What questions are on your mind? That’s the question I posed to you last month when I asked you to “Ask me anything!”

I received many great questions and, as promised, I’ve picked five to dive into during this episode. 

Asking the right questions is a fundamental part of leading transformational change. It’s not just about finding answers—it’s about understanding why we ask our questions and how we react when others ask us.

It’s just as important to know the reasons behind why we’re asking. What’s the intention behind the question? What are we hoping to learn or uncover? 

This is where true understanding happens—both for the person asking and the one being asked.

So the next time someone asks you a question, take a moment to ask a follow-up question. You both might be surprised with the answer!

Now, it’s time to dive into your questions!

YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to shift from a “command and control” leadership style to a culture focused on continuous improvement
• Common obstacles organizations face when implementing transformational change and how to overcome them
• How you can effectively balance the need for short-term results with the pursuit of long-term strategic goals while developing people
• Insights on transitioning from a lean leader in an organization to starting a consultancy business
• How continuous improvement teams can amplify their impact and link leadership coaching to driving real business outcomes 

What additional questions are on your mind? Head over to ChainOfLearning.com/ASK and ask me your questions so we can continue to explore them in future episodes of Chain of Learning.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/33
• Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• Download the KATALYST™ self-assessment to fast-track your leadership impact: kbjanderson.com/Katalyst 
• Download the free guide "3 Tips to Break The Telling Habit®” and discover how you can start asking better questions: kbjanderson.com/telling-habit
• Be the first to know about new episodes and other resources: kbjanderson.com/newsletter
• Ask your questions for future episodes: ChainOfLearning.com/Ask 

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:
 
0:39 How asking questions can spark a culture of continuous learning and improvement

2:04 The impact of leaders defaulting to immediately answering questions

4:28 QUESTION 1 : Moving from command and control to continuous improvement

09:06 QUESTION 2 overcoming obstacles to transformational change

16:14 QUESTION 3: How to balance short-term results with long-term goals while developing people

19:00 QUESTION 4: Insights on transitioning from a corporate leader to starting a consultancy business

30:35 QUESTION 5: How a continuous improvement team within an organization increase and demonstrate impact

Is your organization stuck in a constant state of crisis, where everything feels like an urgent, must-fix-now situation?

As a leader, cutting through that noise is key to prioritizing and aligning your team’s efforts to focus on what really matters.

In this episode, Isaac Mitchell, VP of Operational Excellence at Ballad Health System, shares his experience leading through Hurricane Helene and how he's fostering an organizational culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Isaac shares how his leadership journey—from engineer at Toyota to executive in healthcare—shaped his approach to real crises. He discusses how understanding purpose—his own, his team’s, and the organization’s—helps him distinguish between what’s urgent and what’s truly important.

By focusing on what matters, you can create the impact you’re striving for. To me, that’s what living with intention is—knowing your purpose and aligning your actions to make it happen.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to distinguish between true crises and perceived urgency
• The importance of aligning organizational and personal purpose to drive strategic success
• A framework for where to spend your time as a leader to build a high-performing organization
• How to demonstrate respect for people by encouraging a personal understanding of purpose and owning the thinking process, not the answers
• Practical tips for building a people-centered culture that drives sustainable growth

In our conversation about intention and goals, Isaac asks about my next big goal—listen for the big reveal, never shared publicly until now! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Isaac Mitchell is an experienced strategy deployment executive and is currently a Vice President at Ballad Health and a guest lecturer at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. 

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/32
• Connect with Isaac Mitchell: linkedin.com/in/isaacmitchell
• Join Isaac’s Book Clubs: Lean Book Club and Lean Coffee Club 
• Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• Join me on the next Japan Leadership Experience program: KBJAnderson.com/JapanTrip
• Learn about the warp and weft metaphor in my book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and companion workbook

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 

3:08 Navigating crises during Hurricane Helene through community and shared purpose

9:00 True crises vs. perceived urgency 

10:58 Avoid falling into the "expert trap" during crises
14:10 Respecting people’s development and using Gemba

16:19 How to use daruma dolls in goal setting
20:57 Katie’s BIG new goal reveal

22:25 Using a hanko when coaching for  problem solving
30:36 Isaac’s North Star for the year and Japan Study Trip lessons
32:11 How Gemba helps leaders prioritize what's essential

36:23 Setting big goals and using them to push for growth 

41:34 Value of cultural and business learning
45:54 The warp and weft metaphor for goal setting

Join the next Japan Leadership Experience program - apply now!

Is your organization stuck in a constant state of crisis, where everything feels like an urgent, must-fix-now situation?

As a leader, cutting through that noise is key to prioritizing and aligning your team’s efforts to focus on what really matters.

In this episode, Isaac Mitchell, VP of Operational Excellence at Ballad Health System, shares his experience leading through Hurricane Helene and how he's fostering an organizational culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Isaac shares how his leadership journey—from engineer at Toyota to executive in healthcare—shaped his approach to real crises. He discusses how understanding purpose—his own, his team’s, and the organization’s—helps him distinguish between what’s urgent and what’s truly important.

By focusing on what matters, you can create the impact you’re striving for. To me, that’s what living with intention is—knowing your purpose and aligning your actions to make it happen.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to distinguish between true crises and perceived urgency
• The importance of aligning organizational and personal purpose to drive strategic success
• A framework for where to spend your time as a leader to build a high-performing organization
• How to demonstrate respect for people by encouraging a personal understanding of purpose and owning the thinking process, not the answers
• Practical tips for building a people-centered culture that drives sustainable growth

In our conversation about intention and goals, Isaac asks about my next big goal—listen for the big reveal, never shared publicly until now! I’d love to hear your thoughts.

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Isaac Mitchell is an experienced strategy deployment executive and is currently a Vice President at Ballad Health and a guest lecturer at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/32
• Connect with Isaac Mitchell: linkedin.com/in/isaacmitchell
• Join Isaac’s Book Clubs: Lean Book Club and Lean Coffee Club
• Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• Join me on my Japan Study Trip leadership program: kbjanderson.com/JapanTrip
• Learn about the warp and weft metaphor in my book: Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn and companion workbook

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:

3:08 Navigating crises during Hurricane Helene through community and shared purpose

9:00 True crises vs. perceived urgency

10:58 Avoid falling into the "expert trap" during crises
14:10 Respecting people’s development and using Gemba

16:19 How to use daruma dolls in goal setting
20:57 Katie’s BIG new goal reveal

22:25 Using a hanko when coaching for  problem solving
30:36 Isaac’s North Star for the year and Japan Study Trip lessons
32:11 How Gemba helps leaders prioritize what's essential

36:23 Setting big goals and using them to push for growth

41:34 Value of cultural and business learning
45:54 The warp and weft metaphor for goal setting

It’s Chain of Learning’s first anniversary this month! And it’s the time of year for gratitude and thanks – and for reflection. 

Thank you for listening and for being part of this Chain of Learning that we are growing together. 

To mark this podcast milestone, I want to practice what I talk about on nearly every episode – reflection – as I believe it IS the foundation of learning and impact.

In this episode, I share my reflections from the Chain of Learning’s first year and walk  you through the process I use and teach for reflection – so you can apply this same reflection process to whatever you are working on, both professionally and personally. 

Whether you’re leading teams, fostering innovation, or driving continuous improvement – or simply looking to take the next step forward in your life – purposeful reflection is the foundation for your ultimate success.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• The meaning of the Japanese word Hansei – self-reflection – and the risk if you get caught more in doing and don’t take time to reflect 
• How you can use the Plan-Do-Study-Adjust (PDSA) cycle to improve and why I suggest we call it the Study-Adjust-Plan-Do (SAPD) cycle
• The 3 ways to reflect with intention even while short on time
• The backstory to how this podcast started and personal reflections of what I’ve learned and adjusted over producing 31 episodes
• The questions to ask yourself for meaningful reflection

I invite you to embed reflection into your practice — not just as a one-time exercise but as a regular habit – that guides you toward excellence. 

Thanks for the opportunity to grow and strengthen our Chain of Learning together. Here’s to the journey of growth and another year of reflections ahead!

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes and links: ChainOfLearning.com/31
• Comment and share your process for reflection on LinkedIn here
• Check out my website: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• Get my book “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn” – LearningToLeadLeadingToLearn.com
  
  

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 

2:37 The meaning of the Japanese word Hansei
4:11 The 5 steps to applying Hansei and using the (SAPD) cycle

5:28 Reflection Process 1: immediate self reflection after an event, even if you’re short on time
6:27 Reflection Process 2: reflect with others or in a group setting to get feedback and share ideas
8:05 Reflection Process 3: reflect over time by looking back
9:38 Backstory of how the Chain of Learning podcast started
12:37 Process launching the podcast and the challenges and lessons learned
18:53 Personal growth and what I have learned over time since starting the podcast
31:47 Questions to ask yourself to add reflection in your daily, monthly and yearly process

31:35 Share your process for reflection on LinkedIn or via email

Has your organization been making progress on its continuous improvement journey, only to find things starting to stall?

Is your team hesitant to share ideas, or are your lean or process improvement initiatives viewed mainly as cost-cutting measures rather than a comprehensive strategy for long-term success?

Perhaps you've been focusing on just one side of the path of excellence—improvement processes and tools—while overlooking a critical component: respect for people.

In this episode, Stephanie Bursek, Director of Human Resources at TrippNT, shares how her company's made a leap forward in their lean transformation by leading with the heart to focus on people and joy.

By going beyond process improvement tools to deeply focusing on people first, Stephanie and her executive team have fostered greater collaboration, trust, and growth, resulting in a thriving, engaged workplace with more problem-solving and innovation.

Tune in to learn how embedding respect for people into your organization’s foundation can drive sustainable cultural transformation and elevate both business results and employee engagement.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to create balance in your organization between the pillars of continuous improvement and respect for people
• The importance of navigating tension between getting results and allowing time for your team to grow on the path towards achieving them
• Why performance management should be a two-way street that includes upward feedback for continuous learning and alignment
• How embedding respect for people and psychological safety into your organization can lead to improved results and enhance employee experiences
• The benefits of a people-centered culture for elevating both fulfillment and performance

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Stephanie is a seasoned Human Resources executive with a passion for how to create a thriving organizational culture. As the Director for Human Resources at TrippNT, a family-owned manufacturing company based in the U.S., she's focused on building a unique organizational culture by uniting the pillars of continuous improvement and respect for people.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/30
• Connect with Stephanie Bursek: www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-bursek-sphr-0a7b801
• Check out my website: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
• My Japan Study Trip leadership program: KBJAnderson.com/japantrip

TIMESTAMPS: 

04:35 Stephanie’s realization of the missing element in her organization

08:10 The importance of a people-first approach to achieve results & improvements

12:11 The impact of the Collaborative Model for increasing productivity

14:15 The benefits of a psychologically safe environment that fosters respect & leads to better business results

19:03 The provocative quote from “Tree Ring Management” that always get jaw drops

20:27 How the leadership team at TrippNT models behavior that creates an engaging environment
24:10 Examples of a people-entered environment created through humility & resilience

What hot topics and burning questions are on your mind?

Asking better questions is one of the core subjects I talk about on the podcast – and in my work, and I want to hear from you!

“Ask me anything” is going to be the focus of the last Chain of Learning episode for 2024. So go ahead and send me your questions through the month of November: ChainOfLearning.com/ASK 

What challenges are you facing in your leadership journey as you strive to make a greater impact?

Are you looking to secure buy-in from your team or upper management? Perhaps you’re aiming to break the “telling” habit and foster a more collaborative environment? 

Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed and need strategies to transition from a doer to a change Katalyst™?

Anything is on the table. So go ahead and ask me anything!

Submit your questions by November 30th here: ChainOfLearning.com/ASK and I’ll be selecting a few of YOUR questions to feature and respond to for the last episode of the year.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Submit your questions: ChainOfLearning.com/ask 
• Check out my website: KBJAnderson.com
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson

RELATED PODCAST EPISODES:

• Do you have a question in mind from something mentioned in a previous episode and how to apply it? Here are a few top questions from recent episodes:
  • How to coach executives?: 20 | How to Coach Executives and Influence Change with Brad Toussaint
  • How to leverage politics effectively to get buy-in?: 14 | Becoming an Astute Political Navigator with Betsy Jordyn
  • What is the connection between a growth mindset and continuous improvement culture?: 3 | A Growth Mindset is the Foundation of a Continuous Improvement Culture with Carol Dweck

Do you ever feel like you're stuck between chaos and bureaucracy, unable to break free from the status quo?

You are probably facing a common challenge that other leaders and change practitioners experience: how to navigate uncertainty while trying to drive innovation and agility in your organization.

In this episode, Atif Rafiq, seasoned C-suite executive and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of “Decision Sprint” shares what he’s learned about leading through ambiguity to drive digital and cultural transformations at global companies like Amazon, McDonald’s, and MGM Resorts.

Atif breaks down the Decision Sprint framework to help you bring clarity into the unknown by moving problem-solving upstream, enabling you and your teams to make faster, smarter decisions that drive meaningful change and innovation.

Uncertainty IS what most organizations are facing today. Relying on outdated leadership models and approaches to problem-solving keeps you trapped facing the same issues year after year without real progress. 

Tune into this episode and gain insights how you can break free from this cycle and embrace new approaches to navigate ambiguity and empower you to innovate and lead by making decisions faster, smarter, and better.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• The difference between boring problems vs. creative problems and how to bring authentic interest to solving the “boring problems” in your organization
• The risk in relying solely on “known” solutions instead of exploring innovative ways to solve problems
• Why organizations need to start thinking more upstream rather than focusing on what’s in front of them
• What the Decision Sprint Model is and how you can use it to get ahead of problems and move problem-solving upstream
• The difference between bureaucracy and chaos and how to avoid being stuck between the two

Enter for chance to win a signed copy of  "Decision Sprint".  Register by November 8th:  ChainOfLearning.com/29 or https://kbjanderson.com/giveaways/decision-sprint/

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Atif Rafiq has reshaped industries and generated billions in revenue for some of the world's leading companies including McDonald’s, Volvo, MGM Resorts, Amazon, Yahoo!, and AOL. He's the CEO of Ritual and the Wall Street bestselling author of "Decision Sprint: The new way to Innovate into the Unknown and move from Strategy into Action."

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/29
• Connect with Atif Rafiq: www.linkedin.com/in/atif1/ 
• Order your copy of “Decision Sprint” by Atif Rafiq: www.decisionsprint.com/book  
• Check out my website: KBJAnderson.com/
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 

[2:24] Atif’s massive career shift and the challenge of changing the culture of a large established organization
[5:51] The risk of staying in a safe zone rather than navigating through ambiguity

[7:52] Boring problems versus creative problems and an example of the importance of taking interest in a “boring” problem
[14:14] The Decision Sprint Model and how it helps move thinking and problem solving upstream
[16:21] The role of experimentation in problem solving and the benefits of collaboration to gain insights
[20:10] Concept of alignment and how it connects exploration and decision making
[25:57] Difference between bureaucracy and chaos
[29:11] Upstream and downstream work and creating different systems for managing both 

Do you ever feel stuck as a leader? It may seem like no matter how many problems you solve or tools you implement, you're still not seeing progress toward a sustainable organizational culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Maybe you have been leading change the wrong way.

In this episode, Cindy Hinds shares what she’s learned from 25 years of experience about how to lead organizational change the right way. She highlights what she has learned from her journey from being a technical expert to becoming a transformational change leader within a global organization who is equipping leaders at all levels to solve problems and innovating to drive business performance.

Transformational leadership isn’t about knowing all the answers. Connect with your purpose, step away from being the "doer," and empower others so that you – and they – can see better results.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• How to implement transformational leadership practices that create lasting organizational change, not just short-term results
• The importance of using simple terms instead of technical jargon to help get buy-in and help others understand the problems they need to solve
• Strategies to manage burnout by surrounding yourself with a supportive community and focusing on what truly matters
• How to bring your whole self to the workplace to fulfill your complete purpose and build trust within the organization
• The benefits of the maturity model to help leaders close the gap between their current condition and the results they want to achieve

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Cindy Hinds is the Global Director of Enterprise Excellence at A.O. Smith, manufacturing company with sites based across North America, Asia and Europe, where she is responsible for architecting A.O. Smith’s journey to create a culture of highly engaged people who are aligned in solving problems and innovating to continuously improve.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/28
• Connect with Cindy Hinds: www.linkedin.com/in/cindyhinds
• My website: KBJAnderson.com/
• Download the Change KATALYST™  Self–Assessment to discover the 8 competencies you must master to become a transformational change leader: KBJAnderson.com/KATALYST
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 

[5:13] Leading the right way and asking questions for a continuous improvement culture

[8:12] Finding gaps through Gemba to transform your approach as a leader

[11:18] Franklin Covey’s Speed of Trust Curriculum to connect behaviors to business outcomes
[15:06] Using “Nemawashi” to prepare for future actions or business decisions

[18:30] Focusing on a people-centric culture to avoid conflicting values

[21:16] Real-life examples of implementing sustainable practices for continuous improvement

[24:31] The maturity model to understand your current condition and ideal state

Ever felt like your meetings or workshops aren’t moving the needle? How would you like to facilitate your next work session with confidence and ensure that your leaders are leaving motivated, aligned, and action-oriented?

Whether you're a continuous improvement practitioner, consultant, manager, or executive—facilitation is a crucial skill to master to become a transformational change leader. It’s the key to how you influence teams to shift behaviors, make impactful decisions, and drive meaningful results for the organization. 

But great facilitation doesn’t happen by accident.

In this episode, we dive in behind the scenes to uncover the three key facilitation practices you must master to become a skillful facilitator, and some mistakes that you can avoid, so that you can ensure greater impact and make it easy for the team to get the results they need.

Whether you're working with senior leaders or your own teams, becoming a skillful facilitator is key to becoming the go-to person for driving success. It’s not just a valuable skill—it’s the foundation for establishing your credibility and ensuring that your team is engaged, aligned, and empowered to make informed decisions that move the organization forward.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• Your role as a facilitator to create the process your group needs to meet the end goal
• How to work with your stakeholders to define the goal of the session so that you can design an agenda to get to the right outcomes 
• The importance of creating a structured plan while maintaining flexibility to respond to what the group needs in the moment
• How to to leverage reflection for yourself and the group before, during and after the session to create a bigger impact
• Mistakes to avoid to become a master facilitator

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/27 
• Work with me: KBJAnderson.com 
• Change KATALYST™  Self–Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/KATALYST
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson 

RELATED PODCAST EPISODES:

• Episode 9: The 8 Essential Skills to Become a Transformational Change Katalyst™

TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE: 

[3:40] Understand your role as a facilitator  
[6:23] The importance of knowing the goal of the session before starting, whether it’s a workshop, leadership retreat, or a team meeting

[13:06] Learn how to create structure with flexibility by making real-time decisions to adjust based on the group’s needs

[18:01] Three ways to build reflection before, during, and after each session to ensure the impact of your session

[22:09] How to reflect with key stakeholders and yourself to grow your skills as a facilitator

Want to inspire action in your presentations and transform your message from boring to unforgettable?

The secret: it’s not data and facts that create impact — it's your stories.

As humans, we’re wired to remember and respond to stories because they connect with our emotions and drive our decisions.

Storytelling is more than just a trending term; it’s the fundamental way to connect with your audience on a deeper level and how you actually ignite change.

In this episode, Carol Cox and I explore how to harness storytelling to not just share information, but to truly resonate. Regardless if you’re a keynote speaker presenting to a large audience or a leader speaking to your team, discover frameworks and insights on how you can turn simple anecdotes into powerful narratives that captivate, motivate, and inspire.

YOU’LL LEARN:

• Why our brains are more tuned to stories than facts
• The difference between just sharing information and truly motivating action
• How to avoid the “expert trap” and connect on a human level
• Two practical frameworks to craft compelling stories
• Real–life examples of powerful storytelling in action

If you are a change leader looking to do more than just share information and genuinely drive action, you won’t want to miss this episode.

ABOUT MY GUEST:

Carol Cox is the founder and CEO of Speaking Your Brand®, a coaching and training company that works with purpose–driven professionals to enhance their thought leadership so they can tell the stories that need to be told and activate ideas for change.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

• Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/26
• Connect with Carol Cox: www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox 
• Carol Cox’s Website: www.speakingyourbrand.com/academy/ 
• Work with me: KBJAnderson.com 
• Change KATALYST™  Self–Assessment: KBJAnderson.com/KATALYST
• Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson 

TIMESTAMPS: 

00:44 The importance of storytelling in making a lasting impact for both business and individual leaders
04:48 How to avoid "expert trap" where leaders rely too heavily on data and information

10:55 The difference between sharing an anecdote and creating an emotionally compelling story
12:30 How the  “Challenge, Choice, Outcome” framework can help you identify and shape your experiences into stories

12:38 IDEAL framework to enhance your storytelling and applying it effectively in various settings
30:12 Categories that can help you identify impactful stories to create your story bank

35:58 Practical tips to make your presentations more engaging and memorable