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Most resistance to lean is blamed on the wrong thing. Ben Morley, an Air Force pilot turned Lean Six Sigma consultant, argues the tools are never really the problem. The breakdown almost always lives somewhere between leadership buy-in and an assumption nobody thought to question. His conversation with Ron Pereira Cont
Most continuous improvement practitioners are using AI the same way they use Google, and getting roughly the same quality of results. David Osagie-Igiehon has taken a different approach. He builds custom agents trained on lean principles, CI methodology, and the specific knowledge domains his work demands, and the gap
Defining the PROBLEM I recently came across an article that confirmed what I’ve learned from my past experiences. Throughout my career reporting to leaders at various levels, criticism seemed to come far more often than praise. It happened so often that I vowed, as a leader, to change the narrative: Continue Reading Th
Most organizations have a strategy. Far fewer can actually execute one. Michael Caito built and sold a food delivery business decades before DoorDash existed, then spent years helping other companies close the gap between where leaders want to go and where they actually end up. His diagnosis is consistent: the Continue
I recently read a story I can’t stop thinking about. In 1903 a young boy in central Illinois was serving as an altar server at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois. And this wasn’t any ordinary service. The local bishop was present to lead the service that day. One of Continue Reading The post The Sound of Breaking
Quick question…have you ever washed a rental car before returning it? If you’re anything like me, the answer is almost certainly “of course not.” Most people wouldn’t bother washing a rental car for one simple reason: they don’t own it. But, think back to the first vehicle you ever had, Continue Reading The post Nobody
Why Do Organizations Struggle to Turn Strategy Into Action? Most organizations do not struggle to create strategies. They struggle to turn strategy into action. Organizations often develop ambitious strategic plans, long-term goals, and annual objectives, but those plans do not always reach the people responsible for e
If you’re in a safe space and physically able…I’d like you to try something. Stand up, tilt your head back, and stand on your non-dominant foot (with your other foot off the ground). Easy enough, right? Most people can do this without much thought. Now close your eyes, keep your Continue Reading The post You Are Not St
Most lean practitioners spend their careers trying to change the minds of adults who have been doing things the same way for decades. Ted Pendergrass decided to start earlier. Over 20 years coordinating a career technical education program at a California high school, he brought 5S, practical problem-solving, and Yello
I recently listened to a sermon by Fr. Mike Schmitz where he brought up something called the Region Beta Paradox. I had never heard of it before…but haven’t stopped thinking about it since! Here’s the idea in its original form. Say you have a simple rule for getting around town. Continue Reading The post The Peculiar L
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