Podcasts about leanblog

Episode page with transcript and more My guest for Episode #500 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is me, your usual host Mark Graban. Today, I'm mixing up the format with a solo episode that celebrates 500 episodes over almost 18 years. I'll share some of the origin story and history of the podcast. You'll hear clips from Episode 1 (with Norm Bodek) and Episode 50 (where Jamie Flinchbaugh asked me about getting started). You'll also hear a clip from a recent conversation where Barry McCarthy, of AME Australia, asked me about persisting with podcasting all these years. Thanks for listening, whether this is your first time, you've listened to them all, or somewhere in between! The podcast is brought to you by Stiles Associates, the premier executive search firm specializing in the placement of Lean Transformation executives. With a track record of success spanning over 30 years, it's been the trusted partner for the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare sectors. Learn more. This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.  Notes and Highlights: More than 500 episodes in 921 weeks, a little more than one every two weeks for 17.75 years 3,276,745 total downloads / listens, although I'm not convinced the stats are 100% consistent The top 10 most downloaded episodes The most frequent guests (#1 is Norman Bodek with 14 episodes) One anonymous guest Where listeners are from The origin story and the intro to Episode #1 A clip from Episode #50 My reflections on the clunky podcast name A shift over time from “big names” to highlighting new faces and their stories The one time I forgot to record! In memoriam: guests who have passed away

Watch Mark Graban's keynote entitled "When Being Right is the Wrong Strategy for Change" from the 2018 KaiNexus User Conference to learn how you can become a better leader of continuous improvement. Slides and More: https://www.markgraban.com/kainexus2018/ Join Mark Graban, an acclaimed author and consultant, in his enlightening keynote address at the 2018 KaiNexus User Conference. In this presentation, titled "When Being Right is the Wrong Strategy for Change," Mark delves into the intricate dynamics of leadership and change management. Drawing from his vast experience and insights, he explores the often-overlooked psychological aspects of leading continuous improvement in any organization. Mark challenges conventional wisdom by arguing that being factually correct is not always the most effective way to inspire change. Instead, he introduces a more nuanced approach that balances knowledge with empathy and understanding. Through a series of engaging slides, Mark illustrates the transition from a directive style of leadership (akin to a 'cop') to a more collaborative and counseling approach. He emphasizes the significance of understanding the 'why' behind actions and the power of asking others why they would want to engage in change, thereby fostering a more inclusive and motivational environment. This presentation is particularly valuable for leaders looking to drive sustainable change. It provides actionable insights into the psychology of change, motivational interviewing techniques, and the importance of resisting the 'righting reflex' — the natural tendency to correct others. Mark showcases how to create an atmosphere that encourages open dialogue, self-motivation, and a shared vision for change. By the end of this keynote, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of: - The difference between enforcing compliance and fostering genuine change. - Strategies to move from being a 'cop' to a 'coach' to a 'counselor' in leadership roles. - The concept of Motivational Interviewing and its application in leadership and change management. - Techniques to engage in more effective conversations about change and resistance. - Understanding and navigating one's own ambivalence and that of others in the context of change. Discover more about Mark Graban and his work by visiting [MarkGraban.com](https://www.markgraban.com/) and [LeanBlog.org](https://www.leanblog.org/). For additional resources related to this presentation, please visit [MarkGraban.com/KaiNexus2018](https://www.markgraban.com/KaiNexus20.... Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your leadership skills and approach to change management. Watch now and start your journey towards more impactful and empathetic leadership!

Visit our website: https://leanblog.org/audio --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lean-blog-audio/support

Visit our website at www.leancast.org. Lean Blog Interviews is hosted and produced by Mark Graban. 

Here's a musical holiday treat for my regular Lean Blog readers and podcast listeners, a song parody, originally released in 2009... remastered a bit here in 2022. https://www.leanblog.org/2022/12/gemba-claus-comin-town-song/  Gemba Claus is Comin' to Town Lyrics by Mark Graban Performance by Steve Sholtes Oh, you'd better watch out You'd better kaizen You'd better not pout, I'm tellin' ya then Gemba Claus is comin' to town He's making a list Just checking it once Doin' it twice would waste a whole bunch Gemba Clause is comin' to town He sees you when you're waitin' He knows when your work flows He knows if changeovers are too long So do SMED  for goodness sake Oh, you'd watch out You'd better not pause You'd better not pout Find the real root cause Gemba Claus is comin' to Town! For voiceover work, music, or more, you can contact Steve via his website, www.stevesholtes.com. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Welcome back Uncommon Leader Podcast Nation. Each week, I interview guests --Uncommon leaders --  from various walks of life and various points on their leadership journey. This week I flipped the script just a little bit, and I'm sharing an excerpt from a recent lean blog post podcast where I was interviewed by Lean Blog podcast host, Mark Graban. He chatted with me about many things on my leadership journey, including: Where and when did my Lean (management system based upon the Toyota Production system) journey beginWho have been mentors in my career Different points on my diverse career pathThe genesis of the Uncommon Leader podcastThe mission behind Growing Champions, the coaching & consulting business I recently startedAnd more... So I think you're really going to enjoy this podcast. While this interview is excerpts from the original interview, you can listen to the unedited episode, including the full transcript,  on Mark Graban's podcast feed by clicking here.  A special thanks for Mark for allowing me to re-purpose this podcast.  For more on mark Graban, visit his website here.Thanks for listening.   

Welcome back listeners to the uncommon leader podcast. This week's guest is Mark Graban. Mark is an internationally recognized consultant, author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster. He's authored or co-authored four books, the most recent being The Measure of Success... React Less, Lead Better and Improve More. He has hosted more than 600 podcasts, over many names, including his Lean Blog, Lean Whiskey, and his newest podcast, My Favorite Mistake. Mark's motivation is to "humbly help others learn how to improve and sustain performance". Now common leaders can help others, but Uncommon leaders humbly help others. It's this area that we dive deep to learn more about Mark and how he models humble leadership. He shared with me his stories and experience. He spoke about the challenges of leading humbly with regards to telling his clients what to do vs. helping them to  discover what to do. He spoke about other leaders that have influenced him how to lead as well as some examples of learning from others how not to lead(which is sometimes just as important). He spoke about the need to have empathy when asking others to change. You can follow Mark at markgraban.com.Thanks for listening to today's episode. If you enjoy it. I hope you'll consider sharing this with a friend or somebody that needs to hear this message as well. To catch up on past episodes, go to www.growingchampions.net/podcast for all the past interviews. Until next time go and Grow Champions.  

Links and show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/421 We've been on hiatus over the summer here, but I did a live streaming video the other day with my friend Ryan McCormack, who regular readers of this blog will recognize as the creator of the bi-weekly "Operational Excellence Mixtape" emails that he allows me to publish here on the Lean Blog. He was also my guest for Episode 12 of the "Lean Whiskey" podcast. In this 30-minute discussion, Ryan and I chat about: Why did you start the "mixtapes"? What are some favorite books and podcasts that you have highlighted recently? What have been the transferrable Lean lessons going into healthcare and now back out into other settings? Best Thing / Worst Thing -- What's the best thing about doing OpEx work? The worst thing? I hope you enjoy the conversation. The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in their 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare industries. Learn more.   This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.   

Show notes and links: https://www.leanblog.org/whiskey26 In Episode 26, we accidentally celebrate St. Patrick's Day with some Irish whiskey, lightly mourn some NCAA March Madness losses (or absences, and Jamie Flinchbaugh and Mark Graban welcome guest co-host Adam Zak. We selected Irish whiskey as a category because we hadn't used it yet, but after changing the date of the scheduled recording, we ended up quite close to St. Patrick's Day (which was officially a dry holiday until 1970, but that pendulum certainly swung the other way).  In the spirit of Adam Zak's career as an executive recruiter with a Lean lens, we discuss many of the new CEO appointments, in particular, Carol Tomé at UPS, Rosalind Brewer at Walgreens, and Jane Fraser at Citigroup. These appointments are historic in one sense, but also highlight the fact that only 41 of the Fortune 500 are run by women (and Brewer is the only Black woman of the group). We explore what matters when selecting a new CEO, how that fits the strategic needs of the company, and how Lean thinking might influence or be leveraged by some of these leaders.  We explore a common listener question: Do you think it's possible for a Lean organization to do well with quality and safety? As we certainly don't feel this question takes much nuance to answer, we make our way through this fairly quickly and on to our closing question about what books we are reading these days, with a slight detour into our reading habits.  Adam Zak's website, his book Simple Excellence with Bill Waddell, and 2008 guest appearance on Mark's Lean Blog podcast #105  Adam's whiskey selection, 18 YO Tullamore D.E.W. Jamie's selection, Green Spot aged in zinfandel barrels from Chateau Montelena Mark's selection, a special bottle of Teeling that he filled at the Dublin distillery, along with an honorable mention of Writers' Tears (since we're all published authors) A little about new UPS CEO Carol Tomé on Wikipedia and an interview  A little something about new Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer on Wikipedia and Financial Times     Stuff about new Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser on Wikipedia and NYT Our collective reading list, Believe in People, The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes, Constant Comedy, and Team of Rivals Podcast feed at LeanWhiskey.com or at leanblog.org/leanwhiskey or at jflinch.com/leanwhiskey 

CEO at DeondraWardelle.com, Co-host of "KataCon7" For show notes and discount codes for KataCon7 and for Deondra's workshop, go to http://leanblog.org/405 or scroll down. My guest for Episode #405 is Deondra Wardelle, CEO of her own company and one of the hosts of next week's virtual KataCon7 event. She is, among other things, a Visionary, Coach, Strategist, Speaker, Consultant, Kata Geek, Leader of the #RootCauseRacism Movement. Her mission is developing a world of problem-solvers. You can register for 10% off of KataCon7 by using code LF10 (thanks to Lean Frontiers for that code). Deondra is also doing a Strategic Vision Board Workshop on Saturday and you can register with a 20% discount by using code LEANBLOG. In today's episode, Deondra shares how and why she became a “Kata Geek” and how that built upon her continuous improvement foundations from her time in manufacturing. We'll talk about the similarities with Lean across industries (“it's always going back to the people”) and what “Respect for People” means to her. Deondra shares stories about how Kata helped her become a better manager — less of a micromanager. We also discuss communities including Lean Communicators and Women in Lean. All of that — and more — in this episode… released early because of the timing with these two events — KataCon7 and Deondra's workshop. The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in their 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity and healthcare industries. Learn more.  

Co-founders of the firm Integris Performance AdvisorsShow notes: https://www.leanblog.org/398My guest for Episode #398 of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast are Brett M. Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, both co-founders of the firm Integris Performance Advisors. Brett is the President and Evans is the CEO.They are co-authors of a book with a provocative title: Solving the People Problem: Essential Skills You Need to Lead and Succeed in Today's Workplace.When I first heard about the book, I challenged them a bit on the title — is this really a “people problem” or a “systemic problem”? We have a really good conversation about all of that today and they ask a question that resonated with me: “The problem begins with you?” meaning that leaders have to go first…You can learn more via the book's website or Amazon.In the episode, we talk about the DISC-EQ model of emotional intelligence and you can take a free personal assessment via their website, use code LEANBLOG.They also answer questions including:Why do you say “leadership is a relationship?”What are the “essential skills” that leaders need, at a high level?What's “the right kind of disagreement” in a workplace?The podcast is sponsored by Stiles Associates, now in their 30th year of business. They are the go-to Lean recruiting firm serving the manufacturing, private equity and healthcare industries. Learn more.

Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized http://constancy.us/ (consultant), http://amazon.com/author/markgraban (published author), https://www.markgraban.com/speaking/ (professional speaker), and http://leanblog.org/ (blogger). He builds upon a deep education in engineering and management with practical experience working with executives and frontline employees in multiple industries to synthesize and practice methods including Lean management, continuous improvement, statistical methods, and people-centered leadership approaches. In this episode, I talked with Mark about: His favorite mistake (turning the tables to ask him the question he asks guests on his podcast Impact of measurement on creativity, including measuring what really matters His creative process of writing books and articles (tip: collaboration tools for editors and beta readers) What's next for him. Lessons from international travel Mark’s motivation is to humbly help others learn how to improve and sustain performance. In his healthcare work, this means improving the quality of care and patient safety, while also reducing cost and improving the workplace experience. Across multiple sectors, goals also include improving the customer (or patient) experience, to help the development of leaders and employees, and to build stronger, more adaptive organizations for the long term. He has learned, practiced, and taught these methodologies in settings including manufacturing, healthcare, and technology startups. Working https://www.markgraban.com/consulting/ (independently) since 2010, and in partnership with other consulting groups, Mark enjoys working with organizations that are looking for better ways to improve, with leaders who are willing to lead that charge. Mark also consults part time as a http://valuecapturellc.com/staff/mark-graban/ (Senior Advisor) for healthcare clients with the firm http://valuecapturellc.com/ (Value Capture). He is also a https://www.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/continuous-improvement-experts/mark-graban (Senior Advisor) to the technology and software company http://www.kainexus.com/ (KaiNexus). Books and PublicationsHis latest book is http://measuresofsuccessbook.com/ (Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More), a management book about using simple, yet practical statistical methods that help leaders at all levels overreact less to their metrics, which frees up time for real, focused, sustainable improvement. Mark is also the author of the book http://www.leanhospitalsbook.com/ (Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement) (Productivity Press), which was selected for a 2009 http://www.shingoprize.org/recognition/ (Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award), the first healthcare book to win this award. The book has been translated into eight languages. Mark has also co-authored a second book, titled http://www.hckaizen.com/ (Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements), also a Shingo Research Award recipient. A newly revised and condensed edition, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466586419/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1466586419&linkCode=as2&tag=markgraban (The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen: Leadership for a Continuously Learning and Improving Organization) is also available. He also edited and contributed to an anthology titled http://www.practicinglean.com/ (Practicing Lean: Learning How to Learn How to Get Better… Better), a book of reflections and lessons learned about change, growth, and Lean management written by Mark and 15 other authors from various industries. He is the founder, lead https://www.leanblog.org/ (blogger, )and https://www.leanblog.org/podcasts/ (podcaster) at LeanBlog.org, which...

I received two questions from Mark Graban about my first episode. He is a well-known Lean consultant with expertise in the healthcare industry, and has authored multiple books, including Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen and Measures of Success. He is also the host of multiple podcasts, including Lean Blog and My Favorite Mistake. Learn more about him at MarkGraban.com Links BIZ-PI.com LeanSixSigmaDefinition.com Episode 1: Why are Six Sigma Black Belts paid so much? MarkGraban.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leansixsigmabursts/message

View and more resources: https://info.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/sharing-our-visions-and-voices-to-rootcauseracism/webinar/signup Presented by Deondra Wardelle and a panel that includes the original founders of The Women in Lean: Karyn Ross Crystal Y. Davis Dorsey Sherman Have you been listening to the heartbeat of what’s going on in the world? Activists are calling for an end to systemic racism and social injustice. There’s an urgent demand for change. Have you been wondering how you can become more involved? Starting on August 8, 2020, you’ll have the chance to join Deondra R. Wardelle and her network of colleagues from the continuous improvement community and other industries, as they present an insightful week-long series of blog articles at LeanBlog.org. Join us for the online series called “Sharing Our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism.” Experience the dynamic and heart-felt writing of our bloggers, as they provide you with tangible anti-racism countermeasures. Experience the feeling of empowerment, as they share specific actions that you can implement within your own circle of influence. As a grand finale to our blog series, you’re also invited to attend a webinar panel discussion on Friday, August 14, at 1pm EDT. Our discussion panelists include Karyn Ross, Crystal Davis, and Dorsey Sherman, original founders of The Women in Lean. These continuous improvement experts will answer questions and spotlight key points about the anti-racism calls to action that were shared earlier in our blog series. Don’t miss this opportunity to make significant change in your own community. Register today for “Sharing our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism.”

Register: https://info.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/sharing-our-visions-and-voices-to-rootcauseracism/webinar/signup Mark Graban is joined by Deondra R. Wardelle to preview the special panel discussion that will take place on Friday, August 14th. Presented by Deondra Wardelle and a panel that includes the original founders of The Women in Lean: Karyn Ross Crystal Y. Davis Dorsey Sherman Have you been listening to the heartbeat of what’s going on in the world? Activists are calling for an end to systemic racism and social injustice. There’s an urgent demand for change. Have you been wondering how you can become more involved? Starting on August 8, 2020, you’ll have the chance to join Deondra R. Wardelle and her network of colleagues from the continuous improvement community and other industries, as they present an insightful week-long series of blog articles at LeanBlog.org. Join us for the online series called “Sharing Our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism.” Experience the dynamic and heart-felt writing of our bloggers, as they provide you with tangible anti-racism countermeasures. Experience the feeling of empowerment, as they share specific actions that you can implement within your own circle of influence. As a grand finale to our blog series, you’re also invited to attend a webinar panel discussion on Friday, August 14, at 1pm EDT. Our discussion panelists include Karyn Ross, Crystal Davis, and Dorsey Sherman, original founders of The Women in Lean. These continuous improvement experts will answer questions and spotlight key points about the anti-racism calls to action that were shared earlier in our blog series. Don’t miss this opportunity to make significant change in your own community. Register today for “Sharing our Visions and Voices to #RootCauseRacism.”

http://www.leanblog.org/audio282 Hat tip to Stan Feingold from StoreSMART (a Lean Blog sponsor) for sending me this article: Bob Lutz Talks Panel Gaps, Tesla, and Why Every Detail Matters -- Getting it right starts at the top. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lean-blog-audio/support

http://www.leanblog.org/whiskey5 Joining me today is a guest host, my friend Paul Critchley. Paul has been a guest blogger here on LeanBlog.org. A few months back, we also collaborated to host a "Measures of Success" workshop in Massachusetts. We had some whiskey together after the workshop so we're doing the same here in the podcast.In today's episode, we talk about whiskeys from places we visited recently. We'll get into meatier issues related to Lean transformation, automation, leadership, and the future of jobs. Then, we whine about a few pet peeves (actually, Paul's was far more substantive). 

To learn more about the book, including how to buy it, go to www.PracticingLean.com. To learn more about the Batz Foundation, their incredible Batz Guide publications for patients, and to donate, visit www.louisebatz.org. Thanks. Chapter 2 written and read by Mark Graban. www.MarkGraban.com. Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, published author, professional speaker, and blogger. He builds upon a deep education in engineering and management with practical experience working with executives and frontline employees in multiple industries to synthesize and practice methods including Lean management, continuous improvement, statistical methods, and people-centered leadership approaches. Mark is author of the Shingo-Award winning book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement. Mark is also co-author, with Joe Swartz, of Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements (also a Shingo recipient) and The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. His most recent book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is also the founder of www.LeanBlog.org, producing blog posts and podcasts. He serves as a consultant to organizations through his company, Constancy, Inc and is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus. He has focused on healthcare improvement since 2005, after starting his career in industry at General Motors, Dell, and Honeywell. Mark has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Leaders for Global Operations Program.

To learn more about the book, including how to buy it, go to www.PracticingLean.com. To learn more about the Batz Foundation, their incredible Batz Guide publications for patients, and to donate, visit www.louisebatz.org. Thanks. About Mark Graban: Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, published author, professional speaker, and blogger. He builds upon a deep education in engineering and management with practical experience working with executives and frontline employees in multiple industries to synthesize and practice methods including Lean management, continuous improvement, statistical methods, and people-centered leadership approaches. Mark is the author of the Shingo-Award winning book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement. Mark is also co-author, with Joe Swartz, of Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements (also a Shingo recipient) and The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. His most recent book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is also the founder of www.LeanBlog.org, producing blog posts and podcasts. He serves as a consultant to organizations through his company, Constancy, Inc and is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus. He has focused on healthcare improvement since 2005, after starting his career in industry at General Motors, Dell, and Honeywell. Mark has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Leaders for Global Operations Program.

Mark is a Consultant, Professional Speaker, Author, Podcaster, Improvement Geek, Coach, & Senior Advisor to KaiNexus. His passion lies in applying Lean and Toyota Production System principles in hospitals to improve quality of care and patient safety, improve patient experience, help the development of medical professionals and employees, and build better workplaces and stronger organizations for the long term. Mark has written several well-received books on lean healthcare including; Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement Healthcare Kaizen: Engaging Front-Line Staff in Sustainable Continuous Improvements Both books received the Shingo award for research into operational excellence. Mark also runs LeanBlog.org and is a regular speaker at healthcare conferences. He joins Andy to discuss the issues and lessons presented in his latest book ‘Measures of Success’. Show Notes: 00.30 Talking podcasting. 02.32 Countering the demand for traffic with quality content. 05.04 Common mistakes when attempting to measure success. 08.03 Effective metrics for measuring a team’s success. 11.28 Mark’s background and career progression. 14.33 Lean and Eric Ries. 19.09 Failing fast. 22.53 Improving for the sake of improving. 27.32 Using automation to eliminate monotonous tasks. 31.38 Reasons to work in the Health Tech space.

I've written about many of these ideas and themes before in various blog posts, but I wanted to consolidate my thoughts on the Lean concept of "standardized work" in a single place. This is partly for my own personal reference (and future linking), but also can prompt some discussion amongst my friends, the Lean Blog readers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lean-blog-audio/support

Written by Kade Jansson, read by Mark Graban There is power in “bottom-up” employee improvement, but it doesn’t get widely or easily embraced by organizations, meaning missed opportunities for improvement. That was the topic Mark Graban, our vice president of Improvement & Innovation Services and founder of LeanBlog.org, discussed during a recent KaiNexus webinar, Strength in Numbers: Improving from the Bottom-up, hosted by KaiNexus CEO and co-founder Dr. Greg Jacobson. In today's post, we'll take a look at the high points of that webinar.

KaiNexus has a webinar series called Ask Us Anything, in which our CEO and Co-founder Greg Jacobson and Mark Graban, our Vice-President of Improvement & Innovation Services and founder of LeanBlog.org, join forces to answer questions KaiNexus webinar listeners ask. In this post, we will look at two questions and answers from a recent webinar.

KaiNexus is pretty lucky in that it has a staff of amazingly talented and knowledgeable individuals. Our Vice-President of Improvement & Innovation Services, Mark Graban, is certainly no exception. Graban has over 20 years of experience practicing Lean both in manufacturing and in healthcare, is the author of several books including Lean Hospitals, and is the founder of LeanBlog.org. Recently Jeff Roussel, Vice-President of Sales for KaiNexus, hosted a webinar wherein Graban shared some of his experience and knowledge about Strategy Deployment. You can watch that full webinar, titled Everything You Need to Know About Strategy Deployment, here: https://info.kainexus.com/continuous-improvement/webinar/strategy-deployment/everything-you-need-to-know

Joining me for Episode #261 is an old friend and trusted mentor, Jamie Flinchbaugh. Among other things, he's the co-author of the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean. He writes for a number of publications, has his own blog, and was previously a guest blogger here on LeanBlog.org. He's a speaker, investor (including in KaiNexus), and a great guy. Jamie was previously a guest on episodes #5, #6, #10, #50 (where he interviewed me), and #64. We were long overdue for another one. This episode is intentionally more conversational than most, with no more of a plan than me asking Jamie, "What's new?" He's also in final editing of a chapter for the book Practicing Lean, so I'm happy to be adding that to the book. Jamie is also going to be giving a keynote talk at our upcoming KaiNexus User Conference.

You might be considered "wonky" for enjoying the topics discussed here at LeanBlog.org... but that's fine. This is a safe environment for being wonky about Lean and improvement.From Vox.com, Sarah Kliff normally does a great job covering healthcare topics, including this latest piece: "This small, wonky Obamacare program saved $384 million over 2 years" --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lean-blog-audio/support

Podcasts are sponsored by KaiNexus and their continuous improvement software platform -- www.KaiNexus.com Today's podcast is different than my usual interview format. I still plan on continuing this podcast, but I also wanted to try something new. I'm starting a "Lean Blog Audio" podcast, which is basically an "audio book" type reading of blog posts. I won't do it for all posts, but maybe a few a week. I'll also occasionally look back at an old post, as I did in this episode, which is actually #4 in the new series. The episodes in this new series won't have their own page, but the audio will be embedded in the blog post itself. To find all episodes, you can visit www.LeanBlog.org/audio. I realize this won't add value to all readers of the blog or all listeners of this podcast. But, many people tell me they like listening to the podcasts while they drive or workout and this new podcast provides a way to keep up on the blog in addition to or instead of the written word on the blog. These are really easy to do and many of them will be done while I'm doing a final proofreading of a new post, basically (which might reduce the number of typos and other defects!). Interviews (planning them, prepping for them, editing them) for my original podcast series is actually more time consuming than doing a podcast of this type. If you go to www.LeanBlog.org/audio, you'll see information about how to subscribe via an RSS feed or the iTunes podcast directory. For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/213. For earlier episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

Episode #147 is a part two of a conversation with Scott Patten and Peter Armstrong from LeanPub.com (listen to part one in episode #140). They want to be THE website for publishing "in-progress books". In this episode, we are talking about how they are applying the concepts of the Lean Startup methodology to their service and their business. We'll talk about some of my own experiences as an early adopter and later as an actual user -- what have they learned along the way and how do they use lean methods to be innovative? Conflict of interest disclosure: I have published two blog compilations via their service, a Best of Lean Blog 2011 book and a Best of 2012 book that is being published incrementally throughout the year. I'm a huge raving fan of their service and the way Scott and Peter have worked with me as I learned and used Leanpub.com.  To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/147. Please leave a comment and join the discussion about the podcast episode. For earlier episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. You can also listen to streaming episodes of the podcast via Stitcher: http://landing.stitcher.com/?vurl=leanblog If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Episode #140 is a discussion with Scott Patten and Peter Armstrong from LeanPub.com  - they want to be THE website for publishing "in-progress books". We'll be talking about lean publishing and how that's different than self publishing and about how leanpub.com works. In the upcoming part 2 of the podcast, we'll talk more about how they are applying the concepts of the Lean Startup methodology to their service and their business. Conflict of interest disclosure: I have published two blog compilations via their service, a Best of Lean Blog 2011 book and a Best of 2012 book that is being published incrementally throughout the year. I'm a huge raving fan of their service and the way Scott and Peter have worked with me as I learned and used Leanpub.com.  To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/140. You can find links to posts related to this podcast there, as well. Please leave a comment and join the discussion about the podcast episode. For earlier episodes of the Lean Blog Podcast, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. You can also listen to streaming episodes of the podcast via Stitcher: http://landing.stitcher.com/?vurl=leanblog If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Podcast #105 is a conversation with the co-authors of the new book Simple Excellence: Organizing and Aligning the Management Team in a Lean Transformation from Productivity Press. They are Adam Zak, a regular guest blogger here on Leanblog.org and Lean-focused executive recruiter and Bill Waddell, a Lean consultant and frequent blogger over at EvolvingExcellence.com. Here, we talk about their book and their thoughts on Lean leadership, talent development, and other topics. To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/105. For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Podcast #104 is a discussion with Dr. Peter Patterson (@IDrPete), a friend of mine and the Lean Blog the past few years. He wrote a guest post for me back in 2009 (A Breakthrough in Training — Call it "Near-TWI") and I blogged about our presentation at the 2010 Society for Health Systems conference about Lean and TWI in healthcare. Here, we chat about his background with Lean in multiple settings, including histopathology.  To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/104. For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

A special holiday treat for my Lean Blog readers and podcast listeners, "Gemba Claus is Comin' to Town." Lyrics by Mark Graban, Performance by Steve Sholtes (http://www.stevesholtes.com/).

Norman Bodek is once again back for episode #55 of the LeanBlog Podcast, talking about his recent trip to Ireland. If you're a fan of Norman, his books and his podcasts, be sure to check out the special charity auction that's running on www.leanblog.org through December 19. You can get a specially autographed CD set of Norman's previous Podcasts along with an autographed book. You'll see links to the auction on the Lean Blog, so visit today. The auction benefits the Josie King Foundation, a group that supports improvements for patient safety in hospitals and healthcare, a very important cause. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Podcast Episode #52 is a discussion with a good friend (and sometimes contributor) to the Lean Blog, Dan Markovitz, founder and President of TimeBack Management. TimeBack Management is a corporate efficiency-training firm specializing in the application of Lean manufacturing principles to business processes. The company’s WorkLean program helps knowledge workers reduce the hidden waste in the way they manage information and improves the flow of value to the customer. As such, the WorkLean program supports companies in their Lean journey. In this podcast episode, we talk about applications of Lean and 5S principles in office and administrative settings. For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page at www.leanpodcast.org. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Episode #46 is a chat with a good friend of the Lean Blog, Dean Bliss, a Lean Improvement Specialist with the Iowa Health System. Like myself, Dean made a transition in from manufacturing into health care a few years back, he'll share some of his experiences and recommendations for how to use Lean in a hospital and how to make that transition. He will also share some stories about how his hospital prioritized what problems to solve with the Lean methodology. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail  via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

LeanBlog Podcast #35 is another discussion with David Meier, co-author of the book Toyota Talent, written with Dr. Jeffrey Liker. In this podcast, we follow up our previous discussion (Podcast #31) to talk about the upcoming Toyota books, as well as some of the leadership challenges that companies face with working with Lean. If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you'll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page at http://www.leanpodcast.org/. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

LeanBlog Podcast #32 once again features our friend and frequent guest, Norman Bodek, noted lean author, consultant, and President of PCS Press. In this episode, Norman talks about his recent study trip to Japan and what he saw there. If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you'll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page at www.leanpodcast.org. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

LeanBlog Podcast #31 is a discussion with David Meier, most recently the co-author of the book Toyota Talent, co-authored with Dr. Jeffrey Liker. In this podcast, we discuss the topics from Toyota Talent, including standardized work and how to use the methodology in the right way. We also talk briefly about Toyota's new San Antonio plant. I love David's quote, ""Standardization of work doesn't mean that everybody does it exactly the same way." There will be an upcoming Part 2 of this discussion with David where we talk about upcoming books in the Toyota series, so stay tuned. If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you'll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page at http://www.leanpodcast.org/. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

Episode #29 of the LeanBlog Podcast features our very special guest, Dr. Sami Bahri, "The World's First Lean Dentist." If you're thinking "what can I learn about lean from a Dentist?", please listen in. I think you’ll be amazed and will learn a ton. I’ve really enjoyed the two chances I’ve had to talk with Dr Bahri, including this podcast session and I’ve been very impressed with his approach to lean. He’s gone back to all of the source texts, including Shingo and Ohno and has really had to figure it out for himself, as opposed to following a cookbook approach. I particularly appreciate how he involves his employees and staff… it’s a great example we can all learn from. If you have questions or comments for Dr. Bahri, he’s agreed to a follow on podcast. You can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or visit leanpodcast.org to leave a comment or read some linked articles about Dr. Bahri. His website can be found at www.firstleandentist.com. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast. Visit www.leanpodcast.org for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes and visit the Lean Blog at www.leanblog.org.

LeanBlog Podcast #28 features our friend and frequent guest, Norman Bodek, noted lean author, consultant, and President of PCS Press. This also celebrates the 1 year anniversary of the Podcast, which featured Norman as our first guest. As I've given him credit for previously, the Podcast really was Norman's idea when he said I should do "radio interviews" with him. Thankfully, this has turned into a series of interviews with others that I have enjoyed immensely. I hope you enjoy them as well. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast. Visit www.leanpodcast.org for themain LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes and visit the Lean Blog at www.leanblog.org.

LeanBlog Podcast #27 is the second part of two with Jim Baran, the Owner of Value Stream Leadership, a leading recruiting firm that specializes in Lean talent. In this part of the discussion, we focus more on Lean career paths for Lean leaders and practitioners, how to differentiate yourself and how to progress in your Lean career. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast. Visit www.leanpodcast.org for themain LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes and visit the Lean Blog at www.leanblog.org.

Episode #24 of the LeanBlog Podcast is the 2nd part of my recent conversation with Jim Womack, of the Lean Enterprise Institute. In this episode, we talk about the state of the auto industry, from the time of The Machine That Changed the World through today. Who does Jim think is in the best shape among the "Detroit Three?" Jim also answers some questions from Lean Blog readers. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at podcast@leanblog.org or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast. Please visit our websites, www.leanpodcast.org and the Lean Blog main page at www.leanblog.org.

The LeanBlog Podcast is back with episode #20, our guest is Kevin Meyer, the founder of Superfactory Ventures, which can be found at Superfactory.com. You may know Kevin from his popular blog, Evolving Excellence. We'll be talking about a number of lean topics including his upcoming panel moderation at the Kellogg Manufacturing Business Conference, being held in Evanston IL in May. For more episodes, visit www.leanpodcast.org. Also visit the Lean Blog as www.leanblog.org. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817)776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast.

LeanBlog Podcast #17 is a discussion with a good friend of the Lean Blog, David Meier, a former Toyota Georgetown Group Leader, founder of Lean Associates, and the co-author of the excellent book, The Toyota Way Fieldbook, and the upcoming Toyota Talent, due out in April (both co-authored with Jeff Liker, check out my Podcasts with him here and here). In this Podcast, we talk about David's recent first hand experiences with factories in China. Are there labor shortages? Is there a lot of waste in Chinese factories? Do the Chinese have good management skills at this point? What lean methods did David see in China? We'll cover all this and more. If you have feedback on the podcast, or any questions for me or my guests, you can email me at leanpodcast@gmail.com or you can call and leave a voicemail by calling the "Lean Line" at (817) 776-LEAN (817-776-5326) or contact me via Skype id "mgraban". Please give your location and your first name. Any comments (email or voicemail) might be used in follow ups to the podcast. Visit www.leanpodcast.org for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

This is the first part of a conversation with Jamie Flinchbaugh, founder and partner with the Lean Learning Center and co-author of the book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean." . Prior to starting the Center, Jamie has had a long career as a lean manufacturing leader, with Chrysler, with DTE Energy, as well as Rev! Motorcycles, another company he helped start. Jamie is also a regular contributor to the Lean Blog and I'm happy to have him here. Today, we will talk about waste, as defined in lean manufacturing, and the specific language of waste elimination. Our second podcast will focus on leadership's role in waste elimination, so you can subscribe to the podcast or stay tuned to the Lean Blog to learn when that will be available. Visit www.leanblog.org or www.leanpodcast.org for more information.