Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership

This week's guest is Gemba Academy Senior Coach and Instructor Ricky Banks. Ron and Ricky discussed what it means to lead without authority, working with incarcerated individuals, the importance of building relationships, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Ricky's background (3:17) What "leading without authority" means to him (4:15) Whether it's more or less important today (6:10) Building trust and credibility (7:47) An example of a spectacular leader (10:49) How it feels working with incarcerated individuals (15:02) How these skills work in the coaching context (18:24) The importance of relationships (22:27) The role of likeability (23:32) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Ricky on LinkedIn Ministry Manna Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What does the phrase "leading without authority" mean to you?

This week's guests are Michelle Troseth and Tracy Christopherson. Ron, Michelle, and Tracy discussed the concept of an internal operating system, dealing with both burnout and boredom, the importance of personal alignment, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Michelle and Tracy's favorite quotes (3:12) Their backgrounds (4:37) Characterizing burnout (6:03) Dealing with boredom (9:27) About the "internal operating system" (11:24) How to prevent leaders from self-sabotaging (16:22) "Upgrading" your operating system (20:52) The importance of personal alignment (24:23) An example anecdote (26:52) How that kind of impact makes them feel (30:56) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Tracy on LinkedIn Michelle on LinkedIn Missing Logic Burnout Proof Leadership Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What about the concept of an internal operating system can you relate to?

This week's guest is Nick Klein. Ron and Nick discussed how Nick applies lean at his organization, the challenges they're facing, and why quick improvements like cleaning up your desktop do more than you think. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Nick likes (2:37) Nick's background (3:34) His journey (5:52) An example improvement (8:30) The size of their organization (10:08) The challenges they're facing (13:57) A breakthrough moment (17:08) One of Nick's favorite mistakes (19:20) Advice for anyone who is new to lean (22:55) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Nick on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What's a quick fix you could do today to make your life easier?

This week's guest is Katie Anderson. Ron and Katie discussed Katie's most recent book, the Katalyst framework she created, her experiences leading trips in Japan, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Katie likes (2:55) Her background (4:52) What she's learned since writing the book (7:54) The model she created (9:49) The mistake organizations and leaders make (13:05) Katie's podcast journey (17:48) Her experiences in Japan (26:51) Katie's take on AI (30:18) Her final words of wisdom (34:48) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Katie on LinkedIn Katie's Website Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn GA 173 | How to Use A3 Thinking GA 242 | How to Leverage Different Lean Experiences GA 281 | Building an Online Community of Practice GA 297 | The Importance of Hansei and Revitalization GA 331 | Leading and Learning at Toyota GA 453 | Navigating the Struggle of Learning Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What interests you most about the Katalyst framework?

This week's guests are Sarah Tilkens and Leah Roe. Ron, Sarah, and Leah discussed the problem solver revolution, building trust in yourself and others, working with younger generations, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  A favorite quote (2:16) How Sarah and Leah met (4:15) Ron's confession (9:25) Building a culture of problem solvers (11:15) His advice for when trust isn't where it should be (13:23) Trusting yourself (17:34) The problem solver revolution (22:32) How kaizen plays a role (25:49) Working with the younger generations (29:11) The most important concept Ron took away from today's episode (37:33) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 GA 275 | Leading vs. Serving with Sarah Tilkens GA 408 | Lean and Life Coaches with Sarah Tilkens GA 474 | Integrating Coaching and Lean with Sarah Tilkens GA 568 | Lean and Talent Development with Sarah Tilkens Sarah on LinkedIn Sarah's Website Leah on LinkedIn Leah's Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you build trust in yourself? In coworkers?

This week's guest is Gui Costin. Ron and Gui discuss fostering a calm company culture, bringing out the best in people, dealing with different generations and personality types in the workplace, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Gui's favorite quote (2:49) His background (4:22) The concept of continuous improvement culture (5:45) The definition of kindness (10:46) Gui's take on personality types (13:53) The culture of calm (18:01) Managing employees of a younger generation (21:04) Some actionable steps you can take to improve your company's culture (30:50) Gui's final words of wisdom (36:44) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Gui on LinkedIn The Dakota Way Gui's Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you deal with generational differences at work?

This week's guest is George Pesansky. Ron and George discussed taking gemba walks, what we can learn from factory parking lots, the Kano model, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  George's quote (2:51) His background (4:39) His take on gemba walks (6:33) Leadership and setting expectations (9:28) The idea of failure (11:37) Clues from the factory parking lot (14:03) The Kano model (15:43) How George uses A3s (21:09) His final words of wisdom (27:18) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 George's Website "Superperformance" on Amazon Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How else could the Kano model be used in continuous improvement?

This week's guests are Josh Davis and Greg Prosmushkin. Ron, Josh, and Greg discussed NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, why it matters, how it can help in difficult situations, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Their favorite quotes (3:07) Their backgrounds (4:21) What NLP is and why we should care (7:38) What a well-formed outcome means (10:47) Whether or not NLP is manipulative (15:38) Examples of when NLP has helped others (17:59) The techniques of NLP (20:27) How NLP can help in difficult situations (24:17) What NLP helps (29:29) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 The Difference That Makes the Difference Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Have you heard of NLP before?

This week we're celebrating our 600th episode. Our Director of Studios Greg Nickell asked Ron about the company's growth over the years, the challenges we've faced, what we hope the next generation will take away from our videos, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Ron's favorite quote (1:07) His background (1:32) How Gemba Academy began (3:24) The role of timing in Gemba Academy's success (7:30) Some of our early challenges (10:20) What our library looks like now (12:45) Our focus on helping people solve problems (14:36) An anecdocte about a particularly powerful transformation (16:30) Whether or not Ron practices continuous improvement at home (18:39) The famous dishwasher video (20:11) What Ron hopes the next generation will take from Gemba Academy (21:30) What Ron would tell his younger self (22:47) About the power of showing up (23:43) Ron's words of wisdom (24:55) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Do you have a favorite episode or moment from the first 600 episodes of the podcast?

This week's guest is Melissa Sherman. Ron and Melissa discussed misconceptions about continuous improvement, navigating different personalities, the role coaching plays in change management, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote that inspires Melissa (2:25) Her background (3:13) A misconception about continuous improvement (5:35) Lean being done "to" people (7:27) The role of communication (8:32) An anecdote about change management (11:58) How Melissa coaches different personalities (15:40) Dealing with "CAVE" people (17:01) The role of coaching in continuous improvement and change management (24:53) Melissa's take on AI (27:52) Her final words of wisdom (29:17) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Melissa on LinkedIn Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you deal with different personalities?

This week's guest is Darren Walsh. Ron and Darren discussed some of the pitfalls he's seen in continuous improvement, the corresponding countermeasures, his book, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Darren likes (1:59) His background (2:48) Why he wrote his book (4:34) Some of the pitfalls he's seen and some countermeasures (6:01) Where to start (10:18) How Darren applies these principles (16:13) What "good" looks like to Darren (19:09) What to be mindful of (23:41) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Making Lean Work Darren on LinkedIn Darren's Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What does success in lean look like to you?

This week's guest is Robin Hills. Robin and Ron discussed emotional intelligence, unconscious bias, the importance of empathy and active listening, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Robin's quote (2:55) How Robin defines emotional intelligence (4:43) How it plays into righteous anger (7:03) Avoiding manipulative behavior (9:38) Robin's thoughts on unconscious bias (10:42) Practicing empathy (13:42) The importance of pausing after listening (14:50) How Robin practices this (17:38) The future of emotional intelligence (20:03) Robin's final words of wisdom (23:31) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 GA 554 | Leveraging Emotional Intelligence Robin on LinkedIn Robin's Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you practice empathy at work?

This week's guest is Grace Gavin. Ron and Grace discussed honesty in the workplace, how company hierarchies play a role, the importance of accountability, taking stock of your leadership, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Grace's favorite quote (2:42) The role of honesty in the workplace (3:31) How the structure of the company factors in (6:14) Developing a culture of authentic open communication (9:22) The primal reasons behind fear and anxiety (11:46) Barriers that can get in the way (16:46) How to communicate more effectively (19:02) The importance of accountability (21:17) Grace's advice for personal career growth (25:19) Taking stock of your leadership (28:16) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Grace on LinkedIn GA 551 | Knowing Honesty and Listening to Understand  Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you take stock of your leadership?

This week's guest is Don Kieffer. Ron and Don discussed the concept of dynamic work design, their individual takes on AI, Don's book, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Don's quotes (2:13) His background (5:23) Why Don wrote his book (9:35) What a dynamic work design is (13:46) Don's process (16:34) Some example situations (18:45) What has surprised Don (22:10) Don's take on AI (24:59) Achieving the right balance using dynamic work design (30:02) How it compares to TWI (32:46) Don's final words of wisdom (34:22) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 There's Got to Be a Better Way The Most Underrated Skill in Management Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Have you used dynamic work design before?

This week's guest is William C. Davis. Ron and William discussed some defining moments in William's impressive career, what leaders are doing wrong nowadays, dealing with tricky and uncomfortable situations, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quotes William likes (2:24) His background (3:25) Some of the common failures of modern leadership (8:51) William's take on the status quo (13:32) The most common failures in leadership (15:31) His outlook on the future (19:40) Some practical solutions (20:46) Dealing with difficult situations (25:52) His final words of wisdom (30:22) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 William's Website Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What are some other issues you've noticed in leadership today?

This week's guests are Dr. Lucas Chesla and Kirk Nicholas. Luke and Kirk shared how continuous improvement is used in the military, the book they wrote together, their thoughts on AI, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quotes Luke and Kirk like (3:55) Kirk's background (5:16) Luke's background (10:04) The inspiration for the book (14:34) About their enterprise model (21:35) All about the five pillars (26:41) Their thoughts on ChatGPT (30:49) How they respond to pressures for results (35:29) How they met (42:55) Luke and Kirk's final words of wisdom (43:57) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Luke on LinkedIn Kirk on LinkedIn Value Added 616 Revolutionize Work on Amazon Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Which of the five pillars resonates with you the most?

This week's guest is Dexter Chan. Ron and Dexter discussed handling resistance, other challenges he's faced, and why the "Aha!" moment makes all the effort worth it. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Dexter likes (2:18) His background (4:34) The key learnings he has taken from his diverse range of experiences (12:17) How he handles resistance (15:44) The "Aha!" moment (20:54) A challenge he's had to face (22:58) His advice for someone just getting started (25:32) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Dexter on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Share a recent "Aha!" moment you either experienced or witnessed.

This week's guest is Brian Schreuder. Ron and Brian discussed Brian's company's lean journey, some of the challenges they've faced, what their material management looks like, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Brian likes (2:57) His background (3:58) The cultural side of things (9:35) Some of the challenges they've faced (13:15) What Brian has enjoyed the most (15:19) Time and patience (16:47) What their material management looks like (17:33) The financial impact they've seen (20:43) A favorite aspect of lean (22:58) His trip to Ireland (25:28) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Brian on LinkedIn Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? Is your company on a lean journey? How is it going?

This week's guest is Nikhil Pal. Ron and Nikhil discussed the concept of the Smart Factory, the analytics involved, the effect technology has had on humanity, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  Nikhil's quote (2:48) His background (3:50) What "Smart Factory" means (5:18) Continuously improving in a smart factory (6:54) What the analytics look like (8:20) The effect technology has on humanity (11:48) The key to managing the potential stress involved (15:06) Getting tools and lean fundamentals to work in harmony (16:58) The common pitfalls Nikhil has seen (18:33) A "favorite mistake" Nikhil has made (20:15) His final words of advice (22:54) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Nikhil on LinkedIn Process Masters on YouTube Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? What about a "smart factory" appeals to you? What concerns do you have?

This week's guest is Justin Goethe. Ron and Justin discussed why people struggle to get on board with lean, the role traditional consulting can play, why "A Plan for Every Part" is important, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here. In this episode you'll learn:  The quote Justin likes (2:57) Why we're hesitant to take action (4:02) Justin's background (5:16) Who Justin would train first (12:13) Getting the finance community on board (14:10) Why people struggle with lean (17:03) The role a consultant can play (18:11) Justin's advice for where to start (23:42) Why "A Plan for Every Part" is important (25:38) Podcast Resources Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3 Justin on LinkedIn Allied Logistics Get All the Latest News from Gemba Academy Our newsletter is a great way to receive updates on new courses, blog posts, and more. Sign up here. What Do You Think? How do you get people on board with lean?