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

This week's guests are Dr. Lucas Chesla and Kirk Nicholas. Luke and Kirk shared how continuous improvement is used in the military, the book they wrote together, their thoughts on AI, and more.

This week's guest is Dexter Chan. Ron and Dexter discussed handling resistance, other challenges he's faced, and why the "Aha!" moment makes all the effort worth it.

This week's guest is Brian Schreuder. Ron and Brian discussed Brian's company's lean journey, some of the challenges they've faced, what their material management looks like, and more.

This week's guest is Nikhil Pal. Ron and Nikhil discussed the concept of the Smart Factory, the analytics involved, the effect technology has had on humanity, and more. An MP3 audio version of this episode is available for download here.

In this episode you'll learn: 

Nikhil's quote (2:48)

His background (3:50)

What "Smart Factory" means (5:18)

Continuously improving in a smart factory (6:54)

What the analytics look like (8:20)

The effect technology has on humanity (11:48)

The key to managing the potential stress involved (15:06)

Getting tools and lean fundamentals to work in harmony (16:58)

The common pitfalls Nikhil has seen (18:33)

A "favorite mistake" Nikhil has made (20:15)

His final words of advice (22:54)

Podcast Resources

Right Click to Download this Podcast as an MP3

Nikhil on LinkedIn

Process Masters on YouTube

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What Do You Think?

What about a "smart factory" appeals to you? What concerns do you have?

This week's guest is Justin Goethe. Ron and Justin discussed why people struggle to get on board with lean, the role traditional consulting can play, why "A Plan for Every Part" is important, and more.

This week's guest is Holly Plaga. Ron and Holly discussed why lean doesn't always take root, the mindset necessary for success, creating a sustainable lean culture, Holly's "favorite mistake," and more.

This week's guest is John Knotts. Ron and John, a Senior Coach at Gemba Academy, discussed cultural alignment in continuous improvement, the key differences between the various Six Sigma belts, how continuous improvement leads to real savings, and more.

This week's guests are Kirsten Gallagher and Adam Lawrence. Ron, Kirsten, and Adam discussed Kirsten and Adam's individual backgrounds, what it means to be a "kaizen ninja," how to handle reluctant participants, and more.

This week's guest is Philipp Schett. Ron and Philipp discussed OKRs, accountability, making structural changes, balancing transparency and autonomy, and more.

This week's guest is Mike Schoenberger. Ron and Mike discussed the concept of "Radical Love Leadership," improving the human connection at work, his company Sunco's values, and more.