Tag: Respect for People

Respect for People: Leadership, Trust, and Sustainable Improvement

“Respect for people” isn’t about being nice—it’s about how leaders design systems, make decisions, and respond to problems. In Lean organizations, respect shows up through listening, job security, psychological safety, clear communication, and a commitment to learning rather than blame. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and examples that explore respect for people as a core Lean principle—one that enables trust, engagement, continuous improvement, and better outcomes for customers and employees alike.

Adventures in #Lean Healthcare Hiring, Part 1

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I'm not looking for a traditional, full-time job, but a lot of job postings cross my path, as people are looking for referrals. A...

#Lean Thoughts While Watching Football

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I've blogged about football before - I should say "American football," since I have many international readers. I should say I've blogged about events on the football field and the approaches of football coaches that remind me of Lean thinking. Here are a few of those thoughts from last weekend -- topics include "lack of urgency," "that's not my job," and "the process."

The Coming Auto Industry Battle: Toyota’s People vs. Tesla’s Robots?

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Here's an interesting article from Fast Company: At Toyota, The Automation Is Human-Powered The sub headline reads: While the rest of the auto industry increasingly uses robots...

Dr. Don Berwick on Respect and Change at the Front Lines...

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Back in 2012, I blogged twice about aspects of Dr. Donald M. Berwick's 1989 article in the New England Journal of Medicine titled “Continuous Improvement as an Ideal in Health Care.” The full text is only available to subscribers. As I posted on LinkedIn, another aspect of this article caught my eye when I was reviewing it the other day in advance of my talk at the Studer Group "What's Right in Healthcare" conference next week. 

Is Calling People “Concrete Heads” an Effective Lean Change Strategy?

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When did the term "concrete head" start getting thrown around in Lean circles? Do people still use this label today? Is it helpful? Should we agree that the term is disrespectful and counter productive?

Lean People Don’t Say Things Like “Idiot Proofing”

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I've long been skeptical of so-called "Lean Sigma" or "Lean Six Sigma." And not because I'm against Six Sigma statistical methods, which are valid...

Gene Wilder, Lean, and Lean Startup Thoughts on Wasting Time and...

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The famed actor and comedian Gene Wilder passed away this week at age 83. I think of him primarily as an actor from the classic...

Exposé About Detroit Medical Center, Dirty Surgical Instruments, Dysfunction, and… Lean?

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A number of you emailed me about this report in the Detroit News. I grew up in Detroit and my first job was as...

What Happens When Leaders Don’t Listen? A Lean Look at Respect...

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There's a lot of silly stuff that people post that appears on the LinkedIn main page when I log in, between narcissistic selfies and...

This Doctor is Upset About Something, But It Doesn’t Really Sound...

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Now, there’s a story written by an emergency medicine physician, Dr. Brad Cotton, that appears in a publication called “Emergency Medicine News” — FIRST PERSON: ‘We Fired Our Hospital’...

Why Lean Hospitals Should Learn from Toyota About Staffing and Layoffs

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I've written before about the subject of hospitals "flexing" nurses and employees. I've criticized flexing (or the practice of sending employees home early because patient census is low) and I've pointed out that it's not keeping with "Lean" principles to "save money" by sending people home early.

The Biggest “Bang for Your Lean Buck?” Respecting Your People

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Mark's note: Today's post is a guest contribution from Paul Critchley. Check out his previous posts here. As a long time Lean practitioner (and now...
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