The Simple Leader: Plan, Do, Study, AdjustEven Deming preferred PDSA to PDCA
Wed, 11/30/2016 - 16:35
“Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence—only in constant improvement and constant change.”—Tom Peters
The plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle is the core component of continuous improvement programs. You may have heard it called the plan-do-check-… The Simple Leader: The Big ThreeBoost your daily productivity with consistent planning
Tue, 11/01/2016 - 09:49
“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Like most people, I maintain a fairly long to-do list of personal and professional projects. It’s a few pages long—especially the honey-… The Simple Leader: Remove DistractionsWhen self-discipline is slacking, it’s time for the timer
Thu, 10/13/2016 - 14:21
When many people go into the office, they start their day by chatting with some colleagues, checking their email, and surfing the net for a while. Then they start working on whatever project is due that day. Soon, however, they hear the sound of a… The Value of Depth and DetailSuccess with lean requires understanding the ‘why’ and context of its useful tools
Mon, 09/19/2016 - 09:17
Nearly three decades ago, one of my first bosses pulled me aside. I forget the underlying incident except that I had somehow screwed up, and he bluntly told me to “sweat the details.” I clearly remember it to this day, and it became one of the… Back to the Beginning With Ohno, Suzuki, and YodaFive biases that prevent rational decisions
Tue, 08/16/2016 - 14:41
As I was researching the remarkable similarities between lean and Zen for my book, The Simple Leader (Gemba Academy, 2016) one of the most interesting—and meaningful—was the concept of the beginner’s mind.
Taiichi Ohno said, “Observe… without… Performance, Not PolicyEmployee handbooks should promote the freedom to make decisions grounded in context
Mon, 08/01/2016 - 14:13
Few people realize how employee policy manuals, usually given to you on your first day and then mostly forgotten, shape an organization’s culture and thereby its fundamental performance.
To give you a reference point, one company I worked for had… A Break to Reflect and UnlearnA ‘beginner’s mind’ is essential in a lean company
Wed, 05/04/2016 - 14:33
During the past few years I’ve been working hard on cultivating positive habits. New habits can be powerful. But habits can also create barriers that limit our perspective, which can hinder kaizen, creativity, and even our knowledge of ourselves.… The Other Flow of Mihaly CsíkszentmihályiFlow happens when the skill level and challenge environment are high
Tue, 03/29/2016 - 17:12
Those of us in the lean world are accustomed to discussing "flow"—where work is performed in an even manner to reduce mura or lack of regularity, one of the three forms of waste. Activities are synchronized, layouts are optimized, resources are… The Liberating Lessons of LessIt’s your life; set it free
Mon, 02/22/2016 - 17:05
My lean journey of more than 20 years has changed my life in many ways, perhaps none as pervasively as recognition of and disdain for waste.
Along with respect for people, waste awareness has changed my career, leadership style, and personal life.… A Reflective Perspective on Edgar ScheinThe humble art of self-inquiry in solitude
Thu, 12/24/2015 - 15:42
“I will take time to be alone today. I will take time to be quiet. In this silence I will listen... and I will hear my answers.” —Ruth Fishel
One of my great pleasures is going for a walk on the beach a couple blocks from my house. Contrary to the…
