Lean Blog Audio: Practical Lean Thinking, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement
Mark Graban
Lean Blog Audio is a short-form podcast featuring audio versions of articles from LeanBlog.org, written, read, and expanded by Mark Graban.
Each episode explores practical Lean thinking, psychological safety, continuous improvement, and leadership—through real-world examples from healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and other complex work environments.
Topics include learning from mistakes, reducing fear and blame, improving systems, and using data thoughtfully through tools like Process Behavior Charts. Episodes often go beyond the original blog post, adding fresh context and reflections.
Each episode explores practical Lean thinking, psychological safety, continuous improvement, and leadership—through real-world examples from healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and other complex work environments.
Topics include learning from mistakes, reducing fear and blame, improving systems, and using data thoughtfully through tools like Process Behavior Charts. Episodes often go beyond the original blog post, adding fresh context and reflections.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 18, 2017 • 14min
Is Calling People "Concrete Heads" the Most Effective...
When did the term "concrete head" start getting thrown around in Lean circles? Do people still use this label today? Is it helpful? Should we agree that the term is disrespectful and counter productive?
Apr 17, 2017 • 9min
What are the "Quick Wins?" Ask the People Doing the...
Last week, I received a few questions from somebody at a hospital system and I thought I'd address one of them here: "Can you suggest any "quick wins" to get staff engaged in a Lean culture?"
Apr 13, 2017 • 16min
The United Flight 3411 Mess, Holding Individuals Accountable
I posted this on LinkedIn earlier today and am re-posting as a blog post to get your thoughts... and then, as I writing this, the news about the man being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight went viral.
Full title: "The United Flight 3411 Mess, Holding Individuals Accountable vs. Fixing the System [Updates]"
Apr 13, 2017 • 3min
My Article on Changing How We Think About Change
As part of my partnership with Cardinal Health, they have published an article that I wrote on their "Essential Insights" blog: "Changing how we think about change: How healthcare leaders can create a progressive culture"
Apr 10, 2017 • 6min
The Patient Pays Less, Yet the Surgeon's Paid More
Can physician-led surgical centers provide lower out-of-pocket prices for patients, along with lower infection rates, and higher compensation for the surgeons? One surgical center in Oklahoma says so...
Apr 6, 2017 • 15min
Why You Shouldn't Call Yourself "Sensei" Or Make Other
Six Sigma and Lean Sigma has "belts." Some people in Lean call themselves a "sensei." Is that really appropriate? The term is supposed to be situational... it's a term of respect one chooses to use for another person...
Apr 5, 2017 • 13min
Measures, Incentives, Heart Attack Mortality, Driving
In this post, I look at the impact (or lack thereof) of targets, rankings, and incentives, when it comes to safe driving or PCI (angioplasty) procedures in a hospital cath lab. Are we improving? How do we know? How do we improve?
Apr 4, 2017 • 8min
Coming Soon– 4th Revised Ed. of “Lean Hospitals” (April Fool)
It's time for another new, revised edition of my book! It was originally published in 2008 as Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Satisfaction.
Mar 27, 2017 • 10min
Sad Bloomberg BusinessWeek Article on Auto Supplier Safety
A few of you sent me this article... and you were correct to think I would be interested:"Inside Alabama's Auto Jobs Boom: Cheap Wages, Little Training, Crushed Limbs
The South's manufacturing renaissance comes with a heavy price."
Mar 21, 2017 • 10min
10 Years of "L.A.M.E."
It's been 10 years since I first wrote about my awkward acronym L.A.M.E. Is it helpful to distinguish between true Lean principles and "Lean As Misguidedly Explained?" Will we see more L.A.M.E. talk and behaviors in the future?
