Lean Roundup #188 – January 2025

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of January 2025.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.  

 

Starting the New Year with Global Leadership Resolutions: Building a Foundation of Psychological Safety – Mark Graban says if we aim to build a Lean culture, it must rest on a foundation of Psychological Safety where people generally feel safe speaking up about problems, sharing ideas, and experimenting without fear of retribution.

 

The Power of Visual Management – Transforming Workspaces and Mindsets – Alen Ganic explains visual management is more than just a tool—it’s a mindset; by making tasks and progress visible, we reduce waste, improve efficiency, and foster continuous improvement in both professional and personal environments.

 

Optimizing Continuous Quality Improvement: Essential Tools and Strategies for Success – Maggie Millard says organizations can reach their full potential in the pursuit of excellence through continuous quality improvement by embracing the principles and tools of incremental change, respect for people, clear goals, and structured methodologies,

 

Why Gemba Walks Matter & How to Make Them Work – Kade Johnson shares 11 steps you can take to ensure that your next Gemba walk is successful.

 

Kaizen: Hoshin Kanri, Bowler Charts, Action Plans, and More – Christoph Roser describes the big picture of kaizen improvement involving True North direction, overarching targets of hoshin kanri, practical problem solving, and action plans to make actual improvements.

 

Japan Study Trip Highlights: November 2024 – Katie Anderson shares another incredible immersive learning experience from 6^th cohort of the Japan Study leadership program from November 2024.

 

Steve Jobs on Quality and Juran – Christopher R Chapman shares video of the late, great Steve Jobs, where he was interviewed about the influence Dr. Joseph Juran had on his thinking about quality.

 

Building a Resilient Business with Hoshin Kanri and Problem Solving : A Conversation with Grand Rapids Chair CEO Geoff Miller – Geoff Miller and Mark Reich shares insights on building resilience through hoshin kanri and daily problem-solving to transform culture and performance.

 

Safety First: GE Aerospace’s Lynn Facility Demonstrates True Lean Leadership – Mark Graban shared GE Aerospace's Lynn, MA, facility which provided an inspiring example of what respecting people, empowering people, and ensuring their well-being while driving continuous improvement.