I'm excited to announce that I'll be participating in the upcoming 4th Rendez-vous Kata, a unique and bilingual (French and English) event that brings together leaders, learners, and kata practitioners from around the world.
This year's theme — “Going Forward, Learning and Adapting in Uncertain Times” — resonates deeply with everything we do in continuous improvement, scientific thinking, and especially with the ideas I explore in my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us.
My Contributions to the Event
I'll be presenting a keynote talk on June 3 titled:
BEYOND BLAME: CREATING A CULTURE OF LEARNING FROM MISTAKES
In this session, I'll explore how embracing mistakes — instead of hiding from them — is essential for creating psychologically safe environments that fuel learning, experimentation, and sustainable improvement. The keynote draws from real stories, including those from my podcast My Favorite Mistake, and ties into key Lean principles like respect for people and continuous learning.
I'm also facilitating a 3-hour workshop on Psychological Safety and Improvement Culture — a session designed to go beyond theory into practical reflection and application. We'll dive into how fear and futility get in the way of improvement efforts, and what leaders can do to build trust, engagement, and meaningful change.
Don't Miss These Sessions from My Friends and Fellow Improvement Catalysts
Katie Anderson will make her first appearance in Montreal as a keynote speaker. She'll share her talk:
Leading to Learn: Become a Katalyst for Continuous Learning
If you've read her book Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn, you already know her gift for helping leaders reflect, align, and act with intention. Katie will also be leading a special workshop on leadership and coaching on June 4 — a rare opportunity to go deep with one of the best.
Sylvain Landry, professor at HEC Montreal and passionate advocate for kata and scientific thinking, will present:
Bringing Scientific Thinking to Life
Sylvain brings the kata mindset into academia and industry with real impact. His session will include practical examples and insights from his work leading kata transformation efforts within HEC Montreal itself.
Why You Should Join Us
Whether you're a kata novice or a long-time learner, this hybrid (in-person and virtual) event offers real depth and community. The program features a diverse group of speakers, including voices from healthcare, education, manufacturing, and more — all united by the spirit of learning by doing.
The event is bilingual with simultaneous translation via Zoom, so it's truly accessible regardless of your preferred language.
Spots are limited — especially for the in-person workshops like Katie's and mine — so I encourage you to check out the full program and register today:
I hope to see you (virtually or in person) in June — let's learn, reflect, and move forward together.
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Check out my latest book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation:
