Category Archives: Lean thinking

Management Improvement System Flavors

Posted on September 27, 2019 by John Hunter

ASQ has asked their Influential Voices to explore the question “Is Agile the new Lean?” I have participated with the program since 2012: see my past blog posts as part of the ASQ Influential Voices program. No Agile is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management | Tagged agile management, ASQ Influential Voices, Lean thinking, management system | 4 Comments

Applying Toyota Kata to Agile Retrospectives

Posted on August 23, 2016 by John Hunter

Hakan Forss, King (interactive entertainment games), presentation at the GOTO Copenhagen 2015 conference. I strongly recommend Mike Rother’s book: Toyota Kata. Description from Workshop description “The Toyota Kata Experience” Kata means pattern, routine, habits or way of doing things. Kata … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Process improvement, Software Development | Tagged agile management, culture, kata, Lean thinking, Process improvement, retrospective, Software Development | 3 Comments

Change Management: Create a Culture Seeking Continual Improvement or Use Band-Aids?

Posted on November 17, 2015 by John Hunter

Successfully shepherding change within an organization is often a challenge. Often change management strategies are mainly about how to cope with a toxic culture but exclude the option of fixing the toxic culture. Why not address the root causes instead … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Psychology, Respect, Systems thinking | Tagged change, culture, curiouscat, leadership, managing people, organization as a system, Psychology, respect for people, root cause, trust | 3 Comments

Magnetic White-Board Kanban Card Options

Posted on September 2, 2014 by John Hunter

Just some quick ideas for Kanban whiteboard magnetic card options from a question I answered on Reddit. Here is the best lean solution: Trying Out My Agile Kanban Board from Jon Miller. Why, well mainly I am kidding about it … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Quality tools | Tagged agile management, kanban, lean manufacturing, productivity, project management, Quality tools, tips, usability, visual management | Comments Off

Revolutionary Management Improvement May Be Needed But Most Management Change is Evolutionary

Posted on August 26, 2014 by John Hunter

This month the ASQ Influential Bloggers were asked to respond to the question – will the future of quality be evolutionary or revolutionary? I think it has been and will continue to be both. Revolutionary change is powerful but very … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking | Tagged ASQ Influential Voices, change, commentary, continual improvement, leadership, Lean thinking, Toyota Production System (TPS) | 1 Comment

Toyota Understands Robots are Best Used to Enhance the Value Employees Provide

Posted on April 8, 2014 by John Hunter

Toyota has always seen robotics as a way to enhance what staff can do. Many USA executives think of robotics as a way to reduce personnel. Toyota wants to use the brainpower of employees to continually improve the organization. Toyota … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged continual improvement, engineering, Innovation, Japan, lean manufacturing, managing people, Manufacturing, overpaid executives, respect for people, technology, Toyota, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Comments Off

Managers Are Not Non-Leaders: Managers Need to Practice Things We Classify as Leadership Traits

Posted on October 14, 2013 by John Hunter

Saying “Managers care about efficiency and leaders care about effectiveness” is like saying “Doctors care about theory and nurses care about patients.” Managers that don’t care about effectiveness are lousy managers. Leaders that don’t care about the gemba are lousy … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Popular, quote | Tagged commentary, curiouscat, leadership, Lean thinking, Management, Popular, Systems thinking | 5 Comments

You are a Fool if You Do What I Say

Posted on August 21, 2013 by John Hunter

Guest post from Mark Graban There’s an interesting quote from Taiichi Ohno in “Taiichi Ohno’s Workplace Management,” which I was re-reading today… “You are a fool if you do what I say. You are a greater fool if you don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Deming, Lean thinking, Quality tools | Tagged continual improvement, guest post, lean manufacturing, quote, Taiichi Ohno | 3 Comments

Getting Known Good Ideas Adopted

Posted on June 19, 2013 by John Hunter

This month Paul Borawski asked ASQ’s Influential Voices to explore two questions; first, what is the most important challenge the quality community faces in ensuring that the value of quality is fully realized for the benefit of society? I really … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Process improvement | Tagged ASQ Influential Voices, Lean thinking, management history, quality, Six sigma | 6 Comments

Leadership and Management

Posted on June 4, 2013 by John Hunter

I don’t think the attempts to separate leadership and management are useful. I read plenty of things that are variations on Peter Drucker’s: “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” A manager that is not concerned … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, quote, Systems thinking | Tagged commentary, curiouscat, John Hunter, leadership, lean manufacturing, management, quote, system thinking | 7 Comments