Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership

How much joy and happiness do you, and your colleagues, feel each and every day?  Are you excited to come to work or do you dread it?  

No matter your answer... if you're interested in learning how to create a more exciting, and fulfilling, work environment while also understanding how lean thinking and a joyful workplace actually work hand in hand you're definitely going to want to give today's episode a listen.

In this episode, I'm joined by Richard Sheridan, the CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations.

Menlo is a software design and development company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Last year, 2,197 people came from around the world to visit Menlo. They made the trek not to learn about technology, but to witness a radically different approach to workplace culture — one intentionally designed to produce joy.

During this interview Richard and I discuss how he, and the entire Menlo team, makes this happen!

To listen the podcast simply press press play and listen to it while you work... or download this episode onto your smart phone (iPhone users click here to install the Podcast app) and listen while you work out or on your commute to/from work.

You can also read the full written transcript at the bottom of this page.

Again, to hear the podcast just press the "Play" button at the top of this post. An MP3 version is also available for download here.

In this episode you'll learn

What “high tech anthropology” is all about

Richard’s favorite quotation… think how to create a sustainable culture

Why lean is actually about people and not spreadsheets

What the book Joy, Inc. is about and how its goal is to end human suffering

Why Menlo Innovations offers more than one tour per day

Why the title of the book ends in “Inc.”

Why Menlo programmers work in pairs and switch pairs every 5 business days

How the Menlo culture developed as a result of Richard’s experience and background

One practical piece of advice Richard has for any leader of people who wants to have a more joyful workplace

What was holding Richard back from being successful when he first started his professional career

The best advice Richard has ever received

One of Richard’s personal productivity habits including how he keeps his inbox under 10 emails

How Richard would approach his first week on the job at a distressed company void of any joy 

Podcast Resources

Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3

Full Written Transcript in PDF Format

Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love

Joy, Inc.: How We Built a Workplace People Love - Kindle Version

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization

Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting out of the Box

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

Randy Pausch – Time Management Video

Simon Sinek – Start with Why Video

Richard Sheridan on Twitter

Menlo Innovations Website

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If you enjoyed this podcast please be sure to subscribe on iTunes.

Once you’re a subscriber all new episodes will be downloaded to your iTunes account and smartphone.

The easiest way for iPhone users to listen to the show is via the free, and incredible, Podcast app.  You can download it here.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to the LSS Academy podcast on iTunes.

You can also subscribe via Stitcher which is definitely Android friendly.

Please Leave Us a Review

We'd also be honored if you'd leave us an honest review in iTunes.  This will really help the show grow and reach more people with the good news that is lean and six sigma!

To leave a review please follow these steps:

Click this link

Click the blue button that says "View in iTunes"

Log into your iTunes account as needed

Click "Ratings and Reviews" which you'll find in gray text towa...

Welcome to episode 2 of the Gemba Academy podcast!

In this episode, I'm joined by Matt May.  Matt is an incredible lean thinker who specializes in helping companies innovate.

Originally, Matt and I were planning to talk about another topic... that was until I stumbled across an article that talked about the importance of being able to focus on what they called "main things."

The reason this article troubled me is because I'm, admittedly, addicted to learning which, I worried, created tension between my ability to focus on "main things" and my love of learning "new things."

Well, as you'll discover, Matt does an incredible job helping me to see why my "main things" weren't quite what I thought they were.

Simply press press play and listen to it while you work... or download this episode onto your smart phone (iPhone users click here to install the Podcast app) and listen while you work out... or listen to it on your commute to - or from - work.

I feel extremely confident you'll benefit from Matt's incredible wisdom.

Also, please share this with your co-workers, friends, family, and anyone else you come into contact with!

To hear the podcast just press the "Play" button at the top of this post. An MP3 version is also available for download here.

In this episode you'll learn:

Matt's favorite quotation... think Lao Tzu!

What the phrase "Learning Organization" means to Matt

Whether there's a difference between "training" and "learning"

How Matt's daughter runs experiments from her high chair!

The relationship between Innovation & Learning

Whether it's possible for learning to become a distraction

What the "Main Thing" really is and why it's deceptively complex

How Matt helped me identify what my "real" main thing is

What the "story of ice" has to do with focus and innovation

Why your purpose should never be an "activity"

How Netflix is a great example of being able to identify main things

Why Matt takes a break from his work every 90 minutes

Podcast Resources

Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3

The Main Thing Article

The Laws of Subtraction: 6 Simple Rules for Winning in the Age of Excess Everything

Self Help; with illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance - Free eBook Version

Self Help; with illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance - Free Kindle Version

Self Help; with illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance - Paper Back Version

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization

EDIT Innovations

Register for Matt's Upcoming Webinars

Please Subscribe to this Podcast

If you enjoyed this podcast please be sure to subscribe on iTunes.

Once you’re a subscriber all new episodes will be downloaded to your iTunes account and smartphone.

The easiest way for iPhone users to listen to the show is via the free, and incredible, Podcast app.  You can download it here.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to the LSS Academy podcast on iTunes.

You can also subscribe via Stitcher which is definitely Android friendly.

Please Leave Us a Review

We'd also be honored if you'd leave us an honest review in iTunes.  This will really help the show grow and reach more people with the good news that is lean and six sigma!

To leave a review please follow these steps:

Click this link

Click the blue button that says "View in iTunes"

Log into your iTunes account as needed

Click "Ratings and Reviews" which you'll find in gray text towards the top of the page

Click "Write a Review" button

It may take up to 24 hours for your review to appear.

Ask a Question

If you have a question you'd like us to respond to in a podcast or email please let us know by leaving us a free voice message below. You can also email us if that is more convenient.

Full Written Transcript

Ron Pereira:  You're listening to episode 2 with Matt May.

[background music]

Announcer:  Welcome to the Gemba Academy podcast...