14.4K
Downloads
135
Episodes
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 Mar 08, 2023
Wednesday Mar 08, 2023
Kyle Gillette is a leadership coach. He coaches business leaders – but not all his clients wear a white collar and work in offices. Kyle works with leaders and aspiring leaders from all walks of life with a special focus on what we sometimes call “blue-collar” work. Kyle’s career path has taken him from men's mentoring to pet resorts, to HR, and running a successful personal training business. In every role, helping people reach their human potential through the power of mindset has always been his path. Kyle’s insights are valuable to all of us in the continuous improvement community.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST
0:09:23: The impact of mentorship on personal and professional growth
0:12:34: Understanding the difference between mentoring and coaching
0:14:23: How coaching and mentoring are applied in the business world
0:20:16: Moving from surviving to thriving through mindset shifts and personal growth
0:27:19: The four pillars of leadership: self-awareness, accountability, growth, and empowerment
0:31:56 Exploring the importance of accountability and mindset in coaching
0:34:51 Understanding the language and mindsets used in coaching
0:36:06: The benefits of journaling for stress relief
0:39:04: Connecting lean coaching and mentoring to empower young men
0:41:20: Using nonprofit work to connect business owners and young men
0:43:15: Learning the skill of active listening to empower your team
0:45:12: Developing self-awareness, mindset, and habits for effective leadership
Key Takeaways
- Power of making choices that lead to personal growth and positive change: it's crucial to make changes and take intentional action to improve one's life circumstances, even when facing fear and uncertainty.
- Taking risks and seizing opportunities to learn and grow is important. Mentorship and caring for others can have a significant impact. Intentional learning and investing in oneself are valuable. Success is not achieved alone, and support from others is crucial.
- Coaching draws insights through questioning, while mentoring tells what to do. Coaching is more effective in moving people forward permanently.
- Find lessons in setbacks. Take risks; improve skills and knowledge, and step out of your comfort zone.
- The four pillars of great leadership are Self-awareness, accountability, growth, and empowerment.
- Mindset plays a crucial role in achieving goals. Fear of losing control and being uncomfortable can prevent people from taking action.
- Listening is crucial for leaders to empower their teams. The "wiser way to listen" method involves giving time, respect, and empathy to truly hear people. It can be done in 2-12 minutes and improved by reading, practicing, and learning from mistakes
Connect With Kyle Gillette
Website: https://blueshirtcoaching.com/
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Elisabeth Swan just wrote a book – which is not surprising because she’s done it before, but this one is different. This time Elisabeth wrote and illustrated the book – in fact the illustrations are what communicate the great ideas she is sharing. And Elisabeth, consultant, teacher, writer, is adding “artist” to her resume.
In addition, she has an English degree and is a consultant in the operational excellence world. She believes that her background in English translates to being a translator and a storyteller. This has influenced the work she does in helping people understand and enjoy difficult topics, such as statistics. She also has a drive to find a better way, which she realized from problem solving as a child. This has led her to Lean Six Sigma as a way to teach and help others.
Let’s hear more and how that happened.
Elizabeth Swan
Elisabeth, a Six Sigma leader and President of Swan Consultancy and Associates, with a passion for problem-solving. She is also a co-founder of the Just-in-Time Café, a co-author of The Problem-Solver's Toolkit, and an avid traveler, consultant, coach, and educator. She is empowering individuals to unlock their potential and drive success through improved soft skills. Let her guide you to new heights of collaboration, creativity, and effective communication in the workplace.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:03: 45 – Transformative power of language
0:07:00 – The art of problem-solving
0:09:57 – The art of learning from other’s perspectives
0:12:58 – Importance of avoiding outer noises
0: 15:51 – Impact of emotions in illustration and real-world
0:17: 35 - The profound role of effective storytelling
0:22: 05 - The importance of effective communication in corporate
0:25:13 – Benefit of leveraging soft skills
0:28:43 – Role of six sigma skills in team management and leadership
0:31: 30 – The Importance and benefits of six sigma learning
0:35:55 – The impact of community engagement
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Confidence in problem solving allows individuals to face challenges with a positive mindset, embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, and explore creative and effective solutions.
- To be your authentic self, it is important to avoid the outer voices and distractions and focus on your own values, beliefs, and priorities.
- Understanding emotions can improve communication, productivity, decision-making, and helps leading to a more positive life.
- Storytelling is a powerful tool that can connect people with their emotions by your story and give an easy deeper and more meaningful understanding of themselves and others
- In order to be a good leader and team manager you should have effective communication, as it helps in clarity, transparency, collaboration, and trust among team members.
- Soft skills help individuals understand the complexities of the corporate world by improving communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal relationships.
- Cultural engagement can give mutual understanding, appreciation, and respect between diverse individuals and communities, promoting a more inclusive and tolerant society
Memorable Quotes From Elisabeth Swan
‘It’s intangible skills that make people want to work with you.’
Find Elisabeth:
JITCafe.com
elisabeth@JITCafe.com
Co-author, The Problem-Solver’s ToolKit: A Surprisingly Simple Guide to Your Lean Six Sigma Journey
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Lori-Ann Duguay worked in government for two decades – and it was there she says that she learned how NOT to treat employees. Now she works with organizations to help them create happier more effective workplaces by focusing on the employee experience as a process that can and should be continuously improved. Lori-Ann joined me to share her experiences and insights.
Lori-Ann Duguay
Lori-Ann Duguay helps companies become that highly-sought after employer where people want to work, stay and thrive! After working 21 years in government in various roles, she realized she had become a tenant of the workplace tethered by the golden shackles of a good pension and benefits. She decided to combine her career experiences both inside and outside government as an HR strategist, talent development expert, professional coach, and dispute resolution practitioner with her in-depth understanding of talent management and employee engagement to start her own company that teaches organizations and Leaders how to adopt a people-centered approach to leadership, talent development, and conflict resolution.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST
0:00:11 Improving employee experiences
0:02:50 How HR create happier and more engaging workplaces
0:07:45 The importance of mapping out the employee’s journey
0:09:25 Engaging employee experience
0:12:44 The people-centered approach
0:14:21 The importance of a long-term approach
0:21:47 Employee’s engagement in rapid organizational growth
0:26:09 Why you should invest in your people
0:32:20 Establishing a talent development strategy
0:36:13 The importance of change management in employee engagement
Key Takeaways
- Being well-versed in transactional operational HR will produce more overarching employee experiences
- Better bandwidth is needed to execute more strategic exercises
- Establishing a longer-term vision for people helps develop initiatives and improvements
- Mapping out the employee’s journey is a process of ensuring that the company is delivering on the pitch they made during the interview.
- Optimizing the process of engagement helps the employees set up their success
- Communication is important to make sure that the employees are happy with their experience
- Onboarding and orientation are important to provide support for the employees
- Identifying high-potential candidates is important to provide them with development opportunities
Memorable Quote From Lori-Ann Duguay
“Coalition is key because those are your champions, those are your cheerleaders, they're your Mythbusters”
Connect With Lori-Ann Duguay
Website: https://thepeopleperson.ca/about/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mother_ofgingers/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/rianned
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loriannduguay/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loriann.duguay.3
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
Wednesday Jan 04, 2023
One of the big challenges of continuous improvement is that different kinds of workers have very different expectations for their own professionalism, customer service, and how their management should behave. Chris Lalomia ran into this when he made career moves from engineering to financial services, and then to entrepreneurship in the home repair business. He’s here to share how he made those transitions, and what he has learned about building a culture for continuous improvement with different types of workers.
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
Wednesday Dec 28, 2022
It’s 2022 – well it’s almost 2023, and women in technology are not unusual – but there’s still plenty of female talent not taking part or staying in the tech sector. Limor Bergman Gross has time-tested tips on how to succeed as a woman in tech – and how to be a great sponsor of women in tech.
Meet Limor, a revolutionary thinker whose valuable insights help empower women in lean. She is making an impact on how women look at success in the tech world!
Limor Bergman Gross
Limor Bergman Gross has been a mentor for women in tech for over five years. In addition, she was a director of engineering and acquired experience working as an engineer, manager, and director. She is passionate about working and supporting women due to the fact that the engineering industry is a male-dominated industry. She started supporting and helping to grow when she returned to Israel as she believes she is following her callings.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:02:28 The impact of women in technical careers
0:11:51 The power and importance of taking risks in your career
0:17:50 The difference between a sponsor and a mentor
0:19:43 The Importance of a sponsor or mentor in the workplace
0:21:41 The differentiation between a coach and a mentor
0:27:38 The differentiating factor of being yourself in coaching
0:29:43 The benefits of technology in education
0:31:23 The impact of college pressure on Israeli students
0:36:02 The importance of encouraging young people to follow their passions
0:37:41 The power of human connection
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- In order to progress in one’s career, a person should take risks and get out of their comfort zones.
- The support that the women receive from their managers at work could have a huge impact on their productivity of the work.
- Women can be successful in the tech sector if they believe in their potential and strength
- It doesn't matter in what industry you are working, if you feel you can make an impact, go for it.
- If you are lost on your way, one of the best options is to look for mentors or people who have gone your way before.
- To make progress and see more women in the tech industry, it's important to have women in leadership positions as well.
- The biggest challenge with the women is not due to their lack of education but due to the lack of confidence they have
- Women should be bold and courageous and they should not let their fear stop them from going forward.
- Women used to wait to receive, however, it should be changed, and they should ask for what they deserve.
- Challenge your weakness and alter that to your strength, this way, women could be successful in any field they wish to.
Memorable Quotes From Limor Bergman Gross
“We need women to be bold, courageous, resilient, and believe in themselves.”
CONNECT WITH Limor Bergman Gross
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limorbergman/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/limorbergman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limorbe
Twitter: https://twitter.com/limor_bergman
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
Wednesday Dec 21, 2022
I hear it every day: “It’s the great resignation.” “People don’t want to work any more!” People are exhausted and burned out – especially in healthcare, and in many other workplaces as well. Mohamed Saleh knows what it takes to address the root causes of burnout. He is here to share his insights. This is a great episode to watch on YouTube, so you can see Mohamed’s slides, but if you listen instead, we are going to describe the visual component for you, and the slides are posted with these show notes.
Mohamed Saleh
Dr. Mohamed Saleh is a thought leader in shifting cultural mindsets by redesigning business systems. Dr. Saleh has a successful track record anchored in two decades of hands-on transformations with a strong interest in making a global difference by providing distinctive leading-edge Lean-inspired education and advisory services aimed at helping organizations in an array of industries achieve the highest levels of performance excellence. Mohamed’s roles in these companies were centered around Lean transformations with much of his career serving in senior-level roles. Saleh is an executive Lean advisor, professor, and founder of Vizibility LLC. He’s an international speaker, writer, mentor, executive coach, and experienced trainer. He has a doctorate in Business Administration and teaches at both the School of Engineering & Technology Management at Central Connecticut State University and the MBA School at Elms College.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:10:21 The impact of workload on healthcare professionals worldwide
0:17:26 The opportunity for change: work-life balance and discretionary effort
0:19:06 The importance of strategy deployment in healthcare organizations
0:25:50 The importance of leader standard work in achieving organizational goals
0:27:21 The three systems of lean: production, management, and people
0:30:41 The importance of employee development in retaining top talent
0:39:11 The benefits and challenges of diversifying your lean talent pool
0:40:58 The different phases of lean and the mistakes to avoid in each
0:44:22 The different phases of a lean transformation and the mistakes to avoid in each
0:52:19 The 10 biggest mistakes leaders make when implementing lean
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Continuous improvement is key to preventing burnout; getting it done is the hard part
- The first thing as a symptom of burnout is a sense of detachment or alienation from one's work.
- Burnout is caused by several things, such as a lack of control over one's work, a feeling of being unrecognized or unappreciated, or a feeling of being overloaded with work.
- The other thing that can drive burnout is a sense of inefficiency, feeling like one is not able to accomplish their goals or that their work is not meaningful.
- Working long hours, having a high level of stress, or not having enough time to recover from work can lead to burnout and it gives a sense of fatigue, both physical and emotional.
- The biggest mistake you can make in an organization is not adjusting to change happening around you.
- The two main drivers of physician burnout are work overload and loss of control.
- The best way to combat these drivers of burnout is to level up processes and reduce volatility.
- It's highly important to make strategy deployment effectve in healthcare organizations.
Memorable Quotes From Mohamed Saleh
“If you want to work on 100 things at once, you can't get any of them done in the best way possible.”
CONNECT WITH Mohamed Saleh
Website: https://www.vizllc.com/about-us.html
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamed-saleh-phd/
Mohamed's slides on Reducing Burnout
Read the rest of this entry »Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
Wednesday Dec 14, 2022
There’s a crime wave out there - a cyber crimewave– and Karla Reffold is helping companies overcome the continuously changing challenges of cybersecurity. Karla started out in HR, and now is a leader in cybersecurity – her story of leadership, flexibility and innovation is inspiring for all continuous improvers.
Let's hear Karla share her thoughts and insights! We can't wait to hear what this powerful voice has in store.
Karla Reffold
Karla helps organizations innovate, transform and achieve their potential. Focused on operations, marketing, and sales, she understands the need to drive profit, grow revenue, and maximize efficiency.
Since founding BeecherMadden in 2010, her company managed to build the organization to operate in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. In 2017, she successfully sold BeecherMadden to Nicoll Curtin where she joined as an Executive Director and a board member reporting to the CEO. Karla Reffold is also a speaker, mentor, and podcaster who talks at CapitalTea. Among a variety of awards and recognitions, she was one of the top 3 finalists in the “Entrepreneur of the Year” category at the Cybersecurity Women of the Year awards in 2022. Karla was also shortlisted as “Woman of Influence” in the SC Magazine Awards in Europe
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:00:01 A career in cybersecurity and the future it holds in our life
0:02:29 The tipping point for stepping out on thin Ice
0:04:21 The importance of cybersecurity in the cloud
0:06:14 Cybersecurity for small businesses and its impact on the economy
0:10:30 Cybersecurity for startups: ransomware and what you can do about it
0:15:51 The Impact of ransomware on businesses today
0:17:37 The importance of values in hiring
0:19:21 The importance of honesty in the workplace
0:21:10 The benefits and challenges of selling a business
0:26:12 The emotional journey of selling a business
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Cybersecurity is hugely important, especially for businesses that are moving to the cloud
- It's highly important that small businesses also improve their cybersecurity
- One of the most important things businesses can do is to configure SPF and DMARC for email security.
- Businesses should enable two-factor authentication wherever possible
- Ransomware is currently the biggest concern in cybersecurity and every company should be aware of
- Ransomware criminals are not only encrypting data but also stealing it
- Stealing data can lead to serious consequences for businesses, such as reputation damage and industrial espionage
- Skills are important in keeping the business safe, it doesn't matter if it's old or new.
- The ability to learn new skills is important in cybersecurity, as the industry is always changing
Memorable Quotes From Karla Reffold
“Cybersecurity is not just about protecting you; it's also about helping you win and succeed in business.”
CONNECT WITH Karla Reffold
Website: https://www.karlareffold.co.uk/
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wendy Nash coaches people with meditation. She joined me to share how to make meditation part of your daily practice. Her approach is beautifully aligned with the reflection that is intrinsic to lean thinking and can help us develop our “respect for people” mindset. One note: We had some internet challenges as we were recording this podcast, and you might notice a little interference. Let’s hear what Wendy has to say.
Wendy Nash
Wendy Nash holds a four-year somatic psychotherapy degree. She has been practicing loving-kindness and other meditations for about 20 years, and her honors thesis for her Bachelor of Psychology examined the impact of loving-kindness meditation on prosocial behavior. These guide her interactions with customers who are eager to learn how to incorporate different types of meditation practices into their daily lives. Her relationships and well-being have greatly benefited from these accomplishments and experiences, which have far outweighed the negative effects of her traumatic early experiences. Like many people, she hasn't had an easy ride. She had to deal with difficulties in her personal life, like a death in the family and a divorce. Her main objective has been to look after herself, which has helped her avoid becoming a burden to others. She is prepared for every scenario, which helps her remain composed even in the most stressful conditions.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST
0:02:41 Aboriginal wisdom and the modern world
0:06:29 The impact of meditation on daily life
0:10:23 The power of positive thinking: how kindness can create connections
0:18:33 The power of appreciation in the workplace
0:22:41 The wisdom of Confucianism and Buddhism
0:27:57 Buddhist teachings on respecting others
0:29:46 The impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships
0:31:46 Wendy's journey to understanding racism and white privilege
0:40:28 The impact of colonization on indigenous peoples
0:45:50 The importance of compassion in everyday life
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Where are we from is a highly complex question
- Knowing where are you going, knowing who you are and where you come from are keys to future success.
- Wendy recommends reading positive news first thing in the morning as it is so easy to be drawn to and absorb oneself in negative news.
- Too much expectation can drive us crazy. The most important aspect of developing is to do small things and expect small returns.
- Feedback should not be taken personally.
- The best way to start your day is to look for a small act of kindness and love.
- Two of the most important principles in a good work relationship, are being appreciated and understanding how your work positively contributes to the company.
- Having two or multiple perspectives about one certain situation will help us to learn and develop beyond our measurements.
Memorable Quotes From Wendy Nash
“The very first thing in continuous development is to understand we are both part of the good and the bad”
CONNECT WITH Wendy Nash
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-nash/
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Tom Hughes was an expert in lean and continuous improvement. He knew it all, and frankly found it somewhat boring. But one day, his opinion completely changed, and he became a self-described overnight lean maniac. Now, you would be hard-pressed to find someone more excited than Tom who has now written a book called “Improvement Starts with I: A Practical Guide to Building an Extraordinary Lean culture.” So what happened? He’s here to tell us!
The Book Website
https://improvementstartswithi.com/
GembaDocs Software (give it a go yourself!) 30 day free trial
Tom’s LinkedIn
linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-hughes-7222562/
Tom’s YouTube
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCldKTyAie8Z--J5-VbWkJzA
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
Wednesday Nov 23, 2022
As a continuous improvement leader, you know the importance of “Respect for People,” and that “Respect for People” includes understanding and respecting yourself. How might you do that when you are dealing with the effects of generational trauma? Elena Perella has personal experience overcoming generational trauma and using that experience to help high achievers free themselves to meet their potential. She is here to tell us about that.
Elena Perella
Elana Perella is a personal coach, life coach, and speaker with over 13 years of coaching experience. She has two master's degrees with a focus on anthropology and literature. Elana Perella helps high achievers from the world of business, sports, entertainment, and social change who struggle to find and stay in the flow at work and in life. She coached herself through eating disorders and domestic violence. Once she freed and healed herself, she took the lead on her own life and now coaches others.
KEY TOPICS IN THIS PODCAST:
0:04:52 The journey of dealing with emotional issues caused by trauma
0:07:03 Conducting experiments on ourselves
0:12:39 The impact of beliefs on reality
0:14:22 The impact of generational trauma
0:16:29 The difference between nature and love
0:21:31 The impact of toxic parents on their children
0:25:26 The importance of eliminating the toxic inheritance
0:29:08 The power of love and how can it affect our lives
0:33:15 The power of questioning everything
0:37:31 How to set yourself up for success
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- To be a high achiever, you need to first coach yourself.
- To truly eliminate any problem, first find the root cause of the problem.
- Clarifying the importance of quitting unhealthy habits (e.g. smoking, drinking) and the improvements these changes can bring to our lives, such as improved relationships with our children.
- The toxic effects of trauma: how emotions affect us.
- There is a big difference between “negative'' and “toxic” and we can grow once we separate them.
- Most of the things that we need to know are inside ourselves and we just need to ask ourselves.
- When a person was not wanted as a child, it can be hard for them to raise a healthy and functional child of their own.
- Nurture is when you take care of your children but love is the energy that fuels the willingness to help yourself and others to evolve without causing harm.
- We not only absorb emotional development from our mothers but also physical ones as well.
- See things as they are rather than putting a filter on different aspects of your life.
- To get the toxic energy out of your life, see things the way they are.
- What love is: love is the energy that fuels your will and others to not cause any harm.
- Love also means the road to less trouble and the more helpful you are to others, the more love you spread.
- As humans, we have to be aware of what we have inside of ourselves as there are people who believe they respect and love others but they don't spread the love at all.
Memorable Quotes From Elena Perella
“What is love: love is the energy that fuels your will and others to not cause any harm”
CONNECT WITH Elena Perella
Website: www.sentidu.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elena.perella/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsHxJugzN6XHPxpKmFdlhgA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-perella/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sentiducoaching