Latest Posts

  • Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning: The Real Leadership Skill of the 21st Century

    Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning: The Real Leadership Skill of the 21st Century0

    “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” This well-known quote from futurist Alvin Toffler captures one of the most important capabilities for individuals and organizations today. In a world defined by rapid technological change, shifting markets, and evolving customer

    READ MORE
  • Lean Roundup #204 – May 2026

    Lean Roundup #204 – May 20260

    A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of June 2026.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here. Rowers, Watchers & Grumblers – Fukuda’s Parable in the Age of AI – Pascal Dennis says Fukuda’s Parable frames organizational change as a voyage in which leaders should identify and invest

    READ MORE
  • Lean Quote for America’s 250th Anniversary: Freedom Requires Vigilance

    Lean Quote for America’s 250th Anniversary: Freedom Requires Vigilance0

    On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on

    READ MORE
  • Lean Tips Edition #334 (#4036- #4050)

    Lean Tips Edition #334 (#4036- #4050)0

      For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips.  It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey. 

    READ MORE
  • Book Review: PROACTIVE Problem Solving — A Fresh Take on Building a Problem-Solving Culture

    Book Review: PROACTIVE Problem Solving — A Fresh Take on Building a Problem-Solving Culture0

      Stop Fixing Problems. Start Fixing Systems. Most organizations don’t suffer from a lack of problems. They suffer from a lack of people who feel empowered to solve them. Walk through almost any workplace and you’ll hear employees complain about inefficient processes, unnecessary bureaucracy, recurring mistakes, and frustrating workarounds. Yet many of those same employees

    READ MORE
  • Lean Quote: Lessons from Dad

    Lean Quote: Lessons from Dad0

    On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on

    READ MORE
  • Book Review: Building Culture the NASA Way

    Book Review: Building Culture the NASA Way0

      What NASA’s Mission Framework Can Teach Leaders About Building Better Organizations As a kid, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut. I attended Space Camp in Huntsville three different times, fascinated by rockets, space exploration, and the incredible accomplishments of NASA. While my career ultimately took a different path—engineering, manufacturing, and continuous improvement—that interest in

    READ MORE
  • What It Takes to Win: Building a Continuous Improvement Culture in Business

    What It Takes to Win: Building a Continuous Improvement Culture in Business0

    Winning in business isn’t just about talent—it’s about effort, discipline, and an unrelenting commitment to excellence. It’s about embracing a mindset of consistent, incremental growth and putting customer value at the center of everything you do. As leaders, we often look for the magic formula that separates high performers from the rest. But time and

    READ MORE
  • Lean Quote: Learn, Unlearn, Relearn

    Lean Quote: Learn, Unlearn, Relearn0

    On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on

    READ MORE
  • The Red Bead Experiment Still Matters — and Now It’s Online

    The Red Bead Experiment Still Matters — and Now It’s Online0

    One of the most memorable lessons in Lean and continuous improvement doesn’t come from a spreadsheet, a KPI dashboard, or a PowerPoint presentation. It comes from a bucket of beads. Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s famous “Red Bead Experiment” has been teaching leaders about systems thinking, variation, and management mistakes for decades. Today, thanks to Mark

    READ MORE

Tim McMahon

Subscribe

Search Results For ''

Archives

Categories

Categories Cloud

About Tim McMahon

Tim McMahon is a Lean implementation leader, author, and blogger. As a Lean practitioner, Tim brings more 25 years of leadership experience implementing Lean manufacturing. Trained by disciples of the Toyota Production System, he worked in a Shingo Prize winning facility.

LinkedIn Profile

Contact

Tim@aleanjourney.com

Top
A Lean Journey Blog - Copyright © 2026 Tim McMahon - All Rights Reserved. No unauthorized use or republication is permitted.