Quality Time With MoreSteam

What does a grocery store in Philadelphia have to do with running a billion-dollar operation? If you're 17-year-old Joe Baker, quite a lot, actually. Joe started bagging groceries at 17. By 24, he was the youngest store manager in company history. And by 32, he was running a billion-dollar business for Hertz in Los Angeles. Today, Joe Baker is the COO of Veritext and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and the lessons he learned as a grocery bagger still resonate with him all these years later. On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Joe explains how he leads at the intersection of people, process, and technology. For Joe, the industries may change, but his approach does not. Joe puts people first, and he believes that a great culture is the foundation of a great organization. Joe and host Dan Swartwout get into the good stuff. How do you earn trust in a new organization? How do you get people to actually buy in? How do you build a culture where people care? Joe has been answering those questions his entire career. Business is a game of inches. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are also in every minute, every second of this interview with Joe Baker.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:42 - Meet Joe Baker 5:39 - Getting into Villanova's MBA program 8:38 - The common thread throughout Joe's career 10:24 - Learning about leadership at Joe's very first job 12:56 - Why Joe's first job was so impactful 15:29 - The best opportunities for improvement or change when joining a new organization 18:18 - One of Joe's first mentors 20:19 - Joe's introduction to Lean Six Sigma at Hertz 26:24 - Business is a game of inches (voice of the customer) 30:52 - Dan's survey story 32:38 - Conducting effective surveys 36:04 - Joe's work coaching and developing people 37:12 - Joe studies leadership at 17… yes, 17! 40:00 - Learning from John Maxwell and Jack Welch 41:53 - Being open and genuine as a leader 45:45 - Finding the right balance as a Lean Six Sigma leader 49:46 - Using data to tell a story 52:30 - Analysis paralysis in sports and business 58:14 - Joe's final thoughts   Additional Resources: Joe Baker on LinkedIn Books By Joe Baker Joe Baker at Veritext MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

This episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam focuses on leadership in service of others. Adelaido "Ad" Godinez is a retired Army colonel with 31 years of service. He has held senior roles across both the public and private sectors and brings one of the most impressive resumes the show has ever seen. As this episode shows, he's just as honest as he is accomplished. How is leadership affected by pressure, values, and daily habits? Ad and Dan talk about what happens when pressure builds and you start losing sight of the good work you are actually doing. Ad explains how he rebuilt his daily routine after leaving the military. His nightly "three things I am grateful for" habit might sound small, but it turned out to be a game changer. This episode also shows what respect for people looks like in real life. You'll hear the story behind Ad's surprise visit to MoreSteam HQ. He stopped a workday cold to publicly thank MBOE coach Ken Robinette in front of the whole team. The conversation also covers more traditional lean topics, like kata-style coaching and solving problems people actually care about. Ad is generous with his stories and his wisdom. He does not pretend any of it was easy. But it was definitely worth it. This episode will be worth it for you, too.   In this episode, you will hear about: 3:15 - Meeting Ad at MoreSteam HQ 6:01 - Even the very best need coaching 8:37 - Respect for people 9:31 - Ad's background 12:16 - Advising national leaders during the pandemic 16:32 - Pressure creating self-doubt 18:52 - Going from the military to the corporate world 23:11 - Performance systems and recovery systems 26:58 - Expressing gratitude on a daily basis 31:59 - The MBOE Program at The Ohio State University 33:43 - Learning from those around you 36:56 - Becoming a better teacher, coach, and student 40:20 - Authentic leadership 42:06 - When the situation calls for a different leadership style 45:16 - Building up the people around you 49:35 - Asking Ad to return to the show 51:41 - Ad's consultancy, SOI Solutions 54:05 - Wrapping up the episode   Additional Resources: Adelaido "Ad" Godinez on LinkedIn SOI Solutions MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Jon Dario joins the show. Jon is currently the CEO of Edison Properties. He has also spent over 30 years translating operational excellence principles across industries most people think are completely different. For example, Jon ran Gap's busiest store in New York City. He oversaw 240 locations and $1.7 billion in business at Travelex. Plus, he's got experience in banking and real estate. Regardless of the industry, Jon has noticed one problem that never goes away. How do you get consistent results when everything is moving fast and nothing ever slows down? Strategy sounds great in the conference room. But when that strategy hits the floor, things can fall apart. Jon and Dan explore why that happens. They also talk about leader standard work and daily rhythms that actually help. Jon explains what it takes for people to feel safe enough to try new things and occasionally fail. This episode covers the stuff that makes leadership so challenging. Jon doesn't pull punches, and he's got the stories to back it up. Of course, this is Quality Time with MoreSteam, so there's some college football in the mix.  Oh, and we'll have you singing a jingle you haven't thought about since the 90s. You're welcome. If you want operational excellence that's honest and real instead of theoretical and rehearsed, this is the episode for you.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:41 - Meet Jon Dario 4:40 - Universal management challenges 6:10 - Getting strategy from the executive suite to the store floor 8:22 - Effective communication strategies for leaders 10:48 - Authentic humility in leadership 13:44 - Multiple locations and leader standard work 15:11 - Effective huddles in a fast-paced environment 18:20 - Giving people the freedom to try 21:24 - We Are Penn State 24:28 - The manager's core purpose 27:49 - Jon's shift from retail to banking 34:30 - Dealing with resistance to change 38:20 - Old Navy in the 90's 45:05 - Continuous improvement and high workforce turnover 48:03 - Jon discusses the books he has written 50:51 - What Jon wishes he had learned earlier   Additional Resources: Jon Dario's Website Jon Dario on LinkedIn Get Jon Dario's Books Jon Dario's Author Profile on Amazon MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Evan Unger joins the show. Evan is the Managing Partner at Schwartz + Associates. He's spent over 30 years helping organizations work together. Evan's held leadership roles at Merck and CommonSpirit Health. One time, he even facilitated the meeting where his own position got eliminated. It's exactly as awkward and fascinating as it sounds. Here's Evan's brutal assessment: most meetings are 30 to 40 percent effective. Maybe. That's a staggering waste. Evan has spent decades figuring out why it happens and how to fix it. He shares a dead simple technique for virtual meetings. It stops the same three people from dominating every conversation. He also explains how to handle the "hippo effect." That's when the highest paid person's opinion shuts down everyone else in the room. This includes the people who actually know what's going on. The conversation covers Evan's career from the GE Workout days to his pandemic pivot. After losing all his work in 2020, Evan spent weeks depressed on his couch. His wife told him to get it together. What happened next involved meditation, mural boards, and a complete business transformation. You'll also hear how Evan signed up for a ten-day silent meditation retreat and what he learned there. Plus, why facilitators create meetings that shouldn't exist and what manila envelopes have to do with continuous improvement. What's the plane flight metaphor for running a kaizen event? Why do leaders get promoted for expertise but fail at collaboration? How do you hold space for the quiet people when the VP is in the room? Find out in this episode. And yes, you'll probably laugh a few times, too.   In this episode, you will hear about: 2:28 - Meet Evan Unger 4:46 - A playoff football cliffhanger! 6:01 - Transformation in big, complex organizations 7:19 - When Evan facilitated his own departure 9:18 - Facilitation as a style of leadership 11:35 - Pivoting from in-person to online 15:59 - Using chat to make online meetings better 18:12 - HIPPO: The Highest Paid Person's Opinion 19:54 - Dealing with the "HIPPO Effect" 22:28 - Humility in leadership 25:13 - Collaboration before everybody was online 28:04 - Meeting mistakes 29:22 - "So many meetings should not be allowed to happen." 29:53 - A Kaizen event is like a plane flight 32:09 - Universal leadership skills 34:19 - How psychology and economics factor into Evan's work 37:23 - Evan's history with meditation 40:46 - Meditation and Evan's approach to leadership 42:42 - Closing thoughts and Evan's program Additional Resources: Evan Unger at Schwartz + Associates Evan Unger on LinkedIn MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn The box score of the NFL Playoff Game mentioned in this episode   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Darren Walsh joins the show. Darren is a Lean leadership coach and author with over 30 years driving transformations across industries like medical devices, aerospace, and healthcare. Oh, and also video games. We definitely talk about video games. Darren wrote the book Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work: A Leader's Guide to Increasing Consistency and Getting Significantly More Done in Less Time. It's been getting a lot of buzz in the world of Lean. Darren wrote his book after seeing the same struggles everywhere he went. Teams want to improve. But they can't seem to make it stick. There are thousands of certified Green Belts and Yellow Belts, but most organizations still struggle with day-to-day problems. Darren spent years researching why that happens and how to fix it. Darren shares stories from his time at Sega in the 90s. As a member of Generation X, host Dan Swartwout finds this topic especially interesting. Darren also talks about building sustainable improvement cultures as opposed to chasing quick wins. It's a great conversation with one of the foremost leaders in continuous improvement. What should daily management actually accomplish? Why do frontline managers play a bigger role in continuous improvement than most people realize? Learn the answers to these questions and more. And of course, because it's Quality Time with MoreSteam, there are some laughs along the way. Plan. Do. Check. And act by downloading this episode!   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:46 - Darren's background 5:23 - Why Darren wrote Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work 9:06 - The number one takeaway from Darren's book 11:44 - Continuous Improvement at Sega 16:55 - The first 30 or 60 days at a multi-site transformation 20:16 - Implementing Lean in smaller businesses 22:26 - Frontline managers who spend time on the wrong things 25:18 - Visiting the Gemba with the right mindset 28:50 - Organizations that want to improve but get stuck 33:31 - The standard work of Lean management 37:12 - Darren's next book (and how you can help!)   Additional Resources: Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work and Darren's Contact Info Darren Walsh on LinkedIn MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

Quality Time with MoreSteam is starting 2026 by bringing back one of the most popular episodes from 2025. Host Dan Swartwout opens the show with a look back at the amazing lineup of guests who joined the show last year, from Shingo Prize winners to Lean Enterprise Institute board members to college professors and healthcare leaders. Then, Dan introduces one of his favorite interviews from last year, the conversation with Thomas Paider. Tom is the co-author of The Lean IT Field Guide and Vice President for Technology Infrastructure and Computing at Nationwide. He also serves on the Board of Directors for LEI. Think about this. Why do so many people think Lean is just about cutting costs? In reality, Lean is so much more. Tom talks about the misconceptions that hold technology teams back and what really changes when leaders focus on moving people to more valuable work. He explains how Lean, Agile, and DevOps actually fit together. He also talks about why leaders should initially focus on changing their own management system. Tom talks about what thriving IT cultures look like. He also explains why visual management matters in the IT sector and how going to see different industries sparks creativity. Tom's profound words are worth hearing again in 2026 as Quality Time with MoreSteam kicks off the new year.   In this episode, you will hear about: 0:15 - Dan looks back on 2025 5:53 - Introducing Thomas Paider 7:20 - Tom's Background 10:34 - Working on Y2K 12:11 - Key Messages from  the Lean It Field Guide 14:05 - The Operational Definition of IT 15:45 - The First Steps in a Lean IT Journey 19:39 - Misconceptions About Lean in the Technology Space 22:05 - Moving People to More Valuable Activities 24:38 - Agile in IT 28:08 - The Early Days of the Lean IT Transformation at Nationwide 30:12 - Advice for IT Teams Starting Their Lean Journeys 32:51 - Learning from Other Industries 35:24 - Overcoming Resistance 37:55 - Lean, Agile, and DevOps 42:18 - Tom's Proudest Moments at Nationwide 44:00 - Peyton Manning 45:02 - The Future of Lean Technology 48:19 - Tom's Experiences as a Runner   Additional Resources: Thomas Paider on LinkedIn The Lean IT Field Guide: A Roadmap for Your Transformation MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube iHeart

Grant Gemberson just wanted to push that year-end Kaizen event into January and get on with his holiday to-do list. Instead, Gemberson received an unexpected visit from three ghosts: the Ghost of Projects Past, the Ghost of Present Performance, and the Ghost of Future States. (You know where this is going, right?) In this special holiday edition of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout shares a Lean Six Sigma twist on a seasonal classic. During this episode, you will follow Grant through conference rooms, Gemba walks, and two very different futures as he confronts his own "we tried that once" mindset. MoreSteam's own Josh Cantie narrates the action. This episode is fun and festive, but it also deals with some important questions. Why do improvements sometimes fade? What counts as real support from leaders? And what does it look like when Kaizen is a daily habit, not just an event on the calendar? It's holiday fun and continuous improvement in one short, special episode. Happy holidays from MoreSteam!!   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:37 - Meet Grant Gemberson 2:31 -  The Ghost of Project's Past  6:33 - The Ghost of Present Performance 8:54 - The Ghost of Future States 11:54 - The Closing Scene   Additional Resources: MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout shares highlights from a recent MoreSteam webinar with company president Peg Pennington. That webinar was titled "Driving Strategic Alignment with the Lean Management System." It was one of MoreSteam's most anticipated (and successful) webinars of the year. During her presentation, Peg focused on a familiar problem. The strategy seems clear at the top, but the daily work does not match that strategy. In response, Peg explained what it means to treat Lean management as a real system instead of a set of projects. In her view, Lean management is four connected systems. First, the strategy system: setting a true north and choosing the few "big rocks" that really matter. Second, the problem-solving system: using value stream thinking and methods like A3 or DMAIC to turn strategy into real change. Third, the daily management system: leader standard work, huddles, and the daily routines that keep your team from backsliding. And finally, the people system: Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect. In this episode, Peg describes the leadership behaviors that create more problem solvers. Between clips from Peg's webinar, Dan jumps in to recap key takeaways from what you just heard and to set the table for the next clip. Together, they'll show you what it takes to keep strategy, operations, and people moving in the same direction.   In this episode, you will hear about: :22 - Introducing the Lean Management System 4:19 - The Strategy System 9:52 - The Problem Solving System 14:10 - Where to start with the Lean Management System 16:42 - Understand, simplify, automate 21:20 - The Daily Management System 28:35 - The People System 32:21 - Process Improvement in action   Additional Resources: The Full Webinar: Driving Strategic Alignment with the Lean Management System MoreSteam's Library of Webinars MoreSteam's Library of Case Studies MoreSteam's Library of Blogs MoreSteam's Lean Six Sigma Toolbox MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

Steve Adams brings decades of real experience to Quality Time with MoreSteam. He graduated from West Point and served in the Army Corps of Engineers. Eventually, Steve spent thirty years at Procter & Gamble, where he drove improvement on a global scale. Along the way, Steve even got Deming's autograph. Yes, the W. Edwards Deming! Host Dan Swartwout talks to Steve about solving problems and the commitment to quality. With Steve, you get 30 years of real stories from the plant floor. And one more thing… you'll never guess what classic TV show is referenced in this episode.  After the interview, Dan shares the audio from a recent episode of MoreSteam's Street Stats YouTube series. Street Stats focuses on making business statistics useful and practical. After you're done listening to this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, go check out more Street Stats!   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:40 - Steve's background 2:27 - Going to Proctor & Gamble 3:41 - Steve's role in the Total Quality Movement 4:37 - Analytical problem solving 6:45 - Centerlines in manufacturing 12:22 - Meeting W. Edwards Deming 14:21 - Deming's 14 Points 15:40 - Quality products require quality components 16:52 - Steve's time as a consultant 20:05 - Peter Falk, Columbo, and continuous improvement 24:32 - Street Stats on Quality Time With MoreSteam   Additional Resources: The Street Stats Playlist on YouTube MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dave Harry joins the show. Dave is well known throughout the world of continuous improvement as "The Process Whisperer." Before becoming a Lean Six Sigma legend, Dave spent years as a US Navy helicopter pilot. He even gave Paul Newman a helicopter ride! (Yes, the Paul Newman.) As Dave explains, helicopter pilots understand Six Sigma better than most people. When you're flying a million parts in formation and 99.9% success won't cut it, you learn to work for perfection. In his conversation with host Dan Swartwout, Dave walks through his journey from military aviation to major OpEx roles with Northrop Grumman and Rolls-Royce. Toyota Kata also gets serious attention in this conversation. Dave is a self-proclaimed "Kata Geek" who has attended 10 Toyota Kata summits. Additionally, Dave shares what he learned from 15 years of judging ASQ's International Team Excellence Awards. Learn what separates breakthrough teams from box checkers. Want to keep your virtual team engaged? Dave has plenty of tips. Yes, he's having fun and keeping things silly. But when it comes to teamwork and process improvement, Dave is dead serious about getting results. The Process Whisperer makes friends for life wherever he goes. Now it's your turn to become friends with Dave Harry.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:42 - What it means to be a Process Whisperer 3:13 - Dave's background as a US Navy helicopter pilot 5:32 - The Paul Newman story 7:16 - Dave's academic background 8:46 - Moving to the corporate world 10:02 - Becoming the Process Whisperer 12:59 - Projects that generated big cost savings 16:01 - Opening Process Whisperer Consultants 18:10 - Toyota Kata 24:25 - Post-pandemic challenges for Lean leadership 29:09 - Judging the ASQ International Team Excellence Awards 35:50 - Making friends for life   Additional Resources: Dave Harry on LinkedIn Process Whisperer Consultants The Process Whisperer in Space? MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Kim Scibelli joins the show. Kim is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt who leads supply chain and operations at AVS Bio. And after coaching teams through transformations for years, Kim has learned that you can't "pizza party" your way to culture change. Why do people say they want things to get better but resist when changes actually happen? Kim talks about identifying blockers at every level and developing strategies to help them get on board. She also discusses the importance of giving teams the freedom to experiment. For example, Kim describes the time she gave a terrified team permission to try something new. That one act of trust led to a new cart design that rolled out across 23 distribution centers. Kim explains the difference between agreement and alignment and why confusing the two can derail change efforts. She also talks about vulnerability in operational excellence and what self-reflection actually looks like for leaders. Of course, host Dan Swartwout once again manages to weave some classic TV into the show. This time, it's Dragnet and The Price is Right. The episode ends with Kim explaining why she stays in change management. Her answer about making work better for people and helping them feel seen and heard is the perfect way to end this conversation. And that's just the facts.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:52 - Change management is hard 3:17 - Resistance to change 9:10 - Mistakes leaders make when leading change 10:25 - Being self-aware 11:59 - Giving your team the freedom to try something new 15:02 - Change management and being vulnerable 18:12 -  You can't "pizza party" your way to culture change, 24:31 - The difference between agreement and alignment 27:05 - Doing things differently 33:02 - The lasting impact of successful change management   Additional Resources: Kim Scibelli on LinkedIn MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dr. Lars Maaseidvaag joins the show to talk about one of his areas of expertise, process modeling and discrete event simulation. Lars has worked in continuous improvement for over 30 years. He's also from Ann Arbor, Michigan, which creates some good natured tension when he talks to Ohio State graduate (and your host) Dan Swartwout. In easy-to-understand terms, Lars explains discrete event simulation and why it matters. For example, he tells us about helping a large hospital during the pandemic. The hospital had a thousand people backed up in the parking lot trying to get screened. Lars and his team quickly built a simulation model to address the situation. As a result, they found solutions that saved the hospital thousands of dollars per day, with no new equipment required. Most Lean Six Sigma tools handle stable processes just fine. But what happens when you've got fluctuating demand and everything depends on everything else? Lars walks us through how simulation helps with these messy situations. He also talks about MoreSteam's own Process Playground, which lets you run simulations without learning to code or buying expensive software. Lars and Dan bond over bratwurst and argue about the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry. They also discuss George Box's line that all models are wrong but some are useful. As this episode shows, some podcasts are useful, too.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:16 - Meet Lars 5:20 - What is discrete event simulation? 8:02 - The process at a coffee shop 11:58 - How process modeling helped reduce wait times at a hospital 15:39 - How simulation reveals solutions that other Lean tools might miss 20:10 - Interdependencies and interactions in simulation modeling 23:04 - Examples of interdependencies in blackjack 25:15 - Using Process Playground in EngineRoom 28:45 - The building blocks analogy 32:27 - Pitfalls to avoid: analysis paralysis 36:22 - Process modeling and roller coasters 42:09 - All models are wrong, some are useful   Additional Resources: Lars Maaseidvaag on LinkedIn The Impact of Process Modeling: Reducing Queue Times for COVID Testing MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn QTWM Episode 31: Solving Healthcare Bottlenecks with Process Modeling MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn    Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, April Thomas joins the show. Most Lean Six Sigma professionals didn't start their careers as hospice social workers. April did. April is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt whose mission is to be an advocate, a catalyst, and a coach for transformational change. Being a hospice social worker taught her about empathy and helping people through difficult transitions. Those skills transfer directly to April's work in continuous improvement and organizational change. During her conversation with host Dan Swartwout, April explains her grief-informed approach to change management and how leaders can support teams through major workplace changes. April also discusses why psychological safety affects data quality and how to recognize change fatigue before it becomes a problem. Also, April recently got her motorcycle license. Does riding a motorcycle apply to continuous improvement? You know it! This episode is perfect for both business leaders and cool riders.   In this episode, you will hear about: :57 - From hospice social worker to Lean Six Sigma Black Belt 4:56 - Learning to ride a motorcycle 6:53 - How riding a motorcycle applies to continuous improvement 10:16 - Looking at resistance and change through the lens of grief and loss 12:29 - Continuous improvement, change fatigue, and employee wellbeing 14:54 - Leadership and empathy 17:58 - Psychological safety and continuous improvement 20:34 -  Being an advocate, a catalyst, and a coach for transformational change   Additional Resources: April Thomas on LinkedIn April's PSA from MADD Mid-Atlantic The Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

Brent Godwin of The Lubrizol Corporation steps into the spotlight on this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam. Earlier this year, Brent attended MoreSteam's Best Practices for Operational Excellence Conference (BP4OpX) for the very first time. At the conference, leaders in operational excellence and continuous improvement share best practices during keynote presentations, workshops, and peer-to-peer discussions. Now, Brent joins the show to talk about his experiences at the conference. Brent and Dan talk about networking opportunities, fresh ideas for speeding up Lean Six Sigma projects, and what makes BP4OpX genuinely different. Lindsay Van Dyne, MoreSteam's Vice President of Marketing, also joins the show to share how the design and programming of the conference play a vital role in MoreSteam's mission. Join Brent, Dan, and Lindsay as they discuss how bringing people together makes important things work better for the whole wide world. Yes, the whole wide world!   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:57 - Meet Brent 3:39 - MoreSteam's mission and BP4OpX 4:45 - Brent's expectations and experiences 6:13 - The design of the conference 7:43 - Leaders from different industries at BP4OpX 10:22 - Two presentations that made a big impression on Brent 13:10 - Networking opportunities at the conference 18:08 - The "icebreaker" that opened BP4OpX 20:38 - Insights and strategies to take back to the team 21:19 - Advice for leaders attending in the future 23:51 - Working with Wendy's and Stephanie Chen   Additional Resources: Brent Godwin on LinkedIn The Lubrizol Corporation Meredith Brody from Constellation on Quality Time with MoreSteam Reflections on the 2024 BP4OpX MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Lindsay Van Dyne on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

Dan welcomes back Eric Olson to Quality Time with MoreSteam. Eric is a professor of industrial technology at Cal Poly State University and lead of the Future of People at Work Initiative. In this episode, the conversation shifts focus from AI to workplace dynamics and lean education. At the start of the conversation, generational differences in today's workforce take center stage. Then, Eric and Dan talk about building lean communities from the ground up and the challenges of scaling improvement initiatives. Eric also describes his hands-on approach to teaching the Green Belt curriculum at Cal Poly. For teams looking to get started with Lean, Eric suggests starting with simple questions to help nurture a culture of continuous improvement. This is another fun episode. Eric tells us why the future of people at work should include a midday nap. And be prepared! You might find yourself debating whether butter belongs in the refrigerator or on the counter.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:29 - The next generation of workers 4:49 - Central Coast Lean 8:57 - Teaching Gren Belt at Cal Poly 16:01 - Start out by asking "why?" 18:58 - Questioning a process 22:43 - Financial performance in Lean organizations 24:40 - Talking to CEO's who don't know about Lean 25:51 - The next Future of People at Work symposium   Additional Resources: Eric Olsen on LinkedIn Future of People at Work Central Coast Lean Eric Olsen at Cal Poly MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout welcomes Taylor Pack, Senior Manager of Process at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Taylor started her career working retail at Cracker Barrel. She became a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt through her experience at Bridgestone and the U.S. Coast Guard. Now she uses continuous improvement to help grant more wishes for children with critical illnesses. Taylor shares how Make-A-Wish operates entirely on donor funds.  Every improvement in efficiency directly impacts the organization's ability to reach more families. She explains how her small team has streamlined operations across the organization with impressive results. During the conversation, Taylor discusses how process improvements have reduced workloads for overburdened staff and accelerated communication between departments. Listen and find out how Taylor and Make-A-Wish use Lean Six Sigma and process improvement to grant more wishes and change more lives.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:31 - The Make-A-Wish Foundation 4:02 - Taylor's background 6:20 - Taking the job with Make-A-Wish 7:38 - Continuous improvement and Make-A-Wish 10:31 - Lean Six Sigma projects at Make-A-Wish 17:07 - Improving the handoff process 19:34 - Data analysis at Make-A-Wish 23:04 - Other key metrics 26:38 - Continuous improvement outside of manufacturing 29:21 - Buy in 36:05 - The impact of granting wishes 42:49 - The evolution of continuous improvement at Make-A-Wish 47:24 - The impact of Lean Six Sigma in the non-profit sector   Additional Resources: Taylor Pack on LinkedIn The Make-A-Wish Foundation MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Josh Howell, President of the Lean Enterprise Institute. Josh went from Starbucks barista to leading lean transformations at thousands of locations worldwide. Now he's working alongside lean legends Jim Womack, John Shook, and Peter Ward. Josh shares how his store was randomly selected for Starbucks' "model cafe" experiment with lean. That background led to his promotion from store manager to corporate headquarters when Starbucks expanded lean throughout the company. During the conversation, Josh explains why standardization and innovation are friends, not enemies, and discusses his framework for helping leaders develop humble inquiry skills. The conversation also covers how AI serves as a thinking companion and why Josh still feels as challenged today as when he first began putting these ideas into practice. Plus, there's some good-natured ribbing about college football when this Notre Dame alum cleverly fires back at Dan's historical trivia. Listen and find out why this 'luckiest lean learner in the world' believes most organizations are missing the boat on actual work improvement and focusing too much on management activities instead of where the real value creation happens.   In this episode, you will hear about: 1:40 - Josh's background 3:28 - Josh responds to Eric Olsen (cliffhanger!) 10:18 - The journey from Starbucks to LEI 15:51 - Interacting with the legends of Lean 19:20 - The definition of Lean 21:14 - Lean thinking and meaningful work 24:50 - Standardization and innovation 27:45 - The coach as learner 29:39 - The Lean Transformation Framework 34:51 - Josh reflects on his career trajectory 37:06 - Sustaining Lean practices 40:40 - It's 2025, so we gotta talk about AI 45:34 - Being successful at Lean is challenging 49:18 - Football talk to close out the show   Additional Resources: Josh Howell on LinkedIn Josh Howell at the Lean Enterprise Institute The Lean Enterprise Institute Tom Paider on Meaningful Work MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Eric Olsen, Professor of Industrial Technology at Cal Poly State University. Eric spent 20 years in industry with companies like Caterpillar and Hewlett Packard before jumping into academia. Dan started the interview with a bunch of questions about Lean, but the conversation took a sharp turn into artificial intelligence territory. Eric shares how he's experimenting with AI for everything from writing to problem-solving. He uses it as his go-to learning tool. Of course, the big question looms: how do people find new ways to contribute when AI keeps getting better?" Eric tackles this head-on through his work with the Future of People at Work initiative, where different improvement methodologies team up to solve bigger challenges. Hear how one continuous improvement expert is using AI to revolutionize his own learning process!   In this episode, you will hear about: 2:04 - Eric's background 4:39 - Eric's time at The Ohio State University 6:00 - The recent Future of People at Work symposium 7:35 - The future of Future of People at Work 11:06 - Adding extra value in the age of AI 18:15 - Engaging with AI 22:47 - Students using AI 25:33 - Eric's question for Josh Howell, President of the Lean Enterprise Institute   Additional Resources: Eric Olsen on LinkedIn Future of People at Work Central Coast Lean Eric Olsen at Cal Poly MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube  

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout hosts two-time Shingo Prize winner Drew Locher. Their conversation covers lean-driven process improvement and team leadership. Drew believes that 80% of continuous improvement is behavioral. So, have you created a safe environment for your team? Do you avoid blame-and-shame language? And because change must be directional and done with purpose, are the reasons for change clearly outlined? Find out why these are keys to operational excellence. Value stream mapping. Boom! PDCA. Of course! There are also some fun callbacks to previous episodes as Drew brings a new perspective to familiar themes. Did we mention that Drew is from the Philly area and trusts the process? You know this will be good.   In this episode, you will hear about: 0:46 - Drew's background 7:05 - Value stream mapping mistakes 13:18 - Why some leaders are reluctant to visit the Gemba 15:22 - Toyota Kata and PDCA 19:27 - Lean thinking outside of manufacturing 25:15 - Overcoming negative mindsets 31:43 - Creating the right work environment 35:27 - Leadership behaviors that drive continuous improvement 39:43 - Comparing leadership and management 42:01 - Unleashing The Power of 3P 49:31 - The Philadelphia Eagles 50:39 - Ideas about the future   Additional Resources: Drew Locher at Change Management Associates Drew Locher on LinkedIn Drew Locher's Author Profile on Amazon MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout welcomes Michael Hathaway to the show. Michael is MoreSteam's eLearning Content Manager. Before joining MoreSteam, Michael taught at charter schools in Houston and Columbus. Now, Michael uses the lessons he learned as a professional educator to develop eLearning for continuous improvement professionals. Some educational concepts are universal, whether you're teaching kids or Lean Six Sigma Black Belts. Clear storytelling. Rapid feedback. Constant experimentation. That sounds like continuous improvement, right? But it's also great teaching. Listen to this episode to learn more! Yeah, we tease him a lot, 'cause we got him on the spot, Welcome Back, Michael!   In this episode, you will hear about: 2:07 - Michael's background in education 3:20 - From middle school to MoreSteam 5:17 - Applying the lessons learned as an educator 7:44 - Continuous improvement at Yes Prep and KIPP 13:56 - Using data to create more effective eLearning 16:12 - Updating content as learning evolves 19:28 - Teaching the soft skills of continuous improvement 22:03 - Motivating learners 26:46 - Working with Mel Coyle at MoreSteam 28:27 - The future of eLearning   Additional Resources: Michael Hathaway on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Process Playground MoreSteam's YouTube Channel Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn MoreSteam's Website Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter MoreSteam on LinkedIn Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn   Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music YouTube