The Lean Solutions Podcast

Patrick Adams

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Management
Every two weeks

This podcast offers business solutions to help listeners develop and implement action plans for lean process improvement and implement continuous improvement projects, cost reductions, product quality enhancements, and process effectiveness improvement. Listeners come from many industries in both manufacturing and office applications.

5 days ago

People + Innovation: A Pre-Summit Series

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Patrick Adams is joined by Rebecca Moyers, Director of Operational Excellence for the State of Missouri, for a preview of her session at the Lean Solutions Summit, The Feedback Advantage. Rebecca shares how the State of Missouri is using employee and customer feedback to guide process improvement, strengthen experiences, and focus limited resources on the improvements that matter most. The conversation explores how Missouri built an operational excellence community across 17 executive agencies, uses feedback to support both employee and customer experience, and applies omni-channel listening to better understand the entire customer journey. Rebecca also explains why organizations need to look beyond internal silos and consider whether every part of an experience connects seamlessly from the customer's perspective. Rebecca shares practical examples of collecting feedback through website interactions, surveys, call centers, and operational data, and emphasizes that organizations shouldn't ask for feedback unless they're prepared to act on it. Most importantly, she explains that these principles aren't limited to government or large organizations; teams in virtually any industry can use intentional feedback to improve processes, culture, and the experiences they create. Key Takeaways: Feedback helps organizations focus improvement efforts on what matters mostGreat customer experiences require looking at the entire journey—not individual silosEmployee and customer feedback become more powerful when paired with operational dataDon't ask for feedback unless you're prepared to act on itLinks:https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/https://www.findleansolutions.com/
4 Aug

People + Innovation: A Pre-Summit Series

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Patrick Adams is joined by Paul Doyle and Shawna Hondorp for a preview of their sessions at the Lean Solutions Summit. Together, they explore two critical topics shaping today's organizations: developing leaders through intentional systems and using AI to strengthen talent acquisition without losing the human connection. The conversation dives into why leadership development should be treated as a business process rather than a training program, how specific leadership behaviors can be standardized and developed across every level of an organization, and why AI works best when paired with a thoughtful strategy. Shawna also shares practical insights into using AI responsibly in recruiting, emphasizing transparency, compliance, and the importance of maintaining authentic human relationships throughout the hiring process. Whether you're leading a team, developing future leaders, building an AI strategy, or improving your hiring process, this episode provides practical insights for creating stronger leaders, smarter systems, and more intentional organizations. Key Takeaways: Leadership development is a business process—not just a training programStrong leadership is built through intentional behaviors and systemsAI should enhance human connection, not replace itA successful AI strategy requires intentionality, transparency, and trustLinks: https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
28 Jul

How to Find the Real Root Cause

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Shayne Daughenbaugh sits down with Seamus Maguire to explore one of the biggest reasons problem-solving fails, even in organizations with experienced people and proven Lean tools. Drawing from his new book, Finding Fact Before Fixing, Seamus explains how cognitive biases, assumptions, and the pressure to find quick answers often lead teams to solve the wrong problem. The conversation explores why hypothesis testing and experimentation should be at the center of every problem-solving effort, how leaders can ask better questions to uncover true root causes, and why collecting the right data is more important than simply collecting more data. Seamus also shares practical ways to challenge assumptions, use the scientific method in everyday problem-solving, and create a culture where teams focus on finding facts before implementing fixes. Key Takeaways: Challenge assumptions before finding solutionsUse hypothesis testing instead of educated guessesAsk better questions to uncover root causesCollect the right data—not just more data Links: linkedin.com/in/seamusmaguire?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ioshttps://www.routledge.com/Finding-Fact-Before-Fixing-How-Business-Professionals-Can-Avoid-False-Assumptions-When-Solving-Problems/Maguire/p/book/9781041130307 https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
21 Jul

People + Innovation: A Pre-Summit Series

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Patrick Adams is joined by Brett Lesiewicz, Judd VanBergen, and Phil Ranck for a preview of their sessions at the 2026 Lean Solutions Summit. Together, they explore how stronger relationships, proactive planning, and better communication help organizations succeed in uncertain environments. The conversation highlights how Lean tools like the Last Planner System, takt planning, and visual management are transforming the construction industry by creating alignment, improving collaboration, and reducing uncertainty before work even begins. Phil also introduces the Seven Thinking Gears, a structured communication framework designed to make meetings more productive, uncover innovative ideas, and empower every team member to contribute to continuous improvement. Whether you're in construction, manufacturing, healthcare, or another industry, this episode offers practical insights into building stronger teams, improving communication, and creating more predictable results through Lean thinking. Key Takeaways: 1. Strong relationships create certainty in uncertain environments 2. Proactive planning prevents costly rework 3. Better communication unlocks innovation 4. Lean principles apply far beyond manufacturing Links: https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
14 Jul

Lead With Your Eyes

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Andy Olrich and Catherine McDonald sit down with Andrew Kettner to discuss why one of the most overlooked leadership skills, eye contact, can have a profound impact on trust, communication, and continuous improvement. Andrew explains how effective leaders must look beyond reports, dashboards, and data by practicing Lean's "go and see" mindset. Through genuine face-to-face interactions, leaders gain valuable insights into emotions, engagement, and the real challenges their teams face. The conversation also explores the connection between eye contact, empathy, emotional intelligence, and building stronger workplace relationships. Andrew shares personal stories from his military leadership experience and cancer journey that demonstrate how meaningful human connections can influence both leadership and life. Whether you're leading a Lean transformation or simply looking to become a more effective leader, this episode offers practical ways to strengthen your leadership presence by learning to truly see the people you lead. Key Takeaways: Great leaders practice "go and see" by engaging directly with people—not just data.Eye contact builds trust, empathy, and stronger workplace relationships.Emotional intelligence helps leaders better understand both people and processes.Small, intentional interactions create stronger Lean cultures and better leadership.Links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkettner https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
7 Jul

People + Innovation: A Pre-Summit Series

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Patrick Adams sits down with John Dyer to explore the thinking behind the Lean Excellence World Championship and why it has become one of the most engaging learning experiences at the Lean Solutions Summit. The conversation dives into how the competition gives participants and observers the opportunity to see Lean in action. From process mapping and visual management to problem-solving, teamwork, and customer focus. John explains why process mapping is the foundation of every successful improvement effort, how it helps teams visualize workflows, uncover hidden waste, identify bottlenecks before implementation, and create stronger future-state processes. He also shares why every organization, regardless of industry, can benefit from making process mapping a core part of its continuous improvement strategy. Whether you're new to Lean or looking to strengthen your continuous improvement efforts, this episode provides practical insights into learning Lean through hands-on experience and applying process mapping to improve any process. Key Takeaways: 1. Process mapping is the foundation of improvement 2. Lean is learned best through hands-on experience 3. Customer focus drives better decisions 4. Great Lean cultures embrace problems Links: https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
30 Jun

Leading with MORE

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode of the Lean Solutions Podcast, Catherine McDonald sits down with Kathy Miller to explore why successful transformations are driven by people, not just processes. You'll learn how trust, meaningful work, optimism, and strong relationships create lasting cultural change, why consistency is essential for leaders, and how simple daily leadership habits can increase engagement and continuous improvement across any organization. Whether you're leading a Lean transformation, managing a manufacturing team, or looking to build a stronger workplace culture, this episode offers practical insights for creating lasting change through people-first leadership. Key Takeaways: 1. Great transformations begin with trust 2. People need purpose—not just processes 3. Culture changes through consistent leadership 4. Positive psychology strengthens Lean Links:https://more4leaders.com/linkedin.com/in/kathy-miller-mapp-mba-acc https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/
23 Jun

SIPOC: start improvement right

What You'll Learn in This Episode: In this episode, Catherine McDonald and Shayne Daughenbaugh welcome Michael Parent to discuss SIPOC, one of the most effective tools for understanding and improving business processes. Michael explains how SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers) helps teams define process boundaries, identify stakeholders, and maintain focus on delivering customer value. The conversation explores different approaches to building a SIPOC, including why Michael prefers starting with the customer before mapping the process itself. They also discuss how SIPOC fits into Lean and Six Sigma problem-solving, how it helps prevent scope creep, and why it serves as a strong foundation for process mapping, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement efforts. Whether you're leading a process improvement project or trying to better understand how work flows through your organization, this episode provides practical guidance on using SIPOC to create clarity and alignment from the start. Key Takeaways:1. SIPOC provides a high-level view of a process and helps clearly define project scope and boundaries.2. Keeping the customer at the center of the discussion ensures improvement efforts remain focused on delivering value.3. SIPOC serves as a powerful starting point for process mapping, stakeholder analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.4. The most effective SIPOCs involve the right mix of stakeholders and subject matter experts while avoiding unnecessary complexity and scope creep. Links:mparent@sixsigma-consulting.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/parent-michael/ https://www.findleansolutions.com/summit-2026/https://www.findleansolutions.com/

This podcast offers business solutions to help listeners develop and implement action plans for lean process improvement and implement continuous improvement projects, cost reductions, product quality enhancements, and process effectiveness improvement. Listeners come from many industries in both manufacturing and office applications.

Creator

Patrick Adams
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

293
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Patrick Adams
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The Lean Solutions Podcast

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