Blog Articles

Shingo Principles in the Time of COVID-19

A few days ago, I reached out to the Shingo community seeking stories of the great work that is being done by organizations around the world during the COVID-19 crisis. We have already collected several amazing stories. Starting today, we will begin sharing them with you. It is our hope that they will motivate you as you deal with your ow...

Read Full Article

Why “Know Your Why”

Even though it's been postponed until fall, you’ve probably already seen the theme for this year’s Annual Shingo Conference in emails from the Shingo Institute: Know Your Why. It’s a familiar theme. Renowned speaker and author Simon Sinek wrote a book about it (Start With Why, Portfolio, 2009) and gave a terrific TED talk on it....

Read Full Article

A Look at “Focus on the Process”

“Focus on the Process” is a principle in the Continuous Improvement dimension of the Shingo Model. This principle holds the distinction of being the only principle about which no one has suggested an improvement. This is a sign of what we have witnessed numerous times – it is a principle that is so evident that everyone seems to unde...

Read Full Article

Transforming from the Inside Out

When I talk at conferences about leading a lean transformation, I like to ask the audience for the most important metrics they track in their organizations. I write down their answers, which range from lead time to cost to inventory. Then I ask: “What is the most difficult part in your transformation — changing the process or managing the...

Read Full Article