Author Archives: Larry Miller

About Larry Miller

Lean Organization Coach

New Year’s Resolutions That will Have an Impact

Beginning the new year is a good time to reflect and make commitments to change our own behavior in some way that will have a positive impact on others. Here are some suggestions. Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, leadership, Lean Culture, lean management, Team Development | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How You Change Is The Change

Today the following article was published in Industry Week’s Continuous Improvement Newsletter. Lean Management is not a change methodology; it is a destination, a desired set of practices and culture. How you get there will determine the outcome. There are … Continue reading

Posted in Change Management, Corporate Culture, leadership, Lean Culture, lean management, Lean Manufacturing, Organization Design and Process Improvement | 3 Comments

Lean Healthcare

Over the past months I have been working rather intensely with a Canadian healthcare organization, the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). This work has made very clear in my mind two things: first, that healthcare is in need of lean … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, Healthcare Lean, Lean Culture, lean management, Organization Design and Process Improvement | 2 Comments

Lean Culture and Continuous Improvement Require Enabling Structures

Lean management requires a rethinking of the structure of organizations, the formation of teams, and a “whole-system” understanding of the organizational system. Even how we structure the change process may result in a failure to address the root cause of waste and quality problems. Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, leadership, Lean Culture, lean management, Organization Design and Process Improvement | 2 Comments

Lean Leadership – The ONE Quality that Matters Most

Rupert Murdoch’s first remark in his testimony before Parliament was that this was the most humble moment of his life. No doubt true. Hubris, rather than humility has led many companies over the cliff of disaster. The quality most required of those leading continuous improvement is the opposite of hubris, it is humility, the antecedent to learning. Lean leaders develop an attitude of science, the ability to experiment, learn from the data, and try again. Lincoln’s victory over General Lee was a victory of humility over hubris. Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, leadership, Lean Culture, lean management, Organizational Behavior Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Survey Results: Execution and Importance of Lean Culture and Leadership Factors

Eighty-two lean implementers contributed their opinions to this survey. I have processed the data from this survey and written a report, which I hope you will find interesting and useful. You can download a report and analysis of the data and you can download the complete survey results and do your own analysis. I think the data on both importance and execution of lean cultural factors will help you in your efforts to convince your managers about the importance of their leadership behavior to your lean journey. Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, Lean Culture, lean management, Lean Manufacturing, Organizational Behavior Management | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

My New Look

For those who have read my blog for a while you will definitely notice my new look. I hope you like it.I hope it is easier to read, cleaner and easy to navigate. I have become a bit dangerous because … Continue reading

Posted in General | 4 Comments

Please Participate in a Lean Culture and Leadership Survey

The following link is to a survey on Lean Culture and Leadership Factors. The purpose of this survey is to gather data on how you perceive the success of your organization in creating lean culture and how important you feel … Continue reading

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To Believe or To Behave: Which Comes First?

Changing the culture requires both behavior and belief. C.S. Lewis said “The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering [determining] whether you [believe you do or must] ‘love’ your neighbour; [simply] act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him.” Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, Lean Culture, Organization Design and Process Improvement, Organizational Behavior Management | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

When Small Things Make a Big Difference: Motivation by Tipping the Scales

Even in a lean organization or culture there is a need to provide motivation and correct performance problems. Most behavior in the work setting is a result of the balance of consequences acting on that behavior. A slight shift in the balance of consequences can result in a large change in organization performance. Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Culture, Lean Culture, Lean Manufacturing, Organization Design and Process Improvement, Organizational Behavior Management, Team Development | 14 Comments