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News, articles, books, podcasts, and videos about how to make the workplace better.
Operational Excellence, Improvement, and Innovation
Using OEE ensures the “beatings will continue”
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a staple of lean scorecards, but is it actually useful for driving real improvement? No. Dr. Wheeler demonstrates how the OEE aggregate value destroys context, violates the laws of mathematics, and creates an unreachable goal. Stop combining metrics into useless indices and start improving actual performance.
James Clear Breaks Down How To Improve
From James Clear's legendary 3-2-1 emails:
“The Process:
- Decide what you want to achieve.
- Try different ways of achieving it until you find one that works for you.
- Do more of what works. Do less of what doesn't.
- Don't stop doing it until it stops working.
- Repeat.
It is both this simple and this hard.”
When It Comes To Heart Attacks, Time is Muscle: Reducing STEMI Door-to-Balloon Times Using Continuous Improvement
One of my proudest career achievements was helping a local cardiac center reduce door-to-balloon times for patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (heart attacks) back in 2009. How did we achieve this? Through basic flow principles and strong teamwork. We focused on minimizing delays related to EKGs, speeding up result interpretation, and cutting out unnecessary movement and transport. By continuously seeking improvements in these areas, we achieved double-digit reductions in cycle time–and, quite possibly, saved some lives along the way.
It warms my heart (sorry, couldn't resist) to see a similar success story in Florida, where a health system used continuous improvement to enhance their own door-to-balloon times.
The Doctor Won't See You Now – They Are Too Busy Writing Sick Notes
People often talk about “low-hanging fruit” and “quick wins” in healthcare, but these solutions rarely deliver as promised. One truly impactful change? Cutting the administrative overload we pile onto doctors. If we focused solely on reducing bureaucratic burdens, we could free up a massive amount of time and resources.
Still skeptical? Consider this: Doctors in Manitoba–my home province–spend a staggering 36,000 hours a year just writing sick notes. That's time that could be spent on patient care instead. Given the immense challenges facing our healthcare system, every policy that wastes time should be scrutinized and eliminated–not just reassigned, but removed entirely.
Creating a Culture of Improvement
The Right Way to Make Data-Driven Decision Making
Big companies and top executives love to talk about making “data-driven” decisions. But let's be real–it's not as simple as skimming a report and picking a direction. Just because we're drowning in data doesn't magically turn leaders into unbiased decision machines. I'm not saying everyone needs to become a data scientist, but having a clue about the common traps data throws at you and learning how to talk shop with data experts can seriously level up your decision-making game.
Give a listen to Michael Luca and Amy Edmondson as they share a framework for leaders to make better decisions by interpreting data more effectively in The Right Way To Make Data-Driven Decisions. Don't have 27 minutes to listen? Check out their supporting article Where Data-Driven Decision Making Can Go Wrong.
Southwest Is “Taking Care” of Employees In a Different Way Now
Southwest Airlines, once a shining example of differentiation through exceptional customer service, has long been a staple in MBA case studies. In an industry where passengers have learned to expect less, Southwest stood out–until now. With the departure of Herb Kelleher's influence, the airline's legendary culture is fading.
Recently, Southwest announced layoffs and a shift away from its signature offerings, such as unassigned seating and free checked bags, in a bid to resemble its larger competitors. Instead of being a model of innovation and customer loyalty, Southwest is now becoming a cautionary tale–illustrating how even the strongest corporate cultures can unravel under leadership changes, boardroom takeovers, and short-term decision-making.
Boeing CEO invites ‘brutal' feedback from employees
Boeing's problems in recent years are well documented. CEO Kelly Ortberg has faulted Boeing's top-down leadership for some of its safety and quality problems. In response, Ortberg has set up a ‘culture working group' and hopes to hear from employees, even if its “brutal” for leadership. Is this an effective countermeasure? Hey, it seems like a good faith gesture, but gaining employees' trust after over a decade of blame and fear will not be easy or quick.
Silence is Dangerous: The Hidden Gaps in Workplace Safety
Safety and operational excellence are inseparable, yet AlertMedia's 2025 State of Employee Safety Report reveals troubling gaps that leaders must address to create a truly high-performing workplace. Some key findings include:
- 32% of employees don't feel comfortable reporting safety concerns.
- 39% of those who do face retaliation for speaking up.
- 56% of employees don't feel completely safe at work.
New systems and signage won't fix the problem. If employees fear speaking up, real safety improvements are impossible. Creating a culture of trust and accountability is the only way forward.
Coaching – Developing Self & Others
Stop Setting Goals
Anne-Laure Le Cunff, author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, believes that the linear process of setting smart goals and developing a plan to achieve it is broken. What does she prescribe instead? Design a pact instead of a goal. Start with the format of I will (action) for (duration) and commit to a series of small experiments.
Want to Realize Your Potential? Allow Yourself To Suck
We are all plagued by that inner voice that tells us to hold back. It's ok to agree with this inner demon, but it is almost always wrong and you simply need to do the work anyway. Matt DiGeronimo reminds us to Allow Yourself to Suck.
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Check out my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation:
