Lean Blog Interviews

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. Please visit www.leanpodcast.org for more podcasts in our series.

Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/11  Remastered June 2021 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.

Here is LeanBlog Podcast #10, again with Jamie Flinchbaugh, Founder of and Partner with the Lean Learning Center and co-author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean. In this Podcast, we respond to an audio question from blog listener Bruce from Akron OH. The topic is how to educate your organization's leadership about lean and how to get them excited about your lean efforts.

Show notes: http://www.leanblog.org/9 Remastered June 2021 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." 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 f

Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/8 Remastered June 2021 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. 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

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. 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.

Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/6 Remastered June 2021 This is the second part of my conversation with Jamie Flinchbaugh, founder and partner with the Lean Learning Center and co-author of the book "The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean." . In the first part of the discussion, we talked about the specific language of waste reduction. This episode focuses on leadership's role in identifying waste and driving it out of your organization. If you'd like to hear the first part with Jamie, or earlier podcasts with Norman Bodek and Jeff Liker, you can visit www.leanpodcast.org for more information. 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 lea

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

This is the second part of my discussion with Dr. Jeff Liker of the University of Michigan and his books, including "The Toyota Way." This time, we focus on "lean healthcare" or the applications of lean in hospital settings, waste elimination, and problem solving. Please visit www.leanblog.org for show notes, links and more information.

Author of "The Toyota Way" Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/2 Remastered June 2021 My guest today is Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is the Director of the Japan Technology Management Program and co-Director of the lean manufacturing program. This will be the first of two podcast episodes with Dr. Liker. Today, we discuss the transition from “lean manufacturing” to “lean enterprise”, some of the challenges companies face in becoming lean, and some of the methods that Toyota uses to further the Toyota Production System. Please visit www.leanblog.org for show notes, links and more information.

Remastered audio June 2021 Show notes https://www.leanblog.org/2   In this podcast, I talk with Norman Bodek, author, lean consultant, and Toyota Production System expert. We talk about the Toyota principle of "respect for humanity" and how to stop blaming individual employees for problems or defects. Management is responsible for the design of the system, and therefore are also responsible for the results. Please visit www.leanblog.org for show notes, links and more information.

Here is my first LeanBlog Podcast, featuring author and consultant Norman Bodek, President of PCS Press. For more information, please visit www.leanblog.org. There, you can find show notes and can comment on the podcast. Norman Bodek, of PCS Press, discusses the history and evolution of kaizen and continuous improvement. He details the history of Toyota's employee suggestion system and how it has evolved, in Japan and North America, along with some tips for running a suggestion system of your own. If you have feedback, visit www.leanblog.org, email leanpodcast@gmail.com, or leave a voicemail by contacting skype id "mgraban" or by phoning (817) 776-LEAN (817.776.5326).