Lean Blog Audio: Practical Lean Thinking, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement

Mark Graban Podcasts
  • 4.1 (15)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Lean Blog Audio is a short-form podcast featuring audio versions of articles from LeanBlog.org, written, read, and expanded by Mark Graban. Each episode explores practical Lean thinking, psychological safety, continuous improvement, and leadership—through real-world examples from healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and other complex work environments. Topics include learning from mistakes, reducing fear and blame, improving systems, and using data thoughtfully through tools like Process Behavior Charts. Episodes often go beyond the original blog post, adding fresh context and reflections fo

  1. 2D AGO

    Safety First Isn't a Slogan: What GE Aerospace's CEO Gets Right About Respect for People

    The blog post In this audio version of the post, Mark Graban reflects on a rare kind of CEO message—one that treats safety not as a compliance checkbox or slogan, but as a core leadership responsibility and a living example of Respect for People. Drawing from the 2025 annual report and CEO letter from GE Aerospace and its leader Larry Culp, Mark explores what it means when safety truly comes first in SQDC—and how that ordering signals what leaders value most, especially under pressure. This episode looks at how safety is embedded into systems, structure, incentives, and daily management through GE’s FLIGHT DECK operating system, rather than being isolated in a department or reduced to culture talk. You’ll hear why safe systems surface problems, why speaking up must be protected (not just encouraged), and why safety is one of the strongest leading indicators of psychological safety and continuous improvement. For leaders working to build trust, learning, and real operational excellence, this is a practical example of what “Respect for People” looks like in action.

    11 min

  2. 6D AGO

    When a CEO Talks About the Work: Larry Culp, GE Aerospace, and Real Lean Leadership

    In this episode, Mark Graban reads and reflects on his LeanBlog.org post, “When a CEO Talks About the Work: Larry Culp, GE Aerospace, and Real Lean Leadership.” The post examines a rare example of a Fortune 50 CEO—Larry Culp of GE Aerospace—describing operational excellence not through slogans or dashboards, but through safety, trust, and small frontline improvements that compound into real results. This episode explores: What it looks like when a CEO truly understands the work Why Respect for People shows up in system design, not values statements How safety, trust, and daily improvement drive performance Why Lean leadership is about behavior, not buzzwords A practical and concrete example of Lean leadership in action—told through the words, stories, and operational details that CEOs rarely share this openly.

    13 min

  3. JAN 27

    Psychological Safety, Learning from Mistakes, and Continuous Improvement

    The blog post Many improvement efforts stall not because of poor strategy or missing Lean tools, but because people don’t feel safe speaking up. In this Lean Blog Audio episode, Mark Graban explains why psychological safety is a foundational requirement for continuous improvement. Drawing from his book The Mistakes That Make Us and decades of experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and other industries, Mark explores how fear, blame, and leader reactions silence learning — and how different leadership behaviors make improvement possible. The episode also previews themes from Mark’s upcoming workshop at Shingo Connect 2026, including what psychological safety is (and is not), how it supports accountability rather than lowering standards, and why learning from mistakes depends on creating environments where people can speak honestly without fear.

    6 min

  4. JAN 23

    What Ford and the UAW Really Learned from Japan: Listening, Respect, and a Better System

    The blog post When Ford and UAW leaders traveled to Japan in 1981, they expected to find better machines, tighter processes, and technical secrets. What they found instead was something far more powerful: a management system built on listening, trust, and respect for people. In this Lean Blog Audio episode, Mark Graban revisits the 1981 Ford–UAW study trip to Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda through the reflections of Don Ephlin, one of the UAW’s most thoughtful leaders. The visitors didn’t discover better workers or superior discipline — they discovered a system that expected people to think, speak up, and improve the work. From the meaning of the andon cord to the lessons that later shaped NUMMI, this episode explores why Lean was never really about tools — and why respect, listening, and psychological safety remain the foundation of sustainable improvement today.

    11 min

  5. JAN 14

    “Toyota Culture” 20 Years Later: Why Liker’s Lessons Still Matter in 2026

    The Blog Post Twenty years after Toyota Culture was published, Jeffrey Liker’s lessons still expose why so many Lean efforts stall — and why Toyota’s thinking continues to matter in 2026. In this episode, Mark revisits a three-part podcast series recorded in 2008 with Professor Jeffrey Liker, author of The Toyota Way and Toyota Culture. Together, they explored what most organizations miss when they try to “implement Lean”: culture is not an add-on. It is the system. This reflection connects Liker’s insights to today’s leadership challenges — high turnover, pressure for speed, tool-driven transformations, and the temptation to replace leadership with dashboards and templates. Key themes include: Why Lean fails when it’s treated as a toolbox instead of a management system The “people value stream” and why development and retention are leadership work Servant leadership, the manager-as-teacher role, and the idea of “no power” at senior levels Why stability, trust, and psychological safety are prerequisites for continuous improvement How turnover, silence, and disengagement are system problems — not people problems The conclusion is clear: technology has changed, but the hard work has not. Sustainable improvement still depends on leaders willing to invest in people, create stability, and build systems that allow problems to surface and learning to occur. If you’re serious about improvement in 2026, this episode is a reminder that Lean is still a leadership test — not a tools deployment.

    17 min

  6. JAN 8

    AI as a Thought Partner in Kaizen: Small PDSA Tests and Real Learning

    The blog post How should organizations think about using AI in Kaizen and continuous improvement? In this AudioBlog, Mark Graban argues that there are no clear answers yet—and that uncertainty is exactly why AI should be approached through small, disciplined PDSA cycles rather than big bets or hype-driven rollouts. Instead of treating AI as an expert or decision-maker, Mark frames it as a thought partner—a tool that can support brainstorming, reflection, coaching feedback, and clearer documentation. Used this way, AI becomes another input into the learning process, not a replacement for judgment, gemba observation, or human relationships. The episode emphasizes what AI can’t do—build trust, observe real work, or validate improvement—and why those limitations reinforce the need for small tests of change. When AI is used with curiosity, restraint, and real-world validation, it can support learning without undermining the purpose of Kaizen itself. The takeaway: treat AI like any other countermeasure. Start small. Learn quickly. Keep humans firmly in charge of thinking and improvement.

    12 min

  7. JAN 6

    You Can’t Cherry-Pick Lean: Why Pull, Heijunka, and CI Don’t Stick

    the blog post Why do Lean practices like pull systems and heijunka fail to take hold in so many organizations? In this AudioBlog, Mark Graban argues that the problem isn’t the tools—it’s how Lean is applied. Too often, organizations cherry-pick visible practices like 5S, huddles, or kaizen events while avoiding the harder work of adopting Lean as a complete management system. This episode explores why foundational elements such as leveling, pull, and continuous improvement only work when supported by long-term thinking, aligned leadership behaviors, and psychological safety. Mark explains how these methods surface uncomfortable truths about variation, instability, and decision-making—and why organizations that lack a learning culture tend to avoid them. Drawing on Toyota Way principles, he makes the case that Lean fails when it’s treated as a toolkit for short-term results instead of a system designed for sustained learning and improvement. If Lean hasn’t delivered the results you expected, this episode invites a more fundamental question: are you practicing Lean as a system—or just using the parts that feel convenient?

    8 min

  8. 12/19/2025

    Unlearning Old Habits: What a Pickleball Mistake Taught Me About Feedback and Learning

    The blog post In this Lean Blog Audio episode, Mark Graban reflects on an unexpected leadership lesson learned on the pickleball court. As a beginner unlearning decades-old tennis habits, Mark experiences firsthand how execution errors, muscle memory, and self-criticism can quietly undermine learning. A kind instructor and supportive playing partners provide timely feedback—without blame—turning mistakes into moments of growth. The story becomes a practical metaphor for leadership, psychological safety, and continuous improvement. Mark connects a missed serve, an illegal volley, and other rookie mistakes to familiar workplace dynamics: fear of speaking up, hesitation to give feedback, and cultures that confuse mistakes with incompetence. Drawing on themes from his book The Mistakes That Make Us, he explores the difference between judgment errors and execution errors, why unlearning is often harder than learning, and how leaders set the tone for Kaizen through their reactions. Whether in sports, healthcare, manufacturing, or office work, improvement depends on environments where people feel safe to surface mistakes, reflect, and adjust—one learning cycle at a time.

    10 min
See All (513)

Trailer

Shows with Subscription Benefits

EARLY ACCESS - LEAN BLOG

Listen to episodes before public release

$2.99/mo or $24.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

Ratings & Reviews

4.1
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Lean Blog Audio is a short-form podcast featuring audio versions of articles from LeanBlog.org, written, read, and expanded by Mark Graban. Each episode explores practical Lean thinking, psychological safety, continuous improvement, and leadership—through real-world examples from healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and other complex work environments. Topics include learning from mistakes, reducing fear and blame, improving systems, and using data thoughtfully through tools like Process Behavior Charts. Episodes often go beyond the original blog post, adding fresh context and reflections fo

Information

More From Mark Graban Podcasts