RECENT POSTS
- Feb 9, 2019
- 5 min
Transform People, Transform Organizations
I've been going coast to coast recently performing training for Lean Safety Gemba Walks, Coaching, and this upcoming week for some Black...
- Jan 20, 2019
- 5 min
Life's Purpose 2019
Last year I made a post about my Career Goals for 2018 (https://www.leansparx.com/post/it-s-time-for-some-career-resolutions-2018). Below...
- Sep 12, 2018
- 8 min
Think, Lead, Work Differently
I have been reflecting once again on the myriad of changes that have been happening with the journey of learning I've been on recently....
- Jul 15, 2018
- 6 min
How hero-minded management breaks systems
This past week I was working with a team on a project looking at some issues that were being seen in our overall surface transportation...
- Jun 24, 2018
- 7 min
A System to See & Learn
I've been collecting many of the learning experienced in our organizational transformation and creating models of what we have been...
- May 12, 2018
- 4 min
The Human Side of Lean
This week was a special week in one of our plants. I received an excited text and call from one of my colleagues. "Tom, I am having an...
- Mar 28, 2018
- 4 min
Variation caused by this is the hardest to control
I witnessed this concept happen this past week as I worked with the team with their Gemba Walks. We walked and learned more about one of...
- Mar 5, 2018
- 5 min
Learning to be Kick-ass for the Customer
I want my customers to have a kick-ass experience. When I look at my company's customer scores on Google or Yelp, I see 1, maybe 2 star...
- Feb 26, 2018
- 3 min
Leaning out the Cleaning
I hate cleaning. It's not that the cleaning part is what I hate, I hate the fact that things get so dirty so quickly and then I spend so...
- Feb 18, 2018
- 4 min
What is holding you back?
This week I was in Independence, MO working with another team in our company to help learn the skills of coaching and how to see waste...
- Feb 5, 2018
- 3 min
Conformity, Creativity, and Standard Work
This weekend I watched Dead Poets Society, a movie I haven't actually watched until now. In the movie, Robin Williams' character, Mr....
- Jan 22, 2018
- 4 min
I Never Saw the Waste There Before!
This week I worked with another team to start their journey toward Operational Excellence. Again there were many great discussions,...
- Jan 2, 2018
- 5 min
It's time for some Career Resolutions 2018
Each New Year is a perfect time to reflect upon the previous year and think about the year ahead. I have spent this time to reflect upon...
- Dec 4, 2017
- 7 min
It takes a spark
Sometimes all it takes is just one spark. One person to say "let's try it!" if you've got an idea, or "it's alright, what have we...
- Nov 13, 2017
- 6 min
Why should I trust you?
I've been having this conversation quite often lately. The idea is that for every action, for every statement, and for everything that we...
- Nov 6, 2017
- 5 min
Why, What If, How?
There is a wonderful book out there called A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger. I was given this book during a training program...
- Oct 29, 2017
- 7 min
Shift the Mindset | Lean Safety
Last week I participated in a training provided by Bob Hafey. Bob is the author of Lean Safety, Lean Safety Gemba Walks, and his most...