The Rest is Lean

Alan Lothian, John Dee, Russell Watkins
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The Rest is Lean Channel is a light-hearted and educational look at how to make businesses better through Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence. Suited for all levels of understanding and from any industry or geographical region.John, Alan & Russell are time-served lean professionals with over 30 years each in this field. Leading and coaching some of the best businesses from SMEs to multi-nationals.Trained by some of the highest calibre Japanese masters from Toyota(one step from Ohno himself), Honda and Nissan , we want to share our experiences with you, allowing some of these 'pearls of wisdom' to help make your business processes, people, and profitability that little bit better each day.We welcome your comments, questions, and guidance on future discussion topics so feel free to drop us a line via the comments section or via email. therestislean@gmail.comOh, and don't forget to subscribe!!

  1. Aug 23

    Which Gemba would you like to go to? Lean Leadership & Analogies in Premier League Football

    Send us Fan Mail Can Lean tools & techniques be applied successfully in all walks of life? Which Gemba would you like to visit to develop your knowledge and experience? From design offices to premier league football, Team TRIL discuss and debate if lean thinking is transferrable, and if so, what analogies can we draw from typical lean manufacturing? S4 P12 Our final podcast of this series is full of interesting discussion and plenty of laughs As well as Lean Leadership in elite sports such as football and rugby, find out how John got on with his problem solving activity and why fresh eyes is so important. Russell's sharing of knowledge around Atul Gawande and his Checklist Manifesto. Even what happened to Alan's Amazon delivery!! Our channel aims to explore the world of leadership, lean manufacturing, operational excellence and continuous improvement, by sharing our decades of experience in this field. Trained by Japanese Master Engineers from Toyota (2nd Generation Ohno trained) and Honda, we want to share our knowledge, experience and failures so you don't have to! If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested We are available on all your favourite streaming platforms so it’s easy to get your lean fix! You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com We also have a Leadership Interview Series which involves members of Team TRIL engaging with global lean leaders who are willing to share their experiences and challenges Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.  Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  2. Aug 9

    The Rest is Lean Podcast LIVE Edition at Subcon 2026 aka Why does lean fail & how to avoid it

    Send us Fan Mail Suffering with long lead times, poor productivity, quality, or delivery performance? Struggling to make your improvement efforts stick?  Learn from those with over nearly 30 years experience in the field. Japanese trained from Toyota & Honda #TheRestIsLean goes live with our annual pilgrimage to the NEC for #SUBCON 2026. The second of 2 episodes recorded at the 2-day event which showcases some of the best products and companies that support global manufacturing This episode involves our live interactive podcast event on the topic of "Why Lean Fails and How to Avoid It." A fantastic audience as ever for this one and it never failed to disappoint #TeamTRIL get up to their usual exploits of sharing their views, experiences, and their failures that have allowed them to develop and learn through their 25+ year careers Most importantly they share some pointers on where to start on your journey, and what's most important to have in place before you start! Apologies for some sound quality, mainly attributable to Alan's microphone wandering!! Big thanks to Sam Wibrew and Mark Allen Group for allowing us to attend another great show, and for allowing #TeamTRIL to be part of it once again Our channel aims to explore the world of lean manufacturing, operational excellence and continuous improvement, by sharing our decades of experience in this field. Trained by Japanese Master Engineers from Toyota (2nd Generation Ohno trained) and Honda, we want to share our knowledge, experience and failures so you don't have to! If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember also that we are now available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms We also have a Leadership Interview Series which involves members of Team TRIL engaging with global lean leaders who are willing to share their experiences and challenges.  The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk Remember that if you want to get involved with your questions, comments, and tips of your own then don't forget to email the podcast at therestislean@gmail.com or drop us a comment below.

  3. Jul 26

    The TRIL Leadership Interview Series Part 2 - Mark Hemming

    Send us Fan Mail The Rest is Lean (#TRIL) Leadership Series of Podcasts brings you powerful conversations with professionals from across the globe, sharing real-world experiences in lean manufacturing and leadership Each episode dives into the principles, challenges, and successes that shape modern organisations—told by those who live them every day This episode welcomes Mark Hemming. Mark is a transformational business leader who has led major operations at Amazon, Eurocell, and HelloFresh, delivering large-scale growth, innovation and operational excellence. Having managed businesses of significant scale across multiple countries, he now advises organisations through Hemming Advisory, helping leaders navigate growth, complexity and change with a strong focus on people-centred leadership Russel takes charge for this 2-part Podcast with part two covering a lot of ground. Conversations include the importance of purpose, people, and process. Find out what Mark thinks is his 'Superpower', and his future book 'The Tapestry of Leadership' From industry veterans to innovative thinkers, our guests reveal practical insights, cultural shifts, and leadership strategies that drive transformation  Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.  Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember that we are also available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  4. Jul 12

    The TRIL Leadership Interview Series Part 1 - Mark Hemming

    Send us Fan Mail The Rest is Lean (#TRIL) Leadership Series of Podcasts brings you powerful conversations with professionals from across the globe, sharing real-world experiences in lean manufacturing and leadership Each episode dives into the principles, challenges, and successes that shape modern organisations—told by those who live them every day This episode welcomes Mark Hemming. Mark is a transformational business leader who has led major operations at Amazon, Eurocell, and HelloFresh, delivering large-scale growth, innovation and operational excellence. Having managed businesses of significant scale across multiple countries, he now advises organisations through Hemming Advisory, helping leaders navigate growth, complexity and change with a strong focus on people-centred leadership Russel takes charge for this 2-part Podcast with part one covering a lot of ground. Conversations include old school book-throwing, the importance of honesty and integrity with your employees, and how tiring leadership can be! From industry veterans to innovative thinkers, our guests reveal practical insights, cultural shifts, and leadership strategies that drive transformation Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.  Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember that we are also available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  5. Jun 29

    Our Visit to SubCon 2026 aka The Take That Man

    Send us Fan Mail Global Manufacturing Expertise & The take that Man. Our annual pilgrimage to the NEC for SUBCON 2026. One of 2 episodes recorded at the 2-day show which showcases some of the best products and companies that support global manufacturing This episode involves a whistle-stop tour of both Subcon2026 and SmartManufacturingWeek where TeamTRIL meet some fantastic company owners and their employees, along with some fellow panel members including: Sophie Hall - Warren Services Ian Joliffe - SMMT (Society Motor Manufacturers & Traders) Industry Forum Taye Reid - The Levyne Group Mathieu Phejar - The Tailored Growth Big thanks to Sam Wibrew & Phoebe Hendry of Mark Allen Group for allowing us to attend for another great show, and for allowing TeamTRIL to be part of it once again If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested. Remember also that we are now available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  6. Jun 14

    Questions to ask to get a feel for a business aka What problem are you trying to solve?

    Send us Fan Mail Back to our usual episodes and this one will really help you really get under the skin of a company in a relatively short space of time. So if you're new to a business, or a lean change agent then this episode is for you! Russell shares his recent trip to the Northern Ireland Lean Cluster including some fantastic companies embracing the '2 Second Lean Movement' John shares his problem solving exploits on his decking (or not!) Team #TRIL also get to grips with those thinking they can 'Hack' Lean. Can you really?? If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember also that we are now available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  7. May 31

    The TRIL Leadership Interview Series - Delphine Fillot

    Send us Fan Mail The Rest is Lean (#TRIL) Leadership Series of Podcasts brings you powerful conversations with professionals from across the globe, sharing real-world experiences in lean manufacturing and leadership Each episode dives into the principles, challenges, and successes that shape modern organisations—told by those who live them every day This episode welcomes Delphine Fillot, Group SVP Quality & Customer Excellence at Forvia Forvia is a global automotive component manufacturer created by combining the expertise of 2 other automotive manufacturing powerhouses, Faurecia and HELLA Delphine's experience as a lean leader in global industrial and technology groups spans almost 30 years. From days as a process engineer to awarding-winning leader, Delphine lives Lean - both tactically and strategically - every day. Her passion for excellence, and engagement of people, is truly energising Having known each other for over 25 years since their time at Converteam (now GE Vernova) both Alan & Delphine share their experiences, and take a deep-dive into Delphine's career, her learning and development, and why Lean is so important to her and the teams she works with A fireside chat well worth listening to! From industry veterans to innovative thinkers, our guests reveal practical insights, cultural shifts, and leadership strategies that drive transformation Whether you’re a business leader, lean practitioner, or simply curious about what makes organisations thrive, #TRIL delivers stories and lessons that inspire action.  Tune in and discover why, when it comes to leadership and lean, the rest is just noise If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember that we are also available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! You can even email us at therestislean@gmail.com The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

  8. May 17

    Sustaining Lean Transformation aka How Long Do You Persevere?

    Send us Fan Mail Engaging people and gaining 'Buy-in' from employees. That's the main topic of this episode of The Rest Is Lean Podcast Join John, Russell & Alan for our usual 30minute ramble as we discuss our Lean experiences. Discussions include: Are there really that many 'negative' employees when it comes to Lean Transformation?Pros/Cons of including the most negative people in your improvement efforts.Unionised environments - Always include the Shop Steward?Finding the 'Well meant intent'.Perseverance - How long do you spend?Who to have in your cross-functional Lean Dream Team......and much more If you're enjoying what we do and want to keep up to speed with the latest episodes, then don't forget to subscribe, click the bell notification icon, and share with anyone else you know who may be interested Remember also that we are now available on all good (and some not so good) streaming platforms! The #TRIL Team are: John Dee. DEE Enterprise Excellence Ltd. www.dee.uk.net Alan Lothian. 3A Business Excellence Ltd.  www.aaabel.co.uk Russell Watkins. Sempai Ltd.  www.sempai.co.uk

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About

The Rest is Lean Channel is a light-hearted and educational look at how to make businesses better through Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence. Suited for all levels of understanding and from any industry or geographical region.John, Alan & Russell are time-served lean professionals with over 30 years each in this field. Leading and coaching some of the best businesses from SMEs to multi-nationals.Trained by some of the highest calibre Japanese masters from Toyota(one step from Ohno himself), Honda and Nissan , we want to share our experiences with you, allowing some of these 'pearls of wisdom' to help make your business processes, people, and profitability that little bit better each day.We welcome your comments, questions, and guidance on future discussion topics so feel free to drop us a line via the comments section or via email. therestislean@gmail.comOh, and don't forget to subscribe!!

Information

  • Creator
    Alan Lothian, John Dee, Russell Watkins
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    48
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Rest is Lean
  • Show Website
    The Rest is Lean