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Episode #117 is a conversation with Prof. Samuel A. Culbert of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Along with Daniel Pink, he is a fellow alum of Northwestern University. Prof. Culbert has a BS in Systems Engineering, the precursor of the Industrial Engineering department in which I was a student. Dr. Culbert then earned a PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA.

Today, we are talking about his most recent book, Get Rid of the Performance Review!: How Companies Can Stop Intimidating, Start Managing–and Focus on What Really Matters. Much like Dan Pink’s take on incentives in the workplace, Culbert is a contrarian about the generally accepted (yet dysfunctional) practice of the “annual performance review.” In his writing, Culbert calls them “corporate theatre,” as well as a “sham,” a “facade,” “immoral” and “intimidating”. In the podcast, we talk about the problems and alternatives to this common management practice.

For a link to episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/117.

Recent articles by Prof. Culbert, via my blog posts:

• Professor Channels Dr. Deming and Writes “Get Rid of the Annual Review”
• New Book Gives Negative Review to Performance Reviews

Prof. Culbert mentioned that he only discovered the work of Dr. W. Edwards Deming a few years back, although they were both railing against the annual performance review in 1980. They must be “long lost cousins,” Culbert says, and I would agree.

A WSJ video with Prof. Culbert:

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #116 is a chat with Jim Womack, founder and former Chairman of the Lean Enterprise Institue, now their Senior Advisor and author of the new book “Gemba Walks,” available in paperback, Kindle format, iBooks, and other formats.

Here, we talk about the new book, how a gemba walk differs from “management by walking around,” some of his most memorable walks, progress in lean healthcare, and other topics.

For a link to episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/116.

We recorded two podcasts in the same sitting. The next one will be out in a few weeks, with his thoughts on recent developments with GM and Toyota, his reflections on the word “lean,” his thoughts on six sigma, and more. Follow this blog or subscribe to the podcast series to be notified of new episodes.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #115 is a discussion with Eric Ries (@ericries), entrepreneur and author of the upcoming book “The Lean Startup.”

Today, we talk about how got introduced to Lean, core materials like books by Womack and Jones and Jeff Liker, and how he has put a lot of thought into how to take proven Lean principles – such as reduced batch sizes, 5 whys analysis, and faster time to market – and applied them to startups.

We both agree there are a lot of applications of these Lean Startup principles even if you are working on new products in larger, older, manufacturing settings – so I hope you’ll take 20 minutes to listen regardless of your background, as Eric’s work has pushed my attempts at Lean thinking in new directions.

You might also be interested in Podcast #99 with Brant Cooper and Patrick Vlaskovits on “Customer Development.“

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/115.

Book website: http://www.lean.st/

Blog: http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/

Note: The Lean Startup is a trademark and service mark owned by Eric Ries.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #114 is a conversation with John Kim, of the firm John Kim & Associates. John is a recognized leader in the Design, Development, Implementation and Deployment of Enterprise Wide Lean Transformations.  As an executive at The HON Company and Danaher Corporation, John learned the keys to implementing Lean while running multiple operations across the US. With over 20 years of Lean Transformation experience, John has spent the last 12+ years in executive consulting, implementing Lean in various sectors, including healthcare, which we are talking about today. His website is www.johnkimconsulting.com.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/114.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #113 is a discussion with Aubrey Daniels, PhD, the founder and chairman of his firm Aubrey Daniels International. Today, we are talking about his most recent book titled Safe By Accident?, a book I really enjoyed, so I was happy to speak with him about creating an effective safety culture culture in an organization – what doesn’t work and what does work? Why do organizations try to blame and punish their way to safety? What’s a better alternative?

Lean thinkers and students of Dr. Deming will recognize a lot of the ideas here, I think. Please take a listen and check out his book…

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/113.

Disclosure: I was provided a free copy of the book for review by the publisher.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #112 is a chat with Naida Grunden, the author of the outstanding book The Pittsburgh Way to Efficient Healthcare: Improving Patient Care Using Toyota Based Methods. Here we talk about her experiences in Pittsburgh and her “small world” connection to Captain Chesley Sullenberger (a.k.a. “Sully”) and the connections between Lean, aviation safety, and checklists.

Our next podcast, out in a few weeks, will focus on Naida’s recent trip to Cuba to teach Lean healthcare principles in that country.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/112.

In the podcast, Naida talks about three key components, via Capt. Sullenberger, of aviation safety that we would need in healthcare:

1. A non-punitive national reporting system (the ASRS)
2. Crew Resource Management (standardized work, checklists… in a less hierarchical environment)
3. Culture change

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 31:50)

Episode #111 brings us some time with Professor Jeffrey Liker from the University of Michigan, the well-known author of many books in the The Toyota Way series. You can see Dr. Liker talk at the upcoming Shingo Prize Conference (hope to see you there!).

Today, we are talking about his TWO upcoming books: The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement: Linking Strategy and Operational Excellence to Achieve Superior Performance and Toyota Under Fire: Lessons for Turning Crisis into Opportunity. The second book was clearly written in response to Toyota’s recent challenges and Dr. Liker has some very strong perspectives to share here in this podcast. What was his take on  Toyota’s recalls and quality problems? Why does he think that Toyota was singled out as a “scapegoat” to be “taken down”? Does he think Toyota really will emerge stronger from these challenges?

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/111.

Highlights from this podcast:

Jeff Liker talks about how he was really surprised by the reports of quality defects, considering how good the factories were (he saw them first hand) and the quality awards that Toyota was still winning.

Liker says the floor mats problem was caused by owners buying all-weather floor mats and putting them on top of the existing floor mats. Toyota didn’t know their customers here well enough to know people might do that. Is that Toyota’s fault or should they have anticipated that?

On this, Liker said: ”Some people stacked two or three or four” mats and different layers. GM recently had recalls for “pedal entrapment” – “it can happen in any car.”

Liker said: “5 million cars were recalled for what was arguably not a defect in the car, but a defect in its use.” Things snowballed and “Toyota got paranoid” and the government was criticized for not being tough enough on Toyota. “The whole environment was set up to find a company to take down, to find a scapegoat and Toyota happened to be that scapegoat.”

Toyota’s response: “We should be designing against that [use of floor mats], whether we think it’s right or not. It’s not our call about how customers use our car.” Response – cut down the pedal, now you can put one all weather mat on top of the regular mat now and be OK.

Toyota asked why this was happening with 5 Whys and the PDCA process and “if you point the finger at someone else, that would be considered bad problem solving.”

Liker says: Toyota didn’t react very quickly because the engineers in Japan didn’t see these problems as defects with the car. Engineers in Japan are pretty isolated from the gemba and they don’t understand how Americans would use the car and how they would react if they had a sticky pedal. “The ultimate root cause was not listening to customers well enough and they took too a long time to investigate and respond.” That was the problem they needed to solve.

The solutions included things like letting Americans make recall decisions, we need to have the data on customer concerns flowing directly to the engineers who make decisions, not to a quality department that was aggregating data. They needed to give more engineering design control in the U.S. (more chief engineers), more responsibility in Ann Arbor for cars that are unique to the American market.

Does Liker think Toyota will come out of this stronger? “Absolutely,” says Liker. Liker makes the case that Toyota didn’t react superficially as other companies might have, stopping work on improvement once the media spotlight was off, rather they looked for real root causes of these situations.

Liker rejects the idea that “there were weaknesses in the Toyota Way philosophy or principles of the Toyota Production System or anything like that.” “What they found was that, in certain parts of the company, particularly in engineering, that were not surfacing and responding to problems as quickly as they should have. One of the reasons for that was that engineering in Japan had been stretched too thin due to the growth of the company, relying on outside engineers or young engineers who didn’t get the depth of training you would have gotten 20 years ago.”

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 22:50)

Episode #110 is a chat with Dr. Jack Billi from the University of Michigan Health System and Medical School.

Here, we talk about their lean work and how Dr. Billi works with physicians to engage them in lean, tying lean problem solving methods, including the A3 approach, to the scientific method and medical thinking. Dr. Billi talks about the right approach to the lean concept of “standardized work” in a way that works for medicine and complex patient situations.

This episode is also #3 of the new podcast series from the Healthcare Value Leaders Network series. The Healthcare Value Leaders podcast page is www.healthcarevalueleaders.org/podcast.

More about Dr. Billi, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Medical School and Associate Vice President, Medical Affairs.

Dr. Billi is Professor of Internal Medicine and Medical Education. He leads the Michigan Quality System, the University of Michigan Health System’s unified approach to improve quality, safety, efficiency, appropriateness and service using lean tools and philosophy. Dr. Billi’s research and leadership interests are in health services delivery and the use of community consortia for quality improvement. He is active on statewide and regional groups affecting quality of care, pay-for-performance and public reporting. He chairs the Michigan State Medical Society’s Committee on Quality, Efficiency and Economics and the Essential Benefit Design Work Group and is a member of MSMS’s Board of Directors. Dr. Billi co-chairs the Medical Director Committee for the Michigan Quality Improvement Consortium which develops and disseminates evidence-based practice guidelines used by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and 15 other health plans representing over six million members.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/110.

A video with Dr. Billi talking about A3:

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 17:52)

Episode #109 is a discussion with Jim Morgan, Director, Global Body Exterior and Stamping Business Unit Engineering, Ford Motor Company. We will be talking about Lean product development methods in this show. James will be a plenary speaker at the upcoming Lean Transformation Summit, presented by the Lean Enterprise Institute, in Dallas this March 9th and 10th. Hope to see you there!

James Morgan is Director, Global Body Exterior and Stamping Business Unit Engineering, Ford Motor Company. Morgan is responsible for Body Structures and Exterior Systems Engineering, as well as Stamping Engineering, Facilities and Equipment for Ford globally.

Before joining Ford in 2004, Morgan was vice president of Troy Design & Manufacturing, a tier 1 manufacturing and engineering service provider. In addition to more than 20 years operations and engineering management experience, Morgan has authored or co-authored several articles on product development and is co-author of the book The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process And Technology based, on his Shingo Award winning research at the University of Michigan. Morgan holds master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering from the University of Michigan.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/109.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a streaming version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #108 is a discussion with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth, recorded in person at the 2010 Shingo Prize Conference in Salt Lake City. Gwendolyn was previously a guest on episodes #26, 45, and 49.

Here, we chat about lean and the “respect for people” principle, following up my talk with Dr. Stephen Covey (episode # 91) and we also touch briefly on her new book “Work That Makes Sense.” You can find Gwendolyn’s website at www.visualworkplaceinc.com.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/108.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 29:32)

Episode #107 is something I’ve been looking forward to for some time now – an interview with Dan Pink, the author of some  outstanding books including Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us and Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself, among others.

Today, we’re talking about “Drive” and a number of issues that will be familiar and relevant, yet thought provoking to Lean thinkers and students of Dr. W. Edwards Deming, ideas such as the dysfunctions of incentives and rewards, intrinsic motivation, and finding the balance between autonomy and following “standardized work” in a modern workplace.

You can find Dan on Twitter as @DanielPink and his website is www.danpink.com, which has his blog, and more. DAn has a paperback version of Drive coming out in the spring of 2011 and, if you’ve read Drive, you can send him ideas and feedback via this blog post of his.

In the podcast, I reference back to:

• an earlier interview with Alfie Kohn, on education
• a recent WSJ article on the decline of creativity in kids, thanks to our school system

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/107.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 21:15)

For episode #106, we have a returning guest, Jim Baran of the firm Value Stream Leaders. Jim was previously a guest on episodes #16, 27, and 88 talking about careers in Lean. Today, Jim talks about a new offering called “Career Kaizen™,” a service that combines coaching and personalized career management. With him today is Rick Pedersen, one of the early people to go through this process with Jim.

In addition to Jim’s website, you can check out their Lean Career Compass site, private business community dedicated to lean career progress.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/106.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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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. Also, here is Matt May’s review of Simple Excellence and the official book website is here.

To point others to this episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/105.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File

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 episode, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/104.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 14:02)

My guest for Episode #103 is Matthew E. May, returning to talk about his latest book, a business fable calledThe Shibumi Strategy: A Powerful Way to Create Meaningful Change. I’ve been reading the book and have found it be a thought-provoking about your own personal effectiveness in a complex world.

You can read more about the book at Matt’s website: www.ShibumiStrategy.com. You can also view a separate “video trailer” for the book here. This is also available as Video Podcast #12 if you want to watch us talk.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

• What is “Shibumi” and where does the term come from?
• What’s the context for lean practitioners or students of Lean and TPS?
• Did you reach a point of Shibumi while writing this book or in your other work?
• Any particular reason you chose a car dealership as the job and the setting? Is it because it’s stereotypically a very numbers-driven “get it done” setting?

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/103.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

MP3 File (run time 22:38)

My guest for Episode #102 is Ron Wince, the President/CEO of Guidon Performance Solutions. We talk here about his views on lean healthcare and the impact of healthcare reform on the healthcare landscape.

Prior to founding Guidon, Ron held senior leadership positions within world-class organizations, including J.P. Morgan Chase, Freudenberg-NOK, and Lear Corporation.

You may have seen Ron as a guest commentator on Fox Business Network. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Ron holds a degree in engineering and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm.

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/102.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #101 of the Podcast is a discussion with Keith Syberg, former Chairman of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (see here for more about their 2010 annual AME conference in Baltimore, this November).

Today, we talk about consortia (I word I really struggled with and got tongue-tied over) and collaboration efforts among manufacturing companies and the possibility of sharing across industries.

Keith has a BA in Communications and a MA in Educational Administration from Truman State University. His early career was focused in university administration, culminating as a Vice President of Student Services. Keith began his career in executive search in 1984, when he joined a large Indianapolis search firm, where he later became the Director over the Retained Search Division.

Leadership roles have included: Association for Manufacturing Excellence/ AME (Chairman), Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors), and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/101.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Wow, 100 episodes of my podcast since 2006! For this episode, I’m thankful to have the author of one of my favorite books in the last two years – Dave Crenshaw, author of The Myth of Multitasking: How “Doing It All” Gets Nothing Done, a book I blogged about back in 2009. Dave’s new book is called Invaluable: The Secret to Becoming Irreplaceable, a book I’m hoping to read soon.

In this podcast, Dave and I talk about so-called multitasking – why are we so tempted to do it, what are the costs of this switching back and forth between tasks, and what are some alternatives for individuals and for organizations?

Dave received his B.S. in business management-entrepreneurship from Brigham Young University, one of the nation’s top entrepreneur programs, and began his coaching career in 1998. Dave is the President of the National Association of Productivity Coaches. He is also the founder of Invaluable Inc., a coaching and training corporation dedicated to helping companies, their leaders, and their employees become truly invaluable. You can read Dave’s full bio here.

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/100.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #98 brings us Pat Bergin, President of Aerofil Technology, a manufacturer based in Missouri with 400 employees. Aerofil has been on its Lean journey since 2007 under Pat’s leadership – first as a consultant and now as President.

With more than 30 years of operations, finance, sales and marketing experience, Pat has brought both a broad and deep understanding of continuous improvement to Aerofil as President. His mission is the relentless pursuit of excellence through the total elimination of waste. His bio can be downloaded here (word doc). Pat was previously at Esselte, under the direction of Art Byrne (formerly of Wiremold), that Pat learned and developed his Lean (kaizen) management skills under the coaching of Shingijutsu Co LTD (Chihiro Nakao) of Japan, an original architect of the Toyota Production System.

In this podcast, we talk about how he drives Lean as the company President, how Lean fits into their overall strategy, and what challenges they have worked through. Here is a recent news story about their Lean achievements and business results.

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/98.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #97 is a discussion with Bob Sutton, a Stanford University Professor of Management Science and Engineering and the best-selling author of “The No A-hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t” Other books by Bob include “The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action” and “Weird Ideas That Work: How to Build a Creative Company.” Here, we talk about his new book, due out in September, called “Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best… and Learn from the Worst.”

In this podcast, the conversation weaves through Toyota, HP, Intel, Southwest and other companies as well find parallels and complements between different management approaches, including Lean. Stay to the end to find out what company Bob thinks is surprisingly good and weeding out “A-holes” from their organization.

To point others to this, use the simple URL: www.leanblog.org/97.  You can find Bob and his blog at www.BobSutton.net.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Our guest for Episode #96 is Pascal Dennis of Lean Pathways, Inc. Pascal is a faculty member with the Lean Enterprise Institute and he’s the author of the books: Lean Production Simplified, Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey, and Getting the Right Things Done: A Leader’s Guide to Planning and Execution.

Here in this podcast, we talk about his new book, The Remedy: Bringing Lean Thinking Out of the Factory to Transform the Entire Organization, where Pascal brings up interesting topics such as “Big Company Disease” and how to fight that dysfunction with lean management. To point others to this episode, use the URL www.leanblog.org/96.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Also available as Video Podcast #11, Episode #95 of the LeanBlog Podcast features Norman Bodek talking about some of the ideas in his most recent book, How to do Kaizen: A new path to innovation – Empowering everyone to be a problem solver. Late in the podcast, Norman asks and answers an interesting question: what if an employee suggests “we should blow up the factory”??

This was recorded in March 2010, with Norman appearing from his office in Portland, OR.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #94 of the LeanBlog Podcast is here and our guest is Robert Miller, Executive Director of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence. Bob was previously a guest for Podcast #59, talking about changes to the Shingo Prize criteria. Here, we are talking as a follow up to my discussion with Dr. Stephen Covey in Podcast #91.

Bob tells me some of the background and history about how Dr. Covey became involved with the Shingo Prize and how he became a professor at the John M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Bob also talks about some of the future hopes and plans for Dr. Covey’s involvement with the Shingo Prize.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #93 is a discussion with Jim Hearn, the Head of Lean and Six Sigma at Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust. This discussion found earlier online as part of the SixSigmaIQ.com podcast series on BlogTalkRadio, thanks to SixSigmaIQ for lining up the interview. Jim talks about his transition from manufacturing into healthcare and he describes some of his hospital’s work and success improving patient care with Lean methods.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #92 brings a returning guest, the always entertaining and thought-provoking Mike Micklewright. He is the author of a batch of two new books: Out of Another @#&*% Crisis! Motivation through Humiliation and Lean ISO 9001: Adding Spark to your ISO 9001 QMS and Sustainability to your Lean Efforts. In this podcast, we talk about his “Crisis” book and why it’s important to revisit the teachings of W. Edwards Deming. How are companies and CEOs performing against the famous 14 Points?

You can find Mike online at www.mikemick.com. You might remember Mike from Podcast #43, “What Would Deming Say?”

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #91 is a very special one-on-one conversation with Dr. Stephen Covey, recorded at the Shingo Prize Conference in Salt Lake City last week. My main question to Dr. Covey was to ask his thoughts on Toyota’s “Respect for People” principle, sometimes called ‘Respect for Humanity.” You can listen to the audio or you can read a transcript below in this post.

After the chat with Dr. Covey, I share a few thoughts at the end of the podcast about Dr. Covey’s work and Lean, along with a little background about the interview and my personal reaction to speaking with him.

Transcript of the conversation:

Mark Graban: The one question I would ask for your thoughts on is Toyota’s principle of “respect for people,” or often referred to as “respect for humanity.” Could you share some thoughts on the importance of respect in workplace, what does that really mean?

Dr. Covey: I think that it’s of profound importance because it means you are caring and you trust them to do the right thing.

Mark: You were talking earlier about the industrial model and trust seems to not come with that.

Dr. Covey: It doesn’t come with that. And the industrial model is obsolete. You know, the supervision is command and control, it’s top down. There’s such co-dependency about it.

Mark: So we have a situation maybe where we have to convince the industrial world that this industrial model is…

Dr. Covey: … is obsolete. But it’s hard to do that because they’re so used to it… kissing up to the hierarchy.

Mark: Have you been able to visit with Toyota?

Dr. Covey: I have. I was with the President of Toyota in Japan. We were walking in the plant and he said, “Any person in this plant can close the line down if he can show to the others that would improve quality and lower cost.”

Mark: And so there’s a trust inherent in that?

Dr. Covey: Definitely, and it tells you also about the culture. If he can show to the others…

Mark: It’s very exciting to have you participate in the Shingo Prize conference and to share your message with the Lean community. What are your hopes, with your professorship at Utah State, to try to help influence…

Dr. Covey: Yes, and also I am very appreciative of that opportunity with Utah State. And I think that the Shingo Prize is one to be really sought after and to be won. It’s very significant. But I think that in the next few years it will be knowledge-worker age companies that will win the Shingo Prize, because they are developing and empowering their people.

———————-

Thank you to Bob Miller, the Executive Director of the Shingo Prize, to Steve von Niederhausern, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Shingo Prize, and to Michael Ockey, who works for Dr. Covey and FranklinCovey for their help in lining up the time with Dr. Covey and for helping me prepare. I’m going to have a separate podcast discussion with Bob on his thoughts about Lean and Dr. Covey’s work.

One of the conference attendees, an executive from a major corporation told me how they have given every manager the Covey training each year for the last 15 years. This leader thinks that leadership training has been the key to their success with Lean.

What are your experiences with Dr. Covey and his teachings? Do you see it as a core component of Lean, a helpful add-on, or fairly irrelevant? What do you think of the partnership between Dr. Covey and the Shingo Prize?

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #90 features Tim Turner, a team leader at Toyota’s factory in Georgetown Kentucky (aka TMMK or Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky). He is the author, along with a team of co-workers, of the new book called “One Team On All Levels: The Story Of The Toyota Team Members,” available through Amazon.com.

In the podcast, we discuss the book and the culture of teamwork at Toyota. Tim also comments on his reaction (and his colleagues’) to Toyota’s recent quality problems and the resulting bad publicity.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Our guest for Podcast #89 is Keith Russell, a Global Continuous Improvement Leader at AstraZeneca R&D. I met Keith at a recent Lean & Six Sigma conference for Pharma R&D where we both presented.

Keith has substantial in-house R&D experience across the entire value stream and currently works with Global Drug Development. He is particularly interested in Design and Innovation and the application of Systems Thinking to complex Business problems. Keith has a Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Cambridge.

In this podcast, we discuss the applications of Lean and Six Sigma in a space that we’ve never talked about here – pharmaceutical development. How do you use Lean principles in such a technical field and how do you engage the highly educated scientists who do this work?

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #88 is a conversation with a returning guest, Jim Baran of the firm Value Stream Leadership (he is @leanVSL on Twitter, also). His sites include the Lean Career Compass and his Lean Career Guide blog. In this podcast, Jim talks about a shift in his firm’s business model away from traditional recruiting and placement to helping companies manage Lean talent within their organization. We’ve structured the discussion to follow somewhat of a “Verbal A3″ format, so I hope that helps.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. You can also hear Jim in episodes #16 and #27.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #87 is a discussion with a returning guest, Steven J. Spear, PhD, author of the outstanding book “Chasing the Rabbit: How Market Leaders Outdistance the Competition and How Great Companies Can Catch Up and Win.”

The book is due to be re-released in May under a new title, “The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition.” In this podcast, we talk about an upcoming workshop Spear is doing for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, lessons that healthcare can learn from other industries, and the reaction of healthcare leaders to Toyota’s recent quality problems.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #86 is a conversation with David Lawrence Sundahl, PhD, Managing Director of Rule 4 Consulting. They are a firm that works with healthcare providers to drive improvements using Lean and what they call “Adaptive Design” methodologies. Sundahl was a contemporary of Steven Spear at the Harvard Business School and also worked with Dr. John Kenagy, author of the book Designed to Adapt: Leading Healthcare in Challenging Times.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #85 is a conversation with David Meier, a former Toyota Georgetown Group Leader and the co-author of the books “The Toyota Way Fieldbook” and “Toyota Talent: Developing Your People the Toyota Way” We discuss the recent quality problems that Toyota is facing and we get a lean thinker’s perspective on how to look for facts and really try to diagnose what is happening in a complex situation.

David was a guest on episodes #17 and #35 of the podcast if you want to check those out.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode 84 is audio from Video Podcast #10 (available on iTunes, YouTube, or leanvideopocast.org). This is a conversation with Karl Wadensten, President of VIBCO, a manufacturer in Wyoming, R.I. Here, we talk about his radio show, “The Lean Nation,” which airs on AM 790 in Rhode Island and streams live on the web everyday weekday at 4 PM eastern — www.790business.com.

I’ve been able to get from Boston to VIBCO twice now and I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen on my gemba walks each time. I’ll blog about this in more detail in the future, but it’s great seeing the pride on their employees faces when they describe and show you the improvements they’ve made on the shopfloor. I’ve seen this first hand:

Under Karl’s leadership, VIBCO is now a high performing business culture where lead times for over 1,300 SKUs have dropped from 4-6 weeks to “same day, next day”, inventory has been reduced by more than 50%, over 10,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing floor space is now freed up to accept future growth, and sales are well above industry trends.  These impressive improvements are the result of a workforce that is empowered to improve every day and understands the power of Lean Thinking.

Here are links for more about their “True North” and Lean journey.

This is also available as Video Podcast #10.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #83 is an in-depth conversation with Jim D’Addario, the CEO of D’Addario, Inc., a manufacturer of guitar strings, drum heads, and other musical accessories. Jim and his family company were featured on CNN late last year, highlighting how lean manufacturing has helped save and create jobs as part of their business strategy. Jim agreed to speak with me to delve into more detail about their use of lean management principles.

Jim is a hands-on CEO who gets out on the shop floor, which seems to be a big advantage for lean success. He describes his personal transition from a starting point of “not seeing the benefits” after lean was initially proposed to him to reaching a point where he articulates very well how lean allows D’Addario to better serve their customers’ needs.

D’Addario started in the warehouse where, prior to lean, the operations strategy involved millions of dollars of warehouse automation. Now, with lean, they have freed up space, they have deployed people, and they can now ship orders that come in by 5 PM that very same day, as opposed to 48-hour performance before lean. Customers are able to hold less inventory and they can order more often in smaller batches. While this might increase order picking costs to D’Addario, Jim emphasized the increased customer contact and the benefits that come from that.

D’Addario has long had a committment to its people, avoiding layoffs as much as possible. In the course of lean improvements, people are redeployed and cross-trained to be more flexible. Now, with lean, D’Addario was able to shut down a California warehouse, resulting in job loss. But, the company has consistently moved to bring jobs to Long Island, acquiring product lines and moving production from China. In the case of guitar straps, Jim emphasized that while the unit labor cost for sewing is higher, they don’t have “110 days lead time” coming from China. Customer service is better and that’s good for D’Addario’s business.

Jim said:

“We’ve moved more and more work here and we’ll continue to do that.”

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #82 is a discussion with with Dr. Sami Bahri, D.D.S., a dentist from Jacksonville, Florida. He is a pioneer in using Lean methods in the management of his dental practice. In this episode, he talks about what he’s learned from visiting manufacturing plants and how single-piece flow is a critical piece of Lean.

His outstanding book, Follow the Learner: The Role of a Leader in Creating a Lean Culture, is available from the Lean Enterprise Institute (www.lean.org). The book documents his learning journey for himself and his office staff as they learned how to apply Lean in a very non-traditional setting.

This an audio version of LeanBlog Video Podcast #9, available in a separate RSS/iTunes feed or at www.leanvideopodcast.org.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #81 is an interview with Rob Bryant, VP for Quality with CSC (Computer Sciences Corporation). In this podcast, we talk about how CSC, being outside of manufacturing, uses Lean in their business and for their customers. Rob shares some insights on Lean, an outlook for 2010, and finishes our discussion with an inspiring story about how he got into the quality field.

You can visit Rob’s website at http://www.robbryant.com/ to learn more about his work and his public speaking appearances and more.

As the vice president for quality, Bryant has:

• Assisted DynCorp in increasing its revenue from $900M to $2.1B in just four years as a direct report to the President
• Led over 100 teams and studies resulting in over $100M in savings/revenue/improvements for all divisions of CSC as a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt Trainer
• Received the Malcolm Baldridge Sr., Examiner for the National MB Award
• Served on the “President Bush Business Advisory Council” for two years
• Served as an editor for a book called Quality for Dummies and has written several published articles/papers for journals such as Quality Digest, Six Sigma Magazine, and others
• Quality Certifications include ISO-9001:2000, TQM, Process Management, ITIL, CMMI, Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Business Excellence, and Malcolm Baldridge

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) at the top of the post to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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!

photo credit: Chuck “Caveman” Coker

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This episode is a discussion with Joan Wellman, of the consulting firm Joan Wellman & Associates. Joan is a real pioneer in the lean healthcare arena, having started her initial work with a hospital in 1995 — I haven’t found anybody who started this work earlier. We first met in Seattle a few months back and I’m thrilled to bring you this discussion about the early days of lean healthcare and her thoughts on the potential for the future.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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 #78 brings a very special guest, Sorrel King, to talk about systems, communication, and patient safety. Sorrel’s 18-month old daughter, Josie, was the victim of a series of preventable medical errors at a world-renowned hospital, passing away in the hospital’s ICU. Sorrel channeled her grief and energy into the Josie King Foundation, which works to educate healthcare providers, patients, and families about the patient safety and systems improvement. From their website:

The Josie King Foundation’s mission is to prevent others from dying or being harmed by medical errors. By uniting healthcare providers and consumers, and funding innovative safety programs, we hope to create a culture of patient safety, together.

Sorrel is also the author of the recently released book, Josie’s Story: A Mother’s Inspiring Crusade to Make Medical Care Safe. I think much of what she talks about will resonate with Lean thinkers, as well as anyone with an interest in safer healthcare.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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 returning guest (episodes #30, #38, and #48), Bob Emiliani is again featured in episode #77 of the LeanBlog Podcast. Bob is the President of The Center for Lean Business Management, LLC. He is a leading authority on Lean management, who since 1995 has focused his efforts on de-mystifying the “black art” of Lean leadership through a number of efforts, including his acclaimed “Real Lean” series of books.

Today, we talk about his most recent work – the re-publication (with additional material and commentary from Bob) of a book by Frank Woollard called Principles of Mass and Flow Production. You can read more about the book here on Bob’s web site.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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 #76 is a discussion with Dr. David Jaques, VP of Surgical Services at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO.

Dr. Jaques is a skilled surgical oncologist and surgery department administrator. He came to Barnes-Jewish after serving as vice chairman of the department of surgery and director of graduate education at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He received his medical degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which was followed by a distinguished career in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He served as a combat surgeon in the Persian Gulf War and was later chief of surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as an oncologist. He served as the senior medical officer during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Honors during Dr. Jaques’ time in the U.S. Army Medical Corps include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.

In this podcast, Dr. Jaques talks about how he has led Lean efforts that involve physicians in a unique “6/3″ format that helps solve tightly-scoped problems without the need to have surgeons and clinicians for a full 4-day kaizen event. We discuss how he got started with Lean, improvements that were made in the “Mass Transfusion Protocol,” and their broader Lean and physician engagement efforts. Really fascinating and innovative stuff. I hope you’ll take a listen.

“A 6/3 event is a two-day event developed at Barnes-Jewish (six hours the first day, three the second) in which the scope of the project is very narrow or specific and the problem clearly defined. The team is prepared to determine the solution during the six hours and has at least one day in between the two work days to try and verify their solution. The last three hours is spent analyzing and finalizing the outcome of their solution.”

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Our guest today for Episode #75 is Peter T. Ward, a professor at Ohio State University’s Fisher College Business and Chair of the Department of Management Sciences.

Professor Ward is a leading expert in lean management and is president of the Lean Education Academic Network. His research has been published in a number of journals, including Decision Sciences, Journal of Operations Management and Production and Operations Management. He is research director for the Center for Operational Excellence, associate editor of the Journal of Operations Management and Decisions Sciences. Among other distinctions, he serves as a judge for Industry Week’s Best Plants program.

In this podcast, we talk about efforts to standardize and improve formal education about lean in universities and other academic settings.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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.

\

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Episode #73 is a conversation with Doug Burgess, Senior VP of Corporate Lean Six Sigma for Xerox.

We talk about the Lean Six Sigma approach at Xerox, how they’ve used it internally and how they have used it to help customers improve processes and eliminate waste. The Xerox corporate LSS website is here and you can download their brochure here.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Some additional customer-facing case examples they shared:

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Our returning guest is John S. Toussaint, MD, the CEO emeritus of ThedaCare, and CEO of the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. In the interest of disclosure, he is a partner in our Lean Enterprise Institute efforts to promote Lean in healthcare.

Dr. Toussaint has been the guest previously for episodes #54 and #62 where he talks about ThedaCare’s lean journey.

Dr. Toussaint is very well known for his leadership of the Lean efforts in the ThedaCare system, done under the heading of the ThedaCare Improvement System. ThedaCare has been profiled in the WSJ and many other articles about the quality and cost improvements they have achieved.

In this podcast, Dr. Toussaint talks about the current health reform efforts in Washington — what is lacking and how Lean can contribute to fixing our broken healthcare system.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #72 Key Words and Links:

• ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value Blog
• Lean Enterprise Institute
• Healthcare Value Leaders Network

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast Episode #71 is part two of a conversation with Patrick M. Anderson, the Executive Director of Chugachmiut, the Tribal consortium created to promote self-determination to the seven Native communities of the Chugach Region. I met Patrick at a Lean conference where he shared their experiences with applying Lean principles to healthcare delivery in Alaska. I am happy to bring their story to you, and here’s the link to Part 1 if you missed it (Episode #53).

You can also read more about Lean concepts at Chugachmiut on their website. In this epsiode, we talk how Lean fits with their organization’s values and culture. He discusses their management system for both administrative work and direct patient care. How can Lean thinking help prompt more preventative medicine in their system?

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

• About the Chugachmiut organization and tribes
• “A fact-based, non-judgmental, no blame, no shame culture”
• There are patients who are dying needlessly because of good people working in bad processes.

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Episode #70 is an interview with Tamra Kaplan, the COO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. We talk about the lean transformation work being done in the hospital and Ms. Kaplan’s experience in leading this effort. For an earlier blog post about her promotion to COO and Lean at LBMMC, click here.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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This is an interview with Dr. Sami Bahri, D.D.S., a dentist from Jacksonville, Florida. He is a pioneer in using Lean methods in the management of his dental practice. The book documents his learning journey for himself and his office staff as they learned how to apply Lean in a very non-traditional setting.

His book, Follow the Learner, is available from the Lean Enterprise Institute. You can also watch an archived webinar that he presented (archive here), along with some text Q&A follow ups that were recently posted.

There is also a video podcast version of this discussion available as episode #5 at www.leanvideopodcast.org.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Podcast #68 is a discussion with Benjamin G. Harrison, President & CEO of Kaysun, a privately-held manufacturer that, for over 60 years, has designed and manufactured complex, high-tolerance plastic injection molded products and assemblies. In his role as CEO, Ben is the champion for Kaysun’s lean strategy and efforts and we discuss his support for lean in this episode. Kaysun was just named Lean Initiative and Plastics Supplier of the Year by Rockwell Collins, so congratulations to them for that award.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

Available May 19 is his new book In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing.

Matt’s website is www.inpursuitofelegance.com. Come back for a 2nd conversation with Matt next week. I will have a review of his book on Tuesday – it’s outstanding.

There is also a video podcast version of this discussion available as episode #4 at www.leanvideopodcast.org. (and see links below).

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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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.

Subscribe via RSS | Lean Blog Main Page | Podcast | Message Board

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SPONSOR:

MIT Professional Education – Short Programs: MIT will be holding three short courses on campus this July focused on various lean concepts geared towards busy professionals (Lean Academy® Course, Lean Engineering Seminar, Lean Healthcare Academy). To learn more visit them on the web at http://shortprograms.mit.edu/lean.

CONTENT:

LeanBlog Podcast #66

This is a discussion with Joe Rizzo, Chairman of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) Annual Conference, to be held in Covington, Kentucky. The dates are October 19 to 23, 2009. For more info, visit http://www.ameconference.org. In this podcast, Joe talks about his lean background and what to expect if you attend the event. You can also watch a YouTube video with Joe produced by the AME (and a whole series about the event).

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast #65 is a discussion with Kevin Frieswick, a Lean Process Manager, with MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, MA. I found Kevin earlier this year when I discovered their YouTube video about innovations at MWMC, which included a unique error proofing device to help encourage handwashing by staff and physicians before entering patient rooms. I recommend you first watch the video here before listening to the podcast. In this podcast, Kevin gives us more details behind the invention of the device and how it has been received in the hospital.

My podcast with Kevin is below the original video, shown below:

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #64, again with Jamie Flinchbaugh, Founder of and Partner with the Lean Learning Center and co-author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean: Lessons from the Road. In this Podcast, we talk about the role of coaching in a Lean transformation effort. What is the difference between coaching toward a solution and coaching to learn a method, for example?

This was also the first attempt at a “video podcast”, this is the audio from that. The video, if desired, can be found here. The video admittedly doesn’t add too much to the discussion, but it’s an experiment and I’ll continue to put audio from the discussions here in the audio podcast series if I do more videos.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.\

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Very special guest today… very spur of the moment podcast with L.A. mayoral candidate, David “Zuma Dogg” Saltsburg. From email, to phone call, to podcast all in a few hours.

He is running on a platform is using Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s 14 points for management. Very interesting listening — David paid his own way to a Dr. Deming 4-day seminar in Houston in 1991 and it changed his life. He’s talking about Dr. Deming on TV and all the media — what a great service to Dr. Deming and hopefully to the residents of Los Angeles. Check out my earlier blog post with him and his videos.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Once again, our guest for Episode #62 is John S. Toussaint, MD, the CEO emeritus of ThedaCare, and CEO of the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Dr. Toussaint is very well known for his leadership of the Lean efforts in the ThedaCare system, done under the heading of the ThedaCare Improvement System. ThedaCare has been profiled in the WSJ and many other articles about the quality and cost improvements they have achieved. This is the first of two podcast discussions we recorded (Part 1 is here). In this podcast Dr. Toussaint talks about the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value and some big picture issues related to Lean and healthcare improvement.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #62 Key Words and Links:

• ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value Blog
• Collaborative Care Model

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.

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First off, Adam Zak has a new job posting on the Lean Board (click here).

Norman Bodek is once again back for episode #61 of the LeanBlog Podcast, talking about his discovery of a unique system in Japan, at Canon, called the “ Super Meister” system that trains employees to be able to build an entire copier on their own. This was introduced in Episode #55 of the Podcast. Norman also talks a little more about Gerry Corrigan and his Lean/5S work in Ireland, employee ideas, and his video terminal that allows him to teach people remotely.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #61 Key Words and Links:

• Canon, Japan, “Super Meister”
• Tony Corrigan
• Institute for Lean Systems

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.

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Podcast Episode #60 is the second part of a two-parter with retired Lt. Randy Russell of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, an innovator in the use of Lean methods for improving law enforcement (Part 1, Episode #51 is here). In this episode, Randy discusses some really interesting examples of how Lean methods are helpful in law enforcement and how 5S or standardized work can help save a life. Very powerful stuff.

Randy’s company, Hyperformance Enterprises, LLC, operates a Lean consulting and training division that can be found online at www.improvementors.com. Randy’s interests include waste identification and elimination, process improvement, transactional systems, and strategic alignment. His hands-on experience with Lean in a broad array of settings as the former Chairman of the (47+ member) Jacksonville Lean Consortium and his two decade career as a law enforcement commander and lead security planner for a Super Bowl provides valuable added experience and insights when it comes to dealing with sensitive and complex projects.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #59 of the LeanBlog Podcast is here and our guest is Robert Miller, Executive Director of the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence. We are discussing the Prize, some of the recent changes made in its criteria, and some future directions for the Prize named after Dr. Shigeo Shingo, of Toyota Production System fame.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. The podcast is available there in MP3 or AAC formats.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #58 of the LeanBlog Podcast brings us Steven J. Spear as our guest. Spear is a Senior Researcher at MIT, a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and is the author of the new book Chasing the Rabbit: How Market Leaders Outdistance the Competition and How Great Companies Can Catch Up and Win. Today, we talk about he started studying Toyota and his new book, which includes examples from many high-performing organizations in manufacturing, healthcare, and other industries – fascinating reading.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. The podcast is available there in MP3 or AAC formats.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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My guest for LeanBlog Podcast #57 is Alfie Kohn, an author and lecturer in the fields of education, parenting, and human behavior. His books include Punished By Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and Other Bribes and The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing. I reached out to Alfie after there was some very good discussion on the blog about Chicago Public Schools giving incentive payments to high school students earning A’s, B’s, and C’s. Many of the arguments that Alfie makes are reminiscent of Dr. W. Edwards Deming and can be applied, more generally, to many organization settings where rewards and incentives are used. I hope you find this interesting and thought provoking. If anything, the Dr. Deming fans will want to listen to the end of the Podcast where Alfie does a dead-on impression of Dr. Deming. To read more articles, Alfie’s website is http://www.alfiekohn.org .

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. The podcast is available there in MP3 or AAC formats.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #57 Key Words and Links:

• Blog post that started the discussion
• Alfie’s website
• Rewards for grades are a “reward for a reward” — magnifying the harm.
• What you get is, at best, temporary compliance, but at a very high cost.
• Discussion of nominated Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.
• Great questions about the purpose of education — to create learners or prep people for the working world?
• Ties to the philosophy and lessons of Dr. Deming.
• Great Deming impression at the end!

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.

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Episode #56 of the podcast is a discussion with John Shook, one of my absolute favorite people in the Lean world. The few times I’ve seen John present or had the chance to chat in person, I’ve learned more in that amount of time than from anyone else, so I’m thrilled to have him here. John has a new book, published by the Lean Enterprise Institute, about the “A3″ problem solving process called Managing to Learn: Using the A3 Management Process to Solve Problems, Gain Agreement, Mentor, and Lead. John also has a new blog on the LEI website, which is exciting to see. In the podcast, we discuss the story behind the book and some thoughts on how to get started with A3 thinking from scratch in your organization.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes. The podcast is available there in MP3 or AAC formats.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #56 Key Words and Links:

• About A3s (via John’s blog)
• Lean Enterprise Institute
• John Shook’s Lean Management Column (blog)
• Competing Podcast with John
• Problem solving, kaizen, A3 thinking, A3 reports

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.

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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.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #55 Key Words and Links:

• Lean in Ireland
• Tony Corrigan
• Institute for Lean Systems

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.

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Our guest for Episode #54 is John S. Toussaint, MD, the CEO emeritus of ThedaCare, and CEO of the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value. Dr. Toussaint is very well known for his leadership of the Lean efforts in the ThedaCare system, done under the heading of the ThedaCare Improvement System. ThedaCare has been profiled in the WSJ and many other articles about the quality and cost improvements they have achieved. This is the first of two podcast discussions we recorded, so check back for the second by visiting and coming back to www.leanpodcast.org. In this podcast Dr. Toussaint looks back at ThedaCare’s accomplishments, reflects on their journey, and shares his advice for other hospitals.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #54 Key Words and Links:

• ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value Blog
• Collaborative Care Model
• The importance of going to the “gemba“

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast Episode #53 is a conversation with Patrick M. Anderson, the Executive Director of Chugachmiut, the Tribal consortium created to promote self-determination to the seven Native communities of the Chugach Region. I met Patrick at a Lean conference where he shared their experiences with applying Lean principles to healthcare delivery in Alaska. I am happy to bring their story to you, here in the first part of a two-part Podcast discussion.

You can also read more about Lean concepts at Chugachmiut on their website. In this epsiode, we talk about the origins of Lean at Chugachmiut, how they used Kaizen Events in their healthcare clinics, and their abolition of annual performance reviews. This was recorded in October, so some of the weather and daylight references aren’t that recent for here in mid-November.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

• About the Chugachmiut organization and tribes
• Inspired by Nypro’s “High Velocity” system
• Kaizen events for healthcare clinic
• Dr. Tom Jackson
• Getting rid of individual annual performance evaluations
• WSJ piece on eliminating reviews

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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, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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I’m sorry it’s been a while (two months!!) since I had a Podcast episode. After the break, I’m ready to start a new series — should be able to get back to a weekly or bi-weekly schedule for a while now, I have four more episodes recorded and some great guests lined up for after that. Thanks for your patience.

Podcast Episode #51 is the first part of a two-parter (part 2 here) with retired Lt. Randy Russell of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, an innovator in the use of Lean methods for improving law enforcement. Starting in 2004, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office began using Lean as a continuous improvement program. In the podcast, Randy describes their journey and the improvements that have greatly contributed to providing more time and resources for the officers to use in protecting the community. As in healthcare, the real opportunity for Lean is not using isolated tools in a trivial way, but rather in ways that save lives and provide more time for officers to be out on the streets adding value, instead of dealing with waste. It sounds like a nearly direct parallel to using Lean in hospitals to free up time for nurses to care for patients.

Randy’s company, Hyperformance Enterprises, LLC, operates a Lean consulting and training division that can be found online at www.improvementors.com. Randy’s interests include waste identification and elimination, process improvement, transactional systems, and strategic alignment. His hands-on experience with Lean in a broad array of settings as the former Chairman of the (47+ member) Jacksonville Lean Consortium and his two decade career as a law enforcement commander and lead security planner for a Super Bowl provides valuable added experience and insights when it comes to dealing with sensitive and complex projects.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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To celebrate the 50th LeanBlog Podcast, the tables are turned. Guest host Jamie Flinchbaugh chats with me, Mark Graban, about the history of my blog, my podcasts, and how this led into my new book, Lean Hospitals.

This was Jamie’s idea (thanks). I normally try not to be the center of attention on the podcasts, letting my guests do most of the talking (so I can learn), so I’m a bit uncomfortable talking about myself… but here it is. Topics include why I started the blog, what I’ve learned along the way, how I got started with Lean, and how I transitioned into healthcare. You won’t learn as much in this as a typical podcast with Jamie, Jeff Liker, or Norm Bodek. But, if you’re interested… here you go! We get to the meat of the healthcare discussion and about the book about 20 minutes in.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #49 is another conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth, who you might remember from Episode #26 last year and Episode #45, which was the first part of this conversation. In this episode, we talk about “Visual Displays,” a topic from her Shingo Prize-winning book Visual Workplace, Visual Thinking: Creating Enterprise Excellence Through the Technologies of the Visual Workplace. Gwendolyn established Quality Methods International (QMI) in 1991 as a consulting, training and research firm, specializing in the Visual Workplace.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #49 Key Words and Links:

• “Leaders of improvement” – a phrase Gwen learned in Japan
• Managers of improvement — not “supervisor”
• Manege — french word, to handle, to control, to clean house, to train horses
• www.visualworkplace.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.

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A returning guest (episodes #30 and #38), Bob Emiliani is again featured in episode #48 of the LeanBlog Podcast. Bob is the President of The Center for Lean Business Management, LLC. He is a leading authority on Lean management, who since 1995 has focused his efforts on de-mystifying the “black art” of Lean leadership. In this episode, we talk about his “Real Lean” series of books.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #48 Key Words and Links:

• What was your motivation for writing the Real Lean series of books?
• “Respect for People” principle… this principle has been my main focus since the mid-1990s, and was featured in my 1998 paper titled “Lean Behaviors” and my 2003 book “Better Thinking, Better Results.”
• Scientific Management, Frederick Taylor, and Henry Ford
• Yes, there will be a fourth and final volume. It will come out in January 2009. It is subtitled: “Learning the Craft of Lean Management.”

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.

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Norman Bodek is once again back for episode #47 of the LeanBlog Podcast, talking about his most recent trip to Japan (his 68th trip!). He poses the question, “What can we do to leapfrog Toyota?” Norman asks important questions about how we can help people, in any role, enjoy their work, rather than dreading Mondays. Why does Norman think the Canon photocopier plant he just toured is the best he’s ever seen? Why does Norman disagree with the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder”??

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #47 Key Words and Links:

• Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way, recommended by Norman for its discussion of the “respect for people” principle.
• Frederick Taylor and Henry Ford as the fathers of modern industrial engineering — and repetitive work, as opposed to people being master craftsmen. This repetitive work created income for workers who were uneducated, even “if the work was denigrating, boring, and tedious”
• Ideas Are Free: How the Idea Revolution Is Liberating People and Transforming Organizations, by Alan Robinson
• Do 60 or 80% of people “hate” their job? How can we help people enjoy their work?
• What is a “supermeister” in a Canon factory?

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 Key Words and Links:

• Lean in hospitals, making a transition from manufacturing into hospitals, how to get started with Lean in a hospital, what are the differences between working with people in these different settings?
• Iowa Healthcare Collaborative
• World Research Group event, June 25-26
  • The 2nd Annual Summit on Deploying the Toyota Production System & Lean Healthcare in Hospitals

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.

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Episode #45 is another conversation with Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth, who you might remember from Episode #26 last year. In this episode, we talk about “Visual Displays,” a topic from her Shingo Prize-winning book Visual Workplace, Visual Thinking: Creating Enterprise Excellence Through the Technologies of the Visual Workplace. Gwendolyn established Quality Methods International (QMI) in 1991 as a consulting, training and research firm, specializing in the Visual Workplace.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Episode #45 Key Words:

• Visuality and Visual Displays
• Production control boards
• Visual displays and dashboards

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.

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Episode #44 of the LeanBlog Podcast is a conversation with Ralph Keller, the President of AME, the Association for Manufacturing Excellence. Today, we’re discussing AME and their upcoming regional conference in San Diego, to be held June 9 to 11, 2008. You can also read Ralph’s “Continuous Improvement” column in IndustryWeek (click here to subscribe for free).

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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.

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Episode #43 of LeanBlog Podcast is a very special one. My guest is Mike Mickleright, writer, consultant, and performer — most interesting to me is his impersonation of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. As I wrote about before, I’ve seen his DVD and Mike agreed to create this podcast with me. We start off talking with Mike about his background with Dr. Deming and how he created the impersonation. Then, we shift into me interviewing Mike as Dr. Deming, asking him some questions on modern quality approaches including Lean and Six Sigma.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #43 Key Points & Links

• Quality Quest (http://www.mikemick.com/)
• Dr. W. Edwards Deming (wikipedia)
• The Deming Institute
• “Dr. Deming” (as performed by Mike) on Lean
• “Dr. Deming” (as performed by Mike) on Six Sigma

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This is LeanBlog Podcast episode #42 with Dr. C. Martin Hinckley, of the firm Assured Quality. He is the author of the book “Make No Mistake!: An Outcome-Based Approach to Mistake-Proofing,” available through Productivity Press. We’ll talk about his book and approaches for teaching people how to develop mistake proofing in processes.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #42 Key Points & Links

• Some mistake proofing examples from Dr. Hinckley’s site
• Upcoming webinar on mistake proofing on May 15 (via http://www.visualworkplace.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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #41 with Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. Dr. Liker is most recently the co-author (with Michael Hoseus) of Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way and many other books, which can be found here on amazon.com. This is part 3 of our recent series. Today, we talk about the development of managers within a Lean organization.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #41 Key Points & Links

• From a listener: Many companies shift managers around almost constantly. How does Toyota develop their managers in a way that helps encourage “respect for people?”
• Other companies where Toyota can find similar leaders: NUMMI, Subaru
• Developing vs hiring leaders — does your culture just evolve or do you teach the culture?
• 3 years is typically the rule of thumb for how long a manager should be in place, more important, though, is who is there in the workgroup who provides leadership? Is there someone to pick up the leadership gap if one person leavfes?
• Toyota does rotate leaders to develop people
• With the “quality people value stream,” you should be developing people every day
• Dr. Liker talks about his firm Optiprise

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #40, an interview with a retired UAW/GM employee who wishes to remain anonymous, at this point. We have traded many emails over the past year, about Lean, and I’m impressed with this individual’s true passion for Lean and Toyota Production System concepts. We both agree that the “root cause” of many Lean struggles comes back to management’s inability to create trust and to give up some control to the employees who actually do the work. The intent here, from my perspective, is not “management bashing,” but rather to illustrate that there are some on the UAW side who “get it” and success is going to require true cooperation and sacrifices on both sides.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

LeanBlog Podcast #40 Key Points & Key Words

• “Quality Network” – GM and the UAW
• GM had been working with Lean methods since the early 1990′s, but not associating it with “Lean” (Toyota) until this decade
• The need for trust and culture change — changing the “them vs. us” attitude

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #39, once again featuring Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. Dr. Liker is most recently the co-author (with Michael Hoseus) of Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way and many other books, which can be found here on amazon.com. This is part 2 of what will be a 3-part podcast series, so be sure to check back. Today, we talk about some of the challenges that organizations face in trying to adopt a Lean Culture.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #39 Key Points & Links

• Will Dr. Liker be writing more about companies who have gone through the Lean culture transformation, examples other than Toyota, ala his earlier book, Becoming Lean: Inside Stories of U.S. Manufacturers?
• Bob Emiliani’s book on Wiremold: Better Thinking, Better Results Case Study and Analysis of an Enterprise-Wide Lean Transformation
• Why is it so hard to find examples of companies that have really adopted a Lean culture?
• Thoughts on the impact of top American leaders departing Toyota (Jim Press and Gary Convis)

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #38, our guest today is Bob Emiliani of the Center for Lean Business Management and, most recently, the author of Practical Lean Leadership: A Strategic Leadership Guide For Executives. It’s a workbook-style guide that forces you to think through your own leadership approach and your own situation, a book I enjoyed very much. In this podcast, we talk about “lean leadership,” “value added behaviors,” and some pitfalls to avoid in lean implementations.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #38 Key Points & Key Words

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #37, once again featuring Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. Dr. Liker is most recently the co-author (with Michael Hoseus) of Toyota Culture: The Heart and Soul of the Toyota Way and many other books, which can be found here on amazon.com. This is part 1 of what will be a 3-part podcast series, so be sure to check back.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #37 Key Points

• Overview of the book, how it builds on the previous books.
• The people part is such a foundation of the Toyota Way, had to expand upon it.
• Looking at the cultural assumptions in the 14 principles.
• In the book, seeing a “day in the life” of a Toyota supervisor.
• Get a clearer picture of the “respect for people” principle throughout the book
• Thoughts on implementing Lean the “wrong way.”

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast #36 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 most recent publication, a text by the legendary Shigeo Shingo, called Kaizen and the Art of Creative Thinking – The Scientific Thinking Mechanism, as well as future publications he is working on. This was recorded back in 2007, before the book was published (it has now been out in publication for a few months, I apologize for the delay in getting this podcast released).

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #36

• You can find the book here via enna.com, or amazon.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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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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/.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #35

• The next books coming in the series – Toyota Culture, Toyota Process, Toyota Problem Solving
• Hearing comments about how companies have trouble sustaining Lean after 3 or 5 years — why is that happening and what’s missing?
• Talking about the LEI survey on why companies struggle with Lean (link)
• How is the Toyota San Antonio plant creating a system of systematic continuous improvement?
• Following the stand problem solving methodology to find out why a company is struggling with Lean…
• Instead of being punative, leaders need to be more inspirational
• Need to move away from blaming
• Leadership has to communicate the message
• His website: http://www.thetoyotaway.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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast #34 is a discussion with Chris Harris, from Harris Lean Systems, and co-author of the book Developing a Lean Workforce: A Guide for Human Resources, Plant Managers and Lean Coordinators. You can also purchase the book through Productivity Press.

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page. Now that my book manuscript is done, I’m going to get back into regular podcasting, with episodes in the coming weeks featuring Norman Bodek, David Meier, and Jeffrey Liker. Let me know if you have questions for Dr. Liker, using the contact info at the bottom of this post.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #34

• Chris started working the assembly line at Toyota, then became a production supervisor at both Toyota and a different Tier 1 auto supplier.
• Focusing on the people is key, assuming most people want to do a good job.
• What’s the proper role of a “Lean Coordinator”?
• What’s the right role for a supervisor or a team leader? How do you make that transition?
• “The same reason Lean succeeds is the same reason it fails…. leadership.”

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #33, a new interview with Jim Huntzinger, the President of the Lean Accounting Summit. In this Podcast, Jim gives us an update on the recent Summit and talks about some of the latest trends in Lean Accounting.

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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.

It’s also “Norm Bodek Week” in the Lean blogosphere, apparently (via Evolving Excellence).

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #32

• Trip to Japan
• The use of videotape to analyze the process to look for waste, with the employeesThe purpose of standard work (and kaizen)
• Going after waste relentlessly
• People writing down that they make mistakes
• Shingo said, “we make mistakes, but we don’t want defects”
• “Poka yoke” and error proofing
• The use of automation and temporary labor
• Norman — “how ROI, short-term thinking is killing America”
• Norman is going on another study mission in April 2008 — go with him! Contact Norman through his website at pcspress.com about that

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast #31 is a discussion with David Meier, most recently the co-author of the book Toyota Talent, written 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/.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #31

• How does Toyota turn the cliche of “people are our most important asset” into reality?
• How to avoid standardizing for the sake of standardizing — how to decide WHAT to standardize and why
• How did Toyota built upon the Training Within Industry program?
• Why does Toyota look at work in such minute detail, breaking jobs down?
• What are “key points” in a job breakdown sheet? Why is it important to explain why the key points are necessary? Does this tie to “respect for people”?
• How does this process apply to jobs, such as nursing, that aren’t repeatable 45 second assembly line cycles?
• Does Toyota invest more time and effort into training new employees than other companies?
• Blog post about Toyota, “frugal” versus “cheap”
• Daily Kaizen post on NUMMI
• “Standardiziaton of work doesn’t mean that everybody does it exactly the same way.”
• Talking about the new Toyota plant in San Antonio

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast #30 is an interview with Bob Emiliani, President the Center for Lean Business Management and author of the books Better Thinking, Better Results and Real Lean: Understanding the Lean Management System (Volume One) (and Volume Two). Before starting the CLBM, Bob had a long career at United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney and also has degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, as well as a PhD in engineering from Brown University.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #30

• Background on the story, via Evolving Excellence
• Why did you update the Wiremold story and produce a second edition of your book Better Thinking, Better Results?”
• So what happened?
• Why didn’t Legrand value the Lean transformation that Art, his team, and the people of Wiremold did?
• So it looks like Legrand make some mistakes.
• What can we learn from what happened to Wiremold?

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast #29 features a 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 http://www.firstleandentist.com/.

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

• Learning about Lean and figuring out, over time, how to apply it to a dental office.
• How Dr. Bahri is able to take care of patient needs all in a single visit (not coming back for separate follow on appointments).
• How Dr. Bahri has engaged his workforce, through Lean, to improve productivity, job satisfaction, and employee engagement.
• Lean as a never-ending journey toward perfection, an experimental process.
• Learn how Dr. Bahri’s office creating an innovative “flow manager” position.

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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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 enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

Keywords and Main Points, Episode #28

• Summary of Norman’s talk at the TWI Summit and the “pledge of continuous improvement.”
• Gantt’s book “Organizing Work” (via Google Books) — the stakeholder groups that a business must serve (including community)
• Lifetime employment and the obligation for good management
• Can you have a workplace with no bosses? Example of a Skippy peanut butter plant
• Is the ultimate goal automation? Norman’s thoughts on that
• Managers’s resistance to change as a separate type of waste?
• Being on the floor all the time as a manager
• Norman talking about “conscious learning” (his next book)

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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. Part One of that discussion can be found here. 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 enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

• Advice for lean job seekers
• When should you move on? How can a recruiter tell if lack of lean success was due to lack of lean understanding versus the failings of the organization they were a part of?
• Lean accounting and lean product development experience, “transactional lean”
• Lean in a smaller company provides many opportunitiesThe importance of selling yourself (and selling lean ideas), keeping track of your accomplishments and what happenedHow can Jim try to tell if a client would be (or is) a good lean company? Walking the shopfloor…
• Lean Certification value?
• Lean recruiting, Value Stream Leadership, career management
  

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Episode #26 of the LeanBlog Podcast brings us Dr. Gwendolyn Galsworth, of the Visual Lean Institute. She is the author, most recently of the book Visual Workplace, Visual Thinking: Creating Enterprise Excellence Through the Technologies of the Visual Workplace. Ironically enough, we wil be using this audio-only format to discuss visual methods in the workplace and how that ties into Lean and the Toyota Production System. Her book has hundreds of color photos and illustrations of effective visual methods, so if you find this discussion helpful, I hope will follow up with the book. The book is a very inventive and unique approach to visual management and helping people work more effectively. One small thing I really appreciate is how her case studies and examples from factories always have a photo of one of the value-adding associates who was involved in the work.

Show Notes, Links, and Keywords Episode #26

• Norman Bodek, visual workplace, poka yoke, visual guarantees, visual order, visual inventiveness, visuality
• “I-Driven”: Knowing what information that individual needs to work well
• Borders, home addresses, ID labels
• Right angles aren’t necessarily the best for workplace layouts
• “Information deficits” are the symptom, deficits cause waste and “motion without working”
• Six categories of missing information: the missing “where,” the missing “what,” etc.
• Video training system
• The counter productive 5S initiative that we discussed (previous blog link)
• “The obedience paradigm” versus empowering people
• The older, existing website
• Forum on the new website

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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For Episode #25, I’m pleased to have Dr. Mark Spearman, Founder and President/CEO of Factory Physics, Inc. You may know Dr. Spearman from his book, co-authored with Dr. Wally Hopp, Factory Physics. If there is ONE operations management textbook to own, this is it (it’s well worth the cost). I was fortunate, as an Industrial Engineering undergrad at Northwestern, to take Dr. Spearman’s operations course. The introduction given about Lean and the Factory Physics / Little’s Law concepts (among others) have served me very well during my career. In the Podcast, we talk about his company, Factory Physics, and the work he is doing today in the manufacturing world.

Show Notes, Links, and Keywords Episode #25

• Keywords: Throughput, Lean Six Sigma, Lean, WIP, work in process, continuous improvement, variation, flow, Dell Computer
• Dr. Spearman explains The 3 Buffers: Inventory, Time, and Capacity
• Article Link (from The Manufacturer)
• Software Portal link (Lean Physics)

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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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.

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Episode #23 of the LeanBlog Podcast features a panel of Lean leaders from the Group Health Cooperative, a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, Group Health and its subsidiary health carriers, Group Health Options, Inc. and KPS Health Plans, serve over 500,000 members in Washington and Idaho. GHC has been on a Lean journey, as documented on their “Daily Kaizen” blog. Joining us on the Podcast are three of their Lean Leaders:

• James Hereford, Executive Vice President, Strategic Services and Quality
• Dr. Ted Eyan, Medical Director of Health Informatics and Web Services
• Lee Fried, Manager of the Strategic Consulting team at Group Health

In this Podcast, they discuss how GHC got started with Lean, their early “point improvement” successes, and their transition to a more systemic approach to a Lean management system through their “model line” efforts.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #23

• 1:15 James: Overview of the Group Health Cooperative (GHC)
• 2:00 Lee: How GHC got started on their Lean Journey in 2004, initial drivers
• 3:05 “RPIW” = Rapid Process Improvement Workshop (like a kaizen event)
• 3:30 Improved cost, quality, and delivery at the same time, in the lab, “wasn’t believed possible in healthcare” and got senior management attention
• 3:55 Started with “point improvements”
• 4:15 Brought in some external consultants, education for the senior leadership team
• 4:30 Then moved from point improvements to large cross-departmental projects (e.g., health plan and delivery)
• 6:12 Looked at how to optimize the Electronic Medical Record system (involving IT and caregiver teams)
• 7:30 The model line, moving beyond point improvements and into cultural change –claims processing and customer service center (700 employees), HPA = Health Plan Administration
• 8:30 Had to make sure they weren’t losing gains from earlier lean efforts — started doing more to fully ingrain lean concepts into the management practices and culture
• 9:15 Three components to the “Model Line” 1) Standard work of the daily management system 2) Value Streams and RPIW’s to “turn the organization on it’s side,” from functional organization to process organization and 3) hoshin kanri (policy deployment), building discipline around planning (goals and the means)
• 10:40 Ted: Have you had to adapt the lean management model to fit into a healthcare environment?
• 11:00 “Copy the thinking and the philosophy, not the tools”…. “What’s the tool you can use? Your Brain!”
• 11:30 Focused on providing the right care at the right time, rather than relying on technology (or relying on “tried and true” technology)
• 12:15 “Lean Thinkingblew my mind, everything had a corollary in medical care.”
• 12:30 “Toyota puts a lot of care and compassion into building cars, and so do we in taking care of people.”
• 12:48 “There things we don’t want flexibility around” – certain medical situations that call for standard care
• 13:20 How did GHC try to get physicians on board and participating with Lean? “Patient at the center of care” is easy to get agreement with
• 14:00 “We want to take care of patients, and this helps you do it better… the system is more responsive.”
• 14:42 James: Are there advantages to being an integrated delivery system? “Our opportunity is so much greater…”
• 16:30 Ted: “If it can’t be done at Group Health, it can’t be done anywhere.”
• 16:50 Can GHC create more value through proactive or preventative health measures, ala TPM?
• 17:20 The goal is “lifelong health for our members… working with patients before they get sick.”
• 17:45 James: What have the benefits and results of the Model Line area been?
• 18:35 ThedaCare and John Touissant showed great humbleness even with their success
• 19:00 Doing as many kaizen events as you can wasn’t enough.” Wanted to fundamentally change the leadership model, not the “all knowing and all doing” with the staff “checking their brain at the parking lot.”
• 20:00 The VP over the HPA area fully embraced Lean and change himself20:45 Had a rigorous, step-by-step method of teaching the skills and doing daily practice. The biggest change was getting the middle managers and VP to change the way they interacted with supervisors, that was the foundation for the operational changes (workcells, etc.)
• 22:00 Lee: RPIW’s changed the thinking of a lot of folks, but it didn’t get high enough to change the behavior of the leaders
• 22:50 Changing core thinking before changing core processes has led to better sustainment
• 23:10 James: Where GHC hopes this goes… the Model Line needs to be a model to learn from, applied in other areas, forcing the organization to think more about value streams and less about traditional budgeting processes
• 24:00 GHC now has a place in GHC to see lean (as opposed to continued visits to Genie or Virginia Mason Medical Center)
• 27:00 What kind of feedback are you getting from employees about Lean? (lab example)”This is the most amazing experience I have ever had in all of my experience at Group Health”
• 29:00 Ted on helping doctors and professionals meeting their goals
• 30:00 Lee: it can be hardest on the middle managers, having to change their ways

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Episode #22 of the Podcast is a discussion with Allan Wilson, CEO of Factory Logic, a software company that was acquired by SAP late last year. Allan is now the VP of Lean Manufacturing Operations for SAP. We talk about the role of technology and software in a Lean implementation. In the interest of full disclosure, I worked for Factory Logic a few years back, including time under Allan’s leadership, but I have no financial interest in the company or products.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #22

• 0:20 Background and history on Factory Logic
• 2:00 Using software to help standardize processes in a Lean factory, including Johnson Controls, a key customer
• 5:20 Value proposition for the software on the factory floor (now known as SAP’s XLPO product, or “Lean Planning and Operations”)
• 6:00 CONWIP (constant work in process)
• 6:20 POLCA (not the dance!)
• 7:30 The SAP acqusition of Factory Logic, what will the impact be? 12,000 manufacturing companies use SAP
• 12:20 The XLPO/Factory Logic applications will still integrate to other ERP systems
• 13:00 What about the mindset of having a choice between Lean and technology, that many Lean folks are against technology/software. What about the Toyota Way principle of using technology “that supports your people and processes”?
• 16:30 XMII definition
• 19:00 Are Lean people becoming more accepting of technology?
• 22:00 What are some of the examples where a large company struggles to roll out Lean in a consistent way across plants?
• 22:30 BTR = Build to Replenishment
• 24:00 Building a consistent Lean model throughout your global company

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast Episode #21 features our friend and frequent guest, Norman Bodek, noted lean author, consultant, and President of PCS Press. In this Podcast, we talk about how Lean should be good for a company’s employees, that Lean and the Toyota Production system are really about building people and investing in them rather than laying people off.

Norman’s previous Podcast episodes can be found on the Podcast main page. Here is a link to Norman’s books via Amazon.com.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #21

• 2:00 Question from a blog reader: Is lean good for employees in the long term, or is it just good for the company and for management?
• 2:40 “Unfortunately, many companies are implementing lean to make more money, only…. without understanding the full power of the Toyota model”
• 3:00 Toyota not only builds cars, it builds people
• 4:45 Toyota has one team leader for every 4 to 7 people (as opposed to companies that often have a 100 to 1 ratio)
• 5:20 Toyota’s Gary Convis
• 6:30 Toyota’s two pillars: 1) Just-in-Time and 2) Respect for People — the second pillar is now this instead of “Jidoka” (quality at the source)??
• 8:30 As Deming said, you have to root out fear from the organization, it’s a form of waste that comes from viewing people as expendable
• 10:15 Examples of how Toyota has invested in people over time, made use of their talents
• 11:20 When has the “mass production” system ever been good for people?
• 12:15 Norman’s “Quick and Easy Kaizen,” making work exciting by getting ideas and suggestions from employees
• 16:50 “I want you to come up with ideas to make your work easier, to make your work more interesting…” that empowers people, as opposed to all decisions coming from the top down
• 18:15 “What’s the ROI of bringing in Norman Bodek?”
• 19:30 “There’s nothing magical that Toyota’s doing that American companies can’t do!”
• 19:40 The book Norman likes, “Getting the Right Things Done” and the Hoshin Kanri process
• 20:30 Norman, Gary Convis, and the A3 report

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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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.

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog Podcast main page.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #20

• 1:30 How Kevin got started with Lean
• 3:00 About the Evolving Excellence Blog
• 5:00 Blogging as a learning experience
• 6:00 Kevin will be speaking at Northwestern University, moderating a panel discussion on in-sourcing on on-shoring at their Manufacturing Business Conference
• 6:20 Companies that have been able to build manufacturing competencies in the U.S., rather than running overseas, looking at total cost, rather than just labor cost
• 8:00 The conference is May 12, open to registration by the public (main conference page)
• 8:15 A list of companies Kevin has talked about on the blog
• 9:10 How can we spread the word and fight the perception that you can’t do manufacturing here?
• 9:45 Kevin’s example of a custom ski manufacturer who imports very small quantities from China rather than doing it here
• 10:30 Danaher as a good example of lean and U.S. competitiveness
• 10:50 American Leather, building furniture here in Texas
• 12:20 Kevin’s example of Avery Dennison
• 13:30 Are retailers encouraging lean practices or pushing suppliers overseas?
• 14:30 Are there some valid reasons for building in China?
• 15:40 Kevin’s example of American Apparel
• 16:30 New Zealand manufacturing and off-shoring pressures
• 17:30 Kevin talks about lean and the value of experience in the workforce, Whirlpool example of moving to Mexico and throwing away that experience
• 20:30 The book from the blog, written by Kevin and Bill Waddell : Evolving Excellence: Thoughts on Lean Enterprise Leadership

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Episode #19 of the Lean Blog Podcast brings the return of Jim Womack. Jim was sitting in Melbourne Australia, where he had been speaking about lean healthcare, a topic that we will discuss in a future podcast. In this podcast, we talk about Jim’s reflections on the book The Machine That Changed the World and its recent reissuing by the publisher (with updates). In the podcast, Jim not only talks about Toyota’s success, but ways in which Toyota could fail or falter in the future. This is the first part of our discussion, I will release the second part in the upcoming weeks.

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog Podcast main page. Earlier podcasts with Jim can be found here (#12) and here (#13).

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #19

• 1:30 Jim’s thoughts on “Machine,” written about “why the teams [GM, Ford, Chrysler] can’t win the away games”
• 1:55 The book before “Machine” was “The Future of the Automobile” (1984)
• 2:15 The job of “Machine” was to describe a complete business system… “the biggest disappointment… was to have people tell me it was a great book about fa factories.”
• 3:00 “You get the feeling that a lot of people read the book, but just that one chapter [on manufacturing].”
• 3:50 Probably about a million copies sold so far
• 4:00 The publisher said that 2007 is the year when Toyota is probably going to pass GM, so why don’t we re-issue it?
• 4:20 The new subtitle is “Why Toyota Won”
• 4:45 “We’ve learned a lot since then… some of what we told you in the book is not exactly right, so we’re thinking of it not exactly as a product recall, but as a model line enhancement. This is what might have been the 1991 model if we had done annual model changes.”
• 5:30 Is there risk of a backlash with Toyota becoming #1? Jim talks about “ways in which Toyota could lose,” starting with manufacturing
• 10:50 “They could go native”
• 10:05 How Toyota could lose with the product development system (book by Al Ward)
• 10:40 The Jeff Liker book on product development (“they are complements to each other,” Jim says): The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process And Technology
• 14:30 How Toyota could fail with their dealer system
• 15:45 Jim’s essay on farmers and hunters
• 22:40 GM and the X-cars (info here and here)
• 24:10 Jim asks, “Can Toyota screw up? For the short term, the answer is no, for the long term, absolutely!”
• 24:30 “Most any other company would be fat, dumb, and happy.”
• 24:50 What about the excuses the Big 3 make about currency factors, etc.?
• 25:30 How the Big 3 are like the Detroit Lions

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Here is Episode #18 of the LeanBlog Podcast. My guest today is Eric Christiansen, the President of a translation services company, OmniLingua (more can be found here on their philosophy as a company, being a self-described “Deming Company.) I was interested in talking with Eric about what it means to be a “Deming Company” and about their implementation of “wiki” tools (ala Wikipedia) for managing their standard work and process documentation.

If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #18

• 1:30 Introducing Eric and his company
• 3:15 What does it mean to be a “Deming company?”
• 3:40 The Deming System of Profound Knowledge
• 4:00 The owner of OmniLingua had worked directly with Deming and appreciated the people aspects of his philosophy, how do you treat people with respect?
• 4:40 Has the annual review been abolished? Sales commissions were abolished, as well as production bonus plans. OmniLingua has a company-wide profit sharing plan instead.
• 5:15 More examples of the Deming philosophy in day-to-day life, including long-term sole-source supplier relationships
• 7:00 Is there still internal competition?
• 7:45 “Are we hiring salespeople who can’t sell?” by not having commissions
• 8:40 How have lean methods evolved at OmniLingua?
• 10:15 Standard work within the company and the evolution into the use of “Wiki” technology for standard work
• 13:30 How they modified the process to allow some addition revision and ownership control (after an ISO audit)
• 15:00 How did it work when everybody had access to modify the standard work documentation?
• 17:00 How many people have access to the different standard work documents?
• 19:00 With a Word-document based standard work, people wanted to fancy them up, Wiki keeps people focused on the content
• 21:30 Deployment started last November (2005)

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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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 enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #17

• 2:00 Overall, pretty surprised, Chinese factories are in good condition, but there are some real labor shortages growing, intense cost pressures from other countries (India, Vietnam, Turkey, etc.)
• 3:00 Lots of struggles from the supply chain side and total cost, “China isn’t as great a deal as they anticipated in the beginning” (inbound supply chains)
• 4:00 “One company had 160% turnover last year”
• 4:15 Local management isn’t that strong, so companies bring in their own management(which is costly to bring in foreigners)
• 4:45 David was frustrated to see the same challenges and problems in China that are typical here, including the “kaizen blitz” mindset (companies aren’t getting long-term satisfaction or a sustainable process)
• 5:50 Saw one company (a clothing manufacturer in China) that took “one piece flow” to such an extreme that it was costing them in other ways, companies are missing the point of what Lean really is
• 6:30 More on the single piece flow situation – are you implementing single piece flow or are you improving performance?
• 10:00 What about Chinese factories and their metrics and goals? David was surprised to hear how everyone was focused on efficiency and labor cost
• 11:00 David saw a lot of Non Value Added activity (20-30% of people’s activity) because ofthe way work was structured
• 11:40 “Big shortage of Industrial Engineers in China”
• 12:45 Chinese managers learn “mass production management” or lean management methods?
• 13:45 “I didn’t see any factories that would be a model of lean” and David was visiting companies who had expressed some interest in being lean
• 14:15 What lean methods did David see at Chinese factories?
• 15:20 David says there is a general lack of understanding about how to use “Value Stream Mapping”
• 17:15 David and Jeff Liker are working on a new book about systems and how to develop the system properly, how to use the system (such as Kanban) to drive continuous improvement
• 17:45 An earlier new book, “Toyota Talent” is coming out in April
• 18:30 After the Fieldbook, David and Jeff realized there were some topics they could really expand on, Toyota Talent, lean systems, and problem solving.
• 20:15 A preview of Toyota Talent… didn’t see much “Standardized Work” in China, the depth of lean there isn’t as great as in the U.S. The book looks at how you break down jobs and train people.
• 22:00 People look at Toyota and assume that standardized work only applies in repetitive, highly cyclical jobs (but Toyota has a lot of jobs that don’t fit that mold)
• 24:30 David comparing the high turnover in China with the high turnover in fast food and how McDonald’s simplifies things, uses standard work, makes it visual, etc. But why do they accept the turnover?
• 25:45 The NPR piece on In-N-Out Burger and how they value employees.
• 26:45 David points out how you have to look at total cost, not just the low hourly labor cost
• 27:30 Is everything going to inevitably move to China? We’re trying to compete against that with Lean, reducing costs through Lean methods and improved/faster response.

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

LeanBlog Podcast #16 is the first part of two with Jim Baran, the Owner of Value Stream Leadership, a leading recruiting firm that specializes in Lean talent. I’ve known Jim for a few years now and he’s helped me and some colleagues in the past. He’s a great recruiter who really takes some interest in you and your career. If you’re looking to make a career change or if you’re looking for lean talent, I can personally recommend him.

In our discussion, we talk about the state of the job market for folks with lean experience and what helps a lean candidate stand out in the marketplace. If you enjoy this podcast, I hope you’ll check out the rest of the series by visiting the LeanBlog podcast main page.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #16

• 1:30 About Jim, his background with lean, about his firm
• 2:50 What does it mean, “retained search firm”?
• 4:40 Jim’s firm defines lean as “Toyota Way leadership” — Toyota Production System AND the Toyota Product Development System
• 5:00 How is the job market for lean talent, generally speaking?
• 6:30 People “used to hire forktruck operators out of Toyota” because they thought they knew the secret sauce
• 7:40 Jim Womack’s email about the end of “the lean tool age”
• 8:00 How do you consider someone’s individual or local lean accomplishments versus a good candidate having been in a prototypical lean company?
• 9:30 What are Jim’s 5 profiles for excellent lean candidates?
• 10:30 Been in the Toyota Product Development System market very heavily lately, the talent with experience there has been slim
• 12:30 The market for lean in services areas
• 16:00 What about recruitment for executive level positions?
• 21:45 Harder to find people who can use lean to drive growth or revenue rather than only reducing costs/waste

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

LeanBlog Podcast #15 is a new discussion with a previous Podcast guest, Jim Huntzinger. Last time, we talked about the Lean Accounting Summit. This time, we’re talking about the renaissance of the “Training Within Industry” program. We’ll talk about the origins of this program, the impact it had on Toyota and the Toyota Production System, and why the program is being bought back in the United States and in lean circles. Jim is also organizing a Training Within Industry Summit, June 5-6 of 2007. Check the Show Notes, down below, for more links to TWI resources and information.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #15

• Background: Copies of the original TWI manuals
• Background: Wikipedia page on TWI
• 2:30 Background of the TWI program prior to the U.S. entry into WWII
• 3:15 How did TWI get promoted in Japan during the U.S. occupation?
• 4:15 How did TWI get incorporated into the Toyota Production System? “It is an excellent industrial training program on its own” but Toyota also built upon the system
• 6:00 What were some of the motivations behind TWI? What did they hope to achieve?
• 7:15 What are the different components of the TWI approach… Job Methods and Job Instruction, the focus on training people HOW to train, etc.
• 9:15 At Toyota, Ohno thought “Job Methods” was a little too “point focused” and he wanted to look more at the “value stream”
• 9:45 “Job Relations” focuses on how to be a supervisor, how to drive kaizen, etc.
• 11:00 How did TWI get “rediscovered” recently? Mentioned in the book Becoming Lean: Inside Stories of U.S. Manufacturers
• 13:45 What are the unique things Toyota was able to do with the TWI program?
• 14:15 TWI was focused on training NEW employees, how does TWI apply when you have long time employees who never had standard work or standard methods?
• 15:45 Toyota still uses Job Instruction today for training their experienced people
• 16:15 TWI says you have to “get the employee motivated to learn” – how do you do this?
• 17:45 Why did American companies move away from TWI after the war?
• 19:00 Early challenges with getting management focused on sustaining TWI methods
• 19:30 To learn more about TWI:
• Training Within Industry: The Foundation Of Lean (Don Dinero, history of TWI)
• The Twi Workbook: Essential Skills for Supervisors (Bob Wrona, hos to use TWI today)
• Jim’s article “The Roots of Lean”
• Plenty of articles and references through Google

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast #14 is a discussion with Dave Gleditsch, the Chief Technology Officer for Pelion Systems, a leading provider of software for lean manufacturing applications. I first met Dave after I read his Industry Week columns and traded some emails with him. He has a great background in manufacturing and lean, so I think he has an interesting perspective to share on lean and techonology. Don’t worry, this podcast isn’t a sales pitch for Pelion’s software. I think you’ll enjoy the discussion.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #14

• 2:00 What prompted you to write your first column?
• 2:30 The real issue was a poor definition of what lean really is, lean has some very concrete things for improving and innovating.
• 3:30 It’s not just cost cutting, it’s about maximizing customer value with the minimum required resources.
• 4:20 At American Standard, lean helped save the company, but it also became a platform for growth
• 5:00 Do traditionally cost driven people automatically focus on lean as only a cost cutting tool?
• 6:00 In the boardrooms, the real cost is gross margin expansion — impacting the top line AND the bottom line (lean and six sigma are great tools for that). You can’t just cut costs on the path to growth.
• 7:00 How first introduced to lean concepts?
• 9:20 Had a lot of lean experience at HP in the 1980′s, worked with Shingo, Hall, Schonberger, etc. Had to try to interpret the original Shingo “Green Book.”( A Study of the Toyota Production System from an Industrial Engineering Viewpoint)
• 10:40 Hall’s book Zero Inventories
• 11:00 Dave working with Shigeo Shingo
• 12:00 More about Dave’s experiences with lean at American Standard
• 15:20 What is Pelion Systems? What services and technology do they offer?
• 18:40 Pelion had the first web kanban portal
• 19:10 What business problem is Pelion helping to solve?
• 20:45 Can technology help speed up or further a culture change?
• 24:00 You have to look at more than manufacturing, but also at how different parts of the companies work together.
• 25:20 What about the The Toyota Way principle about technology? “Use only reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and processes.” What about the anti-technology bias that tends to exist in the lean world?
• 30:15 What about companies who have been burned by ERP or technology promises in the past? Does that make it challenging for a software company today? What about technology vendors who seem to promise a “silver bullet” solution for manufacturers?
• 35:00 Is the software industry learning from past rollout mistakes? Are companies using the technology evolving?
• 35:25 How Pelion operates with a clear customer charter, business case, etc.

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. Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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LeanBlog Podcast #13 brings us part 2 of our discussion with James P. Womack of the Lean Enterprise Institute, the author of many books including the classic (published 10 years ago) Lean Thinking and the more recent Lean Solutions. Part 1 can be found here.

In the second podcast, Jim discusses the state of manufacturing in China, including some factors to consider when competing with China, or setting up shop in China. Jim talks about the tradeoffs between manufacturing for export versus manufacturing in China for the local market.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Show Notes and Approximate Time, Episode #13

• 1:00 Are Chinese companies focusing on the short term, as they transition to market practices, or can they focus on the long term?
• 2:10 How Chinese companies are often getting rid of headcount as fast as they can, as opposed to being rewarded for finding something for people to do
• 3:20 “Had two years to become a modern mass producer”
• 4:00 Smart ones are building for the long term and for the Chinese domestic market
• 4:37 “If you’re just coming in as an exporter, a lot of things could happen,” referring to instability or political risk over time with China
• 5:00 “Iron rice bowl” — the idea that your job came with housing, education etc., a social control mechanism, everything came with your job… “the last thing you want to do is get anybody upset at Widget Factory #9.”
• 6:00 The amount of dislocation in people’s lives in China
• 7:00 What about “sweatshop” conditions alleged at the iPod factory?
• 7:30 Womack says the plants run by multinationals are, generally, run right (for safety, cleanliness, etc.)… “they don’t know how to run a sweatshop”
• 8:30 “Corner cutting doesn’t really save you any money… stupid meanness.” Those factories not directly run by multinationals might be tempted to cut corners because they just don’t know any better
• 9:50 “… what kind of doorknobs are you?”
• 10:10 What if we had a campaign to enforce safe work practices? Cost might actually go down.
• 10:40 Lots of people just moving material or sorting product in the Chinese pencil factory, lots of waste, “what a sad thing”… some minimal quality processes could save a lot of cost
• 11:30 “Quality is free, safety ought to be free, if you know what you’re doing…”
• 12:00 Many Chinese factory managers “just don’t any better, it’s better here than the old factory”
• 12:30 What about the environment (air, water) in China?
• 14:45 China is facing the same demographic problems as Japan, Europe, the U.S. with a large older retired population (with the one-child policy)
• 16:00 Has the “lean math” that Jim talks about changed? If you’re going to set up in China just for exporting back to the West, you have to really stop and evaluate the risk factors (political, etc.)
• 18:30 “What’s wrong with Mexico? It’s a truck location, not a boat location.”
• 19:00 What about reports of cars being imported from China?
• 20:30 Chinese car companies are a long way off from being able to compete here, quality wise.
• 23:20 There are 12 Lean Institutes around the world, “we are equal opportunity educators.”

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Update 12/17: Click here for part 2 of the Womack podcast.

LeanBlog Podcast #12 brings us a special guest, James P. Womack of the Lean Enterprise Institute, the author of many books including the classic (published 10 years ago) Lean Thinking and the more recent Lean Solutions. We ended up talking for about 40 minutes, so I’m going to split the discussion into two podcasts. In this first part, we focus more on China’s adoption (or lack of adoption) of lean practices. In the second podcast, Jim talks more about general trends for China and for those considering doing business in China.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #12 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:45: Womack’s trips to China started in the 1980’s… on his honeymoon
• 2:15: http://www.leanchina.org/ is the Lean Enterprise Institute in China
• 2:45: The Chinese have gone from being “not even mass producers” (staggering, mindboggling inefficiency) where the goal was job creation and control (20 years ago) to where now they are trying to be globally competitive in a serious way (but with a LONG history of doing things the wrong way)
• 4:10 : “Management is hard” – what is modern management (or even lean management) for the Chinese?
• 5:00: Chinese learned management from multinationals, entrepreneurs (including “Andre the Pencil King”)
• 6:00: No real Toyota presence in China (other than a few joint ventures)
• 6:30: Any evidence of lean practices or lean thinking in China’s shopfloors?
• 8:00 : Stories of waste from China
• 9:45: It’s hard, from a cultural standpoint, for the Chinese to hear they should be like the Japanese (due to long standing animosity)
• 11:45: Lean can be a universal way of doing things, just as mass production can be a universal way
• 12:50 : Does China have more hope for lean if they don’t have such a long history with mass production? Womack says “why put in place the wrong thing (mass production)?” We can be General Motors or we can be Toyota… let’s be Toyota.
• 14:30 : “They sense this low-wage thing is time limited…. They can’t go on building cheap goods for Americans forever.”
• 17:30 : Womack’s recent lean e-letter
• 19:10 : Wages are rising on the coast, but for commodity stuff, manufacturers will just move inland. We won’t see the cost of labor really going up. The price of management is really going up though – seeing what ex-pats are being paid is putting upward pressure on management wages (folks with education)
• 22:30 : “I saw nobody at all working to improve the process… it looked like nothing had changed in 40 years.” Big big leap from there to everyone thinking its part of their job to improve.

A complete list of Jim’s books can be found here.

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #11, once again with Norman Bodek of PCS Press and the author of many books, including Kaikaku: The Power and Magic of Lean. In this Podcast, we discuss a topic posed by a podcast listener, Bruce from Akron Ohio: how do you educate your top leadership about lean? Norman and I discuss the perspectives of CEOs and executives toward lean, change, and their organizations and some examples of lean problem solving approaches. It’s a long podcast (about 40 minutes), so I’d suggest you check out the show notes to find times of specific topics if you want to jump around.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #11 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:20 Question from Bruce in Akron again, how do you educate your top leadership about lean?
• 2:00 Norman spoke at the Lean Accounting Summit, even many CFO’s were asking how to get their leadership on board, as if they were powerless
• 3:50 Norman tells a story about a President of a $2B company asking him, “how can I get my people to deliver quality?” After two weeks in Japan, he said, “Now I understand, it’s not them, it’s me.”
• 6:15 Developing a Quality and Productivity Plan, getting input from multiple company presidents within a corporation
• 9:00 Building consensus among 12 company presidents
• 11:00 Long-term strategic plans for Japanese companies
• 13:30 How do we educate our top leadership? Should we buy them books like Norman’s “Kaikaku“?
• 13:50 Norman likes to ask, “If not me, who?” Who is going to do it? How are we going to empower people to work “bottom up” If you’re a middle manager, you have take charge, quit living with fear
• 15:30 Is the boss necessarily smarter than you?16:20 A great story about convincing a boss to NOT outsource to Asia by asking him “what do you really want?” and working toward the cost reduction targets. How many companies go to China just to join that bandwagon?
• 17:50 “At this rate, we’d all better learn to speak Chinese,” Norman says
• 18:10 Schwinn bicycle outsourced to Taiwan, then the company learned and took over design, etc. and became a big brand, Giant bicycles. They didn’t need Schwinn anymore.
• 19:20 People at all levels of the organization point fingers up and down about why we can’t do lean
• 20:30 The waste of not utilizing human talent, that provides the most opportunity
• 20:45 Why do we outsource to China before we’ve reduced waste and made the most of people here, instead of re-organizing our plants to avoid outsourcing?
• 21:40 A lot of companies say they want to empower employees, but do they know how?
• 23:50 Should every employee be their own boss? Norman gives an example of employees and the boss working together in a problem solving example
• 26:10 Norman got chewed out by a client for telling a worker what to do to solve some defects, he was told “that’s not what you’re here for…” It’s a lesson Norman forgets sometimes, you have to ask employees, not tell.
• 30:30 Toyota still has a hierarchy of leadership and “bosses” within the factory, how does that fit with Norman’s idea of everyone “being their own boss?”
• 31:30 Why are front line employees typically powerless?
• 33:45 Why do some bosses think that information = power, so they withhold information?
• 34:45 Ohno set a goal of “remove this warehouse in one year” and didn’t tell people how (other than “retrain people as mechanics”), he expected them to figure out the solution

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.

Click here for the main LeanBlog Podcast page with all previous episodes.

If you’re a regular Lean Blog reader, you should recognize Jamie as a valued contributor to the blog. Click here for a link to some of his blog posts. You can read more about his background here on Jamie’s bio page.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

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For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

LeanBlog Podcast #10 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 3:20 Question from Bruce, Akron OH… how do you educate the organization’s leadership about lean, that it isn’t about reducing headcount or just about 5S?
• 4:20 Jamie asks about some people’s perspectives on their leaders, are they “knuckleheads”? Do some people think that? (Not saying that Bruce did)
• 5:05 The phrase “boss hater” from Jack Welch and GE
• 5:50 Even if your boss is a “knucklehead”, it’s unproductive to treat them as if they “can’t” get it, you should care more about the lean outcomes
• 6:26 “I can’t move lean forward because my executive team doesn’t have a clue” — some common finger pointing
• 6:53 Does lean have to start at the top, as in “top down?” Jamie says it’s not true, unless you really want to become Toyota. Very few companies start off by someone at the top saying we’re going to become lean (didn’t even happen at Toyota… Ohno was not sitting in the executive suite, he was in the machine shop).
• 7:15 You can still work on lean within your span of control instead of complaining
• 8:15 What about executive level training? Jamie says you need to connect lean to the business strategy and results
• 12:15 Need to focus more on principles rather than tools
• 12:30 For 5S, the execs need to know “why” and what good looks like, the executives need to understand more about driving the lean culture
• 14:55 The reasons for doing lean depend on the context… are you in bankruptcy or do you have record profits?
• 15:15 Lean is about changing how people do their work, not just the results
• 16:30 How can you avoid the confict that might come up if management wants to lay off employees after lean improvements?
• 17:30 Jamie says “waste equals layoffs” — you often resort to layoffs just to survive
• 18:50 If you have to do layoffs, take the hit upfront and educate people about the financials of the business
• 23:00 When convincing leadership, find out what convinces them… examples from other companies, from results… and use that method

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.

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LeanBlog Podcast Episode #9, is a discussion with David Mann, the author of the excellent book Creating A Lean Culture: Tools To Sustain Lean Conversions. In this Podcast, we will talk about Steelcase’s experience with the their lean efforts and the realization that they required a “Lean Management System” for supervisors, managers, and leaders. We’ll talk about what that means, why it’s a critical feature of their Lean System and how to start making the transition to being a “lean leader.”

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your computer or MP3 player.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

LeanBlog Podcast #9 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 2:10 Started with lean, being asked to help with communications at Steelcase about 10 years ago
• 2:50 Steelcase’s original “case for change” regarding lean
• 4:45 How do you prepare people for change?
• 5:15 Changing away from an old established piecework system (80 years of history)
• 7:20 Had worked with Toyota-trained consultants, had “technically perfectly fine lean designs” but they were falling apart when project teams left
• 8:28 “The Toyota guys were like fish and we were asking them ‘what’s it like to be able to breathe underwater?’”
• 8:55 Baseball great Ted Williams
• 10:15 “Needed a different behavioral recipe”…. for leaders and supervisors, what do you need to do to sustain lean conversions? After 30 value stream conversions.
• 11:00 Concluded they needed a “Lean Management System” (how to manage) to complement the “Lean Production System” (the arrangement of the floor, material flow, etc.)
• 12:45 Needed to focus more on the process, not just results
• 13:00 Need to see how actual measures up to expected… and ask “why?”
• 13:40 “If you take care of your process, your process will take care of you.”
• 14:00 How do you work to transition traditional supervisors into lean supervisors, being a coach, being a leader? What about resistance to standard work for supervisors?
• 15:00 “It requires a leap of faith” and then small steps (e.g., visual controls, like a production control chart — put your initials on the hour-by-hour chart 4x per day and ask why when you see a chart not being filled out).
• 17:00 At first lean was more work for the supervisors, but they tried convincing them that it will eventually make their lives easier (if they take care of the system)
• 18:25 “Lean system are more high maintenance than mass production systems” (for the superivors and team leaders) — it made sense to create standard work for them (80% of their time is accounted for by standard work).
• 19:25 Tell me more about the hierarchy of checks within the organization…
• 20:30 Managers at different levels are spending a certain amount of their time checking the standard work of the manager below them
• 21:45 David tells a story about letting a manager lapse back into the old fire-fighting mode instead of following his standard work
• 24:50 Being a hero versus proper planning
• 26:30 What kind of timeframe would you use for evaluating whether or not a supervisor can make the transition to the lean way?
• 30:00 It becomes easier to see faster in a process-driven management environment that mirrors the discipline of the production environment. It becomes clear in a matter of weeks… can’t do it or won’t do it
• 31:20 Steelcase and the industry went into a historic recession after the dot com bubble and 9/11… demand fell 45%, so many people left, but those still left in management positions were the ones who had really embraced lean

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #8, an interview with Jim Huntzinger, the President of the Lean Accounting Summit. In this Podcast, we will talk about the notion of “Lean Accounting” and some of the ways that traditional cost accounting and managerial accounting can come into conflict with our lean transformation efforts. You might think, “I’m an engineer, what do I need to know about accounting?” But trust me, you need to learn about this topic so you can understand what drives some of the decisions your management might make and how they might need to change their approach to be more compatible with lean.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your computer or MP3 player.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

LeanBlog Podcast #8 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:45 Jim gives an intro to lean accounting: leaning out accounting versus “accounting for lean”.
• 3:20 First experiences with inaccurate standard costing systems and how that was driving
  bad business decisions, distortions through overhead allocation.
• 6:20 What bad decisions were being made through the lean journey – make/buy decisions.
• 6:30 How can you know how inaccurate your costing is without knowing exactly what the
  cost is?
• 7:15 The fundamental math of most accounting systems is wrong, so you’re automating a bad calculation.
• 7:50 What about the impact of inventory reductions being treated as a reduction in assets on the balance sheet? We still need to educate companies about this even after all this time working with lean.
• 9:00 Prof. Tom Johnson and his books
• 9:15 Some warnings about accounting go back to the start of the Industrial Revolution, that it could be used for incorrect decision making… you need to make decisions based on an intimate knowledge of the product.
• 9:35 What is the impact of having many large major manufacturers being run by “finance people”?
• 11:25 Again, accounting should be a support function for decisions you’ve made, rather than being the driving function of decisions.
• 13:30 Is it easier as a private company if you can ignore Wall Street and your stock price?
• 14:50 Some public companies have been successful with the long-term thinking… it comes down to leadership and leadership educating their boards and why the changes are good in the long term.
• 15:33 Who are the success stories heard about at the Lean Accounting Summit? Almost anyone working with lean accounting is on the cutting edge.
• 17:20 Over 500 attendees at the Summit this year, more than doubled from 2005.
• 18:15 “Thought leaders” or “Learning leaders”?
• 19:10 There’s a good mix of very large public companies down to very small privately held companies attending the Summit, a variety of industries (manufacturing and healthcare),not just the U.S.
• 20:15 Plans for the 2007 Summit
• 20:50 Will also have a “TWI” summit (Training Within Industry) – a topic for a future podcast, maybe
• 21:42 Training Within Industry: The Foundation Of Lean
• 22:50 Other lean accounting resources are on Jim’s website, as well as the AME website.

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.

Please check out my main blog page at www.leanblog.org

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For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

Here is LeanBlog Podcast #7, a new discussion with our friend Norman Bodek, President of PCS Press and the author of many books, including Kaikaku: The Power and Magic of Lean. In this Podcast, we discuss Toyota’s response to recent quality problems and recalls along with other Lean leadership topics.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your computer or MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #7 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:40 What are Norman’s thoughts on Toyota’s recalls and their response of adding time back into the product development process to build in quality?
• 2:08 “When your model is being attacked, it’s unnerving. Very often, people are looking for an excuse to not do something.”
• 2:50 Yes, Norman buys Toyota
• 2:57 The book 40 Years, 20 Million Ideas: The Toyota Suggestion System
• 3:50 How Toyota invests in people, their training and development and how “lifetime employment was a brilliant concept”, because that investment in people is an investment in the company.
• 5:45 A few years ago, Norman visited Toyota Georgetown, why was the number of suggestions dropping? Employees had been getting $20 per suggestion, no matter how small and so employees “played the game and played it well.” So, Toyota stopped the program.
• 7:55 “The greatest respect you can show somebody is asking their opinion and listening to their ideas.”
• 8:10 Norman suggests that Toyota should have just changed their system to pay $20 for an idea “if it was worth $20.”
• 8:40 “Lifetime employment” or “lifetime improvement?”
• 9:10 As employees, do we learn and improve for the sake of “me” and “my career” or for “the company?” Norman says it’s “sad” that I don’t want to improve for the company’s sake.
• 10:00 Although Toyota Georgetown does not have “lifetime improvement,” they have never laid off a worker.
• 10:10 Are Toyota “temp” workers treated differently? Do they get a similar sense of commitment for ideas and suggestions?
• 11:15 How “Quick and Easy Kaizen” focuses on what’s good for the worker? How do you make your work more interesting and easier? Norman says, “The result will be better quality, safety, customer service, productivity…”
• 12:30 Back to Toyota’s product development and quality
• 13:10 Motorola and product development engineers improving the process
• 14:00 “How can you ask employees to be innovative rather than needing to have everything controlled by management, as we do in America?”
• 14:55 Norman says, “Management is not trained extensively, as they should be”
• 16:10 Working every day to improve, as employee, in a highly competitive world
• 16:30 Sending work to China for cheaper labor to do non-value added work versus eliminating waste? Why?
• 17:40 What about Toyota describing product development problems as “bonehead mistakes?” Is that not showing “respect for people?”
• 18:00 Toyota tries to take waste development out of the development process without working them too hard.
• 20:20 Why Norman likes the theme of “respect for people”
• Click here for Norman’s Books and Videos from Amazon.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.

• 0:50 How do you teach people how to see waste? What is the role of leaders in eliminating waste?
• 1:10 More about the “language of waste” and specific waste terminology, why is that important?
• 2:10 How leaders can eliminate waste from their own role and your own work
• 4:20 How can leaders get people to move to action? Does fear get in the way?
• 4:55 “Be visible” – being visible versus being a “showman”
• 5:10 “Great leaders ask great questions” but it’s also important to make suggestions as a leader, to help drive action
• 5:30 “The management support myth” — being “behind” lean versus being a leader
• 6:35 Asking questions versus pointing out things to do
• 8:30 Doing lean “with” someone versus “for” them
• Jamie’s most recent column in Assembly Magazine can be found here. Click here for an archive of Jamie’s columns.

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #5, with a new guest: Jamie Flinchbaugh, Founder and Partner in the Lean Learning Center and co-author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Lean. In this Podcast, we talk about the “language of waste” and how waste reduction is a critical tool in the implementation of lean manufacturing and the Toyota Production System. There will be a second Podcast to follow, where we focus more on the role of leadership in driving waste out of your processes.

If you’re a regular Lean Blog reader, you should recognize Jamie as a valued contributor to the blog. Click here for a link to some of his blog posts. Prior to starting the Lean Learning Center, Jamie was part of the development, training and implementation of the Chrysler Operating System. Jamie also worked at DTE Energy, parent to Detroit Edison, as a lean thought leader to help transform the operations, leadership and thinking of the utility industry towards a philosophy of lean systems. You can read more about his background here on Jamie’s bio page.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

• 1:15 Why does Jamie use the terminology “hatred for waste” in the book?
• 2:00 We need to not just identify waste, we need to be compelled to fix it, to take action.2:20 Do companies get hung up in the “analysis” phase?
• 3:10 Waste elimination is a “tool” and should be a daily activity
• 4:00 Do some companies waste three months by analyzing things, because they’re afraid of doing the wrong thing?
• 4:40 Is there a risk of focusing on waste so much that you ignore your customer needs and value creation?
• 5:15 Jamie says “waste elimination should be an act unto itself” as opposed to just being the end goal of a different lean activity
• 5:40 Jamie talks about the value of “waste walks”
• 6:45 The “language of lean” and the types of waste
• 9:00 Discussion about “Waste” and “value,” the balance between the two — can you eliminate waste, but become irrelevant to your customer?
• 11:00 Can insourcing steps of the value stream help add more value in certain cases?
• 12:30 Most lean efforts are still manufacturing-centric and the amount of value you can provide is limited
• Jamie’s most recent column in Assembly Magazine can be found here. Click here for an archive of Jamie’s columns.

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.

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Here is LeanBlog Podcast #4, again featuring Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineerring at the University of Michigan. Dr. Liker is very well known in the lean world and is a leader in studying Toyota’s own practices and management approaches. More information about Dr. Liker and his books can be found in the show notes, below. The first part of his podcast can be found here.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #4 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:28 Dr. Liker’s comments on lean healthcare at the University of Michigan and their 5-day certificate program
• 2:03 Dr. Liker visited Toyota’s own hospital last year and they are just starting to implement lean and the “Toyota Way” at “Toyota Memorial Hospital“
• 2:53 “Hospitals are often a complete mess, lack of organization.”
• 3:50 “A lot of a hospital is just a huge material flow system… and it’s done really badly.”
• 5:08 Can also look at patient “value streams”
• 5:15 Can eliminate 80-90% of the waste (waiting) from a patient perspective
• 5:48 How the American Heart Association used the Toyota Product Development System
• 6:28 Why doctors are afraid that “standardized work” might stifle their actual work, “it’s really about becoming a learning organization”
• 7:48 How healthcare professionals can be open to principles (lean principles) rather than being told what to do
• 9:33 Why Toyota has “mechanized the routine tasks” — to free people up for problem solving
• 10:48 Workarounds and problem solving in healthcare
• 13:03 How simple, visual tools helped
• 13:28 What kind of consulting or advising does Dr. Liker do for those who might want to contact him? Keynote speeches, conferences, leadership workshops and vision setting. His firm, Optiprise, does more detailed consulting work.
• 15:29 The Toyota Product Development System (with Jim Morgan) is a new book that came out a few months back. Currently working on a new book with David Meier (co-author of the Toyota Way Fieldbook), called “Toyota Talent,” about how Toyota develops their people. It is part of what will be a series of books. The book will come out next year.

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.

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Here is the third LeanBlog Podcast, featuring Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineerring at the University of Michigan. Dr. Liker is very well known in the lean world and is a leader in studying Toyota’s own practices and management approaches. More information about Dr. Liker and his books can be found in the show notes, below.

For earlier episodes, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast (or click here for the streaming audio and RSS subscription). The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

Part 2 of the interview (Podcast #4) can be found here.

LeanBlog Podcast #3 Show Notes and Approximate Timeline

• 1:45 What originally got Liker into studying Toyota — product development and supplier interaction.
• 3:58 Liker: “What do you see when you go on a tour? You see the factories. The see the factory’s cleaner, it’s better organized, the workers seem to be working hard an very engaged… so what Americans saw was really on the surface, so what they copied was on he surface.”
• 5:06 Are people working on less surfacy issues now? Liker talks about the move toward “lean enterprise.”
• 6:08 Back in 2000, Liker was quoted as saying “50% of auto suppliers are talking lean, 2% are actually doing it.” How do you think those numbers have changed today?
• 7:18 Liker: “What they’ve done is used individual tools.”
• 8:02 What about companies who claim to “implement” lean in 13 weeks?
• 8:33 Liker discusses how Toyota develops leaders in advance of opening a new plant. How long will it take the new San Antonio plant to become a true lean factory?
• 10:58 Can you pick and choose which of the Toyota Way 14 points that you use?
• 11:08 Liker discusses mixed feelings about “creating your own system,” good in theory, but the risk is you just pick and choose isolated practices. The goal really is to become a learning organization.
• 13:18 Liker: “We’re not putting in the kanban system to eliminate inventory.” Liker discusses the balance between short-term gains and building a lean learning culture
• 16:03 Liker uses the phrase “Genchi Genbutsu” (or “go and see”)
• 16:08 Do you sometimes have to drag senior management out to the shopfloor?
• 17:22 Liker discusses how finance-driven companies drive metrics that interfere with lean. How has Toyota worked to set up an accounting system that supports the Toyota Production System?
• 20:28 Are there other Toyota Way Principles that companies struggle with?
• 22:33 Liker uses the phrase “hansei” (or “reflection”).
• 24:03 Why Toyota thinks you can’t “implement a perfect lean system.”

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.

Here is an amazon.com link to Dr. Liker’s books and in particular:

• The Toyota Way
• The Toyota Way Fieldbook (with David Meier)
• The Toyota Product Development System (with James Morgan)

Dr. Liker’s consulting firm, Optiprise, can be found here.

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Here is the second LeanBlog Podcast, featuring author and consultant Norman Bodek, President of PCS Press. The first one can be found here and this is the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or via Apple iTunes.

You can use the player (use the VCR-type controls) below to listen to a “streaming” version of the podcast. The streaming link is faster for one-time listening (hardly any delay to start listening). Or you can use the download link to put it on your iPod or other MP3 player.

LeanBlog Podcast #2 Show Notes and Timeline

• More on airport near misses here and here
• 2:55 Respect for people, the key difference between Toyota and American companies who aren’t maximizing lean
• 4:45 Why managers are responsible — not setting up the process properly and not giving power to the people who are in contact with the customer
• 6:00 Toyota realized that to give people respect, you have to give them power
• 6:30 In his first trip to Japan in 1981, Norman didn’t see people waiting in the factories
• 6:55 How “jidoka” and the separation of man and machines allowed one person to run seven machines
• 8:21 Why it’s OK to have the machine wait instead of having people wait
• 8:31 Norman is speaking at the Lean Accounting Conference
• 9:30 “The machine should be no bigger than five times the size of the part.”
• 10:45 How do we get managers to take responsibility for the design of the system?
• 11:55 How Fujio Cho changed the “line stop” by adding time buffers, so the whole factory doesn’t shut down — why Taiichi Ohno wouldn’t have liked that
• 12:20 Ohno liked the whole plant to shut down because it forces you to find the root cause
• 13:32 Why you don’t criticize people as a manager, how to bring out creative ideas
• 14:54 “Toyota was the most ruthless organization in Japan… Ohno was a terror… but from this comes the most humanistic management system.”
• 15:34 “A Toyota manager is told to ask, not tell.”
• 16:55 “Blame closes people up like an oyster.”
• 18:39 Why we should want people to make their own work easier and more interesting
• 19:25 “If we want to compete with the Toyotas of the world, we have to learn how to bring out the best of our people.”
• 19:38 “We send work to China and Toyota comes here to make cars.”
• 19:50 Discussion of Toyota’s hiring approach and selectivity
• 22:10 Our management system is broken…
• 23:00 How healthcare is better about no layoff pledges along with lean and how
  that helps

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.

Here is an amazon.com link to Norman Bodek’s Books, and in particular:

• Kaikaku, The Power and Magic of Lean
• The Idea Generator: Quick and Easy Kaizen

• Introduction to the Podcast (until 2:22)
• The difference between kaizen and kaizen events, early history of bringing the kaizen blitz (“kaikaku”) to America (starting at 3:18)
• Early development of employee suggestion systems (4:18)
• Difference between suggestion systems and “cost savings systems” (5:00)
• How Toyota started their suggestion system of “small, little ideas” (5:26)
• There is a point where the audio is poor, Norman says at 6:00, “…ideas per employee per year, one per month, one per month implemented idea per employee. So, that represented millions of ideas in fact I published a book once…”
• Norman mentions an early book, “40 Years, 20 Million Ideas: The Toyota Suggestion System“, now out of print, but available used through amazon.com, albeit at a rare book price. The, the audio improves again.
• How do you “manage 1800 ideas” per month? (6:40)
• Norman’s experiences with Gulfstream and employee suggestions (8:30)
• How kaizen is not a bureaucratic system (10:40)
• What are the proper incentives for employee suggestions? (11:40)
• What are the two pillars of TPS? (13:05)
• How do you “keep score” with employee suggestions? (14:15)
• How do you balance between kaizen and standard work? (14:40)
• What is your role as a supervisor with employee suggestions? (15:40 and 22:30)
• How has Toyota changed their suggestion system over time? (16:50)
• Why giving $20 an idea was a problem (18:15)
• Proof that Toyota sometimes makes mistakes – but improves! (18:50)
• Focusing on “implementations” as opposed to “suggestions” (21:05)
• What happens when you criticize a suggestion? (23:00)

Here is a blog entry that Norman wrote about the podcast, with additional thoughts.

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.

Here is an amazon.com link to Norman Bodek’s Books.

My announcer is my old friend, Steve Sholtes, a musician from Michigan.