

KaiNexus: Continuous Improvement, Leadership, and More
KaiNexus
We deliver practical insights and real-world strategies for Lean, Six Sigma, and Operational Excellence. Through lessons from KaiNexus webinars and conversations with customers, improvement leaders, and team members, each episode explores what it takes to build a resilient culture of Continuous Improvement. Learn how organizations engage employees, strengthen problem-solving capability, and sustain meaningful operational results across industries. Whether you're new to CI or leading major transformation, this podcast offers tools and perspectives you can put to work immediately.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 7, 2017 • 59min
Webinar: The 4 Components of an Employee-Led Lean Initiative
A KaiNexus webinar hosted by Mark Graban.
Presented by Simon Murray and Benny Ausmus of Big Change Agency
In this KaiNexus webinar, you will learn four elements of Lean transformation, including how to:
Create the environment / culture
Bring in structure and systems
Implement and measure the results
Develop the people

Dec 4, 2017 • 13min
Webinar Preview: 4 Components of an Employee-Led Lean Initiative
This episode is a webinar preview, hosted by Mark Graban of KaiNexus.
To register, visit www.KaiNexus.com/webinars
Presented by Simon Murray and Benny Ausmus of Big Change Agency - December 7, 3 pm EST.
In this webinar, you will learn four elements of Lean transformation, including how to:
- Create the environment / culture
- Bring in structure and systems
- Implement and measure the results
- Develop the people

Nov 29, 2017 • 57min
Webinar: When Leaders Collaborate
When Leaders Collaborate: Finding the A-Ha Moments that Lead to Lean Transformation
Presented by... John Toussaint, MD and Paul Pejsa of Catalysis
In this webinar you will:
Discover the three primary benefits of collaborating with peers
Hear real-world examples of lean collaboration results
Create an action plan to enhance your collaborating to drive lean transformation

Nov 20, 2017 • 9min
When Leaders Collaborate: Finding the A-Ha Moments...
When Leaders Collaborate: Finding the A-Ha Moments that Lead to Lean Transformation
A webinar preview hosted by Mark Graban of KaiNexus.
We're joined today by the presenters of a webinar we're hosting on November 29. Register at www.kainexus.com/webinars.
Presented by... John Toussaint, MD and Paul Pejsa of Catalysis:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Discover the three primary benefits of collaborating with peers
2. Hear real-world examples of lean collaboration results
3. Create an action plan to enhance your collaborating to drive lean transformation

Nov 14, 2017 • 60min
Webinar: Cascading Strategy Through Hoshin Kanri
Presented by Craig Vercruysse and Joanna Omi of Rona Consulting Group, which is now part of Moss Adams. Hosted by Mark Graban of KaiNexus.
In this webinar you will:
- Learn about the purpose and building blocks of hoshin kanri
- Understand how health care organizations arrive at and use hoshin
- Understand why hoshin is the quintessential PDSA and how experience with small tests of change and A3s create a foundation for hoshin
- Learn about some common rocks in the hoshin road and what can be done about them
Presenters:
Joanna Omi
Consulting Director | Rona Consulting Group, the Lean practice of Moss Adams
Craig Vercruysse
Principal, CEO | Rona Consulting Group, the Lean practice of Moss Adams

Nov 6, 2017 • 8min
Cascading Strategy Through Hoshin Kanri
Webinar preview with Craig Vercruysse of Rona Consulting Group, the Lean practice of Moss Adams.
Mark Graban, of KaiNexus, interviews Craig, who will be joined by Joanna Omi, to present a webinar on November 14, 2017.
To register, visit http://www.kainexus.com/webinars
The topic is Cascading Strategy Through Hoshin Kanri (Strategy Deployment)
In this webinar you will:
- Learn about the purpose and building blocks of hoshin kanri
- Understand how health care organizations arrive at and use hoshin
- Understand why hoshin is the quintessential PDSA and how experience with small tests of change and A3s create a foundation for hoshin
- Learn about some common rocks in the hoshin road and what can be done about them

Oct 26, 2017 • 58min
The Why, How and What of Continuous Improvement
In this webinar you will learn:
Four aspects of great lean leadership
Four common themes of great lean processes
Five problems that CI technology solves
Five focus areas to build a world class lean organization
Presenter: Jeff Roussel, KaiNexus VP of Sales
Hosted By: Mark Graban, KaiNexus VP of Innovation and Improvement Servic

Oct 23, 2017 • 29min
The Cause and Cost of Prescription Drug Price Gouging
What causes prescription drug prices to increase from $4 to $400 overnight? How does our system perpetuate practices that fail to provide quality care for the patients?

Oct 17, 2017 • 32min
Ask Us Anything Episode 16
Mark Graban and Dr. Greg Jacobson answer questions from our KaiNexus Community:
- What's your favorite college football team?
- How to integrate the culture in a change resistant environment?
- How do you deal with culture change? Lean is a new way of doing business. People have to change their ways to become process and problem solvers. Top management has to come from behind their desks to work with the people on the shop floor or gemba. This is a big paradigm shift for any company. Culture change must be addressed before any Lean tools can be used effectively.
- What are some best practices for shifting the culture in an organization?
- How do companies get hundreds or thousands of ideas from their employees annually?
- Is it okay for a leader to apologize? Is it taken as a sign of weakness?
- What is the best way to get a job in the process improvement, Kaizen, or cultural fields?
- What's the next conference you're attending?

Sep 21, 2017 • 59min
Webinar: Effective Collaboration Across Organizations and In
Webinar: Effective Collaboration Across Organizations and Industries
A KaiNexus webinar hosted by Mark Graban and presented by:
Teresa Hay McMahon
Executive Director
Iowa Lean Consortium
Stephanie Hill
Corporate C.I. Manager
Kreg Tool
Agenda:
Learn the difference between networking, benchmarking, and collaborating
Understand why collaboration is critical to continually improving
Identify ways to increase collaboration to achieve goals
Learn how the Iowa Lean Consortium brings together Lean practitioners from every sector of the economy
Participate in Q&A


