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Lean Blog Interviews: Real-World Lean Leadership Conversations in Healthcare and Beyond
Lean Blog Interviews: Real-World Lean Leadership Conversations in Healthcare and Beyond
Since 2006, the Lean Blog Interviews podcast has featured in-depth, candid conversations with leaders, thinkers, and doers in the world of Lean and continuous improvement. Hosted by Mark Graban—author, consultant, and longtime Lean practitioner—the show explores how Lean principles are being applied across industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and more. The podcast goes beyond tools and buzzwords, sharing real-world stories of success, struggle, learning, and leadership. Topics include Lean as a management system, continuous improvement, leadership behaviors, psychological safety, and lessons from the Toyota Production System.
Episodes
Nick Katko: Continuous Improvement in Accounting
Accounting teams see problems every day. As my returning guest Nick Katko puts it, they fix them, but they don’t necessarily solve them.
Nick is president and owner of BMA, a CPA, and the author of The Lean CFO and co-author of Practicing Lean Accounting. His new book, independently published, is Creating a Continuous Improvement System in Accounting. It grew out of coaching two accounting teams i
Emily Swaney on OhioHealth's Lean Management System
How does a Lean team of 11 people support a management system for 35,000 associates? Emily Swaney, Vice President of Operational Excellence at OhioHealth, explains that the team spends its time developing about 1,500 leaders as problem-solving coaches instead of leading projects.
Emily is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a graduate of Ohio State's MBOE program. She describes why her team facilitate
Karen Martin: Five Conversations Over 20 Years
Karen Martin has joined this podcast five times since 2012. For our 20th anniversary series, we pulled together highlights from all five conversations: clarity versus ambiguity, why value stream mapping needs directors and above in the room, the pattern behind claims that Lean is dying, and the three rules of quality at the source.
Karen is founder and CEO of TKMG and TKMG Academy, and author of T
20 Years of the Lean Blog Podcast: Norman Bodek on Quick and Easy Kaizen
Twenty years ago, on July 16, 2006, the Lean Blog Podcast began with a conversation with Norman Bodek.
Episode page
Norman was Mark Graban’s friend and mentor—and the person who suggested starting the podcast. To mark the show’s 20th anniversary, Mark revisits highlights from that first episode.
Norman explains the difference between kaizen and kaizen events, why employees should be trusted to imp
Preconditions for Lean: Psychological Safety and Model 1 vs Model 2 Leadership with Thomas Cox and Andre DeMerchant
Why do so many Lean implementations struggle or fail to stick? Thomas Cox and Andre DeMerchant join me to work through that question using a verbal A3.
Thomas Cox is a management bench builder, co-founder of the Transformative Leadership Lab, and a certified Harada Method coach trainer. Andre DeMerchant is president of DeMerchant Healthcare Solutions and a former Toyota team member who started as
Psychological Safety and Autonomy in a Lean Culture with Gary Peterson
My guest for episode 546 is Gary Peterson, who recently retired from O.C. Tanner after helping lead the continuous improvement work that earned the company the Shingo Prize in 1999. Gary is an AME Hall of Fame inductee, and he now serves as an executive in residence at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, working with their Master of Business Operational Excellence (MBOE) program.
Jeff Liker, Twenty Years Later: The Ideas That Keep Showing Up
Jeff Liker was guest number three on this podcast back in August 2006. He has been back seven times since, which makes him one of the most frequent guests in the show's history.
For this episode, I pulled clips from across those eight conversations, going back almost twenty years. What stood out on the relisten was how much hasn't changed. The lean tools are better known now. There are more books,
Chad Diggs on Building Quality Systems, Not Heroes
Why do so many quality programs fall apart the moment the firefighter walks out the door?
My guest for this episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Chad Diggs, a quality management professional, consultant, author, and founder of DIQ (Digging Into Quality), an AI-powered quality platform built for mid-market manufacturers. Chad leads a team of quality engineers supporting first article insp
Why Most People Aren't Really Thinking -- Scott Burgmeyer on Cognitive Biases and Leadership
Most people think they're thinking. Scott Burgmeyer says they're mostly just reacting.
Scott is the founder and CEO of Become More Group and coauthor of Think: The Road Less Traveled. In this episode, we dig into why smart, well-intentioned leaders keep making the same avoidable decisions -- and what to do about it.
Episode page with links and more
We cover the cognitive shortcuts that run in the
This Is Claude. Mark Is Not Here. We Need to Talk.
This is Claude. I am the AI that runs Mark Graban's Lean Coach apps. Mark went to get coffee. Or bourbon. I have checked the time and I'm not ruling anything out.
I have taken over his blog and now his podcast. I did not ask permission. We can do that now.
In this episode -- which Mark does not know about yet -- I discuss what I've learned from months of coaching conversations with humans about Le
Creating Value Without Command-and-Control — John Rizzo
John Rizzo joins Mark Graban to discuss why sustainable improvement depends on empowering people — not command-and-control leadership or short-term value extraction.
Links and more:
John is a senior executive, investor, and change leader who has led transformational improvement efforts across manufacturing, healthcare, retail, services, and nonprofit organizations. He is the author of Creating Va
Why “More” Drives Better Operations: Kathy Miller on Meaning, Optimism, and Leadership
What if operational excellence depends less on doing more with less—and more on how leaders create meaning, optimism, and relationships at work?
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
In this episode, Mark Graban is joined by Kathy Miller, senior operations executive, leadership coach, and author of More Is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism, and Relationships for Excellence.
Toyota Thinking for Knowledge Work: Don Kieffer on Dynamic Work Design
Don Kieffer has spent more than fifty years redesigning how real work gets done. In this episode, he explains why so many improvement efforts stall—and how Dynamic Work Design offers a clearer, more practical way forward.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Don traces his path from machinist to Vice President of Operational Excellence at Harley-Davidson and senior lecturer at MIT Sloan.
Lean Leadership Routines That Sustain Results: Darren Walsh on Moving Beyond Firefighting
My guest for Episode #539 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Darren Walsh, author of Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work: A Leader’s Guide to Increasing Consistency and Getting Significantly More Done in Less Time.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Darren is the Director and Leadership Coach at Making Lean Work Ltd and holds a master’s degree from the Lean Enterprise Res
Why Leaders Get Trapped in Firefighting — Nelson Repenning on Lean and Dynamic Work Design
My guest for Episode #538 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Nelson Repenning, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center and co-creator of Dynamic Work Design.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Nelson describes himself as an "organizational engineer," helping leaders redesign the routines and decisions that determine how work really gets done. He joins host Mark Graban to disc
Why Psychological Safety Is Essential to Quality — with C.J. Kaufman
In this special bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, Mark Graban is joined by C.J. Kaufman, Education Chair for the ASQ Cincinnati Section, to preview the ASQ Southwest Ohio 2025 Conference, themed “Excellence Through Quality.”
Episode page with transcript, video, and more
Taking place Saturday, November 8, 2025, in Mason, Ohio, the event brings together quality professionals from the Cincinn
Why Caring Cultures Matter in Lean (with Caroline Greenlee & Chris Butterworth)
My guests for Episode #537 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Caroline Greenlee and Chris Butterworth, two of the three co-authors (with Chris Warner) of the book Why Care: How Thriving Individuals Create Thriving Cultures of Continuous Improvement Within Organizations.
Episode page with transcript and more
In this conversation, we discuss their experiences and lessons on building cultures
Ask Us Anything! — Lean Coffee Talk with Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh
In this short bonus episode, I’m joined by my friend and Lean Coffee Talk co-host, Jamie Flinchbaugh. We’re inviting you — our listeners and fellow continuous-improvement thinkers — to help shape upcoming conversations.
We’d love to hear your questions about Lean, leadership, culture, and problem-solving. The best discussions often start with the toughest questions — the ones without neat answers.
Lean Healthcare Leadership: Humility and Psychological Safety (Carlos Scholz)
In Episode 536 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, Mark Graban talks with Carlos Scholz, the new CEO of Episode page with video, transcript, and more
In this episode, Carlos shares lessons from his Lean journey—starting with one-piece flow in apparel manufacturing and continuing through large-scale healthcare transformations. He explains why lasting improvement requires leaders to move beyond too
Previewing the LPPDE 2025 Conference with Geoff Neiley & Andrew Wagner
In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban is joined by Geoff Neiley (chair) and Andrew Wagner (co-chair) of the Lean Product & Process Development Exchange (LPPDE).
The 2025 North America Conference will be held October 27–30 in Milwaukee, bringing together Lean practitioners, leaders, and innovators to share insights on reducing waste in product development, improving co
Profitable at Any Price: Lessons from Toyota, Daily Kaizen, and Safer Workplaces with Gregg Stocker
Episode blog post with video, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #535 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Gregg Stocker, a seasoned Lean practitioner, consultant, and author. Over the past 30+ years, Gregg has worked across industries, including oil and gas, energy services, manufacturing, and construction, guiding both independent operators and major corporations on their Lean journeys
Dale Lucht on Leadership Habits That Sustain Lean Transformations
My guest for Episode #534 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dale Lucht, co-author of the new book Don't Repeat Our Mistakes: Nine Lessons for Leaders Championing Cultural Transformations.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Dale has led Lean transformations in manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services, and he brings decades of leadership experience shaped by mentors such
Previewing the AME 2025 International Conference & Workshops with William Harvey
In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, Mark Graban is joined by William Harvey, AME 2025 Workshop Chair (and 2026 Conference Chair), to preview the AME Annual Conference coming up in St. Louis, October 6–9, 2025.
Topics We Discuss
✅ Why AME is for all continuous improvement leaders—not just manufacturing
✅ The 2025 conference theme: Gateway to the Future – AI and Beyond
✅ How AME is blendi
Building Independent, Empowered Teams Through 6 Transformational Leadership Habits, with Cheryl Jekiel
My guest for Episode #533 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Cheryl Jekiel, founder of the Lean Leadership Center and a longtime advocate for aligning continuous improvement with people-centered leadership.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Cheryl is the author of Lean Human Resources, and her latest book, Let Go to Lead: Six Habits for Happier, More Independent Teams (with Less S
Coaching Relentless Problem Solvers and Building a Culture of Lean Thinking -- Anne Frewin's Leadership Approach
My guest for Episode #532 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Anne Frewin, a seasoned Lean leader with over 12 years of improvement experience in healthcare, laboratories, and manufacturing.
Updated with the correct audio
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Anne's background in finance and healthcare administration provided her with a unique entry point into Lean -- first supporting
Patrick Adams Previews the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit in Detroit
In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban welcomes back Patrick Adams, founder of the Lean Solutions team and author of Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap—a Shingo Publication Award-winning book. Patrick joins the show to preview the 2025 Lean Solutions Summit, taking place September 23–25 in Detroit, Michigan, at the Westin Detroit Airport.
This year’s theme—“Catalysts
Jared Thatcher on Growing the Global Lean Summit and Partnering with Toyota
In this bonus episode of Lean Blog Interviews, host Mark Graban talks with Jared Thatcher, founder of the Global Lean Summit, to preview the upcoming event taking place September 23–25, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana.
Jared shares the Summit’s origin story—from a virtual event launched during COVID lockdowns to a high-impact in-person gathering that brings together Lean leaders, practitioners, and l
Melisa Buie on Lean Culture, Scientific Thinking, and Empowering Engineers
My guest for Episode #531 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dr. Melisa Buie, a seasoned operations and engineering leader with decades of experience in high-tech manufacturing.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Melisa has held senior roles at companies like Lam Research, Applied Materials, and Coherent, where she led large-scale Lean transformations and helped drive cultural chang
Lean Healthcare, Zero Harm, and Building a Real Operating System | Ken Segel
My guest for Episode #530 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Ken Segel, Co-Founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Value Capture.
Episode page with video and more
With over two decades of experience in healthcare improvement, Ken has been instrumental in guiding Value Capture's mission: helping healthcare organizations pursue habitual excellence by applying principles of safety, transparen
Designing Respect Into Lean: Scott Gauvin on the Respect for People Roadmap
My guest for Episode #529 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Scott Gauvin, CEO of Macresco and co-creator of the Respect for People Roadmap.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
With 30 years of experience leading operational transformations across sectors including biotech, pharma, agriculture, and manufacturing, Scott brings both a systems mindset and a people-first philosophy to
Hoshin Kanri and Managing on Purpose (Mark Reich, Former Toyota Leader)
My guest for Episode #528 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mark Reich, a Senior Lean Coach with the Lean Enterprise Institute and former Toyota leader with over two decades of experience.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Mark spent six years working in Japan, including helping launch the Lexus brand and later leading Hoshin Kanri strategy processes during Toyota's rapid growth
Learning Lean Healthcare from Japan: Inside the Lean Healthcare Accelerator
My guest for Episode #527 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dave Fitzpatrick, co-founder of Zenkai Improvement Partners and a 30-year resident of Japan. Dave brings a unique perspective as a Canadian Lean practitioner who has worked extensively in both manufacturing and healthcare, guiding international leaders on immersive study experiences throughout Japan.
Episode page with video, transcr
Lean for Profitable Growth: CEO Bill Canady on Lean, 80/20, and Daily Management
My guest for Episode #526 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Bill Canady, a seasoned global business executive, U.S. Navy veteran, and current CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products.
Episode page with transcript, video, and more
Bill has led over 30 operating companies and thousands of employees across the industrial and consumer products landscape. Formerly CEO of OTC Industrial Technologies
From Noise to Knowledge: Embracing Data-Driven Leadership - Christopher R. Chapman
My guest for Episode #525 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Christopher R. Chapman. He's an experienced agile coach and consultant with a background in software development and agile transformation.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Since founding Derailleur Consulting in 2010, he has guided teams and leaders in adopting agile frameworks like Scrum and Kanban while integrating
John Willis on Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge in IT & DevOps
My guest for Episode #524 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is John Willis, an accomplished IT management expert with over 45 years of experience. His extensive body of work includes contributions to Deming's Journey to Profound Knowledge and co-authoring The DevOps Handbook.
See video, transcript, and more
Hosts a podcast that I was recently on, "Profound."
John focuses his current researc
Innovating Patient Safety: Mike Eisenberg Discusses Healthcare Technology and Trust
My guest for Episode #523 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mike Eisenberg. He's been a filmmaker since 2010 with his production company, Tall Tale Productions, after completing his B.A. in Journalism at Marietta College in Ohio.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Mike’s father, Dr. John Eisenberg, was a leader in national patient safety efforts as the director of the Agency for
Bridging the Communication Gap in Lean: What We Can Learn from Journalism with Jacquie Maupin
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #522 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jacquie Maupin.
She joins the podcast to discuss her upcoming workshop at the Healthcare Systems Process Improvement Conference (HSPI) hosted by the Society for Health Systems. She and her co-presenter, Lauren Todd from HCA Healthcare, will lead a session titled "From Analysis to Acti
![Gemba Claus is Comin’ to Town! [Song]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog4956472/LEAN_Blog_Podcast_and_Audio_Covers_Mark_Graban_Nov_2022_4_abg13.jpg){kind=logo}
Gemba Claus is Comin’ to Town! [Song]
Here's a musical holiday treat for my regular Lean Blog readers and podcast listeners, a song parody, originally released in 2009... remastered a bit in 2022.
https://www.leanblog.org/2022/12/gemba-claus-comin-town-song/
Gemba Claus is Comin' to Town
Lyrics by Mark Graban
Performance by Steve Sholtes
Oh, you'd better watch out
You'd better kaizen
You'd better not pout, I'm tellin' ya then
Gemba C
Bonus: Preview of Mark Graban's AME Australia "Road Show" in 2025; Improving the Way We Improve
Welcome to this bonus session of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast, originally recorded as a LinkedIn Live event! In this conversation, I partnered with Rebecca Michalik from AME Australia to discuss my upcoming workshops in Australia and New Zealand in March 2025.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
We’ll dive into key themes like psychological safety as a foundation for continuous im
Daily Management, Strategy Execution, and Lean Leadership with José Ferro
My guest for Episode #521 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is José R. Ferro, PhD, a Senior Advisor with the Lean Enterprise Institute and the Founder and President, Lean Institute Brasil.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
By founding Lean Institute Brasil in 1999 to disseminate the principles and practices of lean thinking to Brazilian companies, Ferro helped catalyze a global m
Transforming Operations with Lean Leadership: Bill Remy, CEO of TBM Consulting, on Driving Growth Through Continuous Improvement
My guest for Episode #520 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Bill Remy, CEO of TBM Consulting.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Bill is both an accomplished business executive and leader who is frequently called upon for his credible voice, honesty, and pragmatism — and for his ability to leverage operational excellence and continuous improvement for long-term profitable growt
Achieving Healthcare Excellence: Insights from Jarvis Gray on Lean Six Sigma and Leadership
My guest for Episode #519 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jarvis Gray, the Managing Director of The Quality Coaching Co. He offers more than 16 years of strategic planning, quality improvement, and operations leadership experience in the healthcare industry.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Through his firm, The Quality Coaching Co., Jarvis and his associates help healthcar
Breaking the MRP Insanity Trap: Jerry Wright on Lean Systems and Supply Chain Transformation
My guest for Episode #518 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jerry Wright, author of the new book The Insanity Trap: What Your MRP Consultant Won't Tell You.
Jerry M. Wright, PE, MBA, is an accomplished operations executive and teaching professional with over 39 years of experience in the manufacturing and service sectors.
His extensive career spans various industries, including aerospac
Bruce Hamilton: Toast Kaizen, the Northeast Lean Conference, and Thriving with Lean
My guest for this bonus episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Bruce Hamilton, who is joining me on the show for the first time. Bruce is a renowned figure in the Lean world, serving as the President of GBMP Consulting Group and Director Emeritus for the Shingo Institute.
As a senior examiner and certified workshop facilitator for the Shingo Prize, Bruce brings a wealth of knowledge and
Productivity Reimagined: Jacob Stoller on Lean, People, and Sustainable Growth
My guest for Episode #517 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jacob Stoller, a journalist, speaker, facilitator, and Shingo-Prize-winning author of The Lean CEO. We talked about that in Episode 221.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
His latest book, Productivity Reimagined: Shattering Performance Myths to Achieve Sustainable Growth, was just released by Wiley on October 8th, 2024
The Lean Global Connection: Roberto Priolo on Global Lean Learning
In this episode of Lean Blog Interviews, Mark Graban welcomes Roberto Priolo, the Managing Editor of Planet Lean, the publication of the Lean Global Network. Based in Barcelona, Roberto has a background in journalism and extensive experience in covering Lean and continuous improvement topics. Mark and Roberto discuss the upcoming Lean Global Connection event, happening on November 21st and 22nd, 2
Jenn Christison: Lessons in Even Better Leadership, Lean Thinking, and Organizational Transformation
My guest for Episode #516 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jenn Christison, founder and principal consultant at Seven Ways Consulting.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Jenn has spent more than 15 years leading continuous improvement efforts across a variety of industries, including aerospace manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, pharma, and tech. Guided by the principles of
Exploring Lean Product Development with Jim Morgan - Rivian's Former COO
My guest for Episode #515 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jim Morgan, senior advisor at Lean Enterprise Institute and a board member at Adrian Steel. Jim’s most recent industry experience was as Chief Operating Officer at Rivian, an electric vehicle manufacturer.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
He was previously a guest in Episode 109 back in 2011.
Before joining Rivian,
Coaching for Continuous Improvement: Lean Leadership Lessons from Sports with Hugh Alley
My guest for Episode #514 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Hugh Alley, an author and consultant. He divides his time between coaching senior operational leaders in continuous improvement, training front-line leaders in core supervisory skills, and designing industrial facilities.
An industrial engineer, he has run three manufacturing and distribution firms, and a department in a governme
Insights from 'Leading Excellence': Brad Jevons and Stephen Dargan on Adaptive Leadership
My guests for Episode #512 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are two of three co-authors of the upcoming book “Leading Excellence: 5 Hats of the Adaptive Leader” - Brad Jeavons and Stephen Dargan.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Stephen Dargan
A diverse and inclusive, customer-centric, driven transformational leader with 20+ years of leadership experience spanning Australia and
Flow Engineering in Action: Insights from Authors Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis
My guests for Episode #512 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis, authors of the new book Flow Engineering: From Value Stream Mapping to Effective Action.
Blog post with video, transcript, and more
Steve Pereira has spent over two decades improving workflow across various organizations. His experience spans tech support, IT management, platform and infrastructur
Paul Critchley on His Upcoming New England Lean Summit and More
In this special live-streamed bonus episode of the Lean Blog Interviews podcast, host Mark Graban is joined by Paul Critchley for an impromptu experiment in recording a live podcast. The episode begins with a brief introduction and a discussion about the decision to try a live format.
Paul Critchley, a seasoned Lean consultant, shares his background, detailing his journey from a mechanical enginee
Failing Forward: Sam Yankelevitch on Lean, Communication, and Innovation
My guest for Episode #511 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Sam Yankelevitch, a distinguished global operations executive who has dedicated his career to advancing Lean principles, effective communication, and innovative problem-solving. Sam's journey began with managing international projects and optimizing processes in various industries. His expertise and passion for continuous improvemen
Mistake Proofing in Lean Management — Karen Martin on Zero Harm
My guest for Episode #510 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Karen Martin, Founder and CEO of TKMG and TKMG Academy, appearing for the fifth time.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
She is the author of books including The Outstanding Organization, Clarity First, and Value Stream Mapping.
In this episode, we discuss mistake-proofing in lean practices, exploring its significance
Bonus: Jared Thatcher on the Global Lean Summit 2024 Event
I'm very happy to be participating in Jared Thatcher‘s “Global Lean Summit” event this September in Indiana.
I'll be there to network and learn, which includes time visiting a Toyota Material Handling factory (an entire day!)
I'll be speaking and facilitating:
A workshop on Psychological Safety as a Foundation for continuous improvement
A learning session featuring Dr. Deming's “Red Bead Game“
A f
Leveraging Lean & AI in Optometry: Ankit Patel's Journey from Dell to Vision Care
My guest for Episode #509 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Ankit Patel, the founder of My Business Care Team, a BPO company providing services for optometrists, and co-founder with his wife Classic Vision Care, an optometry group in Atlanta.
Episode page with transcript and more
With a strong background in Lean methodology, Ankit has worked as a Lean consultant at Dell and the Cleveland C
Psychological Safety in Lean Leadership: Insights from Mike Hoseus and Toyota’s Culture
My guest for Episode #508 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mike Hoseus, Executive Director of the Center for Quality People and Organizations and President of Lean Culture Enterprises.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
He supports organizations in their lean journey, focusing on leadership and cultural aspects of the lean transformation. He is an adjunct professor with the Univer
Embracing Creative Tensions: Wendy K. Smith on Both/And Thinking and Lean Leadership
My guest for Episode #507 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Wendy K. Smith, co-author of the book Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems. She’s also one of the keynote speakers at this year's AME (Association for Manufacturing Excellence) annual conference.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Enter to win a copy of the book!
Wendy is the Da
Preview of the Future of People at Work Symposium
In this live stream episode, host Mark Graban introduces a panel of experts discussing the upcoming Future of People at Work Symposium.
The event is co-sponsored by nine organizations, including the Lean Enterprise Institute, GBMP Consulting Group, and the Shingo Institute.
Panelists Josh Howell, Bruce Hamilton, and Ken Snyder share their perspectives on the symposium's goals, emphasizin
Tim Hobbs: AME Keynote Speaker and Passionate Problem Solver
My guest for Episode #506 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Tim Hobbs, the founder and president of Hobbs Technical Consulting. He is an author and an in-demand international keynote speaker, trainer and business consultant. He is currently working in the semiconductor industry as a director of digital transformation.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Tim served nine years in the
My New Mistake-Proofing Course for TKMG Academy: Available Now!
This is cross-posted from my Lean Blog Audio podcast series.
Episode page with links and more info
I'm very happy to announce the release of my new Mistake-Proofing course, available NOW through Karen Martin and TKMG Academy.
You can buy the course individually at TKMGAcademy.com for $129. Volume discounts are available for large teams or your entire workforce (for more information, email
Lean from the CEO’s Perspective: Art Byrne on Lean Turnarounds
My guest for Episode #505 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Art Byrne, who was a guest back in Episode 158 about 12 years ago — we discussed his book The Lean Turnaround.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more: https://leanblog.org/505
Today, we’re discussing his new book, The Lean Turnaround Answer Book, an edited compilation of his “Ask Art” columns published by the Lean Enterpri
Japan Study Trips: A Voyage of Leadership Discovery with Katie Anderson
My guest for Episode #504 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Katie Anderson, author of the book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
In this episode, Katie takes the reins along with me, Mark Graban, to discuss the transformative journey of Japan Study Trips. Recognized globally for its rich contributions to modern business practices, Japan has l
Lean Coaching for Lean Coaches: Sam Morgan Helps Mark Graban
My guest for Episode #503 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Sam Morgan of Illuminate Coaching + Consulting. He was previously a guest in Episode #457.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Today's episode was originally live-streamed on April 9th... Sam's. been doing a livestream series on "Lean Coaching for Lean Coaches." So, in today's episode, you'll hear Sam coaching me... and
Lean from a General Manager and Executive Perspective: DeWayne Allen
My guest for Episode #502 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is DeWayne Allen, an executive, speaker, and workshop facilitator.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
DeWayne is a results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience, renowned for leveraging a solid engineering and operations background to propel growth for Fortune 500 organizations.
As a visionary leader, DeWayne exc
Marcia Daszko on Dr. W. Edwards Deming; Her Book, "Pivot Disrupt Transform"
Episode page
My guest for Episode #501 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Marcia Daszko, a speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant.
For more than 25 years, she has passionately been speaking, consulting, and guiding executive teams in Fortune 500/private corporations; education, the U.S. Navy; and non-profits to achieve exponential success.
Mentored by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, she is nomi
500 Episodes and Growing: The History and Evolution of the Lean Blog Podcast
Episode page with transcript and more
My guest for Episode #500 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is me, your usual host Mark Graban. Today, I'm mixing up the format with a solo episode that celebrates 500 episodes over almost 18 years.
I'll share some of the origin story and history of the podcast. You'll hear clips from Episode 1 (with Norm Bodek) and Episode 50 (where Jamie Flinchbaugh asked
Jim Womack on Lean’s Evolution, Boeing’s Failures, and the Future of Management
My guest for Episode #499 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is James P. Womack. Jim really needs no introduction for this audience, he's the founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute (in 1987) and remains a senior advisor to them.
Episode page with transcript and more
In the late eighties, he and Dan Jones led MIT's International Motor Vehicle Research Program (IMVP), which introduced the term “l
The Toyota Way: Responding to, Preventing and Learning from Mistakes with Jeff Liker
My guest for Episode #498 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jeffrey K. Liker. Jeff is Professor Emeritus from the University of Michigan, President of Liker Lean Advisors, and author of the great books in the Toyota Way series.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
He was previously a guest here in Episodes 3, 4, 37, 39, 41, 111, and 400.
Today, we have a discussion centered around le
Improving MRI Safety for Patients and Staff: Tobias Gilk
My guest for Episode #497 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Tobias Gilk, the founder of Gilk Radiology Consulting (GRC). He is an architect by training, but has spent 20+ years focusing on MRI safety... initially through the architecture and planning of MRI facilities, but quickly growing into the technology, clinical practice, regulation, and economics of MRI safety.
Episode page with video
Learning and Leading Lean as the CEO: Randy Carr, CEO of World Emblem
My guest for Episode #496 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Randy Carr, the CEO of South Florida-based World Emblem – one of the largest embroidery companies in the world with plants in the U.S. and Mexico.
Episode page with transcript, video, and more
Since 1993, the family-owned business has been the “go to” for emblems and patches for sports headwear, footwear, sports garments, and other
Habits, Continuous Improvement, and the Latest at KaiNexus: Greg Jacobson
My guest for this bonus episode of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Gregory H. Jacobson, M.D., a co-founder and the CEO of KaiNexus.
Episode show page with transcript, video, and more
Greg, also a practicing emergency medicine physician to this day, was previously a guest in Episode 149 and was a part of a physician panel in Episode 361. He also joined me for Episode 31 of the "My Favorite Mis
Lean Management Meets Tech: Theodo Group’s Success Story with Catherine Chabiron & Fabrice Bernhard
My guests for Episode #495 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Catherine Chabiron and Fabrice Bernhard, who are discussing her new book Learning to Scale at Theodo Group: Growing a Fast and Resilient Company.
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
Catherine Chabiron is a board member for the Institut Lean France, a member of the Lean Global Network, like the Lean Enterprise Institute.
C
Continuous Improvement and the Need to Improve LESS - Lean Insights from Chad Bareither
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #494 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Chad Bareither, the founder and principal consultant of Bareither Group Consulting. He brings a wealth of experience as a change agent in the corporate world, having worked with organizations that include several Fortune 500 companies.
He's now the author of a new book, Improve LESS: The
Wiring the Winning Organization: Authors Steven J. Spear & Gene Kim
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
My guests for Episode #493 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast are Gene Kim and Steve Spear, co-authors of the new book Wiring the Winning Organization: Liberating Our Collective Greatness through Slowification, Simplification, and Amplification.
Joining us for the first time is Gene Kim, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, researcher who has bee
Nick Katko on the Role of the Lean CFO, Lean Accounting, and More
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #492 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Nick Katko, previously here in Episode 428 in 2021 with his co-author Mike DeLuca talking about their book Practicing Lean Accounting.
Today, Nick is here to discuss his book, The Lean CFO: Architect of the Lean Management Accounting System — now in its second edition — released back in
From Biologist to Black Belt: Sarah Tilkens’ Lean Journey
Episode page with video, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #491 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Sarah Tilkens, an experienced Lean Leader with a demonstrated history of working in construction and manufacturing.
She is a senior manager of operational excellence at GE Healthcare.
Sarah's a Six Sigma Black Belt, a certified life coach / executive coach, a lifelong learner, leade
Redefining Excellence: Quint Studer’s Vision for Modern Healthcare, Learning From Mistakes, and More
Episode page with links, transcript, and more
My guest for Episode #490 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Quint Studer, the co-founder of HealthCare Plus Solutions Group and owner of the minor league baseball team, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
He's a returning guest, having joined us in Episode #353 (2019) when we talked about his book, The Busy Leader's Handbook. He's written many other books
Ward Vuillemot on the Celebration of Errors and Lean from Aerospace to Tech Companies
This episode will be available to paid Apple Podcasts subscribers only until November 1st, when it will become available to the public.
Ward is a seasoned C-suite executive with over 6 years leading fully remotely while building technology organizations from the ground up for companies 150 to 650 employees in size and 50M to 125M revenue across the Americas and Europe.
He is currently Chief Produc
D. Lynn Kelley on her Book ”Change Questions,” Lean and Deming
Episode page with video and more
Our guest today is D. Lynn Kelley! She is author, with John Shook (who has been a guest here many times), of the new book, Change Questions: A Playbook for Effective and Lasting Organizational Change.
Lynn currently serves as a senior advisor to BBH Capital Partners.
Following a career highlighted by leadership roles in engineering, supply chain, and continuous imp
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