The Lean Solutions Podcast

This week on the podcast, I am speaking with Lee Campe.  Lee is the President of Performance Excellence Inc. and a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt. In this episode, Lee and I talk about his extensive training and experiences in Lean Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma. We also talk about the importance of maintaining high standards in Lean Six Sigma and advice on training in LSS. What You’ll Learn This Episode: What frustrates Lee about the current Lean Six Sigma offerings, or the current Lean Six Sigma environment Lean and Six Sigma in the Army and how it transitioned to the civilian world Highlights Lee has had with his time using Lean Advice for leaders who don’t feel like they’re engaged in the process Why leaders need to remove roadblocks The importance of using phone for communication instead of relying on email MDAIC vs DMAIC Recommendations on certifying bodies How companies can maintain or enforce higher standards of Lean Six Sigma Why you need to have the people skills that are necessary in order to be a good problem solver in order to be a good lean practitioner. About the Guest: Lee Campe is a proven Lean Six Sigma deployment leader with a wide array of expertise in all facets of business and Continuous Improvement. He also is one of the few instructors with extensive experience in Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and Innovation through design thinking. Prior to starting Performance Excellence, Lee was a Master Black Belt (MBB) for the Home Depot, where he was responsible for coaching employees and mentoring projects across the US. Projects Lee mentored provided the company with over $200 million in Savings. Prior to the Home Depot, Lee was the Vice President and Master Black Belt for JP Morgan Chase in New York. His responsibilities included coaching and training Champions, Black Belts, Green Belts, and management in the DMAIC and DFSS methodologies. During his tenure, Lee trained over 100 Champions and mentored three enterprise-wide projects that identified over $20 Million in potential savings. As an MBB and Director at Cordis Corporation, a $1.3 billion Johnson and Johnson company, Lee was responsible for driving the implementation of Six Sigma company wide. Previously, Lee worked as an MBB for General Electric Power Systems (GEPS) where he trained employees at all levels on GE’s Six Sigma programs. Important Links: https://leecampe.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecampe Lean Six Sigma Book

This week on the podcast, I am speaking with Jim Vinoski, a writer, manufacturing advocate and Lean expert with a focus in engineering, operations and management. In this episode, Jim and I talk about Lean in manufacturing and how leaders can involve and excite their team when it comes to implementing Lean.  We also talk about some of the important lessons and tips Jim has for someone just starting out in Lean. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Jim’s best and worst lean experiences The culture of continuous appearance, what it is and how to avoid it How leaders can engage and involve their whole team Why ego is a big problem Why it’s important to be a student of Lean all the time Jim’s advice for people just starting their Lean journey About the Guest: Jim Vinoski has spent his entire three-decade career in manufacturing, in products ranging from paints and plastics to food and bourbon. His focus has been in engineering, operations, and management. He’s a veteran of companies large and small, including Ralston-Purina and General Mills. As a Contributor for Forbes, Jim has published over 200 articles covering all facets of manufacturing and supply chain. He’s explored a variety of topics in his column there: the success stories of numerous American manufacturers; the war for talent; and the amazing innovations in our advanced technologies, such as 3D printing, bioengineering, and artificial intelligence. Jim lives with his wife and two teenage sons in Grandville, Michigan. Important Links: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimvinoski/?sh=76a0014b2a97 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimvinoski

This week on the podcast, I am speaking with Matthew Singh.  Matthew is the Director of Operational Excellence and Master Black Belt for the Department of Administrative Services in the state of Nebraska and has 20 years of experience in progressive management roles. In this episode, Matt and I talk about Operational Excellence, his work in the state of Nebraska and the importance of listening to the voice of the customer as a leader. What You’ll Learn This Episode: How Matt got his start with Operational Excellence and Lean The importance of Voice of the Customer Building a culture of innovation The importance of asking for help as a team leader Why you need to understand the “why” behind Operational Excellence Nebraska and how the state is tackling Operational Excellence About the Guest: Matt Sing is the Director of Operational Excellence and Master Black Belt for the Department of Administrative Services in the state of Nebraska. Over the last 20 years he has previously served in a variety of progressive management roles including sales & service, operations, and supply chain. He is also certified as a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma, Certified Lean Sensei, and holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential. Singh is a member of the advisory board of directors for the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC). He also serves on the University of Nebraska- Omaha advisory board of directors for their Supply Chain Management Programs. He holds the honor of being featured as a key stakeholder in a Harvard case study that is used by Harvard’s executive education program to teach others throughout the world  about process improvement. Singh is involved with his local church in Gretna Nebraska where he lives with his wife Erin and their two children. Important Links: https://das.nebraska.gov/coe/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-singh-mba-ms-mbb-pmp-2512b463/

On this week’s episode, I’m talking with Valorie Hendrix, the owner and consultant of Dynamic Empire Consulting. Valorie has over five years of working in different areas of project management, including cost reduction, Value Engineering, quality management, and Lean and Six Sigma. During this episode, Valorie and I talk about Value Engineering and Value Analysis, what it is and how you can integrate it into your organization. What You’ll Learn This Episode: What is VA/VE How your organization can get value in using VA/VE When to use VA/VE in your product development Can VA/VE be used with services? The tools and templates needed to work with VA/VE Using a tool set to identify waste within process When a business should implement VA/VE on their Lean journey Resources for VA/VE methodology Why Valorie wrote her book and how she started with VA/VE About the Guest: While finishing up the senior year of her undergraduate degree for Business Administration, Valorie Hendrix discovered Lean Six Sigma and Toyota Production System in her operations management class. After reading the chapter for continuous improvement, she knew this is what she was going to do to make a contribution to society. After graduating with her undergraduate degree, Valorie spent 10 years in Aluminum Boat Manufacturing. Starting as an accountant, she learned about the cost. During the 2008 Recession, she became a VA/VE engineer to help reduce costs and create higher functions so products would be more attractive to customers during this harsh time. Valorie completed her MBA from Webster University, the same time that the recession was ending. Allowing for more opportunities for more positions within the organization to open up. She then worked in Quality Assurance and Control and Lean Six Sigma Engineer until making the leap to become a business owner. Valorie is also the author of Streamlining Function and Value. Important Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1685248314/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_71WNQG03BKF2HKX3CMRH https://dynamicempireconsulting.com/

This week on the podcast, I’m excited to be talking with Craig Tedrow, an experienced Continuous Improvement professional with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industry. Craig is also a Senior Consultant at PA Consulting. In this episode, Craig and I talk about standard work, why it’s important to implement and how you can involve your team members with standard work to help improve your processes during the Lean journey. What You’ll Learn This Episode: What is standard work How to get your team members onboard with doing standard work that’s laid out How you can help your employees understand the importance of standard work The importance of consistency Involving your team in the process of standard work Auditing standard work and why it’s important How standard work plays in the Lean journey Where to start with standard work The importance of writing down your processes and using video About the Guest: Craig Tedrow is an experienced Continuous Improvement Professional with a demonstrated history of working in the automotive, aerospace, and defense industry. Skilled in Training Coordination, Continuous Improvement, Team Building Presentation Skills, and Conflict Management. Craig managed the Continuous Improvement department at Plasan Carbon Composites. During exponential growth, he developed a week-long training curriculum to provide a mix of lecture and lab instruction to on board new associates. He was Intensely involved in training and adherence to Standard Work Instructions using video technology, and training within Industry methods. He also helped to advance implementation of robotics and automation.  Craig is currently a Senior Consultant at PA Consulting. Important Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-tedrow-3a271762/

This week on the podcast, I’m chatting with Bruce Hamilton. Bruce is President of GBMP, a Boston-based non-profit founded in 1994 that provides Lean and Six Sigma assistance to manufacturing, healthcare and service organizations. In this episode, Bruce and I chat about how technology development is impacting Lean and how organizations can reduce turnover and increase employee retention during Covid. What You’ll Learn This Episode: The Lean Toyota Production system and why some organizations have failed to see improvement from it Creating a unifying concept for both management and employees Employee retention strategies during Covid How technology could change Lean Using an automation solution and if it’s the right choice Some of Bruce’s biggest influences in Lean How to make a change in your organization without a leader driving it Advice for people starting their Lean journey About the Guest: Bruce Hamilton is President of GBMP, a Boston-based non-profit founded in 1994 that provides Lean and Six Sigma assistance to manufacturing, healthcare and service organizations.  Prior to joining GBMP, Bruce spent thirty years in manufacturing, leading his factory to a Shingo Prize award in 1990. From 1996 to 1998, his factory was also a project site for the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC.) Bruce is author and actor in the 2004 Shingo Prize winning video, Toast Kaizen and co-author of the comprehensive multimedia training package, e2 Continuous Improvement System, which combines GBMP’s acclaimed video content with self-study workbooks, classroom learning and workplace practice.   In 2000 he was inducted in the Shingo Prize Academy and in 2015 was inducted into the AME Manufacturing Hall of Fame. GBMP is an affiliate of the Shingo Institute and provides an annual Northeast L.E.A.N. Conference, http://www.northeastleanconference.org , held  October 6-7, 2021 at the MassMutual Center, Springfield, Massachusetts. Important Links: https://www.gbmp.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-hamilton-a09a4616/ http://www.northeastleanconference.org/

This week I’m talking with Adam Lawrence, the Managing Partner of Process Improvement Partners, LLC and the author of The Wheel of Sustainability. During this episode Adam and I talk about his book and what inspired him to write the book. We also talk about what the wheel of sustainability really means and how you can use this information to create sustainable solutions. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Why Adam wrote the Wheel of Sustainability and what he was trying to solve How to sustain the solutions you’ve created Using the wheel to strengthen leadership commitment What is the Wheel and what does each part mean Implementing the Wheel during a Kaizen event Why it’s important to celebrate wins About the Guest: Adam Lawrence is the Managing Partner of Process Improvement Partners, LLC. He has 30+ years of experience in process improvement activities, targeted at manufacturing and business processes. Having facilitated 300+ Kaizen events in multiple industries around the world, Adam aligns with leadership, engages teams, and creates sustainable results. Adam is also the author of The Wheel of Sustainability. Important Links: https://pi-partners.com/about https://www.amazon.com/Wheel-Sustainability-Engaging-Empowering-Produce-ebook/dp/B08VVX8F6Q

This week I’m talking with Richard Sheridan, the co-founder of Menlo Innovations where his team’s mission is to end human suffering in the workplace. Richard is also the author of Joy, Inc. - How We Built a Workplace People Love and Chief Joy Officer. In this episode, Rich and I talk about his company Menlo Innovations and the importance of having a balanced and satisfying work culture, including how you can bring about a culture change in your own organization. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Menlo Innovations and the process of finding and training Menlonians Teaching culture internally and externally Pairing- What it is and how it’s done How pairing helps the customer How to start a culture change in your organization About the Guest: Menlo Innovations CEO Rich Sheridan became disillusioned in the middle of his career in the chaotic technology industry. He had an all-consuming thought…things can be better.  Much better.  He had to find a way. Why couldn't a workplace be filled with camaraderie, human energy, creativity, and productivity? Ultimately, Rich co-founded Menlo Innovations in 2001 to end human suffering in the workplace.  His unique approach to custom software creation is so surprisingly different, that 3,000 people a year travel from around the world just to see how they do it. His passion for creating joyful work environments led to his bestselling and widely celebrated book, Joy, Inc. - How We Built a Workplace People Love.  His highly anticipated second book, Chief Joy Officer, came out December 4, 2018 and will continue to prove that a positive and engaging leadership style is actually good for business. Important Links: https://menloinnovations.com/ https://richardsheridan.com/

On the podcast this week I’m speaking with Tanya Stinson, who is the founder of Leaning Towards Change, LLC. and an experienced leader in Lean and the healthcare industry. During this episode, Tanya and I are talking about Lean and healthcare. We go over how a healthcare setting is different when it comes to Lean and how leaders can identify and reduce waste in order to better serve patients. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Waste in the healthcare world How perception plays a part in learning to see the waste What is a waste walk The problems a lack of communication can cause for teams The importance of being an effective listener Understanding the people side of change About Tanya’s business Leaning Towards Change and why she decided to start it About the Guest: Tanya Stinson is the founder of Leaning Towards Change, LLC and an experienced leader in the healthcare industry where she is responsible for performance improvement, quality, risk, patient safety and compliance. She serves as a mentor and a coach to physicians, nurses and other clinical and non clinical staff and utilizing Lean and Six Sigma methodology. Important Links: https://www.leaningtowardschange.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-stinson

This week I’m speaking with Brion Hurley, a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and founder of Business Performance Improvement, a sustainable process improvement consulting firm. In this episode, Brion and I talk about the major differences between Six Sigma and Lean and how continuous improvement can be applied to the social sector. What You’ll Learn This Episode: Lean vs. Six Sigma, the differences and commonalities How Lean can be applied in the social sector How Lean can be applied in the environment How Lean can be applied to the government How to find opportunities when it comes to volunteering with nonprofits and social sectors. Why it’s important to find your passion About the Guest: Brion Hurley is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt at Business Performance Improvement. He teaches Lean and Six Sigma classes, facilitates workshops and events, performs statistical analysis, and mentors employees through improvement efforts. He volunteers his time with local nonprofits. He is also the author of the “Lean Six Sigma for Good” book series. Important Links: https://www.biz-pi.com/ https://www.leansixsigmaforgood.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brion-hurley-432192