My guest for Episode #262 is Steven J. Spear (@stevenjspear on Twitter). He is author of the fantastic book The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition. He's a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and recently taught a summer course on Lean and Six Sigma for the Leaders for Global Operations program (I graduated from that program in 1999 when MIT was teaching TQM in that summer course) and he also teaches executive education programs for MIT Sloan. Steve was previously a guest in Episodes #58 and 87. I'm glad to have him back on the show after six years. Steve is going to be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Northeast L.E.A.N. Conference, being held October 4th and 5th in Massachusetts. I hope you'll check it out, as I've participated in past years and it's always been great (and you get to meet Bruce Hamilton of "Toast Kaizen" fame).

My guest for Episode #262 is Steven J. Spear (@stevenjspear on Twitter). He is author of the fantastic book The High-Velocity Edge: How Market Leaders Leverage Operational Excellence to Beat the Competition. He's a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and recently taught a summer course on Lean and Six Sigma for the Leaders for Global Operations program (I graduated from that program in 1999 when MIT was teaching TQM in that summer course) and he also teaches executive education programs for MIT Sloan. Steve was previously a guest in Episodes #58 and 87. I'm glad to have him back on the show after six years. Steve is going to be one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Northeast L.E.A.N. Conference, being held October 4th and 5th in Massachusetts. I hope you'll check it out, as I've participated in past years and it's always been great (and you get to meet Bruce Hamilton of "Toast Kaizen" fame).

Steven J. Spear, "Beyond the Jargon" of Lean and Improvement

Since 2006, the Lean Blog Interviews podcast has featured in-depth, candid conversations with leaders, thinkers, and doers in the world of Lean and continuous improvement. Hosted by Mark Graban—author, consultant, and longtime Lean practitioner—the show explores how Lean principles are being applied across industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and more.
What sets this podcast apart? We go beyond tools and buzzwords. Our guests share real-world stories of success, struggle, learning, and leadership. Whether you’re a seasoned Lean veteran or just getting started, you’ll gain practical insights and fresh perspectives that you can take back to your own organization.
Topics include:
<ul>
<li>
Lean as a management system and cultural transformation—not just a toolbox
</li>
<li>
Continuous improvement and problem-solving, at every level
</li>
<li>
Leadership behaviors that support real change
</li>
<li>
Psychological safety as a foundation for improvement
</li>
<li>
Lessons from the Toyota Production System, Lean Startup, and beyond
</li>
<li>
Candid stories about mistakes—and what we learn from them
</li>
</ul>
We don’t talk much about “Lean Six Sigma” here. But if you believe improvement is about people first—this podcast is for you.
Many episodes feature a special focus on Lean in healthcare, reflecting Mark’s deep work in that field. Hear from leaders working to improve patient safety, reduce waste, and build cultures of respect and learning.
Find all episodes and show notes at <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.leancast.org">www.LeanCast.org</a>. Learn more about Mark and his work at <a class="decorated-link" href="https://www.leanblog.org">www.LeanBlog.org</a>. Questions or feedback? Email <a class="decorated-link cursor-pointer">mark@leanblog.org </a>

Business

Management

Since 2006, the Lean Blog Interviews podcast has featured in-depth, candid conversations with leaders, thinkers, and doers in the world of Lean and continuous improvement. Hosted by Mark Graban—author, consultant, and longtime Lean practitioner—the show explores how Lean principles are being applied across industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and more. What sets this podcast apart? We go beyond tools and buzzwords. Our guests share real-world stories of success, struggle, learning, and leadership. Whether you’re a seasoned Lean veteran or just getting started, you’ll gain practical insights and fresh perspectives that you can take back to your own organization. Topics include: Lean as a management system and cultural transformation—not just a toolbox Continuous improvement and problem-solving, at every level Leadership behaviors that support real change Psychological safety as a foundation for improvement Lessons from the Toyota Production System, Lean Startup, and beyond Candid stories about mistakes—and what we learn from them We don’t talk much about “Lean Six Sigma” here. But if you believe improvement is about people first—this podcast is for you. Many episodes feature a special focus on Lean in healthcare, reflecting Mark’s deep work in that field. Hear from leaders working to improve patient safety, reduce waste, and build cultures of respect and learning. Find all episodes and show notes at www.LeanCast.org.Learn more about Mark and his work at www.LeanBlog.org.Questions or feedback? Email mark@leanblog.org

Since 2006, the Lean Blog Interviews podcast has featured in-depth, candid conversations with leaders, thinkers, and doers in the world of Lean and continuous improvement. Hosted by Mark Graban—author, consultant, and longtime Lean practitioner—the show explores how Lean principles are being applied across industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and more.
What sets this podcast apart? We go beyond tools and buzzwords. Our guests share real-world stories of success, struggle, learning, and leadership. Whether you’re a seasoned Lean veteran or just getting started, you’ll gain practical insights and fresh perspectives that you can take back to your own organization.
Topics include:
<ul>
<li>
Lean as a management system and cultural transformation—not just a toolbox
</li>
<li>
Continuous improvement and problem-solving, at every level
</li>
<li>
Leadership behaviors that support real change
</li>
<li>
Psychological safety as a foundation for improvement
</li>
<li>
Lessons from the Toyota Production System, Lean Startup, and beyond
</li>
<li>
Candid stories about mistakes—and what we learn from them
</li>
</ul>
We don’t talk much about “Lean Six Sigma” here. But if you believe improvement is about people first—this podcast is for you.
Many episodes feature a special focus on Lean in healthcare, reflecting Mark’s deep work in that field. Hear from leaders working to improve patient safety, reduce waste, and build cultures of respect and learning.
Find all episodes and show notes at <a href="https://www.leancast.org" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.LeanCast.org</a>. Learn more about Mark and his work at <a href="https://www.leanblog.org" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.LeanBlog.org</a>. Questions or feedback? Email <a rel="noopener noreferrer">mark@leanblog.org&nbsp;</a>

Share Steven J. Spear, "Beyond the Jargon" of Lean and Improvement

Sign up to save your podcasts

Steven J. Spear, "Beyond the Jargon" of Lean and Improvement

Steven J. Spear, "Beyond the Jargon" of Lean and Improvement

More shows like Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership

The Knowledge Project

Coaching for Leaders

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

HBR IdeaCast

Lean Blog Audio

KaiNexus: Continuous Improvement, Leadership, and More

Worklife with Adam Grant

WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

Lean Coffee Talk (formerly known as Lean Whiskey)

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

A Bit of Optimism

My Favorite Mistake: Business Lessons from Failures and Success

The Lean Solutions Podcast

Coaching Real Leaders

HBR On Leadership

Chain of Learning: Empowering Continuous Improvement and Lean Change Leaders

The Jefferson Fisher Podcast