Jenn Christison: Lessons in Even Better Leadership, Lean Thinking, and Organizational Transformation

My guest for Episode #516 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Jenn Christison, founder and principal consultant at Seven Ways Consulting.

Episode page with video, transcript, and more

Jenn has spent more than 15 years leading continuous improvement efforts across a variety of industries, including aerospace manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, pharma, and tech. Guided by the principles of Respect for People and Continuous Improvement, Jenn brings a wealth of experience to her work, helping organizations achieve meaningful transformation.

Jenn’s journey began with a desire to change the world as a teacher, social worker, or stand-up comedian. discovered my biggest impact could be made leading organizational transformation.

Jenn is also the author of the new book Even Better Leadership: Provocative Reflections to Guide Improvement and continues to embrace her stand-up comedy roots — if you know where to look. We’re thrilled to have her on the show today to share her insights and experiences.

In this episode, Jenn shares her journey from aerospace and defense at Boeing to leading Lean and continuous improvement efforts in healthcare and beyond. We discuss Jenn's Lean origin story, how her early experiences as a teacher, social worker, and stand-up comedian influenced her approach to leadership and transformation, and the lessons she’s learned from working in various industries. Jenn also talks about her new book, Even Better Leadership: Provocative Reflections to Guide Improvement, and the iterative process behind its creation. Additionally, we explore the challenges of applying Lean in healthcare and the importance of prioritizing quality and respect for people in organizational improvement.

Questions, Notes, and Highlights:

• Can you tell us your Lean origin story?
• How do lessons from being a teacher, social worker, and stand-up comedian shape your approach to transformation?
• What inspired you to write your new book, Even Better Leadership?
• How did you transition from aerospace to healthcare, and what sparked your interest in that shift?
• What are your thoughts on Boeing’s recent struggles, especially on the commercial side?
• What were some challenges and surprises you encountered when applying Lean in healthcare?
• Can you share a favorite example of a successful Lean improvement at Seattle Children’s?
• What led you to start your consulting firm, Seven Ways Consulting, and how does being an external consultant differ from working internally?
• What is the meaning behind the name 'Seven Ways Consulting'?
• What was the iterative process like for developing your book?

What insights did you gain from working in various industries that you apply to leadership and improvement today?

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