Articles
Psychological Safety: The Foundation for Lean and Continuous Improvement
March 21, 2025 – Mark Graban
In a Gallup poll, only 3 in 10 employees strongly agreed that their opinions count at work. In my work with organizations across multiple industries, there’s a common pattern: companies that actively cultivate psychological safety are the ones that truly embrace continuous improvement and Lean thinking. Without psychological safety—the...
Read Full ArticleCompliance versus Commitment
March 13, 2025 – Douglas Dawson, Leg Up Solutions, LLC
Stephen Jay Gould, former Harvard University professor and leading evolutionary biologist, said, “I am somehow less concerned with the weight and convolution of Einstein's brain, than I am in the certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in the cotton fields and sweatshops.” That is a powerful statement, perhaps suggesting...
Read Full ArticleThe Relentless Pursuit of Mastery
March 10, 2025 – Michael Martyn
Over my 20+ years with the Shingo Institute, I have had the fortune to work with hundreds of organizations on the journey to excellence and coach thousands of leaders in the systems and behaviors that contribute to a sustainable culture of continuous improvement. But after years spent dedicated to designing and building amazing cult...
Read Full ArticleAvoiding Continuous Appearance
March 8, 2025 – Patrick Adams
There are many ways to start a fire, but there are only three ingredients necessary to build a fire: fuel, oxygen, and heat. When even one component is absent the fire goes out. There are also three types of fuel needed to ignite and keep a fire lit. The order in which you add these types of fuel is very important. The first typ...
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