In the last several months, we have all experienced enormous changes in how we’re living and working. We often consider managing change as something we apply to a new initiative, a major reorganization, or a change in ownership. However, change management practices apply just as well in the situation we are facing with adjusting to our evolving normal with COVID-19…. Read the full article…

Lean is most commonly utilized to improve operations or services in a relatively stable environment…but we can also apply these practices to the challenges and ongoing aftermath of the pandemic. What has made this application of lean especially difficult is that conditions have been continually shifting, so it is hard to focus on any one set of improvements. Even now,… Read the full article…

Have you considered developing a regular meditation practice? (As it turns out, there are a ton of work-related benefits to doing so.) After years of periodically experimenting with meditation, I’ve finally adapted a regular, sustainable practice. In the past, it had never been very clear what there was to gain from meditation that really mattered to me. While several thought… Read the full article…

In the last few weeks, most of us have given some thought to the recently increased attention to systemic racism. In all honesty, I have found myself aware that this has seemed a problem for others to solve. The expansion of the protests and the amount of media attention has given many of us, including me, pause to consider the… Read the full article…

While many things have been heartbreaking or difficult in these times, there have been others that have helped alleviate some of our angst. I find myself moved to tears over things I’m not sure would have really registered in easier times. I suppose the pain we’re exposed to, with so many people suffering in terms of health and/or the economy,… Read the full article…

Most every conversation I’m in, there is this growing awareness that there’s no telling how long significant changes may go on, much less their impact on the overall business landscape. This is leading to a range of concerns and corresponding responses related to work environments. Virtual work may have a long-term application. While organizations will seek to have some level… Read the full article…

If any of you are in the same spot I am, all of a sudden you’re being faced with how to work with people virtually instead of in person. Specifically, I have a number of scheduled in-person trainings that are now being done virtually. Interestingly, when this all happened, I could not have conceived how to even go about training… Read the full article…

How many Zoom meetings have you attended in the past two weeks? If I had to guess, probably more than you ever have before. As we learn to work virtually, many people find it provides a new set of challenges. The most common problems are: 1) participants who multi-task; 2) some participants don’t participate; and 3) you’re not sure how… Read the full article…

Recently, I was working with a team on addressing the myriad challenges they were facing related to COVID-19. The same organization has over 15 years of experience with applying lean practices to various manufacturing situations. Many of this organization’s team members have solid skills in problem solving, visual management, standard work, and involving teams in various challenges. Yet, as the… Read the full article…

In the last several weeks, we have all experienced enormous changes in how we’re living and working. We often consider change management as something we apply to a new initiative, an ERP implementation, or a change in ownership. However, change management practices apply just as well in the situation we are facing with COVID-19. As a change management challenge, this… Read the full article…

A few weeks ago, I shared about the relationship between job roles and successful lean transformations. Today, I’m sharing another barrier to a successful lean transformation: Development of a lean culture can be elusive. The following is an excerpt from my book, “Lean HR: Redesigning HR Processes for a Culture of Continuous Improvement” – Second Edition, out this spring, intended… Read the full article…

A few weeks ago, I shared about the struggle to move beyond improvement “events” when it comes to lean transformations. Today, I’m sharing another barrier to a successful lean transformation: job roles and daily work are not redesigned for improvement practices. The following is an excerpt from my book, “Lean HR: Redesigning HR Processes for a Culture of Continuous Improvement”… Read the full article…

A few weeks ago, I shared about the short sightedness of a cost-savings focus when it comes to lean transformations. Today, I’m sharing another barrier to a successful lean transformation: the struggle to move beyond improvement “events.” The following is an excerpt from my book, “Lean HR: Redesigning HR Processes for a Culture of Continuous Improvement” – Second Edition, out… Read the full article…

The following is an excerpt from my book, “Lean HR: Redesigning HR Processes for a Culture of Continuous Improvement” – Second Edition, out this spring, intended to help organizations partner with HR to reach the full potential of a lean transformation. “Almost as a rule, leadership teams are aware that lean is capable of delivering much better results than they… Read the full article…