Happy Holidays from Mark Graban & LeanBlog.org – A Song & Some Memes

2014 has been a busy and exciting year. I've been very blessed. I've worked with great people and have learned so much. I have still barely scratched the surface in sharing stories from my recent trip to Japan. I've been on the road more than I would have wanted here in December, which has put me a bit behind in writing about the tour and other writing projects, but it's great to be on site with hospitals helping get them started with Kaizen!

After I fly back today from a hospital in Iowa, I'll be taking a bit of a holiday break here at the blog. But, I'll be writing posts to publish after the New Year, including more about Japan. But, first, I want to wish every reader a peaceful and joyous holiday season.

In a tradition I started in 2009, here is my parody Christmas song, “Gemba Claus is Comin' to Town.”

Click play in media player below to hear the song (music performed by my friend Steve Sholtes).

Read the lyrics, by me, here.

“So Kaizen for goodness' sake” would have been a better line. Oh well.

LEI posted “Twas the Night Before Kaizen” today, which is worth a read.

End of Year Giving

At the end of the year, there are many appeals for charitable giving. It's not just a tax break… it's a great idea to support meaningful organizations that do great work.

Here are some organizations that I support and recommend, if you're looking to make a tax-deductible donation:

The Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation

I'm a board member and volunteer for this San Antonio-based organization. Please consider a donation or purchase one of their excellent patient safety guide books for you or a loved one.

The National Patient Safety Foundation

The National Patient Safety Foundation's vision is to create a world where patients and those who care for them are free from harm.” Click here to donate.

The Emily Jerry Foundation

Listen to my podcasts with Chris Jerry about the tragic loss of his daughter due to preventable medical error. Click here to donate.

Kiva

Kiva is a “micro-lending” service that gives opportunity to businesspeople and entrepreneurs around the world. I reinvest my loan returns by re-loaning those funds to new businesses. You can lend and/or donate to Kiva to support their operations. You can also join a “team” founded by John Hunter, of the Curious Cat blog.

Here is our “team impact” report (click for a larger view):

Some Holiday Laughs

Ending the year on a holly, jolly note, here are some Christmas-themed “Lean Memes” from my site LeanMemes.com.

Click on any photo for the respective LeanMemes.com page for sharing options:

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Check out my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation: