple industries, functions, and global markets, collaborating with executive leaders, middle managers, and frontline employees to break down silos and drive sustainable transformation. His holistic approach ensures that strategy, execution, and people engagement work in tandem, because real change happens when employees at every level take ownership of improvement. A passionate thought leader and author, Dr. Moinuddin has distilled his years of experience into two books that serve as practical guides for transformation:   "I.N.S.P.I.R.E. - An Adaptive Change Excellence Model and Guide of the people, for the people, by the people" – A framework for leading people-centered, high-impact change initiatives. "Are You (Really) Listening?: Decoding the Secrets of Unheard Conversations" – A deep dive into the power of listening as a critical leadership and change management skill.   Dr. Moinuddin's philosophy is simple: transformation is not about tools, it's about people, mindset, and discipline. If your organization is struggling with change fatigue, leadership misalignment, or resistance to new ways of working, he can help you turn obstacles into opportunities and create a culture where excellence thrives. Let's connect and explore how we can drive real, measurable business impact, together!     Dr. Khwaja Moinuddin's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, continuous learning, and an unstoppable mindset. Born and raised in a simple middle-class family in Pondicherry, India, a former French colony - he completed his schooling and earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering before moving to the U.S. to pursue his Master's in Industrial Engineering. At Texas Tech University, he excelled academically, achieving a 4.0/4.0 GPA in his major (Manufacturing) and an overall GPA of 3.83/4.0. While pursuing his degree, he also worked as an intern for Rhodia Inc., a chemicals manufacturing company, gaining valuable hands-on industry experience. Khwaja began his career as an Industrial Engineer with 3M, where he learned the foundations for his expertise in Continuous Improvement (CI) and Change Leadership. Over the years, he obtained multiple professional certifications, including Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Certified Change Practitioner, Certified Prince2 Practitioner and Certified Scrum Master. His career took him across the globe, leading large-scale transformation initiatives in world-renowned organizations such as Ocean Spray Cranberries, Shell, Maersk, GARMCO, HSBC, and PDO (Petroleum Development Oman). Despite a demanding global career, Khwaja pursued his passion for learning, earning a Doctorate in Management Studies and a second Master's degree in Psychology while working full-time. His belief "To Learn is to Breathe" has shaped his leadership philosophy, helping organizations embrace change, embed a culture of excellence, and achieve breakthrough results. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Khwaja is a devoted husband and father. He fell in love with and married his wife, Sangeetha, while in the U.S., and together they have a 15-year-old son, Tanish. They now reside in Chennai, India. Dr. Khwaja travels frequently for his consulting work, and he continues to inspire businesses, leaders, and professionals to transform their organizations, and themselves - with an unstoppable mindset.   Ways to connect with Dr. Khwaja:   https://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/contributor/khwaja-moinuddin https://www.journeytowardsexcellence.com/ https://www.khwajamoinuddin.com/ https://www.journeytowardsexcellence.com/ https://www.khwajamoinuddin.com/     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/   https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hello again, everyone. I am your host once again. Michael hingson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're with us, wherever you happen to be in the world, and wherever we happen to be talking in the world. And today we're actually talking to Dr Khwaja Moinuddin from India. So it's a long distance boy signals travel a lot faster today than they did when we used covered wagons or Coney pony expresses. So I'm really grateful for the fact that we get to use Zoom and computers and do things in such a meaningful way. So anyway, here we are. Kwaja has written two books, and I know he's going to tell us about those, so I'm not going to give a lot of that away. He has been a transformational leader. He also has a background in mechanical engineering, and that fascinates me, because it seems to me, it's interesting going from mechanical engineering to being a transformational subject matter expert and expert by any standard. So I'm going to be curious to hear about that. But anyway, meanwhile, Khwaja, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset, and thank you for being here.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 02:28 Thank you. Thank you, Michael, it's, it's indeed an honor to be on your podcast. And you know, as as we have been discussing, I'm no expert by any means. I have just gathered years and years of experience, 22 plus years of experience, and I'm still learning and continuous improvement, transformation. It's an ocean. So the more you know I learn, the more I feel like I don't know much. Yes, there is to learn, yes.   Michael Hingson ** 03:05 Well, I know exactly what you're saying. I think if we stop learning, then we have really let ourselves down and let the world down. We need to continue to learn. And I very much enjoy doing this podcast, because I get to learn so much from so many people. It's really a lot of fun. So I want to again, thank you for being here and looking forward to all that we get to talk about today. So let's get to it. I'd like to learn a little bit about maybe the early Khwaja Growing up and so on. Tell us a little bit about you growing up in India and so on.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 03:38 Yep, I'm from a very small town in Pondicherry called Pondicherry in in India, the closest big city is Chennai. It's about 160 kilometers south of Chennai. It used to be a former French colony. Now the place has been changed. I mean, the name has been changed from Pondicherry to Puducherry. But growing up, I'm the youngest of two kids. I have a brother. He's four years older than me, and my parents were typical middle class, lower middle class, both working parents. They worked really, really hard to put me and my brother through to school. They took care of us, they protected us. So I'm really grateful for my parents, my mom, my dad and my brother also could be quite me, you know, when I was young. So I'm really grateful to my family, because we were just the four of us in our family. Growing up, I went to a public school, initially, I went to a private school, and. Uh, but then my parents couldn't afford the fees, so we moved to public school, and I did all my schooling and my bachelor's in mechanical engineering in Pondicherry. So born and brought up in Pondicherry, which was a small fishing village, didn't know much about the real world until, you know, I graduated and stepped out of India for the very first time to go to the US to do my master's degree. My childhood was, was, was normal, you know, on a living on a on a coast. So I really enjoyed living near the beach. We didn't live very far away from the beach, just maybe, you know, maybe 100, 200 meters away from the beach. Growing up, I had a lot of friends, so we would be, would take our bicycles and and, you know, ride all over the town because it, you know, it wasn't as crazy as it is now with all the traffic and stuff, it was less congested. And the good thing about Pondicherry, an interesting fact is, because it was designed by the French, all the streets in Pondicherry are at right angles to each other. So you would never get lost if you are in Pondicherry, in the middle of the Pondicherry, because wherever you go, if you take a right turn and another right turn and another right turn, you will end up at the same place. So you will never get lost. That's an interesting fact in Pondicherry. How about Pondicherry?   Michael Hingson ** 06:39 So it certainly is a whole lot easier to travel around pontichery than it is to travel around Washington DC by any standard, I think. So yes, there's a lot of Angular streets and streets that go in different directions in Washington. So yeah, I think I'd like pot of cherry that's pretty good. So did you learn to fish?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 07:03 Not, not, yeah. I mean, I did learn how to fish, but more swimming. Used to go to the ocean almost every day. You know, I think I practically spent a lot of time on the beach with my friends and in the playgrounds. Our playgrounds used to be huge growing up, unlike now, they have become so small and condensed with all the, you know, development, the real estate that's growing in India, in Pondicherry and in India in general. But, but yeah, I did learn how to fish, you know, not using, like a fishing rod in the in the US, but using, you know, the the fishing, the the thread, you know, the nylon wire, fishing net, yeah, yeah. Not, not the net, but the wire, just was the single wire,   Michael Hingson ** 07:58 well, so you what, what got you into mechanical engineering?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 08:05 Well, you know, as, as all of my fellow Indians would say, in India, you are either an engineer or a doctor first. So, so I really had no choice. I had to become an engineer or a doctor. I didn't score enough to become a doctor, so I naturally became an engineer. But since I have to become an engineer, I was looking at, you know, all the different fields of engineering. What fascinated me was, you know, the field of mechanical engineering, because I heard from several of my friends and colleagues that mechanical engineering is an evergreen field, and typically, mechanical engineers can fit anywhere. And they were really, really they were, they were 100% correct. And I'm glad I chose mechanical engineering and I really liked my subject, because that what I am today would not be if I hadn't learned about mechanical engineering. Well.   Michael Hingson ** 09:07 So you, you got your bachelor's degree, but then you, as you said, you stepped out and you, you actually came to the United States and went to Texas Tech to do your advanced degree. What made you do that? That's moving a long way from home, yep.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 09:23 So some of my my my friends and my seniors, also, when I was doing my mechanical engineering, they were talking about something called as a GRE or a TOEFL. It sounded Greek, like Greek and Latin to me. I didn't know what it was. I had no intention of going to the US initially. My intention was to get a job and earn a lot of money and and I was almost done studying at that point of time, you know, learning subjects like thermodynamics and lot of advanced mechanics. Engineering stuff for four years really wears you out. But my my seniors and and my cousin also, and my uncles and a lot of my relatives, they said, you know, if you don't do your masters now, and if you go straight away to work, you may not have the inclination to learn more. So they really, they really prompted me or nudged me to do my Masters also, and and my mom, of course, she has been a great, great, great driving force behind me. She She encouraged me to always, always, always learn. She herself has, you know, so many degrees I cannot, I don't even know how many degrees she has. She has master's degrees and Bachelor's degrees in in, you know, all sorts of areas. And to this day, you know, she she keeps learning, and she has been a teacher for about 45 years now. So so my mom, along with my relatives and my friends. They said, You know, you need to study more so. So, you know, I had actually got a job, you know, in my fourth year. And I got a job through on campus interviews, you know, like a career fair in the in the US, similar to a career fair in the US. So I gave up that job and I wrote GRE and TOEFL. I worked hard. Got I did not get like flying colors, but I got, I got good grades in GRE and TOEFL, and then I applied to universities. Initially I was going to be an aerospace engineer, but then my friends also told me that maybe that's a difficult field to get a job in in future, because it requires, you know, us, security clearance and stuff. So you're you're better off doing something which is related to mechanical engineering, or even mechanical engineering. I didn't want to go too much into technical stuff, so I explored industrial engineering, and I found, you know, the courses and all that stuff were really to my liking and to my interest. So, so then I chose industrial engineering and Texas Tech specifically because of the industrial engineering program they had. So then and, and that's one, one thing led to another. And then I landed in Texas Tech University.   Michael Hingson ** 12:26 Well, that must have been fun. So you had lots of new experiences. You learned about football and all sorts of other things in addition to your academic studies. Yes,   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 12:36 yes. Red Raiders. Go Red Raiders. Yeah, right.   Michael Hingson ** 12:40 Well, and I, I went to UC Irvine. I don't know, I still don't know if we have a much of a football team today. We have a good basketball team, but go anteaters anyway. So it's, it is interesting how our lives change and how we end up, how God gives us different opportunities? And then, of course, the issue really is us taking those opportunities and moving forward with them. When you You certainly did. You stepped out and you moved to the United States, you went to Texas Tech, you got your bachelor's, and where did you get your PhD?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 13:19 So I got my master's from Texas Tech, and I was, I also started to do my PhD in industrial engineering in Texas Tech, but unfortunately, I didn't finish, because the the department ran out of funding, and I had to search for a job. So I started to, I got my job in 3m as an industrial engineer. But I also did an internship in another company called Rodia, which is a chemicals manufacturing company. But then, you know, while I was doing, while I was, you know, still pursuing my full time job, I really wanted to go back to Texas Tech and complete my PhD, because I had completed all my coursework, except for the which was the dissertation which was pending. And you know, at that time, one of the professors told me, quadra, try and complete your PhD, otherwise you will regret it. I still remember his words to this day. I should have, you know, looking back, I should have stayed back in Texas Tech and finished my PhD. I should have, you know, borrowed some more money and finished my PhD in industrial engineering in Texas Tech. But nevertheless, what I did is I did my doctorate, professional doctorate in management studies in Indian School of Business Management. So slightly different. But, you know, I didn't, I didn't actually want to go for an MBA. So I want I did the doctorate in management studies because I was more interested in organizational behavior, operations. Management in that field. So I got it in 2012   Michael Hingson ** 15:07 Wow. So you, you, you did complete it, even though, again, it went in a slightly different direction. But what was your interest that that took you into a little bit more of a business oriented environment, because you had clearly been in mechanical engineering and in that discipline for most of your studies.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 15:25 Yes, yes. So, you know, when I was doing my master's degree in Industrial Engineering, you know, and I got interested in continuous improvement, lean, Six Sigma, transformation, change management in that field, more as I was doing my masters in industrial engineering. And then when I got my first job in in 3m 3m is a great company, as you know, you know, I learned all the basics of my lean, Six Sigma change management, you know, hands on in 3m and I'm still grateful to this day that my very first job was in 3am actually, it's a funny story, because, you know, I got the job in 3m on the same day I was interviewed. So the I was very lucky. I think the the line manager really liked me, and he said, kwaja, I'm going to hire you on the spot. So I was, I was really, really, you know, ecstatic on that day, and I still remember that feeling to this day, yes. So what interested me to coming back to your question was when I was working in 3m they have a good mentorship program. So they asked me, you know, how do you want your career to be? You know, where do you see yourself in five years? In 10 years? In 15 years? How do you see yourself growing? And I said, I want to grow in the technical field. I want to become like a subject matter expert in Lean, Six Sigma, Black Belt, Master, Black Belt. And I want to grow in the technical field. And I remember the mentor, she told me, kwaja, while that's a good thought, but you will not grow much if you are purely technical, you will grow more if you combine your technical expertise with management, how to lead people, how to manage people, how to do change management with people so she actually, you know, planted the seed in me to do more of, you know, people management role. And for that, she prompted me to do more courses in people management, leading teams, how to work and collaborate with, you know, cross functional teams. And that interested me, and I started to search for courses that would give me that exposure. And then, you know, given the fact that also I took some courses in my master's, or when I was doing my PhD in industrial engineering, it prompted me more to move away from technical rather than getting a PhD in industrial engineering, to do adopt rate in management studies. And hence I, you know, slightly moved into the people management, operations management, into the softer stuff of managing people and getting stuff done through people, through others.   Michael Hingson ** 18:14 Well, nothing, nothing wrong with that. I know my background was in physics. But along the way, there came a time that I was confronted with an opportunity to take a job that wasn't directly related to physics, and I chose to do it. But out of that, I ended up being put in a situation once where I had to make a choice to either go find a new job or change from doing kind of human factors studies and other things related to a product going in instead into sales, and I chose to go into sales, but my reasoning was, It's difficult enough for blind people to get jobs. Finding a new job would be really a challenge, whereas an opportunity was being offered, and it was a good opportunity, so I accepted it. So again, I know that many times we do find that there is a an opportunity that comes along that maybe we don't expect, and if we take it, it's the right way to go.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 19:14 Yes indeed. And your story has been fascinating, Michael, to be honest with you, it has been, you know, it's very inspirational. Your story, me and my wife, we were sharing, you know, how you how you overcame adversity, that's really, really, really inspirational.   Michael Hingson ** 19:33 Well, thank you. And I, I appreciate that. And you know, to me, it's just how we live life, and we sometimes we're presented with challenges and and we have to deal with those challenges, which is, of course, our role, and if we don't, then we're the losers for doing it. Well, in your case, did you ever have a defining moment or a situation where, if, since we call this unstoppable mindset, where. Kind of a mindset really affected you and to help you through it.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 20:05 Yeah. I mean, many, many, many, many situations, there's never a dull day in continuous improvement, so it's full of challenges. Always, always. You know, in every organization I have worked for, there have been challenges in terms of, you know, how to deploy continuous improvement, how to take people with you in the journey of continuous improvement. But one of the things you know early on, when I was doing my my master's degree, is, you know, I think that that laid the foundation also for me to become more resilient and more adaptable. You know, when, when my department said they didn't have funding I wanted to, and this was, you know, when, when I was doing my master's degree, not, not, you know, when I went into my PhD, when I was doing my master's degree, after a semester, they said they didn't have enough funding. So a lot of my colleagues, you know, those who are in engineering, whether mechanical or industrial or or chemical or petroleum engineering, they would they were searching for jobs. I think it was the summer of 2001 and since it was summer, a lot of professors were on were on vacation, and I went door to door, knocking on every professor's, you know, Office, Office door. And almost everybody you know, kind of, you know, either shoot me away or said, you know, we don't have funding. Or, you know, their doors were closed because they were on vacation. So one of the, one of the things I did, you know, you know, I was very, very frustrated. I couldn't sleep. So I thought, What am I doing? What am I doing? What am I doing wrong here? Why am I not getting the funding. Why am I not getting a research assistantship? So as I was laying on my on my bed that that night, one evening, I thought to myself, and an idea came to me, why don't I go into Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center, which is slightly far away. It's, you know, we have to walk, like, at least half an hour to get to the Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center. And it's predominantly, you know, biology, Health Sciences Center. So nobody, none of my colleagues, had gone there to look for a job. So I thought, why not go there? Maybe I will find some luck. So initially, you know, I was told, No, you know, you don't have a biology background or, you know, we don't have jobs here. But on the third day, one professor, you know, as I was, I thought, you know, my day, on that day also is going to be a disappointment. Around five o'clock that evening, when I was about to go home and I noticed one professor's door was open. His name is branch Schneider, so if he's, if he's watching, you know, I'm grateful to him also for this brand Schneider. He is the professor in oncology department in Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. So I approached him, his door was open, and I told him, I'm searching for a job. Any job? Would you be able to give me a job? He thought, he thought about it, and without hesitation, you know, he said, I do have a job, but you may not like it. And he said, You know, it's it involves washing dishes, bakers. Are you comfortable in doing it? I said, I thought about it, and I said, I can do it if it helps me to get in state tuition. And he also thought about it, and he said, Yeah, I think that should not be a problem. And once I agreed to do that, then he said, I don't want you to just do that. I want to use your engineering skills to help me with research. You know, doing some reports, research, reports and analysis using your engineering skills. Would you be able to do that? I said, That's my specialty. I would be glad to do that. So, you know, one thing led to another, and then, you know, he gave me the research assistantship, and you know, I was able to continue with my with my master's degree without, you know, burdening my parents. Because, you know, I had got a huge loan to go to the US, as you know, going to the US during those times is not, is not cheap. It's very expensive. So, you know, I think that's what, that's what laid the foundation. So I thought, you know, nothing is impossible. So if I can do that, I think I can convince people to do change management, at least my change management skills, and, you know, my Lean Six Sigma skills to do the continuous improvement in organizations. So I think that one moment, I think, was, you know, when, when I got that. I didn't realize that, you know, when I got back to my room and I told my friends that, you know, I had got this job, everybody's jaw dropped. They said, You have done something impossible. So they said, you know, we are now going to go to Health Sciences Center also. So I think a lot of our engineering guys went and knocked doors in Health Sciences Center, and they began to get jobs there. I   Michael Hingson ** 25:24 remember once, one of the first jobs my brother ever got. He was, I think, in high school. He had gotten to high school, and he went to apply at a restaurant for a job, just to earn some money. And the owner said, Well, you know, let me think about it. Would you go outside and we got some weeds out in the in the area around the restaurant, would you just pull the weeds? And my brother said, Sure, why not? I don't have anything else to do. So he went out on like, in a half hour, he had, excuse me, he had pulled all the weeds. The manager came out and was just absolutely amazed that he had had done all of that. And he said, Well, okay, and I thought about it, I'll give you a job. And of course, he was really being tested. Would he go out and do whatever he was asked to do? Which Which he did do? And when he came home and told my parents, and I was there at the time about that, they said, you understand that this guy was just testing you to see whether you would do whatever needed to be done to help the restaurant. And you passed, and he got the job. We never know where things are going to come from. And indeed, yes, we should be open and be willing to explore. It's always a good thing when we do that. I haven't thought about that in years, but you just reminded me of that story, and it's a great story, and for me, it was a lesson that you've got to do sometimes different things, and when, when you're really asking for someone's assistance, you also need to look at what they're asking you to do, and you need to do what they're asking   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 27:01 yes, unless it's to shoot No, I'm not going to go out and   Michael Hingson ** 27:07 shoot someone. But that's a different story. But well, that's great. Well, now, while you were in the United States, you also went off and got married, huh?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 27:18 Yes, I did.   Michael Hingson ** 27:21 Well, that was a that was a good thing. That's another good reason to have come to the US. Yes, now, is your wife from India or the US?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 27:33 Well, it's a, it's an interesting story. Once again, we she, she is. She's two years younger to me, and, you know, we met at a birthday party, and in, you know, at a professor's daughter's birthday party. And I initially thought I knew her from somewhere, so I was very, very shy to to approach her. But then some of her, some of her friends, or, I think some of my friends who knew her, they asked me if you know I would be okay to drop them to their house. So when I was, when I was driving, I looked at her through the, you know, the rear view mirror, yeah, and I, I liked her a lot, so, but I didn't know whether she was looking at me at that time or not. But then later, I told her that I was looking at you when I was driving. And then, you know, one thing led to another, and you know, we dated. She's from India, so she was also doing her master's degree. When, when, you know, at the time, you know, I was doing an internship in in a chemicals manufacturing company in Vernon, Texas, which is in the middle of nowhere. And I used to drive three hours from Vernon to Lubbock because I thought Lubbock was in the middle of nowhere. But then, when I was when I was working in Vernon, which is just no like a small town of 10,000 people, then when I used to drive back to Lubbock, it was like heaven, Paradise. I could see many people in Lubbock. So when I was driving back and forth. And I was in, I met her in this, in this party, and then we started to date. And then, you know, we got, we got married in the US in 2000 we were dating for a very long time. We lived together also for for a long time, we got to know each other. And then we got married in 2008   Michael Hingson ** 29:42 Ah, well, that's great. Congratulations. How long have you been married now? Thank you.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 29:48 Well. We have known each other now for 21 years since 2004 Yes, and we have been married since 2008 so 17 years. Wow. Congratulations. Thank you, thank you. And we have a son, 15 years old. And yeah, we, we are still, you know, happily married to each other, and she, you know, she has been a great support for me, not only in times of happiness, but but especially, you know, when I get frustrated, when when I'm not in such a good mood, or when I feel dejected, she has supported me tremendously, and she's still supporting me tremendously, but   Michael Hingson ** 30:30 I bet that goes both ways.   30:33 Yes,   Michael Hingson ** 30:35 you have to be more stable than you.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 30:41 Yes, well, I think she's more emotionally matured also. Then I don't want to tell her that, but she may know after this podcast   Michael Hingson ** 30:52 well. So you do a lot of work in working with people involved in resistance and change and continuous improvement, and you deal with people with resistance and change. How do you push back? And how do you push beyond that? How do you get people who are so resistive to change to to agreeing to change? You know, the reason I ask is that we all we all hear people talk all the time about how change is important. Changes is necessary, but none of us really want to change. How do you deal with that?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 31:26 Yes, so, you know, over the years, this is what, this is what I have learned also. And you know, I, I did my masters, my second masters in psychology, and that helped me a great deal. Also, I've always been, you know, fascinated with the psychology of human behavior. So I always wondered, you know, even when working in 3m or in my first company as an intern, I always wondered, you know, why? You know, even if a change is good, why are people resisting? And years and years passed by, I always, I always thought that, you know, we can, we can always convince people with rational, logical stuff, with data. But then I found out, you know, through through trial and error, I don't get convinced using logic. I have my own ways to resist. So when I learned about how I am resisting, I thought that's natural. Then how people, other people would resist. Because, you know my girlfriend at that time, who is my wife. Now, when she used to suggest something I would resist, that. She would say, quarter, you're not organized, you know, let's, let's get the house organized. And I would resist it because, you know, getting organized is a good thing, but then I had my own way of doing stuff. So, you know, to this day, I still resist, by the way, and she's still trying to convince me to get organized, but you know, I know why I resist. You know why I'm resisting. I know how I resist. So you know that, that you know early on, helped me, that, you know, people resist because we are trying to change them. It's not the change, but it's we are trying to change them into something that they don't want to so, for example, you know, one of the one of the line managers, or one of the leaders in a company that I worked for, he was completely against continuous improvement. He was telling me, I have been doing continuous improvement quadra, for 20 years, I don't need you to come and tell me how to do my job and how to improve it. And he was very open about it. I'm so glad he was. He was so open about it. Because, you know, I have also seen people who resist very covertly. They would say yes in front of you, and then, you know, go back and do their own stuff, or, you know, they won't do anything at all. So I wanted to understand him, why he felt that way. And, you know, I went on, you know, plant walks with him, and he was very proud when we were when we were walking around the plant, he showed me all the improvements that he did. So I told him, Bill, his name is Bill, what you're doing is continuous improvement. Bill, so I'm not trying to tell you to do your job. I'm here to tell you how to I'm here to help you how to do your job in a more structured way. And that's what CI is all about. So when I said that, immediately, he said, you know, guaja, I wish somebody you know, in your place, had told me that earlier, because people who had before you, who came before you, they were all about tools and templates. And I hate to use tools and templates. I'm more of a practical guy. So then that was a learning for me, also that, you know, that was an aha moment for me, that people, you know, certain people, have. Certain way of learning, and certain people have certain way of improving, but we all want to improve. So if we guide people in the right direction, and we talk their language, you know, we use their frame of reference, we use their language and and we see what are their pain points, and we try to help them overcome those pain points, then people would naturally, you know, you know, get the we would get the buy in for for the change, and people would not resist so much. So at the end, you know, what happened is Bill became a huge supporter of CI, not only a huge supporter of CI, he passed my green belt exam. Also, I coached him, and he passed my green belt exam. And he was, he was very happy. Initially, he was, he was, he was reluctant to even attend my course. But then, you know, after he went through the course, and then, you know, after we built the rapport. And then I, and then I told him, I'm not trying to replace you or, or I'm not trying to steal your job or, or I'm not telling trying to, you know, tell you how to do your job, because that's not what I'm here for. I'm here to help you. And continuous improvement is a more structured way of doing things, because you may be doing in trial and error, and by doing trial and error, you know, you may be making some costly mistakes, but when we apply it in a structured way, we can avoid 19 99% of errors, most of the time. So he really liked that approach. And he liked my approach of making things very, very practical, not speaking, you know, in heavy technical terms, not using the jargon and explaining it to him, you know, in his own language. That's what helped, you know, reduce the resistance. And over the years, what I have done is also, you know, adapt my way of how I'm approaching resistance. One of the courses which I took, and it was a certification course, also was, you know, instead of waiting for resistance to happen to you, we should approach resistance proactively. You know, when we announce a change, we should naturally expect resistance, and when we have resistance, it's a good thing. I have never, I never heard about it before, before I attended the course. I thought always resistance is bad. I thought resistance is something that we need to fight. We need to convince people, and those people who resist, they don't know what they're talking about. I used to see them as, you know, almost like enemies at workplace. This guy is against CI, why doesn't he or she gets CI, why are they, you know, resisting so much. Why are they criticizing me so much? I used to take it personally also. Later, I learned, you know, not to take things personally as well. So what I what I found, was that we should surface resistance proactively, whether you know it is in work life or in personal life, you know, when we are trying to do something out of the ordinary. When we are trying to improve something, we should expect resistance. And if there is no resistance, then that means either the resistance has gone underground, right, which has gone into COVID stage, or people have not understood the why. You know, what is this change? What is this? How is this going to affect me, people have not understood what you're talking about. So when we explain things, we should naturally expect resistance, and resistance helps in improving, you know, what is whatever we are trying to implement, you know, whether it is like a ERP implementation or, you know, Lean Six Sigma, or a transformation project, digital transformation, anything that we are trying to do, if people are resisting or if people are expressing concerns, it's a good thing. That's what I have learned over the years. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 38:50 at least, at least then they're open and they're talking to you about it, which is important. So how do you deal with the person who says, you know, like, like, Bill, I've been involved in continuous improvement, and maybe they really have, but you're talking about change, but in reality, what we have is working, and I'm not convinced that changing it is really going to make a difference. And you know, how do you deal with that?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 39:21 Yep, again, you know, over the years, I have so many stories this. This story, again, is some of the organizations I have worked in this. This particular person was, was saying the same thing. You know, it was one of the TETRA pack manufacturing lines, you have seen the TETRA pack, right? So the the TETRA pack where juice is packed, or milk is packed, or any beverage is packed, right? So these Tetra packs, when they were producing those Tetra packs of juice, they had. An issue of the juice packs being either overweight or underweight. So they had this continuous issue on the line, not just one line, but I think three or four of the lines, so consistently, it would be either overweight or underweight. And if you are consistent, if you are having the overweight or underweight, you would be audited, and you would get into all sorts of trouble. And moreover, you know, you're losing money if you if the pack is overweight and if the pack is underweight, somebody can, can, you know, file a claim. Customer complaints would increase. So this, this particular line manager, he said, you know he was, he was avoiding me. And I know that he would, he would avoid me so, but he, you know, at that point of time, he had no choice. So he said, kwaja, I have a few ideas, you know, I don't before, you know, you come and tell me, you know, continuous improvement, blah, blah, blah. I have a few ideas. I want to test them. And he gave me, he gave me, you know, the his thought process, and he wanted to try that before, you know, he before he agreed to listen to me. So I said, Bob, I'm all for it, please. Please, go ahead and let's see whether you know what you're trying to do. Works or not. So basically, in, you know, in our language, what we call it as as an experiment in continuous improvement terminology, we call it as an experiment. He was trying to do, you know, an experiment with one factor at a time, meaning that, you know, he would try to change one variable, and he would try to see whether that has any impact on, you know, the over overfilled packs or under filled packs. So he wanted to change one variable at a time, and there were three, four variables at that time, which he thought were, you know, suspects. So he wanted to change those variables and see what the impact would be. So I told him, Bob, yeah, let's, let's, let's try that. And I told him, you know, very politely, if that doesn't work, would you be willing to try what I am asking you to do? Because I have an idea. Also, he said, Yeah, let's, let's, let's do that. So I worked with him. I worked with him on the line, with his supervisors also. And he tried, you know, one factor at a time. He trained. He changed this, he changed that. It didn't work. So reluctantly. But then the good thing was, he was open minded also, reluctantly, he said, Okay, let's, let's sit in my office and let's talk. So I told him about a concept called Design of Experiments, DOE, in that, in that me using that you know, methodology, you can basically, you can basically have three, four factors which you can vary them simultaneously, and then see the impact on over packing and under packing. So when I explained to him, when I when I taught him about the concept him and his supervisors and the line operators, he said, Yeah, let's let's try. Let's see if this works. And at the end of the day, we were both trying to improve the process. We were both trying to get rid of this problem, sure, so we should be rolling. And then it worked within, within a few days, the problem got resolved. So what I learned from that is, sometimes, you know, you need to let people you know hit the wall before you offer them a solution. So that's something that I have learned. But of course, you know, in this case, it was not such a costly mistake. It was not, it was not like a disaster, but it was the controlled disaster. So, so what   Michael Hingson ** 43:28 was the actual change? What what change was made that fixed the problem? Or what was your idea that fixed the problem because he was changing variable at a time, but that was one example   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 43:39 at a time. Yep. So we had to do the root cause analysis. And through the root cause analysis, whatever variables that he was going after were not the root causes because he was not using a structured methodology. Okay, when we use the structured methodology, we went into root cause analysis. We did a structured like a fish bone diagram. I don't want to go into the technical details, but we did the in depth root cause analysis, and then we did something called as a design of experiment, where we chose three factors and we varied it simultaneous, so it is a controlled experiment which we did, and immediately, you know, it's not that you know you would do that, and you would get result. One month later, you would get results immediately, you would see the result immediately when you do that experiment versus what he did, it involved a certain bit of time. It would take one week for us to see a change. So when I showed him this and this versus this, he was really impressed. And from that day onwards, he became a huge supporter of CI, in fact, you know, the plant in which I was working in, you know, with the support of, you know, one of the plant managers, Tim, his name, I'm I'm still, you know, in touch with him, and you know we share thoughts with each other. I see him as a huge mentor. Also, you know, we got plant of the Year Award for a plant to talk. About to be shut down, back in 2009 so that's, that's, you know, how we were able to, you know, build the, get the buy in from all the line managers and, you know, get started on the continuous improvement journey. Because the the the management had told that if you don't improve within a few months, you would be shut down. So we all work together, and we did experiments like this, and we were able to turn around a plant, of course, you know, not just me, so I just played one small role in that we did as a team. It was a team effort,   Michael Hingson ** 45:34 and that's how you really overcome resistance to change when, when people see that you bring something to the table that works, then they're probably more apt to want to listen to you.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 45:49 Yep, indeed. We need to know what we're talking about. You know that that builds trust? Definitely.   Michael Hingson ** 45:54 Yeah. And then the issue is that you what you're talking about is is, in a sense, different than what they understand, and it's a matter of establishing credibility. Yes, which is, which is pretty cool. Well, so tell me about your books. You've written two books, and you've written I n, s, p, i R, E, and you've, you've written another book, tell us about those.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 46:25 Yes, so I, you know, I have always wanted to share my knowledge, and I have always been sharing my knowledge, you know, through training, through coaching, I have conducted so many training sessions, so many and I have learned also, you know, from from shop floor employees, frontline employees, from middle managers. I have learned so much from them. And also executives, top executives, you know, leaders from various industries. You know whether it is manufacturing or logistics or, you know, back offices, banking, you know, pure manufacturing or logistics container, container shipping business, or aluminum rolling business. So I wanted to write this book to share my knowledge, because when I see that change management or change is being implemented very poorly, that really frustrates me. So I wanted to share this, and I have seen, you know, numerous books being written on this. You know, numerous frameworks, also, you name it. You know, there are so many books out there. What I wanted to do is give a simple framework, which is, I, N, s, p, i, R, E, which is, you know, if you have to implement change you need to inspire employees. There are no two ways about it. If we can talk about logic, we can talk about change management, we can talk about what's in it. For me, everything, but in my experience, if anyone is, if any employee or if any individual is not inspired by the change, the change is not going to go anywhere. They may do out of compliance, but we will not really get their hearts in it. And that's why I, you know, came up with this framework called Inspire, which is I basically is inspired the need for change in employees. N is navigate the organization and build a coalition. And stands for that. S is to surface resistance proactively, meaning, as we discussed, don't wait for resistance to hit you. You know when you least expect it, and then, and then, you know the change goes nowhere. Surface resistance proactively. And P is plan, your implementation. You know, when I say plan, not just, you know, like a, like a 20 step bullet point, there are so many plans that need, that need to come together, like a communication plan, resistance management plan, a training plan. There are so many plans that need to work together. And again, depending on the complexity of the change, you know, I never advocate, you know, over complicating stuff. And then you have, I, which is implementation When, when, you know, this is where rubber meets the road, if we don't implement the change in a structured way, you know, leaders are not role modeling on the shop floor. Leaders are just, you know, we call it as EMR. And this is, again, from another framework called Aim. Aim, you know, basically what we what we mean here is you can express. Leaders can express about the change, role model the change and reinforce the change. EMR, so if leaders are just expressing the change, it will lead to one times the improvement, but if leaders are role modeling the change, it will lead to three. Times the change acceleration. And if leaders are reinforcing the change, it will lead to 10 times accelerating the change. So that's what I talk about, in terms of implementation, you know, experimentation and stuff, which is i, and then you have reinforce and sustain, which is r, and then E stands for evaluating and learning. You know, after we close a change initiative, after we signed off on a change initiative, have what have we learned from it? What have we learned from it, and what, what if we had a, if we had a chance to make a do over, what would we do differently? What have we learned from it? And what would we do differently, and if we were to do implement another change, what are the learnings that we can take from this change that we have implemented and apply the learnings in our next change? And also, you know when, when leadership transitions, many, many changes, what? What happens? And you know this is what I have experienced, and this frustrates me a lot as well. Is, you know, when leadership changes, the change gets, you know, messed up. I want to say fucked up, but you know, and I don't know if I'm allowed to say that. You know, every leader, every leader, wants to come in and you know, right or wrong? You know, I'm not blaming a leader wants to leave their mark in the organization, which is good, but what they what they inadvertently do, is undo the change which their predecessors have done. And then people get confused, you know, they say it as a flavor of the month. Or they say, Okay, let's wait until this leader moves on, so that, you know, we can, we can, you know, just wait until this change passes away and it leads to, you know, production of morale and lots of issues. So this is what I talk about in my book, as well, how to avoid these, these situations. So it's like a practical framework where you know which anybody can take and apply to any change of any complexity, and you know if, even if it is very, very simple change which is going to take maybe 10 days or five days only, they can quickly go through the Inspire framework and see, you know, what are the gaps and whether we have, whether we are implementing the change in a proper, structured way. And these are in this is just a framework, you know, and you know, we don't have to use all the tools that I have mentioned in the book. We can pick and choose the tools which are relevant for the change that we are trying to implement.   Michael Hingson ** 52:38 What is the the key to making change sustainable when maybe leadership changes or the company environment shifts,   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 52:48 yes. So, you know, as Dr Deming said, constancy of purpose, right? So, so if I'm a leader, Mike, and you know, if I'm changing my role, and if I'm going to, you know another function or another department, whether in the same organization or in a different organization, and let's say that you know, Mike, you are taking over my role. What is the constancy of purpose? You know? Are we? Does the organization, you know, it starts from our organization level. Does the organization have a constancy of purpose, and is it aligned with the vision and mission and whatever I have, whatever changes I have implemented, have I communicated them to you? Is there a smooth handover between me and you, so that you understand what are the changes I have done, what are the improvements I have done, and you know how you can take it forward and continuously improve upon it. So one thing is completely undoing and the other thing is continuously improving upon it. So that, you know, people see it as a natural, continuous improvement, rather than continue, rather than, you know, abruptly undoing something and then, and then, you know, starting from, you know, scratch, starting from scratch, and saying that, Oh, no, no, no, no, whatever this person did is total crap. And now we are going to change or revolutionize the whole organization where, which, you know, nine out of 10 times is, is, you know, you're just rehashing what this person has done into something new, into, you know, a different framework or a different bottle, however you want to frame it. So the there has to be a smooth hand over. So that's, that's, you know, point number one, and point number two is the the employees, the middle managers have the middle managers and the in the whole leadership team. They have an obligation. They have a accountability to make sure that, you know, they are aligned, to make sure that if one of their leadership team members is moving on, whenever a new leadership team member comes on board, to onboard them in a structured way, not to leave them, you know, hanging, not to, you know, not to let that person. Know, implement his or her own way completely. You know, let on board them and let them know what has happened in the organization. How they can, you know, continuously improve upon it. I'm not saying that, you know, revolutionary change is not required all. I'm saying that there are times when a revolution is required, but most of the times, continuous improvement is good enough. You know, when, when we, when we continuously improve. It keeps the continuity going. And people don't see it as you know, change after change after change. You know, we don't, we don't induce change fatigue in the organizations if we, if we do it as a continuum   Michael Hingson ** 55:40 makes sense, and it's all about and it's all about communication, yep,   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 55:44 indeed. And that's where, you know, that's why I have written my second book, which is, which is about active listening. You know, I'm a bad listener, I have to be honest. So I used to be a very, very bad listener. Now I'm just a bad listener. So I have continuously improved on my listening skills, and at least I know now that you know, I'm aware of my how I need to improve my listening skills. So over the years, I have done, I have I have learned the techniques of how to listen and when and when I say listen, it is not to many people, many of us, you know, even even now. Also sometimes I catch myself, you know, trying to listen to reply or listen to respond. So when I catch myself doing that, I consciously, you know, try to listen to the person. So again, in this book, I have shared, you know, the the techniques which would help anybody to become a better listener, which, you know, one is one of the requirements for being a great leader, how to listen to people and how to listen to people, truly, truly listen to people. So I talk about simple, simple techniques in the book. You know, for example, paraphrasing, remembering, listening without judgment, right? Or suspending judgment, as I say so. You know, I rank these techniques in increasing order of complexity, suspending judgment being the most difficult, you know when, when someone starts speaking, or, you know, even if, even when we see someone immediately, in the first five seconds, we judge that person. And, you know, right or wrong, we judge that we and in this book, also, I talk about, you know, why we are prone to judging people, and why we have such a such a difficult time in suspending judgment. So if we are aware that you know, let's say that you know when I'm talking to you, Mike, if I catch myself judging you right, so at least I know that I'm Judging You right. So at least I can I know that I'm judging you, and I should not do that. I should listen to you, and I should try to understand where you are coming from, instead of saying, instead of just thinking in my mind, oh, whatever Mike is saying is it doesn't make any sense. So maybe initially it may not make sense. But you know, when we open our ears, we have two years, and that's for a reason, and only one mouth. So we need to listen, and we need to completely understand where the other person is coming from, whether you know it is in personal life or in work life. You know, when we, if we don't listen to the teams whom we are managing, and if we just say, you know, do as I say, it's my way or the highway, people will do because you know you are their line manager. But it won't last long. No, the minute you, you know, change your team, or the minute you go out, people will, people will be, you know, good riddance. So, so that's what they'll be thinking. So how to listen to people, and also it will help the leader to grow. You know, over the years, when I listen to my wife, I have understood my own shortcomings, and if I had listened to her 20 years back, maybe I would have been a different person. Maybe, maybe I would have been a more mature person. So this is what, you know, I talk about in the in the book as well. How can we truly, truly listen? And some techniques like paraphrasing. You know, when, when our mind wanders, you know, it will be good to paraphrase the person to whom you're you're speaking so that you know you you remember, so remembering, paraphrasing, empathy, for example, you know, not just talking about KPI, KPI KPIs to the team members. Understand how they're doing. You know, are they having any personal issues? How is their family? You know, work is not, you know what, what? Work is a part of our life. But you know, we spend eight to 10 hours at at a workplace. So we need to know the team members whom we are managing, and we need to listen to them. If somebody is, you know, performing badly, right? It's very easy to give them a negative feedback. But. So if we listen to them, and if they feel heard, maybe they are going through something, or maybe they are not getting enough support. If we listen to them, and if we create that environment of active listening in the whole team, suspending judgment and listening actively, then we create a more stronger bond, and the team would would become like a world class team. This has been my experience. So this is what I have shared in my, in my in my second book,   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:29 and certainly words to to remember. Well, we have been doing this an hour now, and I think it's probably time that we we end it for the day. But if people want to reach out to you. How can they do that?   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 1:00:43 Well, I am there on on LinkedIn, and people can reach me through email, and I'll be more than happy to, you know, respond to anything they need. And I'm I know if people want to reach out to me to conduct any training sessions, my website is also their journey towards excellence. You know where I have my offerings. So   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:04 what is the website? What is the website called, again, journey towards excellence. Journey towards excellence.com, okay, and your email address, khwaja.moinuddin@gmail.com and spell that, if you would   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 1:01:21 Yes, please. K, H, W, A, j, A, dot, M, O, I n, u, d, d, I n@gmail.com,   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:32 great. Well, I hope people will reach out. I think you've offered a lot of great insights and inspiration for people. I appreciate hearing all that you had to say, and I knew I was going to learn a lot today and have and I always tell people, if I'm not learning at least as much as everyone else, I'm not doing my job right. So I really appreciate your time, and it's now getting late where you are, so we're going to let you go. But I want to thank you again for being here, and I do want to thank everyone who is listening and watching us today. We really appreciate it. If you would, I'd love it. If you'd give us a five star review. Wherever you're watching us and listening to us, if you'd like to talk to me or email me about the episode and give us your thoughts, feel free to do so. At Michael H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I, B, e.com, or go to our podcast page. Michael Hinkson, that's m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s, o, n.com/podcast, love to hear from you if any of you have any thoughts as to someone else who might make a good podcast guest. And quad you as well. Would love it if you let us know we're always looking for more people to come on and be guests on the show. But again, kwaja, I want to thank you for being here. This has been wonderful.   Dr Khwaja Moinuddin ** 1:02:47 Thank you. Thank you so much, Mike, and it's been a real pleasure talking to you, and it's an honor to be part of your podcast. I wish I had met you earlier and learned I would have learned so much from you, I would definitely, definitely, definitely, you know, reach out to you to learn more. And you know, thank you for the opportunity. Thank you definitely for the opportunity.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:03:15   You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to inter

Send us a textIn this episode of the Life Science Success Podcast my guest is John Phillips, a seasoned global leader with over 30 years of experience in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare. As President at InnovaPath Consulting, LLC, John has a proven track record of guiding organizations through complex growth stages, transforming businesses, and delivering strategic results across diverse corporate landscapes.00:00 Introduction to the Life Science Success Podcast00:43 Sponsor Message: Bio on the Bayou 202502:20 Guest Introduction: John Phillips02:56 John Phillips' Career Journey05:09 Challenges and Opportunities in Life Sciences10:20 Leadership and Organizational Growth14:33 Differences Between Small and Large Organizations20:11 Supporting Life Sciences Companies at InnovaPath23:04 Outsourcing Strategies for Startups25:46 Ensuring Seamless Collaboration31:18 Innovative Projects and Initiatives32:02 Streamlining Alliance Management33:08 AI-Driven Drug Development34:50 Continuous Improvement in CDMOs37:34 Integrating Complex Vendor Networks41:18 Adapting to Digital Transformation44:07 Leadership Insights and Advice50:39 Personal Inspirations and Concerns56:58 Closing Remarks and Podcast Information

What You'll Learn:In this episode, hosts Shayne Daughenbaugh, Andy Olrich, and guest Royden Johnson, discuss the importance of vulnerability and courage in leadership. Royden Johnson emphasized the need for leaders to move from imitation to differentiation to embrace vulnerability effectively.About the Guest:Royden Johnson is a distinguished manufacturing leader with extensive experience spanning diverse industries, including automotive sectors. As a Six Sigma Black Belt, he brings a robust expertise in operational excellence and continuous improvement. Royden has a proven track record of driving efficiency and innovation, enhancing performance, and delivering sustainable results across complex manufacturing environments.Links:Click Here For Royden Johnsons' LinkedIn

Strong cultures empower winning strategies, and well-executed strategies reinforce strong and healthy cultures. But how do you actually begin the work of transforming a school district's culture? Join Dr. Adam Leckie, Superintendent of Casa Grande Elementary School District, as he discusses with Dr. Janet Pilcher how centering his faculty, staff, and students is the core of driving substantial improvement. Listen as he unpacks strategies that build this culture, empowering his team to execute with excellence.  This episode addresses questions such as: How can a people-first approach be practically implemented to empower those leading daily improvement initiatives?What are practical ways to show gratitude and service to the people within a school district? How can data-driven insights be used to accurately measure improvement and guide strategic decisions?Destination High Performance K12 Leadership Conference: Go here to learn more and register.Recommended Resources: People-First Leadership in Classrooms and Communities, The Culture-Strategy Equation: Reflections from the AASA Conference, Cultivating a Culture of Gratitude and Continuous Improvement in the Casa Grande Elementary School DistrictRead and study: Each episode of the podcast aligns with the tactics and principles of our host's book, Hardwiring Excellence in Education: The Nine Principles Framework. In conjunction with that book, you can join the mission to create great places to work, learn, and succeed by leading a book study with your leadership team for Hardwiring Excellence in Education. Our free, on-demand book study offers additional tools and resources created by Dr. Pilcher and our Studer Education leader coaches. Each chapter in the study also features exclusive interviews with influential education leaders sharing how they're making a difference in their districts and beyond.Order book here.Sign up for book study here.

➡️ Like The Podcast? Leave A Rating: https://ratethispodcast.com/successstory  In this "Lessons" episode, Jennifer Cohen, Habits Expert & Performance Coach, shares how relentless commitment and disciplined habits fuel long-term success. She explains that dedicating a decade to mastering your craft transforms persistence into expertise, much like the mindset needed to excel in fitness. Jennifer emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals, embracing continuous iteration, and cultivating unwavering determination—even when faced with challenges—to build sustainable habits that drive breakthrough performance in both business and life. ➡️ Show Linkshttps://successstorypodcast.com  YouTube: https://youtu.be/jubV_TVYYyoApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jennifer-cohen-3x-bestselling-author-entrepreneur-live/id1484783544Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jrfAKqYty3VsvrEIvA9Qo ➡️ Watch the Podcast On Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/c/scottdclary