The Lean Solutions Podcast

Patrick Adams is the author of the best selling book “Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap.” He is an international speaker, coach, and consultant. Patrick has been delivering bottom-line results through specialized process improvement solutions for over 20 years. He's worked with all types of businesses from private, non-profits, government, and manufacturing ranging from small business to billion dollar corporations. Patrick is a proven leader and highly experienced consultant with specific niche focus on organizational strategy and leadership development which brings a unique human approach to sound team-building practices; creating consensus and enabling empowerment. He motivates, inspires, and drives the right results at all points in business processes. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickadamsii/ https://www.findleansolutions.com/book/

This week on the podcast, I’m speaking with Randy Otterbridge. Randy is the Chief Idea Officer at RBridge Business Institute, which is a Consulting and Business Creation company and is also an author and a podcast host. In this episode, Randy and I talk about how you can apply Continuous Improvement and Lean principles into not only your business but also your personal life in order to create a better lifestyle. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Randy’s experience with manufacturing and continuous improvement RBridge  Business Institute and how it got started Having a generalist approach Why companies need to be innovative in order to not be left behind The application of CI principles into your personal life How Lean and CI principles can result in a better life overall Applying Five S to your personal life What is a mastermind and why it’s important How you can benefit from a mastermind Giving your team a safe space to express their ideas How you can use your team members ideas to benefit the company About the Guest: Randy Otterbridge (AKA, The Monetize Your Life Guy) developed the "Monetize Method" to help you bring more income into your life and profits to your business. "Your life (and the life of your businesses) are filled with gold--I simply guide you to it and hand you the shovel to dig out more of it." Additionally, Randy is the Chief Idea Officer of RBRIDGE BUSINESS INSTITUTE, LLC which serves as the holder of portfolio businesses where business models are created, tested, and leveraged to maximize profits. He then uses these tests to teach individuals and companies how to increase income and maximize profits. How he does it… is the secret sauce, some of which he might share with us today. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyotterbridge/ https://www.facebook.com/RBRIDGEINSTITUTE/ randy@rbridgebusinessinstitute.com

This week on the podcast, I’m speaking with Jim Huntzinger. Jim is the founder of Lean Frontiers and has also launched new business in the free market healthcare arena through several virtual lean and free market healthcare events and the United in Care Summit. He is also the author of several books. In this episode, Jim and I talk about the relevance of Lean accounting and how TWI fits into the Lean business model. What You’ll Learn This Episode: The start of Lean Frontiers Jim’s background in Lean Lean accounting- what it is and why it’s different from traditional accounting What industry’s Lean accounting applies to The future of Lean accounting and whether it’s still relevant Aspects of Lean that are potentially untapped The first step you should take in Lean process and product development Cross functional teams and process development TWI- what it is  and how it fits into the Lean business model The TWI Summit Lean Healthcare About the Guest: Jim Huntzinger began his career as a manufacturing engineer with Toyota and then was transplanted to North America to support Toyota.  In 2005 Huntzinger founded Lean Frontiers. He developed and operates the immersive Skillpoint Workshops for Job Instruction and Toyota Kata. He has also launched new business in the free market healthcare arena through several virtual lean and free market healthcare events and the United in Care Summit.  He has also authored many books to include, Lean Cost Management: Accounting for Lean by Establishing Flow, Roots of Lean – Training Within Industry: The Origin of Kaizen, just to name a few. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-huntzinger-7001581/ https://leanfrontiers.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/cr/podcast/connecting-the-dots/id1534151238

This week on the podcast, I’m speaking with Brian Bolen. Brian has 12 years of quality and CI experience. He's an ASQ, certified Six Sigma Black Belt. He also has his master's degree in operational excellence from Eastern Michigan University In this episode, Brian and I talk about why leaders need to be focusing on servant leadership and how it can help leaders be more effective in their roles. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Servant leadership, what it is and why it matters Brian’s experience with continuous improvement and how he got started How servant leadership helps leaders to lead more effectively Brian’s biggest improvements and failures in his Lean career Brian’s advice to someone just starting out in Lean Books and podcasts that have helped Brian through his Lean journey Why you should always be learning About the Guest: Brian Bolen is an Experienced Process Engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the consumer goods industry. Skilled in Continuous Improvement, Lean Six Sigma, Statistical Data Analysis, and GMPs.  Brian is a strong engineering professional with a Master of Science (MS) focused in Quality Management and Operational Excellence from Eastern Michigan University. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianbolenlssbb/

This week on the podcast, I’m speaking with Paul Akers. Paul is an author, entrepreneur and the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. In this episode, Paul and I go over how Lean can be applied to improve your work environment and why you need to focus on small consistent changes when trying to make improvements. What You’ll Learn This Episode: How Lean helped Paul in Ironman FastCap and the inspiration behind the company The importance of listening to customers Making time to fix what’s bothering you 2 second improvement and why it’s simple The inspiration behind Paul’s videos What it takes to be a good leader in an organization with Lean culture Paul’s advice for someone just starting on their Lean journey About the Guest: Paul Akers is the founder and president of FastCap, a product development company specializing in woodworking tools and hardware for the professional builder. FastCap was started in Paul’s garage in 1997 when he simply “fixed what bugged him” and developed his first product: the Fastcap Cover Cap. From humble beginnings, and no MBA, FastCap has thousands of distributors worldwide in over 40 countries. Paul’s intense curiosity on how things could be improved paved the way for him to become a prolific innovator and today he holds many US and International patents. FastCap launches approximately 20-30 innovative products per year and has won business of the year in 1999 and 2010. In June 2011 Paul won Seattle Business Magazine’s prestigious Business Executive of the Year award. He wrote his first book, 2 Second Lean, about creating a fun, Lean culture, that is now available in 15 languages. In 2015, he wrote his 2nd book, Lean Health, in 2016, he wrote Lean Travel and in 2019, he wrote Lean Life and Banish Sloppiness. In 2016, Paul’s book, 2 Second Lean, was recognized by the Shingo Institute and won the Research and Professional Publication Award. Important Links: https://paulakers.net/books/2-second-lean https://paulakers.net/ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/2-second-lean-play/id1503694993 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.leanplay

This week I’m speaking with Felipe Engineer, a registered Scrum master and trainer. Felipe also leads the Lean construction program at McCarthy Building Companies and is the CEO and podcast host of the EBFC Show, which is dedicated to Lean construction. In this episode, Felipe and I go into detail about integrating Lean into construction. We also talk about Scrum, what it is and how Scrum can be used when you’re in the construction industry. What You’ll Learn This Episode: The importance of Lean in construction Felipe’s podcast, The EBFC show What is Scrum How you can use Scrum in design and construction Lean tools and techniques that are used on a construction site The argument that Lean is too academic How you can start improving your work today About the Guest: Felipe leads the Lean Construction program for McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Engineer-Manriquez is also the CEO and Host of The EBFC Show. The Easier, Better, for Construction Show allows people to make building easier and better share how. As a Registered Scrum Trainer™ (RST) endorsed by Dr. Jeff Sutherland, Felipe also co-created the Design and Construction Registered Scrum Master™ (RSM) curriculum with the Agile Education Program team. It enables RSM graduates to deliver construction project value and earn recognition in the International Registry of Agile Professionals™. Engineer-Manriquez is an active contributing member of the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) and is an approved instructor/facilitator and 2019 LCI Chairman’s Award recipient for contributions to the Institute and the design and construction industry as a whole. Important Links: https://www.theebfcshow.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/engineerfelipe/ https://constructionscrum.com/

This week I’m speaking with Andrew Van Breugel, an experienced manufacturing professional with a diverse range of skills and Lean experience that  extends to plant management, operations management, product development, manufacture and quality. In this episode, Andrew and I speak about sustainability and leadership in Lean and how leaders can develop their leadership skills and also help their team with executing sustainable Lean culture. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Should Lean leaders be striving for more How leaders can develop their skills Tips on how leaders can help develop their leadership skills How to help create sustainability in Lean and Lean culture Some of the main factors in failure Vision statements and how to get them executed Communicating continuous improvement to your team The importance of personal development for leaders Leader Standard Work Lean and time management About the Guest: Andrew Van Breugel is an experienced manufacturing professional with a diverse range of skills covering analytical chemistry, product quality, product development, manufacturing, process chemistry, technical sales, business improvement and general operations management in various Asia Pacific and Europe, having tertiary qualifications in science (chemistry), business and accounting. Andrew’s experience extends to plant management, operations management, product development, manufacture and quality. Andrew has been directly responsible for business operations analysis, business improvement using Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing and the Toyota Production System and is a certified Evaluator with the Australian Business Excellence awards and a certified Assessor with the Singapore Quality Awards. In positions ranging from Operational Excellence Manager to COO of manufacturing organizations, Andrew has spent many years considering the effectiveness of and the role of senior leadership in lean deployments. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-van-breugel-a514927 https://www.thinkrci.com/ avanbreugel@thinkrci.com

This week I’m sharing some of the interviews and chats I got to have during my time at the 2021 Operational Excellence Summit in the State of Nebraska.  I got the opportunity to speak with multiple leaders in the Lean and Operational Excellence community and I’m excited to share my interviews with you today. The state of Nebraska launched the Center of Operational Excellence in 2016 to change the culture in state government and train state teammates in Process Improvement. Since May 2016, the COE has facilitated 575 process improvement projects, saving over 630,000 of work that has led to being able to put more of a focus on customer service. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Working in Nebraska State Government and how Lean as been implemented How Lean saves for taxpayers Some of the upcoming projects in the state of Nebraska Success stories from the state of Nebraska About the 2021 Operational Excellence Summit: The 2021 Operational Excellence Summit convenes leaders and change agents from the State of Nebraska to discuss the opportunities to build upon the success the Center of Operational Excellence has had. The Summit is a unique chance for leaders who share a passion for continuous improvement to get together and exchange ideas. Important Links: https://das.nebraska.gov/coe/

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Chris Burnham. Chris has twenty years of experience with learning and coaching Lean and Continuous Improvement principles and his career has spanned a variety of roles from front-line servant leader to responsibility for Global Continuous Improvement Programs. Chris is also the host of The Lean Leadership Podcast. In this episode, Chris and I talk about growing technology in Lean and continuous improvement and how leaders and teams can adapt to the changes. What You’ll Learn This Episode: How leaders and technology can work together What makes a great lean leader and how leaders are changing What it take for organizations to see Process Improvement as a necessary part of the organization Diagnosing when technology is holding back your organization when it comes to continuous improvement Why you need to be adaptive How technology is changing the work environment About the Guest: Chris Burnham has twenty years of experience with learning and coaching Lean and Continuous Improvement principles. His career has spanned a variety of roles from front-line servant leader to responsibility for Global Continuous Improvement Programs. Chris has had the opportunity to work with a diverse group of industries, including manufacturing and fulfillment, financial services, food and beverage, and medical devices. Many of the companies that Chris has worked with are brands that you would recognize every day. Chris’ passion is helping organizations and teams build cultures of problem solvers that engage every employee in the work of improvement. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and holds his B.S. from Western Carolina University. Chris has been the host of The Lean Leadership Podcast since 2105. He is currently Senior Director, Lean Strategy at KaiNexus, a software company based in Austin, Texas, whose mission is to Spread Continuous Improvement. Important Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/realburnham IG: @LeanPodcastHost Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/chrisburnham The Lean Leadership Podcast: https://leanleadershippodcast.com KaiNexus: https://kainexus.com

This week I am chatting with Tony Hayes, an executive lean leader responsible for the Wabash management system, continuous improvement and quality at Wabash. In this episode, Tony and I talk about his experience with Lean and Lean culture as well as transformation and why it’s so important to create a story around transformation with Lean. What You’ll Learn This Episode: What makes a good Lean leader The characteristics of a bad Lean leader How to effectively scale during a transformation Spreading Lean culture in a large organization Creating development opportunities for leaders Having a dedicated lean team vs. having lean embedded in the organization Creating a story around why you’re changing The importance of creating a learning culture Problem solving in Lean culture About the Guest: Tony Hayes is an Executive Lean Leader, responsible for the Wabash Management System, Continuous Improvement and Quality at Wabash, supporting the CEO and the Executive Leadership Team, driving customer value creation. He has extensive experience in delivering profitable growth, improving risk profile, and increasing return on invested capital in the automotive, transportation, aerospace and defense industries. Tony is a seasoned operations and lean expert with extensive experience in strategy and organizational governance. Tony has utilized his lean expertise to assist organizations with their most complex problems in manufacturing, engineering, material planning and logistics, value chain management, and quality. As Global Lean Leader, Supply Chain at GE Transportation a Wabtec Company, a $11 billion operation, Tony was responsible for developing and driving the strategic vision of global continuous improvement  across the enterprise. As the Ford Production System (FPS) Lean Implementation Manager – North American Car Region at Ford, Tony was instrumental in Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant’s journey to receiving the Shingo Prize, the highest standard for organizational excellence. Tony, a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. He also holds a Master of Science in Manufacturing Management, a Master of Science in Operations Management, and a Master of Business Administration, all obtained from Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. In addition, Tony is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and is certified through University of Michigan in Lean Manufacturing and Operations, as well as Lean Office and Service, in addition to being a Shingo Institute Alumni. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyhayes