Ever-So-Lean Podcast

Get ready to dive into the world of Continuous Improvement Culture, where Senior Level commitment is key! In this episode, we have two experts in the field, Richard Whitehouse, former Director of Operations, and Emily Viarnaud, Head of Sales, Membership & Marketing at the British Quality Foundation (BQF). They share their insights on why Senior Level commitment is crucial for developing a sustainable culture of improvement within an organization. We'll learn how overlooking or misunderstanding this important factor can lead to hesitance, resistance, and unrealistic objectives. But fear not! Richard and Emily offer valuable advice on how to earn trust and win support to create a Continuous Improvement culture that measures against real business metrics. And that's not all! Emily also gives us an inside look into the BQF and the fantastic work they do, including how to enter this years Excellence Awards. So sit back, relax, and get ready for an engaging discussion with our experts. Plus, stick around for a fun game of Yes/No with Richard and Emily! Key Takeaways: Senior stakeholder engagement is so important to a continuous improvement culture. If you can get it, it really helps, but it might take time. Target quick wins, that low hanging fruit, those really quick wins that will earn trust with senior leaders. If you can earn their trust and get their belief in what you’re trying to create, that belief in a continuous improvement culture, you are 99% of the way there because from small acorns mighty oaks grow. Don’t be tempted to expand to fast. It’s really tempting to run 1,000 miles an hour, but sometimes it’s better to go a little bit slower and really get those foundations and mechanisms right. Focus on the culture, not the program. A really good way of doing that is to build your reporting around business KPIs. This then breeds the culture and people are not focusing on special Lean KPIs or continuous improvement, they are focusing on business KPIs. Use continuous improvement to drive those metrics, that way it becomes part of the culture. Make CI part of the normal work (the way we do things). Every single process will have opportunities for continuous improvement, look for those quick wins and you’re well on your way to get in your senior stakeholders engaged in what you’re trying to do. Find out more about the British Quality Foundation at www.bqf.org.uk To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

In this episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, we are diving deep into what Lean actually is, why we should be doing it, and what it takes to sustain a culture of Continuous Improvement. But wait, don't hit the snooze button just yet! We have an incredible guest who is sure to inspire and motivate you on your journey towards Lean Excellence. Get ready to be energized by the one and only Natalie Sayer, a true heavyweight in the Lean and Continuous Improvement world! As the co-author of the renowned "Lean for Dummies" book, Natalie has a global influence and has helped countless leaders and teams navigate through this VUCA world we live in (Volatile, Uncertain, Chaotic and Ambiguous). As the Principle & Founder of The Blair David Company, Natalie acts as a Thinking Partner & Executive Coach, creating strategies and inspiring teams to achieve greatness. Her wealth of experience and inspiring stories will leave you feeling empowered to tackle any challenge that comes your way. So, whether you're just starting out on your Lean journey or are a seasoned veteran, you won't want to miss this episode! Natalie's advice and guidance will give you the tools and motivation you need to create a culture of continuous improvement that will last for years to come. So sit back, relax, and get ready to be inspired by the incredible Natalie Sayer, as she joins Matt on the Ever-So-Lean Podcast! Key Takeaways: Positive change comes through people, it’s all about people! Blame the process not the people. Look for something in the operation to focus on, don’t try and go after everything e.g. look for safety improvements or quality improvements. Look to improve flow or how different shifts are talking to each other. All these processes are common in in most operations and provide a good starting place. Ask lots of open-ended questions, talk to me about, tell me why what’s the purpose of this what do you think about, that really focus on what’s going on. This is because sometimes our eyes don’t tell us the full story or brain is very clever at filling in the gaps for us and sometimes those gaps on actually what we’re looking for. Sketch the problem, by sketching the problem you can really see what is in front of you, and therefore understand it. There’re no language barriers in a sketch. There’re no words to translate, a sketch crosses every single language in the world. Find out more about the Blair David Company at www.blairdavid.com Lean for Dummies - https://amzn.to/4cio7Ce To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visitwww.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

Get ready for lift off with this thrilling episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, where Matt chats with Ian Annett, Deputy Chief Executive at the UK Space Agency. From the exciting partnership with Virgin Orbit that led to a rocket launch from a Spaceport in Cornwall, to the current intern opportunities available at the UK Space Agency, Ian shares his insights on how Continuous Improvement plays a role in the Space Industry. But that's not all - stay tuned as Ian tackles the YES/NO game, and shares his perspective on the tantalizing possibility of extra-terrestrial life. With fascinating insights and a sense of wonder that will leave you starry-eyed, this is an episode you won't want to miss! Key Takeaways: Even when the stakes are really high, and the cost of failure can be massive it’s still where we learn the most and failure is part of continuous improvement so we shouldn’t be afraid to fail. Failure is such a natural thing for human beings. When working on your continuous improvement projects and you looking for the right countermeasure you looking for the right solution you might not get it right first time. We learn, we understand the problem, dust ourselves off and we go again. The space industry is so invested in people. Ian spoke about how the recent space launch in Cornwall, the buzz was electric, and everybody was pulling together for a common goal. Everyone was solving problems. It was amazing to hear how everybody can pull together to deliver results. If you think the Space Industry could be for you, then have a look at the internships and other opportunities that Ian referenced via the link below, they sound super exciting! Find out more about the UK Space Agency at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency UK Space career opportunities https://www.ukspace.org/careers/pre-and-early-career-opportunities/ To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

Hold on to your steering wheels, because in this episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, Matt is joined by James K. Franz, the Vice President of Global Operations at the Toyota Way Academy - the birthplace of Lean Excellence and the Toyota Production System. Jim's enviable Lean education, acquired through training in Japan and the United States, has made him a recognized industry expert, earning global accolades. He shares his insights on how the Toyota Way has evolved and the importance of investing in people to create a true Lean culture. Jim warns against the dangers of blind benchmarking and provides practical examples of how he has successfully led enterprise-wide transformations across multiple industries, achieving significant improvements in quality, productivity, lead time, and cost reductions. Get ready to be inspired by Jim's expertise, as he talks about his Shingo-prize-winning publication 'The Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement', co-authored with Dr. Jeffrey Liker. With engaging insights and practical tips, this episode is not to be missed - it's a gift to all those looking to achieve Lean excellence! Key Takeaways: Invest in your people. It is all about your people - culture, culture, culture and respect! There’s no point having a team that parachutes in and does Lean activity. To sustain and create a culture, it’s got to be a journey taken with your people. A point well made by Jim, about how would you feel if someone else was brought in to solve your problems, and they told you how to continue with that after you’ve been doing the task for a significant period. It’s really disrespectful to the people, allow them to own the solution. Avoid chasing money, rather set business targets the money will come. Focus on business targets, creating a culture, getting it to cascade down like a cascading down like water trickling down a waterfall. It’s all about the journey and about the learning and experience. It’s okay to fail and it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s how we learn and that’s how we develop as individuals and how you will develop your culture. Benchmarking can be dangerous, although we encourage benchmarking in general. Be wary of simply copying without understanding what the problem was that they were trying to solve. It might not work for you and it might not be appropriate for you because your problem might be a totally different root cause. Understand the full context before you perform benchmarking. Find out more about the Toyota Way Academy at www.toyotawayacademy.com Toyota Way to Continuous Improvement - https://amzn.to/3SFLTRu Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

Hold on tight because in this episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, Matt is joined by none other than Danilo McGarry - a renowned Digital Transformation leader with almost 20 years of experience in designing, delivering, and scaling global technology and operational initiatives. Danilo shares his insights on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation are revolutionizing modern business, and how Personal Cultures, Generational Bias, and Learning Styles impact Lean Culture growth. This conversation is not only incredibly enlightening but also full of penny-drop moments and opportunities for self-reflection. Danilo's work has been widely recognized and published in top-tier publications such as The Financial Times, The Times, and Bloomberg. He has been ranked in the Top 10 in the world by research and consultancy firms in various tech domains such as AI, Innovation, Digital Transformation, CRS, and Data. Not only that, but Danilo has also been ranked in the Top 50 most powerful people in AI, Top 20 in the world for Digital Transformation, and even claimed the #1 spot two years running as the Top Automation Executive. Get ready for a mind-blowing conversation that will leave you with a deeper understanding of how generational variation impacts organisations, and the role of AI and Automation in Lean Culture growth. This episode is not to be missed! Key Takeaways: Think about the different generations within your workplace. It is likely that you have many different generations within your team. Each may a slightly different approach to how you convey information. Think about generational bias in the workplace. It could be happening unintentionally, thinking about can highlight opportunities for improvement. I’m really excited to see what comes from AI over the following years. How businesses use automation as part of transformation. It’s exciting to see how it creeps into organisations and businesses and day-to-day activities in time. We already see technology everywhere e.g. apps on mobile phones which are becoming so common now. Everything has an app, even your supermarket loyalty card! Find out more about Danilo at www.danilomcgarry.com To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

Get ready to be inspired and motivated as Matt sits down with Debbie Green, Owner & Founder of Wishfish Coaching & Development, and Co-Host of the Secrets From a Coach Podcast. In this episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, Debbie shares her expertise on how to build a highly engaged, motivated, and healthy workforce, all while cultivating a Continuous Improvement culture. With years of experience in executive development, wellness coaching, team coaching, training design, and management, Debbie knows what it takes to create great leaders and break down barriers between management and frontline workers. Her insights on employee engagement, motivation, and wellness are not only informative, but they are also actionable, providing listeners with practical tips on how to create a positive and productive work environment. And if that's not enough to get you excited, be sure to stick around for the Yes/No game, where Debbie puts her skills to the test and tries to avoid using the two most common answers in the English language. Trust me, it's harder than it sounds! Key Takeaways: Think about your people. Think about what makes them tick. Make them feel important. You never know what’s going on in someone’s personal life, so enquire, ask how they are, ask what they doing, it goes a long way. Ask what you could do to help them. As open-ended questions e.g. talk to me about, tell me how, why do you do this, how would you do that. Ask their opinion, people who do the job everyday know the most about the job. Breakdown management barrier that resembles a parent child relationship. It doesn’t have to exist anymore. We’re all human beings we will get dressed the same way we will put one leg in before the other. If in your organisation you have one of those organisation charts in your reception, avoid putting management at the top and then front-line associates at the bottom! It sends out the message that management is more important that staff. Spin that pyramid the other way. The most important people in your organisation are the people that actually do the day-to-day work. It wouldn’t happen without them, so please don’t make managers feel more important than frontline people. Be Foxy leaders! as Debbie pointed out a foxy leader is the way to be if you miss the bit about foxy leadership. Find out more about Wishfish at www.wishfish.org.uk To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

In this episode of the Ever-So-Lean Podcast, Matt dives into the world of Lean within Healthcare with Anil Mathew, the former Group Director of Continuous Improvement at the National Health Service (NHS) and the current CEO & Director of the Lean Enabled Group. Anil has led ground-breaking efforts to develop a Continuous Improvement Culture in the NHS, building staff improvement capabilities and empowering Problem Solving to drive meaningful change. His remarkable achievements have earned him a prestigious HSJ Award and even a visit from former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the former Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt. Anil shares his fascinating insights into the critical role of Lean Techniques in Healthcare and provides an inspiring perspective on how Lean Thinking can drive progress in even the most challenging of environments. Get ready to be amazed! Key Takeaways: Lean principles can be used absolutely anywhere, in any industry, whatever role you perform and in any process. You can use Lean to improve the way that you work, increase engagement, drive out waste, drive out defects and improve productivity. Investing in people. Continuous Improvement is so dependable upon the people, the people who know how to fix the problems as they perform the processes. They know the problems and they’ve probably got the solution in their brain somewhere. So, invest in people. Learn by doing. Make it real. Have a go, use the tools see how they work, show results – it’s super important, that’s how you get your credibility. Celebrate success! Don’t hide it, when you do something and achieve a result, make sure everybody knows about it. Celebrate it, praise people, build that confidence and you can drive Lean in your business. Find out more about the Lean Enabled Group at www.lean-enabled.co.uk To find out more about the certifications available with Catalyst Consulting Ltd, visit www.catalystconsulting.co.uk Enrol in the Online Improvement Kata & Coaching Kata Basics Course. The only Kata training created by Jeffrey K. Liker and Mike Rother! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!

Are you ready for a more efficient and people-focused future? Look no further than the Ever-So-Lean Podcast for inspiration! Join Matt Sims as he meets an incredible cast of international guests from the worlds of Leadership, Continuous Improvement and Problem Solving, who offer advice, guidance and direction from their experience. Don’t miss out on this high-energy ride that will leave you fired up and ready to tackle your own Continuous Improvement journey! Find out more about the Ever-So-Lean Podcast at www.eversolean.com Please don't forget to show your support and help the Ever-So-Lean Podcast thrive by taking a moment to rate and review it, your feedback matters!