Five NUMMI Tour Lessons That Still Define Lean Thinking
The blog postIn this episode, Mark reflects on a visit he made twenty years ago to the NUMMI plant in Fremont, California — the Toyota-GM joint venture that became legendary in Lean circles. What stay...
17 Dec 202511min
‘The Rock’ Says Getting Lean is Something Anybody Can Do… If You Work At It
The blog postDwayne “The Rock” Johnson once joked that his incredible physical transformation came from one simple routine: working out six hours a day, every day, for twenty years. In this episode, M...
11 Dec 20254min
5 Big Lean Questions with Mark Graban: Purpose, Misconceptions, and the Path Forward
The blog postIn this episode, Mark Graban flips roles and becomes the guest—answering five core Lean questions posed by longtime Lean thinker Tim McMahon of the A Lean Journey blog. These questions ha...
9 Dec 202512min
Lean Without Layoffs: The Commitment That Makes Continuous Improvement Work
The blog postIn this episode, Mark Graban explores one of the most misunderstood — and most essential — principles of Lean: the commitment to no layoffs due to improvement. Drawing from his work with ...
5 Dec 20256min
Stop Forcing Change: Use These Motivational Interviewing Questions Instead
The blog postIn this episode, Mark Graban explores why so many organizational change efforts stall—not because people are resistant, but because leaders rely on telling instead of asking. Drawing from...
2 Dec 20257min
GE’s Larry Culp: Why Lean Thinking Starts with Safety and Respect for People
The blog postThis episode looks at how GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp grounds Lean leadership in two fundamentals: safety and respect for people. Drawing on his recent appearance on the Gray Matter podca...
21 Nov 20258min
Fred Noe of Jim Beam: Leadership Lessons on Mistakes, Innovation, and Long-Term Thinking
The blog postIn this episode of Lean Blog Audio, Mark Graban reads and reflects on his post “Fred Noe of Jim Beam: Leadership Lessons on Mistakes, Innovation, and Long-Term Thinking.”What can a sevent...
13 Nov 202515min
The Biggest Lean Six Sigma Myth: "Lean Is Just About Speed"
The blog postIn this episode of the Lean Blog Audio podcast, Mark Graban reads and reflects on one of his classic posts: “The Biggest Lean Six Sigma Myth: ‘Lean Is Just About Speed.’”Far too often, co...
11 Nov 20258min
