Many managers ask me, “How can I accelerate my company’s lean transformation?” My answer is twofold: First get the direction right, and then get everyone rowing in that direction.

Sometimes we all need a pick-me-up. It’s so easy to become bogged down in our everyday routines. Maybe all you need is a little inspiration, something to make you feel enthusiastic again about that project you’ve been working on.

Defects can cause a lot of pain to your customer. They can also cause a lot of pain inside your body.

Arecent call with an old colleague from Europe got me wondering about a question that few are conscious of: Who is the customer of your quality document? Oh boy, did we have an interesting discussion about quality systems.

As Napoleon once said, a picture is worth a thousand words. This isn’t just a trite cliché. Visual thinking is an invaluable skill, if not a leadership art.