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The Edges of Lean explores topics in continuous improvement (lean thinking, creative problem solving, six sigma) that get overlooked. Meet the people practicing lean in odd places or with different twists, always with a focus on respect for people and continuous learning.
Episodes

Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Ep 99 Continuous Improvement and Dyslexia with Lois Letchford
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
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When you work with your employees or clients, what assumptions are you making about their reading skills? If you are like me, you might assume that almost everyone you work with reads easily, but that is likely untrue. Lois Letchford joined me at the Edges of Lean to talk about her experience as the parent of a child with dyslexia and how lean thinkers can help to create success for adults with dyslexia. Lois Letchford has written a book about her experiences called “Reversed: A Memoir.”
Lois Letchford
Lois Letchford's powerful memoir "Reversed" chronicles an extraordinary personal journey of overcoming daunting odds with inspiration and hope. Possessing a Master of Science in Literacy and Learning from the University at Albany and experience as a Reading Specialist at East Derwent Primary School, Lois stumbled upon her own previously undiagnosed learning difference at 39 while teaching her second son to read. This discovery set her on an unwavering pursuit for answers. With sheer determination and unyielding resilience, Lois confronted challenges and battled self-doubt head-on, proving that no obstacle is insurmountable.
As the founder of Lois Letchford Language, Literacy, and Learning tutoring, she is dedicated to assisting others facing similar challenges. "Reversed" serves as a beacon of hope, sharing Lois' mission and vision of empowering individuals with dyslexia.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:02:58 - Frustration with traditional reading methods
00:03:09 - Captain Cook and exploration.
00:05:29 - The importance of engaging students' curiosity in learning
00:07:05 - Curiosity and brain power.
00:08:28 - The benefits of personalized and engaging teaching methods
00:10:53 - Reading difficulties among adults.
00:10:11 - The ongoing challenges of reading as an adult with dyslexia
00:14:23 - Strengths and weaknesses
00:18:00 - Embracing Differences and Dyslexia
00:24:22 - The cost of writing books.
00:30:05 - Reading disabilities and learning.
00:35:11 - Creating a safe environment.
00:36:44 - What does inclusion mean?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Fostering a love of learning and curiosity is crucial for children with reading disabilities.
- Reading difficulties affect a significant percentage of adults in the workforce.
- Creating a safe and inclusive environment is essential for individuals with reading disabilities to thrive in the workplace.
- Writing reviews significantly impacts the visibility and success of books and podcasts.
- Reviews provide valuable feedback and validation for authors and creators.
- Positive reviews boost authors' confidence and encourage them to produce more quality content.
- Leaving reviews is an impactful yet simple way for audiences to support authors and creators.
- Practicing empathy leads to a better understanding of different perspectives and abilities.
- Withholding judgment creates space for open-mindedness in interactions.
- Considering underlying factors beyond the visible deepens communication.
- Pausing before responding fosters inclusivity and effective interactions.
Memorable Quotes From Lois Letchford
“Reading is actually about emotions."
CONNECT WITH Lois Letchford
Email: LETCHFORDLOIS@GMAIL.COM
Website: https://www.loisletchford.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loisletchford/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/letchfordlois
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loisletchford/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW-eC1bd7uZBizY-rzWhrQQ

Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Ep 98 Continuous Improvement and Staying Flowcused with Stéfany Oliver
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Thursday Jul 20, 2023

An essential principle of lean thinking is “one-piece flow.” One way of looking at that is to focus on finishing what you start before you take on other tasks, whether building a car in a factory or managing paperwork. But our lives constantly call us to multitask and take on more than we can complete, and as a result, we get overwhelmed. Lean coach Stéfany Oliver has been studying how to overcome the feeling of overwhelm in our lives, and she has written a book to help us all!
Stéfany Oliver
Stéfany is a passion-driven coach who helps overwhelmed people find flow in work, home, and life. She lives by the manifesto of "fueled by plants, perspective, and prayer." Stéfany has grown into her purpose as a food creator, speaker, author, and storyteller. She has built her health, wellness, and optimization coaching business while spending time with family and drawing inspiration from nature. In addition, Stéfany has been with Statistics Canada for over 15 years, demonstrating strong commitment and growth within the organization. She has taken on leadership roles managing major HR and workplace transformation initiatives.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:01:18 - HowlLean thinking and flow concepts apply to personal life
0:03:33 - Setting limits to create a better flow in daily life
0:06:30 - Example of setting limits for personal quiet time
0:08:50 - The importance of intention and value creation in the daily flow
0:11:48 - Applying flow concepts to the workplace
0:13:20 - The importance of focus and single-piece flow in work
0:20:03 - The role of time and energy levels in the daily flow
0:24:19 - Creating physical and digital space for better flow
0:29:22 - Understanding and respecting personal capacity for optimal flow
Key Takeaways
- Lean thinking and flow concepts can be applied to work and personal life to create a better daily flow.
- Setting limits and creating space for quiet time can help beat overwhelm and improve focus and energy.
- Knowing oneself and understanding individual energy levels and capacity is crucial for managing time effectively.
- Physical and digital space organization is essential for reducing clutter and improving productivity.
- Being studious and continuously learning is the unique characteristic of great leaders.
Memorable Quotes From Stéfany Oliver
"If you want to be a leader and be effective, you have to be serious about the sort of craft of leadership style you want to possess.”
Connect with Stéfany Oliver
Website: https://stefanyoliver.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/st%C3%A9fany-oliver-coach/

Wednesday Jul 12, 2023
Ep 97 Continuous Improvement and Intentional Leadership with Shana Francesca
Wednesday Jul 12, 2023
Wednesday Jul 12, 2023
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I love to interview people with unusual career paths. Shana Francesca started her career as an interior designer. Her work in intentionally creating physical environments that supported people’s needs led her into coaching leaders in intentional leadership to build effective and efficient and healthy work environments. Let’s hear Shana’s story!
Shana Francesca
Shana Francesca is a sought-after speaker, writer, and the Founder & CEO of Concinnate LLC, a company focused on intentional leadership and life design. She has shared her message extensively, with over 90 podcast interviews worldwide and published articles in Medium, Authority Magazine, Shoutout LA, Emotional Intelligence+ Magazine, and more.
At Concinnate, Shana helps people transform their present and future by living intentionally, designing their ideal lives, and embracing their power as the author of their own stories. She believes that infusing intention into how we live and lead allows us to realize untold joy, connection, and meaning.
With her unique perspective and experience, Shana inspires audiences and readers to craft the lives they desire through purposeful intention and conscious action.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:01:02 - Importance of intentional leadership and living
00:02:29 - Recognizing the coaching element in interior design
00:04:10 - The power of the physical environment
00:09:19 - Customization and recognizing individual needs
00:16:11 - Why group coaching is not for children
00:17:13 - Duration and structure of group coaching
00:18:25 - Goals and intentionality in group coaching
00:20:08 - Leadership as becoming yourself
00:26:18 - Questioning toxic leadership
00:32:12 - The importance of affordability and care
00:33:21 - The ethics of lean and work-life balance
00:34:23 - Redundancy and creating a supportive work environment
00:36:07 - Leading with ethics and compassion
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS PODCAST:
- Discover the hidden vitality unlocked by intentional leadership and mindful living.
- Lift the veil on how physical settings shape your well-being and drive your productivity.
- Unearth how fostering curiosity, bravery, vulnerability, and focus can make you a trendsetting leader.
- Learn the secrets of non-linear communication and how to transform your listening into a leadership asset.
- Explore the path to creating an inclusive culture that cherishes individual autonomy.
Memorable Quote from Shana Francesca
“Create an environment that facilitates your needs, both aesthetically and functionally.”
Connect with Shana Francesca
Website:https://www.concinnate.world/shana-francesca
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/concinnate/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAFmDzdt3-CutdjGR8NNIxg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/concinnate.world/

Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Ep 96 Continuous Improvement and the Japanese Abacus with Sensei Miwako
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
Thursday Jul 06, 2023
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Miwako Bukres has taken the honorific “sensei" – teacher. She is not a lean sensei but a beloved teacher of the Japanese abacus. She’s here to tell us what we can learn about Japanese culture by developing the practices of learning from failure and discipline and encouraging clear analytical thinking using the ancient Japanese practice of doing math on the abacus.
Sensei Miwako
Miwako, affectionately known as Sensei (Japanese for teacher), grew up in Japan, where she developed a deep connection with the abacus at a young age. She began training with the abacus beads at age seven, lighting a passion that would shape her career path.
After moving to the U.S. in 1992, Miwako channeled her love of teaching and working with children into founding the Japanese Abacus Math School in 2001. There are no greater rewards for Miwako than seeing her student's faces light up with confidence and understanding as they discover what their abacus training has enabled them to achieve.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:00:30 Learning from the failure and discipline
00:08:41 The Japanese Abacus
00:10:28 The Power of the Abacus and its future benefits
00:14:23 The speed of calculations and how a system can help that
00:20:18 The importance of respect for our students and future generation
00:23:08 Teaching children to be independent and confident
00:27:33 Discipline in American education
00:35:31 Appreciation and investing in children
00:44:33 Perseverance and not giving up
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS PODCAST:
- Learning the abacus helps students develop analytical thinking and learn from failure.
- The abacus skills acquired are universal and can be applied globally.
- The ability to perform calculations mentally and efficiently is a valuable skill.
- Teachers play a role in fostering respect and discipline.
- Teaching adults can be more challenging than teaching children.
- The abacus teaches students analytical thinking and how to learn from failure.
- Children who learn abacus skills can quickly and accurately solve mathematical problems without calculators.
- Being open-minded and embracing new knowledge is essential for everyone, particularly teachers.
- Respect is about treating others with kindness and consideration, not just deference to authority.
- Teachers create an environment where adults feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them.
- Perseverance is the key to success, and we should encourage students to push through adversity.
Memorable Quote from Sensei Miwako
"Decide something to do but don't give up. The weather won't be beautiful every day. Sometimes, there is a cloud, sometimes rain, and sometimes hell. Life will be the same. It won't be a joy every day. But there is always a reason you have to cry. Joy is a result of sadness and anger or everything. So just keep going and don't give up. That is my advice to everybody. Including myself."
Connect with Sensei Miwako
Website: https://www.abacusonlineclasses.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senseimiwako/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abacusjams

Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Ep 95 Continuous Improvement and Perfect Attendance with Harriet Stein
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
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Harriet Stein would like us to pay attention. Paying attention is an absolute necessity for lean practitioners – but it is not something we all find easy – or even know how to start practicing. Harriet kindly spent some time with me at the Edges of Lean explaining how to build our attentiveness skills and why improving them can improve our lean practices and our quality of life. Harriet is the author of “Perfect Attendance: Being Present for Life.
Experience her delightful and captivating perspective on this topic. Don't miss it!
Harriet Stein
Harriet Stein is an inspirational teacher and professional speaker passionate about speaking to organizations on how mindfulness can benefit them. Her customized mindfulness programs provide practical tools for a fulfilling and productive life.
Harriet created the award-winning Take a Pause Mindfulness training program. She has extensive experience teaching mindful practices at Fortune 500 companies to improve corporate culture. While at Johnson & Johnson, she taught over 5,000 employees Mindfulness strategies.
Mixing research and science with fun, Harriet’s proven strategies teach living in the present and being accessible professionally and personally. Learn how to reduce stress and achieve more creativity, efficiency, or better sleep!
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:01:10 - The importance of paying attention and building attentiveness skills to improve Lean practice and quality of life
00:05:30 - What is mindfulness, and how can we pay attention without judgment
00:10:54 - Being mindful at 2:00 AM, and control your racing thoughts before you go to sleep
00:15:02 - What is being present in lean practice, and how to cultivate the right mental state
00:17:26 - Practicing non-judgment and compassion mindfulness
00:23:30 - Attitudes needed for a lean project and the importance of preconceived ideas about oneself and others
00:28:11 - Non-striving and stress and the harmful effect of stress on mindfulness
00:34:29 - The power of gratitude and acceptance
00:35:30 - Generosity and kindness in the workplace and how it can create a positive work environment
00:37:09 - Opportunities for learning and growth both professionally and personally
00:39:44 - The practice of acceptance and how the practice of acceptance can help us deal with difficult situations.
00:45:01 - Mindfulness in manufacturing and how it helped employees become more aware and focused on safety
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Unravel how mindfulness practices can elevate productivity and foster a healthy work environment.
- Acquire the attitudes for mindfulness mastery, including trust, non-judgment, and letting go.
- Gain insight into the benefits of teaching mindfulness to children, promoting resilience and emotional well-being.
- Learn the positive impact of gratitude and generosity on teamwork and interpersonal dynamics.
- Examine methods for approaching fear and conflict mindfully and fostering a more accepting mindset.
- Unveil the secrets to boosting workplace efficiency and personal well-being through mindfulness practices.
- Dive into crucial attitudes for adopting mindfulness, such as beginner's mind, letting go, and compassion.
- Understand the importance of introducing mindfulness to children in developing positive mental habits.
- Realize the potential of expressing appreciation and kindness in enhancing teamwork and communication.
- Delve into mindful techniques for navigating challenging emotions and conflicts with more ease and understanding.
Memorable Quotes From Harriet Stein
“You are capable of impacting thousands and thousands of people with just one decision."
CONNECT WITH Harriet Stein
Email: Harriet@HarrietStein.com
Website: https://www.harrietstein.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harriet-stein/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PauseAndNotice
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bigtoeinthewater

Monday May 22, 2023
Monday May 22, 2023

Catherine Llewellyn is a humanistic psychologist who coaches and consults with business leaders who want to "go up a level" whether that is personally or in their business. I spoke with Catherine here at the Edges of Lean to learn what humanistic psychology is and how she helps these leaders raise their consciousness and reach their next level. She delves into the challenges faced by individuals in organizations when generating new ideas.
Catherine Llewellyn
Catherine Llewellyn is a Master Humanistic Psychologist who founded Yes You Now in 2020 to help high achievers achieve their personal and business goals while promoting free thinking and self-actualization. Her approach is based on the humanistic philosophical approach, physical embodiment, energy healing, and strategic creativity. Catherine has a profound familiarity with what it is to be a free-thinker and non-conformist, and she has worked with large-scale corporate leadership and transformation to align fiscal success with values-driven leadership and culture. Catherine now works directly with influential and successful entrepreneurs and leaders to help them achieve the Next Level in surprising and remarkable ways.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:04:57 Lead with Consciousness and Compassion.
00:10:59 Purpose-driven change implementation.
00:17:13 Encourage strategic thinking in leadership.
00:20:48 Lead with intention and authenticity.
00:27:40 Develop human, inspirational leadership.
00:30:09 Be open and sensitive.
00:37:43 Grow and maximize potential.
00:41:05 Find your truth and transcend.
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS PODCAST:
- Humanistic psychology is all about self-awareness and potential.
- Respect for people is at the heart of lean principles. By valuing and understanding people better, we can build better leaders and create a healthy culture that supports transformation.
- Personal growth is a factor in lean transformation. By connecting to our truth and transcending our limitations, we can achieve great success and fulfillment in our personal and professional lives.
- Connection is essential. In order to truly embody humanistic psychology principles, one must be willing to get over themselves and connect with others.
- Strategic thinking is a critical component of successful leadership involves taking a step back and looking at the big picture, considering the context of the organization and its goals.
Memorable Quote from Catherine Llewellyn
“I would say to a young person, sit down and work out what questions you'd like to get answers to.”
Connect with Catherine Llewellyn
Podcast: Truth & Transcendence - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/truth-transcendence/id1576720874

Thursday May 11, 2023
Ep 93 Continuously Improving Your Voice with John Henny
Thursday May 11, 2023
Thursday May 11, 2023
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Do you like your voice? Does your voice help you to get your message across? How do you take care of your voice? John Henny is a voice coach who works with speakers to help them use their voices to be more compelling and influential, and he is here at The Edges of Lean to give us methods and tips for being better users and caretakers of our great voices.
John Henny
John Henny is a highly experienced voice coach who has helped thousands of people improve their communication skills. He is a featured lecturer at various prestigious institutions and conferences and coaches professionals in corporate businesses, the military, sports announcing, and voice-over artists. He employs creative methods to alleviate stress and enhance the quality of his clients' vocals. He is a skilled writer, host of a podcast, and designer of internet-based courses, with a substantial fan base.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
00:00 - Using your voice to be more compelling and Influential
07:42 - The resonance of the power of voice
09:10 - How essential your vocal tract is
10:26 - How to make sure your voice is heard.
16:25 - The importance of variety and pace in speaking
20:39 - The magic of best performance is the combination of familiar and unfamiliar.
23:26 - Importance of being structured and memorable.
27:42 - Emotional connection is the key to being unstoppable.
30:50 - The importance of non-verbal communication.
36:52 - The importance of Breathing
40:55 - Take care, be aware, and connect with your voice
KEY TAKEAWAYS OF THIS PODCAST:
- To be more compelling and influential, you need to use your voice effectively. The power of voice is in its resonance.
- Your vocal tract is essential for creating different sounds, tones, and pitches, and understand how it works to use it effectively.
- To be heard, you need to project your voice, use pauses, and speak with clarity.
- Variety and pace in speaking are crucial for keeping your audience engaged. Monotony can make you sound uninteresting.
- The magic of the best performance lies in the combination of familiar and unfamiliar elements
- Emotional connection is the key to being unstoppable
- Non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. Use eye contact, gestures, and body language to enhance your message.
- Breathing is essential for good vocal production. Ude breathing exercises to improve your breathing technique.
Memorable Quote from John Henny
“Connect with your voice, have an awareness of your voice, and take care of your voice. Taking care of your voice is going to help not only your professional but also your personal life. It is our number one means of emotional connection with other people.”
Connect with John Henny
Website: https://johnhenny.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-henny-8ab9142b
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBolFwy8OpeiJf23eOQMGbw

Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wp 92 Continuous Improvement and Getting Published with Karl Beckstrand
Wednesday May 03, 2023
Wednesday May 03, 2023
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Are you thinking of writing a book? Did you write a book? Are you wondering about getting your book out in the world? College media instructor Karl W. Beckstrand is the best-selling author/illustrator of twenty-seven multicultural/multilingual books. He is here at the Edges of Lean to help us take advantage of his lessons learned with writing and publishing.
Karl Beckstrand
Karl Beckstrand is a college media professor and the founder of Premio Publishing, which has over 200 multicultural offerings. He values cultural diversity and collaborates with illustrators from Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Beckstrand has lived in Chile, worked as a Spanish-English interpreter, and visited various countries. He is passionate about using the arts to promote literacy and help people realize their worth and potential, regardless of their background.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:00:00 - Karl Beckstrand: best-selling author and illustrator of 27 multicultural multilingual books
0:03:05 - Exploring the pros and cons of traditional publishing vs. self-publishing
0:04:57 - The benefits of long-term book marketing
0:14:58 - S,elf-publishing and the financial side of the process
0:17:15 - Marketing strategies for self-publishing a book
0:22:44 - Writing and marketing a book
0:24:58 - Writing a book and marketing strategies
0:26:41 - Learning from failure and continuous improvement
0:29:31 - Writing for young people: approaches and beta readers
0:31:52 - Self-publishing and book bannings
0:37:02 - Book selection and curation in libraries
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Self-publishing is quicker and allows the author more control over marketing, content, and finances, while working with a big publishing house requires finding an agent and can take more time.
- Self-publishing has become more accessible, leading to a surge of books to publish, but the quality is improving due to the experience gained by writers.
- Technology can impact the book industry, making it easier to find high-quality writing.
- Ideas can come in the form of complete stories or just snippets, and it is crucial to write them down before they slip away.
- The importance of being a prolific writer, constantly jotting down ideas, and having a bank of inspiration to draw from.
- While working with a publisher, authors may not receive the marketing support they expect, and authors need to take charge of marketing their books.
- Carl stresses the importance of perseverance in the publishing industry and encourages authors to keep pushing their work, no matter how long ago it was published.
- It is essential to consider the target audience when writing for children, including their age range and interests.
- Editing services provide different perspectives, which is valuable for improving the quality of a book.
Memorable Quote from Karl Beckstrand
“We live in a wonderful age where you could just go online and look up something you don't know.”
Connect with Karl Beckstrand
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlbeckstrand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlbeckstrand/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarlBeckstrand.AuthorSpeaker/

Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Ep 91 Continuous Improvement and Scalability with Brad Eisenberg
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
Wednesday Apr 26, 2023
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Brad Eisenberg of BE Lean is a scalability consultant with over 15 years of experience as a Founder, COO, and consultant. He works with growing businesses that are at the point where everything that used to be fun and easy has become messy and complex. Brad is here at the Edges of Lean to help us understand what scalability is and the relationship between scalability, lean, and seeing things as they really are.
Brad Eisenberg
Brad led greeNEWit as its COO and is also the founder of BE Lean. Brad was also the founder of weBIKE, a bike share company that gave him his first taste of entrepreneurship. At BE Lean, he focuses on helping clients see what is happening in their businesses, focusing on the critical components of traction, profit, throughput, and innovation; components required for scaling up (or down). Brad’s insights ensure businesses have the tools and resources to scale up or down as demand requires. If you are running a growing business, you know how frustrating it can be when the things that used to be fun and straightforward become messy and complex. That is where Brad comes in - he is an expert in helping businesses scale effectively and efficiently.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:00:00 - Understanding scalability, lean, and visibility in growing businesses
0:06:19 - Understanding the four components of scalability
0:16:24 - Maximizing return on investment for business growth
0:18:10 - Optimizing business growth strategies
0:24:44 - Understanding the benefits of experimentation in business decisions
0:26:57 - A framework for making good decisions on risky ideas
0:32:46 - Risk vs. Return in pharmaceutical product development
0:34:34 - Identifying critical questions and making cold-hearted decisions for business success
0:38:25 - Challenges faced by businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic
0:40:42 - Improving efficiency through infrastructure building and hiring strategies
0:42:30 - Scaling a business and knowledge management
0:44:35 - Taking risks and starting in business
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Scalability is not just about growing or shrinking a business but about having the capacity to adjust to meet demand.
- The four critical scalability components are traction, profit, throughput, and innovation.
- Traction is the ability to move forward, throughput is the ability to generate revenue, and innovation is the ability to adapt and stay ahead. (You know what profit is!)
- Scalability should be considered an ongoing change process, not a one-time goal.
- Measuring and validating ideas is crucial for success, as a business model is just a hypothesis until proven.
- Having an external perspective can help identify and address any blind spots.
- Control, replicability, and consistency are essential elements to achieve scalability.
- Scalability consultants come from various backgrounds, including engineering, math, and science, and help businesses run more smoothly and efficiently.
Memorable Quotes From Brad Eisenberg
“You need a person that will be championing the idea to really kind of push the business forward, and you need that champion to push the envelope.”
CONNECT WITH BRAD EISENBERG
Website: https://www.beleanbusiness.com/about
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-eisenberg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.eisenberg.5/

Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Ep 90 Continuous Improvement and the Most Important Goal with Jim Gitney
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
Wednesday Apr 12, 2023
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Jim Gitney has been coaching and consulting for decades and, over the years, has seen many strategies fail because of poor execution. He knew there had to be a better way to bridge strategy and results. He developed the Business Hierarchy of Needs to clearly show how to make the decisions that lead to excellent execution of strategy. Let’s hear Jim’s approach from him and discuss how it relates to lean and continuous improvement approaches.
Jim Gitney
Jim Gitney is an experienced strategy, operations, and supply chain expert with over 45 years of experience working for startups to Fortune 50 companies. He is the author of "Strategy Realized – The Business Hierarchy of Needs - Turning Strategy Into Results" and the Founder and CEO of Group50 Consulting. Jim has extensive experience running large global operations and working with boards, business owners, and executives on developing and implementing transformative strategic initiatives. He has worked with various industries, including consumer and industrial products, government, aerospace, professional services, healthcare, big data, and high-tech. Jim has been instrumental in developing and implementing dozens of global business strategies, 11 operational and financial restructurings, and adapting blockchain to the supply chain.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:00:00 - Bridging strategy and results to achieve continuous improvement
0:05:17 - The benefits of empowering employees
0:10:53 - Leveraging people for enlightened leadership
0:16:22 - Setting goals to achieve business growth and resonating with younger generations
0:18:31 - Leadership, sustainability, and diversity in the workplace
0:26:33 - Business hierarchy of needs and engaging stakeholders in strategic planning
0:33:20 - Utilizing the five why and five how exercises to refine strategic goals
0:35:42 - The benefits of implementing lean strategies in business
0:41:16 - Strategy realize the business hierarchy of needs
0:44:05 - Tools to improve speed to market in research and development
0:49:58 - Achieving your most important goals in business
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Leaders need to change their thinking to understand the value of their employees.
- Bridging strategy and results are critical for achieving continuous business improvement.
- Empowering employees has numerous benefits for organizations, including increased productivity and employee satisfaction.
- Enlightened leadership requires leveraging the potential of people within an organization.
- Setting goals is essential in achieving business growth and resonating with younger generations.
- Leadership, sustainability, and diversity are essential in building a successful workplace.
- The Five Why and Five How exercises can help refine strategic goals and improve decision-making.
- Implementing lean strategies can help streamline processes and improve business efficiency.
- Using proper tools and procedures can enhance the pace of bringing research and development to the market.
- Achieving the highest goals in business requires a focused approach and consistent effort.
Memorable Quote from Jim Gitney
“Business leaders who are enlightened and who understand that they can leverage the skill sets inside their organization can help not only the business needs but also the personal needs of the people in their workforce.”
CONNECT WITH Jim Gitney
Website: https://www.group50.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgitney/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/group50consulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimgitney?s=20
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.gitney/
