Lean Roundup #136 – September 2020

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of September 2020.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.

Solving Complex Problems: Systems First, or Individual First? - Jamie Flinchbaugh shares a series of questions to help you frame complex problems to focus on system or individuals first.

How to Build High-Performance Teams through Lean Practices - Jon Miller advices using high performance teams to lay a foundation for sustaining continuous improvement vias specific lean practices.

Building Quality Into The Process - Pascal Dennis talks about building quality into the process through a familiar example frequent clothing size checks for growing boy.

“Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail” - Al Norval says that most organizations have a strategic plan but few outside the leadership knows what it is. 

Jumping to a Solution (Gun Crime Edition) - Dan Markovitz uses a recent article on homicides and gun crimes to highlight the difficulty of not jumping to conclusions when framing a complex problem.

Eliminate Busy-Work to Create Engagement - Johann Rothman talks about how busy-work creates disengagement and why to eliminate especially when we return from our home offices to the workplace.

Is the Right Attitude Enough? - Jamie Flinchbaugh explains the importance of backing positive attitude with thoughtful and purposeful action to get what you desire.

CEO Akio Toyoda’s Perspectives on the Toyota Production System - Mark Graban discusses key points regarding engaging people by asking questions instead of lecturing them from recent publication on Akio Toyoda’s perspective of TPS.

Akio Toyoda’s Take on TPS - Jon Miller shares his thoughts on Akio Toyoda’s take on TPS.

Akio Toyoda’s View of TPS: A Critical Analysis - Bob Emiliani shares his perspective on Akio Toyoda’s view of TPS, a different perspective then others.

The Stabilizing Foundation of Values - Kevin Meyer talks about values and why they are so important to your actions and strategy.

Tap the Power of Flow to Develop Lean Thinkers - Gert Frick & Eivind Reke discuss flow in people development.

Ask Art: What Was Danaher Like In the Early Days of Lean? – Art Byrne shares the history of Danaher’s lean journey over the last several decades.

Lean Lessons from Cobra Kai(zen) and the Karate Kid- Michael Balle shars some explicit values the film Karate Kid shares with Lean and Kaizen.

Lean Peeves – Bruce Hamilton shares the first of his 16 Lean peeves which is about waste modifiers. The collection these are all worth reading.