Lean Leadership for Ops Managers: Recent Episodes
Jamie V. Parker
Lean Leadership for Ops Managers is a podcast for leaders in Ops Management who’ve had some targeted success with Lean, but haven’t yet built the everybody-everywhere-everyday improvement culture they crave. In each episode, former Fortune 100 Ops Executive and Lean Enthusiast Jamie V. Parker will teach you how to engage your team, develop a Lean culture, and still get your day job done.
How well do you stick to your core values when it comes time to make hard decisions? It’s easy to talk about them in meetings and put them as posters on the walls, but do your decisions and actions align with your values?
In this episode, Jamie shares how our behavior shows our values, plus an important update regarding the podcast.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- An Update on the Podcast
- Core Values in an Organization
- Values Dictate Our Behavior
- Having the Courage to Make Hard Decisions
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/128
What is Lean Leadership? It’s kind of an elusive, hard-to-define thing.In today’s episode, I’ll break down what both Lean and Leadership mean to me, which then drives how I develop leaders. You’ll hear key components to consider when moving Lean Leadership beyond a buzzword to definable meaning.
This is my living and growing definition. Things can change, but the goal is to inspire you to create your own code to operate by. Let’s get to work!
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- What Lean means to me, and how it advances my purpose
- My current definition of Leadership
- How my definitions of Lean Leadership drive my practice in developing people
- Key considerations for how you think about Lean Leadership
- Explore for yourself: What is Lean Leadership?
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/127
How well do you listen? How quickly do you jump in and start offering solutions or try to fix the problem? In this episode, Jamie shares things that hinder us from listening and how to listen effectively as an operations leader.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Choosing to Listen Intentionally
- Things that Hinder Me from Listening
- Two Ways to Improve Our Listening Skills
- Shifting Away from Either/Or Thinking
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/126
How do we create an organization that has a growth mindset? So often, we look at our teams to see how they can improve, but building a culture of improvement starts with us as the leaders. In this episode, Katie Anderson joins us to discuss GE's Lean Mindset Event and how to develop a growth mindset as a leader.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Change Begins with Leadership
- Learning to Step into Something New
- Differences Between Fixed and Growth Mindset
- Growth Mindset is the Foundation of Continuous Improvement
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/125
How do you approach safety? As leaders, it's easy to focus on policies to ensure everyone follows the rules, but safety encompasses so much more than procedures; it is a team sport. In this episode, Jamie shares how safety starts with our mindset and culture within our team.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Safety is a product of servant leadership
- Safety is an expression of love
- An evaluation of the safety in our organizations
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/124
Hello from New York! I am coming to you live from GE's Lean Mindset Event, which focuses on encouraging the right mindset to embrace lean and features several excellent speakers across different industries, including CEOs from top companies, former NBA and NFL players, and more. In this episode, I share an overview of the event, plus my initial reaction and key takeaways.
What You'll Learn from this Episode
- Live from New York
- My initial reactions and key takeaways
- A Lean Mindset leads to Lean Thinking
- Lean Tools versus Lean Thinking
- Leaning into the Growth Mindset
- Genuinely going to Gemba
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/123
How might operations leaders delegate more effectively? In this episode, Jamie explains how the reason we delegate can drive more effective delegation and practical steps you can take to delegate for development efficiently.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- How to Delegate More Effectively
- The Primary Reason for Delegating
- Gaining Clarity on the Individual, Activity, and Skills
- Define the Level of Delegation
- The Logistics of Delegation
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/122
Why do you delegate? How does that determine what tasks you choose to give?
In this episode, Jamie discusses the real reasons Ops Managers should delegate and how it benefits themselves plus other members of their team.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- The Reasons Ops Managers Delegate
- Delegating for Myself
- Delegating to Help the Individual
- Delegating for the Good of the Team
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/121
How often do you delegate? It can be difficult to delegate tasks that could be completed by other members of our team, in turn freeing up more of our time. In this episode, Jamie discusses three common obstacles that leaders face regarding delegation.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- How often do you delegate
- It takes time to delegate
- Letting go of control
- Feeling guilt in delegating
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/120
How often do you characterize your work as fun?
In this episode, Jamie shares how a big challenge and getting creative and trying new and better ways is fun for her, and as Operations Managers, you should be finding fun in your work too. Even though not every aspect of your job may be enjoyable, if you never find joy in what you do, there is a problem.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- A shift in my client workload and time
- Finding fun in challenging problems and situations
- The difference between work fun and personal fun
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/119
You can’t have a lean culture without conflict, but so many organizations and leaders are NOT comfortable with conflict. Here’s the question: “What would be the impact to your organization if you could have less destructive conflict and more productive conflict?”
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Two types of workplace conflict, and how they differ
- How the research behind DiSC for Productive Conflict does - and doesn’t - align with the other conflict models we’ve explored on past episodes
- Why you can’t have a lean culture without conflict
- The role leadership action plays in stimulating productive conflict
- What Productive Conversations and Conflict is and how it can help your leadership team achieve more effective change adoption, gain better adherence to standard processes, and foster creativity and collaborative problem solving
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/118
Do any of your leaders ever rush into solving a problem? It’s so easy to jump in and start pushing and moving too fast without taking a measured approach. In this episode, Jamie discusses the pitfall of Unstructured Urgency and how to overcome it.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How Unstructured Urgency Shows Up
- The Impact of Lack of Structure
- How to Help Leaders Avoid Unstructured Urgency
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/117
Do you ever find yourself stalling to make a decision? Leaders often get stuck not making a decision because they don’t know enough or how to make the “perfect” one. In this episode, I share how perfection is an Enemy of Effective Operation and some practical steps to overcome it.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- How perfection shows up
- The consequences of the decisions we make
- Perfection delays action
- Ways of thinking to overcome execution traps
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/116
What causes Ops Leaders to struggle with effective execution? Even when the processes are in place, they never seem to be used consistently or correctly. In this episode, Jamie discusses how complexity is a cause of failed execution, and how to create simplicity instead.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Choosing the Tasks to Complete
- Complexity as an Enemy to Effective Execution
- Creating Simplicity
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/115
I know you are busy. So, how do you prioritize tasks when they are all important? How do you decide what to focus on? In this episode, I discuss an enemy of execution: distraction. Not being distracted with meaningless or unimportant things, but staying focused on long-term, strategic goals when there is so much to do in your day-to-day.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Dealing with the Day-to-Day
- Separating Priorities
- The Trap of Distraction
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/114
So often leaders want to learn how to “fix other people.” To get them to do the work, to get on board, to be better. But true leadership starts with our own thoughts, beliefs, and self awareness.
You are probably keenly aware of your results. But what about your feelings? Or your underlying, automatic thoughts?
In this episode, I dig into coaching techniques for self leadership. Because whether you like it or not, it’s hard to manage yourself when you don’t really know your inner workings.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How life coaching applies to leadership self awareness and self management
- Lessons I learned from the CTFAR Self Coaching Thought Model
- How to facilitate the transformation from both thoughts and behaviors
- How to figure out what your underlying thoughts are
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/113
Do you want it done on time, or do you want it done right? We’ve all heard statements like this, and maybe we’ve even said them. It’s so easy to get caught up in this either/or thinking and thinking it’s impossible to have both outcomes. But what if it is possible to have both?
In this episode, I share the idea of AND thinking and a replay of my story from Episode 001, where I experienced a missed opportunity to practice this mindset.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- One of the overarching challenges ops leaders face, and why we need to challenge it
- How to stop looking at things as a dichotomy and open the door to possibilities
- How to think and speak about the need to respect people and deliver results
- A practical example of using an AND approach- in leadership and in life
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/112
As a leader, do you find too much of your time is spent in chaos and firefighting? Would you prefer to spend your energy moving your team toward an improved culture with better business results? In today’s episode, Paul Dunlop explains how Leader Standard Work cuts through the chaos and creates a stable environment ripe for Continuous Improvement.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- The role of leader as coach
- How to shift from reactive work to proactively adding value
- Steps to slowly incorporate Leader Standard Work into an already-busy day
Learn more and find full show notes:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/111
Is there any greater priority in today’s business environment than attracting and retaining talented and dedicated employees? In today’s episode, Tracy O’Rourke explains the critical impact of meaningful leader routines on the engagement of a company’s workforce.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- The role of leader routines in improving culture
- Steps for implementing and enhancing Leader Standard Work
- Ideas for effectively managing time while adding new leader routines
Learn more and find full show notes:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/110
While work is made up of process, organizations are made up of people. That’s right, weird, messy, emotional human beings. So operations leadership isn’t just about managing operations or improving process - it’s also highly dependent on leading people.
Moe Carrick joins us to discuss how we can lead people well while also getting results.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- People Make Organizations Great
- Skills for Activating People’s Talents
- Why Investing in Your People Matters
- The Value of Frontline Teams
Learn more and check out the links at our full shownotes: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/
How often do you share your mistakes as a leader? So often in organization we celebrate success and share what went right, while shying away from the mistakes and lessons learned it took to accomplish that success.
In this episode we talk with Elisabeth Swan about reframing mistakes as gold that can help foster stronger collaboration, team building and problem solving.
What You’ll Learn:
- How improv made Elisabeth a better lean leader
- The power of storytelling in data-driven leadership
- Why Elisabeth says mistakes are gold and how they help others
- Why it's so hard ot listen and ways to practice intentional listening
Read more and get full shownotes at: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/
Diverse executive teams deliver better performance. It’s shown in study after study. Despite modest progress, women are still dramatically underrepresented in leadership roles.
How can women take steps to advance to the rooms where decisions are made, and then to confidently contribute in those rooms?
How can current executives take responsibility and action to build greater diversity and inclusion among their senior ranks?
Kelli Thompson, author of Closing the Confidence Gap, shares actionable advice on both questions.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Factors contributing to a lack of gender diversity in leadership roles
- Ways women can ground themselves in their career progression
- The Advocacy Model for closing the confidence gap
- How executives can take intentional action and ownership to improve inclusion and diversity among their senior leadership teams
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/107
Happy New Year! As we shift our focus to the next year by setting goals and thinking about what we want to achieve, it’s easy to limit what we believe is possible. In this episode, Sarah Tilkens shares how to shift from a goal mindset to a growth mindset to expand what is possible.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Setting Meaningful Goals
- How Mindset Can Expand what is Possible
- Five Steps for Expanding your Mindset
- Brainstorming Through Obstacles
Learn more and find full show notes:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/106
What is your personal purpose? So often, we talk about organizational purpose as part of our True North, but what about you personally? What motivates you to keep going during those challenging days?
In this episode, Sam Morgan joins us to share how he helps change people's lives by assisting them to uncover their personal purpose while also understanding the process of Improvement Kata and tying it together through daily coaching.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- How Fear Shows Up
- Finding your Individual Purpose
- Incorporating Purpose into Continuous Improvement
- How Daily Practice Changes Your Mindset
Learn more and find full show notes:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/105
We all have a telling habit and may not even realize it. As leaders, we are often blind to the fact that instead of answering a question or giving a suggestion, we are telling others what they should do.
In this episode, Katie Anderson joins us to share how to build awareness of and break the telling habit.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Developing Without Telling
- Telling in Disguise
- Making a Shift to Tell Less
- Coaching Through the Struggle
Learn more and find full show notes at:https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/104
Are you a fan of one-on-ones? Most managers aren’t. But that’s because most managers haven’t had great one-on-ones modeled for them. If you want to lead through relationships, then valuable one-on-ones are a key activity to master.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- Why doing one-on-ones is one of the most critical leadership routines for managers
- What managers get wrong with one-on-ones
- Answers to the most common questions about one-on-ones
- Important elements that make up an effective one-on-one
- The foundation of an effective one-on-one agenda
Learn more and find full show notes:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/103
What do you mean when you say the word coaching? Do you think of an iconic sports coach yelling plays from the sideline or giving an inspirational speech in the locker room? As leaders, we coach our team members to help them learn and grow, but I’ve discovered that coaching is used incorrectly in many instances.
In this episode, we are diving into what I mean by coaching, how it’s different from other definitions, and why it even matters.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- What Coaching Is Not
- My Definition of Coaching
- What Coaching Means as an Operations Executive
- Coaching as Part of Development
Learn more and find full shownotes at:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/102
Telling is not all bad; however, as leaders, we typically need to bring more coaching into our team interactions. So, how do we transition from doing to coaching? In this episode, Jamie shares how to effectively coach problem solving.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Coaching Problem Solving
- Set Your Intention to Coach
- Stop Giving the Answers
- Start Asking Good Coaching Questions
Learn more and find full shownotes at:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/101
How have you expanded your team as your organization continues to grow? Does your hiring strategy align with the organization’s values and vision?
The Process Plus Results team is expanding, and in this special 100th Episode Edition, Jamie shares how the team’s strengths intersect and complement each other. Plus, the team members join us to share what they do, the value they bring, and how that applies to their direct team and operations leaders as a whole.
What You'll Learn in this Episode:
- Creating a Team of Intersecting Strengths
- Knowing When to Let Go
- Keeping a People-Centered Focus in Lean
- Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone
- Top Episode and Recommendations
Learn more and get full shownotes at:
https://www.processplusresults.com/podcast/100
How did it all begin? Since we are getting ready to celebrate our 100th episode, let's look back at how this podcast started a little over two years ago. On the day the podcast launched, I was at a speaking engagement in Evansville, IN, where I live now, and will be for the 100th episode!
In this episode, we are taking a trip down memory lane and sharing the podcast's first three episodes: Episode 1: Respect People vs. Deliver Results, Episode 2: Why is Lean so Hard, and Episode 3: Getting Lean to Stick.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
Episode 1: Respect People vs. Deliver Results
- One of the overarching challenges ops leaders face, and why we need to challenge it
- How to stop looking at things as a dichotomy and open the door to possibilities
- How to think and speak about the need to respect people and deliver results
- A practical example of using an AND approach- in leadership and in life
Episode 2: Why is Lean so hard?
- A mistake I made early in a Lean transformation, and how it made things more difficult
- Why we can’t just focus our efforts on improving processes
- The role beliefs play in creating powerful behaviors and systems
- A model and practice you can follow to identify gaps that make it more difficult to consistently sustain and improve results
Episode 3: Getting Lean to Stick
- How we sometimes mis-diagnose what’s causing our execution problems
- Real-life Lean leadership example of The Transformation Trinity model in action
- BOLOs and how to overcome potential hurdles and more effectively apply the model to your work
- Why Lean or operations systems and tools aren’t enough on their own to get Lean to stick
Learn more and check out the full show notes at:
http://processplusresults.com/podcast/099
Executing a new or changed routine seems simple enough, right? As Ops Executives, we expect our leaders to start implementing a new process seamlessly, but are we teaching them all the skills they need?
In this episode, Jamie shares how to help Ops Managers improve their thinking and decision-making capabilities.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- When We Need More Than Coaching
- Execution Alone is Not Enough
- Improving the Thinking and Decision-Making Behind Leader Routines
- Teaching the Thinking
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/098
Have you ever been frustrated when a leader won’t adopt a new process? How do we improve engagement with new or changing routines? As Ops Executives, we’re often told that we do too much telling and not enough listening; however, telling is still part of leading an operation.
In this episode, Jamie shares how to best use telling interactions when supporting Ops Managers execute new routines.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- When Ops Managers Won’t Deliver Performance
- Using the Five Leadership Interactions
- Actions to Consider as you Develop Others
Get full show notes and more information here:
http://processplusresults.com/podcast/097
When is coaching not enough? Coaching is a buzzword right now, and so many managers are told to make it a focus. While coaching is a wonderful tool, there are times when leaders need to use other communication approaches to be effective.
In this episode, Jamie shares an example of when a manager needed more than coaching and how it can effectively be used in combination with other skills.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- The Definition of Coaching
- When Coaching isn’t Enough
- The Skills of Leading People
- A Personal Update
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/096
Competition or collaboration? When done effectively, competition can drive results for some people; however, there is also a potential downside. I've seen that Operations Executives are scared to remove competition because they think the drive and motivation will disappear. What would happen if we shifted away from competition and moved toward collaboration instead?
In this episode, Jamie is joined by two other leadership consultants, Katie Anderson and Tracy O'Rourke. They share how they took a different outlook, came together for a mini mastermind, and worked together to build each other up.
What You'll Learn from this Episode:
- Learning from Like-Minded People
- Creating a Personal Connection
- Helping Each Other Grow through Collaboration
- Reflecting Together in Community
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/095
Why is respect for people so important? This Pillar of Lean can affect every aspect of the way we lead.
Recently, Jamie was a guest on an internal podcast for GE, Andon That Note, and spoke with Brette Smith and LaToya Moore about the Pillars of Lean: Respect for People and Continuous Improvement. Since Andon That Note is internal and can’t be found outside the organization, they allowed us to share part of our conversation so you can hear some of the great questions that were asked all about respect for people.
What You'll Learn from This Episode:
- Why Respect for People is Important
- Aligning our Words and Actions
- Making the Change as a Command-and-Control-Manager
- Understanding Different Types of Conversations and Interactions
Get full show notes and more information here:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/094
Where have you seen waste show up in your work? How often do you have to rework things because plans have changed or were rushed? In this episode, Jamie shares how she dealt with physical rework and thought waste as she moved to Indiana temporarily.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- The Season of Big News
- Overcoming Obstacles in Real Life
- Dealing with Rework in Uncertainty
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/093
What does it mean to be wrong? Why are people hesitant to speak up when they see an issue? In this episode, Jamie shares her thoughts on why team members stay silent when they think there may be a problem and how we, as leaders, can create an environment where our team members are more willing to raise issues and take that risk of being wrong.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Why People Are Hesitant to Share
- Is it Wrong to Stop the Show
- Creating an Environment Where People Raise Problems
- Transitioning Away from Command and Control as my Team Grows
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/092
How do you lead Purpose at work? We are continuing our mini-series focused on Purpose and Leading Purpose at Work. In this episode, Jamie shares how leaders at all levels can make a difference by overcoming the Purpose Gap and common Purpose Pitfalls.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Leading Purpose at Work
- Clarify True North
- Connect the Dots
- Make it Personal
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/091
Is your purpose clearly communicated to everyone in your organization? Even if you talk about your purpose in meetings and have posters on the wall, everyone may not understand them or relate to them. In this episode, I talk about common Purpose Pitfalls and how to recognize them in your organization.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why Focus on Purpose at Work
- Organizational Purpose Pitfalls
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/090
Where do you find your purpose? Two-thirds of U.S. employees are reflecting on their purpose in life, and nearly half are reconsidering the type of work they do. In this week's episode, Jamie talks about finding your purpose at work and shares the Purpose Gap that is found among most team members.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Shifting Your Mindset About Purpose
- Where We Find Our Purpose
- The Purpose Gap
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/089
This week continues our Kata series live from Kata Con 8, and we are talking all about coaching. In this episode, I spoke with Susan Clancy, who shared her experience of being coached as a learner live on stage and why a coach needs to be a learner. I also share my experiences from the coaching dojo and why I plan to participate in another one.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Setting the Challenge
- Why Learning is Important in Coaching
- Coaching in Real-Time
- Experiencing a Coaching Dojo
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/088
Why practice Toyota Kata? It can seem daunting at the beginning with the rigid structure and rules; however, the goal of Kata is more about shifting our mindset to integrate improvement thinking into our work.
Lean Frontiers hosts an annual Kata Con, and this year I had the privilege to meet and interview Mike Rother, the author of the book Toyota Kata. In this episode, I talk with Mike about the structure and scientific thinking of Toyota Kata and how Kata is used as a resource for teachers. In the end, I share how I incorporate the foundational elements of Kata without even using the word Kata.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Using Structured Practice in Toyota Kata
- The Importance of Coaching
- Kata in the Classroom
- Integrating Kata Foundations in Your Organization
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/087
What is Toyota Kata? It's common for the nuances of Toyota Kata to seem complicated or overwhelming, especially if you haven't started practicing it. In this episode, I give an overview of Kata fundamentals and share my perspective on how Kata fits into the improvement frameworks that you may already know.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- The Fundamentals of Toyota Kata
- Four Phases of Toyota Kata
- Discovering the Path Forward
- Setting the Next Target Condition
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/086
Difficult conversations, conflict, and performance management are all responsibilities that leaders have to face; however, we can choose how we handle them. We can either be kind and show respect to our team members or be harsh in our interactions.
In today's episode, Karyn Ross joins us to discuss Kind Leadership and how she is on a mission to help people worldwide think, speak, act and lead more kindly.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Why Kindness is Important
- What is Kind Leadership
- The Difference Between Kindness and Niceness
- Practical Steps to Practice Kind Leadership
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/085
Have you ever walked away from a feedback session that didn't seem to be productive? Maybe it devolved into a complaint session, and there wasn't any focus on what we could do to improve the situation. As leaders, how we frame the conversation can turn unproductive sessions into meaningful and actionable feedback for improvement.
In this episode, Jamie shares a simple method for evaluation, how to frame it for meaningful feedback, and adds a step to make it an improvement opportunity.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- One Simple Method for Evaluation
- Framing Plus/Delta for Constructive Meaningful Feedback
- What Plus/Delta is Missing for Effective Future Improvement
- Repeating Plus/Delta Evaluations to Build Culture
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/084
One in five people deal with mental health struggles, and this is not just a statistic; it is real, and it's affecting people on our teams whether we realize it or not. As Lean Leaders, we have the problem-solving tools to help people overcome challenges and think clearly, not only at work but also in their personal lives.
In today's episode, Gemma Jones shares her experiences with team members facing a mental health challenge and how Continuous Improvement and mental health intersect. She also provides specific actions and resources to use to help other people.
Content Warning: This episode discusses topics of depression and suicide.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Experiencing the Effects of Depression and Suicide in the Workplace
- Education to Understand Mental Health Issues
- Using Continuous Improvement to Overcome All Obstacles
- Tips and Resources to Help People on Your Team
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/083
What does Lean Leadership mean to you? You’ve implemented several Lean tools and processes, such as Gemba Walks, Leader Standard Work, Daily Meetings, and Visual Management. Even though you have seen some results, does it seem like something is still missing?
In today’s episode, Jamie breaks down the four elements of effective Lean Leadership and why it is essential to build relationships and provide value to all stakeholders.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Redefining the Elements of Lean Leadership
- Adding Value to the Definition
- The Four Elements of Lean Leadership
- Creating a People-Focused Lean Organization
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/082
Do you remember what it was like when you led a small team of individual contributors? It was easy to interact with everyone on the team every single day. But what happens as the company grows? You find yourself leading other leaders, and values and goals must be intentionally communicated.
In today's episode, Greg Jacobson joins us to talk about scaling a startup and how he focused on building a culture through that process.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Transitioning as the Company Grows
- When to Create a Culture
- Building a Culture Through Communication
- Learning to Work Through Failure
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/081
Does the goals of your organization align with your continuous improvement efforts? It can be so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that we lose sight of the big picture.
In today’s episode, Chris Wilson shares how Wilson Manufacturing developed a new customer portal based on their goal of providing excellent customer service and how it has improved their order entry flow process.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Keeping a Customer-First Mindset in Continuous Improvement
- Overcoming Team Member Pushback on New Processes
- Teamwork and Communication for Effective Improvement
- Refining the Onboarding Process for Better Retention
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/080
Training a new hire is a no-brainer, but do you focus on training your team members after being with your organization for 5, 10, or 15 years? We look to training when it is time to learn a new skill, but viewing learning as a lifelong journey can help grow your team professionally.
In today's episode, Jeff Welch shares how training can be an effective countermeasure to performance gaps and why it’s useful for continuous improvement.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The Real Meaning of Training
- Understanding the Styles of Learning and Development
- Using Training to Bridge Performance Gaps
- Continuous Learning Leads to Professional Development
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/079
Are you communicating your purpose and strategic vision in a way that engages all of your team members? You may have your values printed as posters on the wall and talk about them at your quarterly meetings, but is everyone on the team actually connecting with them?
In today's episode, Justin Woodard joins us to discuss how creating a Cultural Framework has revolutionized the way he communicates with the team members in his organization, and they are more engaged as a result.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why Everyone Has Leadership Potential
- Creating a Framework for a Purpose-Driven Organization
- Communicating to Create an Aligned Team
- Engaging with the Cultural Framework Daily
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/078
With the challenges over the last two years, how are you setting your team up for success in the future? Developing leaders to be adaptable and resilient is crucial given how many organizations face shortages, supply chain issues, and rapidly changing markets.
In today's episode, Kerry Siggins joins shares how she has expanded her team's skills and how this type of development has resulted in better succession planning for business continuity.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Developing People to Face Challenges
- Creating Purpose Through Autonomy and Communication
- Building a Cohesive Executive Team
- Making Connections to Reduce Turnover
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/077
How do you prepare as you start a new year? Do you reflect on your past accomplishments to determine your next steps? In this episode, Jamie shares why reflection is critical and what you can expect in 2022 from the podcast.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Jamie’s Favorite Podcast Episodes
- The Purpose of Reflection
- What to Expect in 2022
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/076
What caused the labor shortage, and what is the solution for the future? Almost every business has been affected by the labor shortage, and business leaders want to make sure that they’re not late to the game figuring out how to overcome it.
In today's episode, Jeff Korzenik explains what is causing the labor shortage and provides an answer with second-chance hiring. Jeff is a regular guest on CNBC, Fox Business News, and Bloomberg TV, and he is also the author of Untapped Talent, a book on the business case and best practices for hiring people with criminal records.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/075
Do you have a never-ending to-do list? Do you have a hard time prioritizing important tasks or get overwhelmed by the items you need to accomplish?
In today's episode, Kyle Kumpf joins us to talk about utilizing a visual management board. He believes that when we have simple visual systems in place, we can accomplish great things at work while having more time with our families, hobbies, and interests.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/074
How do you improve sustainability? We have all experienced a change that people eventually started to go back to the old way of doing things even though it was beneficial and improved processes.
In today's episode, Adam Lawrence joins us to discuss his book, the Wheel of Sustainability, and shares how engaging the entire team during a Kaizen event can create long-term improvements.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/073
What is the best way to make a Toyota Kata Storyboard? When I created my first storyboard, it felt like an obvious decision to have a digital board. I travel for work, to see family, and my coaching calls are all done virtually. To me, it made the most sense; however, that changed over time.
It's Kata time again, and I'm talking about storyboards in this episode. I'm sharing some of my experiences, lessons learned, and why I finally made the transition from a digital board to a physical board.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/072
How do you grow the leaders that you need? Whether you are expanding into new locations or your current leaders have been promoted, it can be challenging to find the right talent and develop them quickly.
In today’s episode, Chris Chippindale joins us to talk about how Ent Credit Union has grown leaders fast even in the middle of the labor shortages that organizations have been experiencing for the last year.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- The Challenge of Finding Leaders
- Steps to Growing Leaders
- Creating a Path to Leadership Through Alignment
- Investing in Leadership Development Everyday
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/071
Have you ever said this statement, 'HR is getting in the way and won't let me do this?' As Operations Leaders, we don't always see Human Resources as partners that enable us to do our jobs better and more efficiently.
In today's episode, Jasmine Gorie, a VP of HR at Sunland Logistics Solutions, breaks down the relationship between HR and Operations and shares her recruitment and engagement strategies, particularly how important they are in times of growth.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Successful Recruiting for Expansion
- Retention Starts with Engagement from the Beginning
- Maintaining a Consistent Culture Across Mulitple Locations
- Creating Connections for an Aligned Culture
- Viewing Operations and HR as a Strategic Partnership
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/070
I am very thankful for the community of Operations Leaders and Lean Practitioners who constantly support each other. That is why I am bringing this special Thanksgiving episode live from the Iowa Lean Consortium Annual Conference. In today’s episode, I am talking directly with Lean Leaders who share their perspectives on two major topics: sustaining and staffing.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
•Common issues leaders are facing
•Three leader’s perspectives on sustaining
•How leaders are continuing forward despite being short-staffed
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/069
Don't you hate it when you have back-to-back meetings? Inevitably, one meeting runs over, and there is not enough time to catch your breath, prepare for the next meeting, or even go to the bathroom. In today's episode, I share a passion project that has allowed meetings to be scheduled more efficiently and respectful of people's time.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- How my Passion Project Began
- Improvement Kata for Meeting Efficiency
- Steps to Change Meeting Default Times in Outlook
- Managing Meetings to be Respectful of Others
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/068
Many organizations have been focused on filling positions and hiring new team members in the current employment market because of the staffing shortages. But how do you retain the team members you already have and keep them engaged?
In today’s episode, David Pender joins us to share how the “people come first” culture at Sage Glass has helped to retain employees, keep them engaged, and refer others to work there as well (sometimes even their daughters).
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Choosing between “People First” or “Customer First”
- How to Train for Better Retention
- Why Mentoring Shouldn’t Just Be for Executives
- How to Leverage Trust, Empowerment, and Collaboration
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/067
COVID has brought challenges to everyone throughout the last several months resulting in burnout to team members and leaders alike. How do we as leaders know when our team becomes overwhelmed, and what do we do when that happens?
In today's episode, Kelli Ogunsanya shares the truth about leading through COVID burnout and how she focuses on meeting people where they are while leading organizational performance.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How Increased Communication Helps in Times of Ambiguity
- How to Identify Cues of COVID Stress
- What a Holistic Approach to Strategic Planning Looks Like
- Why We Need to Learn to Lead in a Time of Flux (beyond the pandemic)
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/066
What does it mean to be a leader? People often come in with their own understanding and assumptions, causing disconnect and an unaligned purpose across the organization.
In today's episode, Dave Conner joins us to share the role of a leader and how they have developed people to lead with meaning.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Gaining purpose through servant leadership
- Sharpening processes with Lean Thinking
- Developing a leader’s mindset
- Lean Leadership leads to agility
- The 4 Ps of Leading Excellence
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/065
We all solve problems in our organizations every day. There are so many tools and resources available to help us through those processes, but do we as leaders focus more on the methodology or on our people when it comes to problem-solving?
In today’s episode, Jamie Flinchbaugh, author of People Solve Problems, joins us to what organizations are doing with learning and problem-solving as part of their culture and what leaders can do to close the problem-solving culture gap.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- How Organizations Differ in their Problem-Solving Processes
- Symptoms of Ineffective Problem-Solving
- Integrating Problem-Solving into the Day-to-Day
- Coaching Through Problem-Solving Gaps
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/064
What do you do when faced with a challenging learning experience that is, well, challenging? How do you respond when you are trying to grasp a concept that is beyond your learning threshold? In today's episode, Jamie discusses the lessons she learned in her Kata Girl Geek Learning Group when striving toward but did not achieve the Next Target Condition.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why the order of the starter kata steps matter
- Learning to Move Forward When We're Beyond our Learning Threshold
- Practical Learnings About Graphs and Data
- Transitioning from Step 3: Establish the Next Target Condition to Step 4: Experiment Toward the Next Target Condition
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/063
What do you mean when you say the word coaching? Do you think of an iconic sports coach yelling plays from the sideline or giving an inspirational speech in the locker room? As leaders, we coach our team members to help them learn and grow, but I’ve discovered that coaching is used incorrectly in many instances.
In today’s episode, we are diving into what I mean by coaching, how it’s different from other definitions, and why it even matters.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- What Coaching Is Not
- My Definition of Coaching
- What Coaching Means as an Operations Executive
- Coaching as Part of Development
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/062
What would happen if the doors to your organization had to close tomorrow? Most everyone experienced this at some point during the pandemic, but what would you do if you lost 80 percent of your business overnight?
In today's episode, Scott Post discusses the challenges of leading a buffet restaurant enterprise during a pandemic and their steps to be successful during that crisis.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Servant Leadership in an Operations Role
- Capitalizing on Necessary Changes
- Focusing on the Fundamentals
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/061
How would your organization perform if you were no longer there? Most people only stay in one position for two to five years before moving on, so how do you start preparing for that transition?
In today’s episode, Marc Braun joins us to discuss the steps he has made as he transitions out of his position of President at Cambridge Air Solutions and how continuously developing other leaders have helped him to leave well.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Dedicating Time for Employee Growth Leads to Continuous Improvement
- Leaving Well Starts the First Day in a New Position
- Developing Others to Step into Your Role
- Failure is Inevitable: Celebrate the Process
- Leaving Well is Leading Well
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/060
Is leadership development part of your strategy for business growth? If your business is growing or if you want to grow, it is important to consider how you're developing your leaders.
In today's episode, Kristin Ogo joins us to discuss how Kenmore Envelope Company focused on leadership expansion and how they continue to develop their leaders as their company has continued to grow.
What You’ll Learn in this Episode:
- Creating a Roadmap for Business Growth
- Increasing Communication During Uncertain Times
- Building Relationships to Enable Leadership Growth
- How Leadership Development Can Reduce Turnover
- Creating a Culture of Engagement in Continuous Operations
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/059
As Ops Leaders, how do you collaborate with internal business partners to better know your customers? Operations Managers are uniquely positioned to understand what is important to the customer and what they value.
In today’s episode, Javan Lapp joins us to discuss how Key-Link Fencing and Railing has kept a customer-focused mindset through their innovation processes and encourages Ops Managers to be strategic business partners with other teams across the organization.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Innovation Through Vertical Integration and Scaling
- Keeping a Customer-Focus in Improvement Thinking
- Viewing Ops Managers as Strategic Business Partners within the Organization
- People Development in a Culture of Collaboration
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/058
How does your organization respond when a crisis occurs? Many times, the focus shifts to production lines and getting done "what we can," shoving innovation and improvement to the side.
In today's episode, Gary Peterson joins us to discuss how they have used improvement thinking as a strategic advantage and have woven those strategies into the foundation of their culture so that they were able to lean into those principles and systems during uncertain times instead of pushing them away.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Gary Peterson’s Philosophy on Lean Leadership
- How O.C. Tanner Integrates Improvement Thinking as a Strategic Advantage
- Doubling Down in Times of Crisis
- Strategic Advantage: Moving Beyond Command and Control
- Using Leader Standard Work to Be a Better, More Strategic People Leader
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/057
Our podcast is now one year old! And I’m featuring a special edition anniversary episode time for all of you.
But first, let me extend my sincere gratitude for being along with me on this ride over the last year. Thank you for tuning in, for taking action, for providing feedback or reviews and ratings, and for sharing the episode every single Wednesday of the year. Thank you so much for your continuous support.
Now, in this special anniversary episode, I want to share with you the Lean Leadership Podcast Host Chris Burnham interview with me. I want to give you details and insight into not just my story, but also my transformation story, setbacks, struggles, as well as advice for those who are new in their journey.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- How shifting your framing on trust can help you be more effective as a leader
- One major setback I experienced with lean as a senior operations manager
- The ah-ha moment when I understood the positive impact of lean thinking and lean leadership
- The piece of advice I would give to someone new to a lean journey and someone that’s further along with their journey.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/056
Grasp the Current Condition. It sounds easy enough. Turns out, there are some nuances that can make a big difference in how effectively the step aids you in your improvement kata practice. Explore four key lessons I discovered when in the role of learner in my Kata Girl Geek Learning Group experience.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The starter kata within Step 2: Grasp the Current Condition that you might not have used before
- Which improvement kata resource I use every day in my current role as learner
- Two things you can say as a coach to effectively transition between teaching and coaching
- How to learn the right size and scope for your improvement kata next step
- My big Aha! learning about grasping the current condition that I missed in my previous understanding of improvement kata
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/055
Do you remember a time when you were learning something new? What about a time when you had to retrain your brain because you were learning new ways of problem-solving or new ways of thinking? Think back to that experience. How did you respond?
In today’s episode, Jamie shares her experience as she faces a challenging learning experience in her Kata Girl Geeks-Learning Group. As a leader, being in a learner role not only helps us improve but also helps us connect to people with empathy as they go through a similar experience.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- Jamie V. Parker’s Story Practicing Improvement Kata, Grasping the Current Condition
- Her Two Biggest Takeaways and How They Can Help You Lead Your Team
- How We’re Conditioned to Make it Difficult to Systematically Grasp the Current Condition
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/054
How do we create a culture of improvement? I’m not just talking about adding another continuous improvement tool that managers check off the list, but how do we create an environment where the team members want to achieve the same goals as leaders and know they are contributing?
In last week’s episode, we talked about the right side of the model with Purpose and Participation, which could be considered the respect for people side. In today’s episode, we are focusing on the left side with Performance and Progression and how they can create a culture of improvement and agility.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode:
- Culture of Improvement Through Performance
- Problems with Implementing Performance
- Leadership Practices to Build Performance
- Culture of Agility Through Progression
- Common Problems with Progression
- Leadership Practices to Build Progression
- BONUS: How all of the Cultural Enablers Work Together
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/053
Wouldn’t it be great if we were able to inspire a team to be engaged and aligned? Imagine if everyone in your organization shared the same vision, had the same values, and actively participated as a result. How would this impact your culture, creativity, problem-solving, execution, and value creation?
Throughout the last few episodes, we’ve been discussing what makes an organization a “Best Place to Work.” We are continuing the conversation this week and focusing on the right side of the model. The Cultural Influencers, Purpose and Participation, are absolutely necessary for inspiring an engaged and aligned team.
What You’ll Learn From This Episode:
- What Organizational Purpose Means
- Gaps in an Organization’s Purpose
- Three Leadership Practices to Build Purpose
- Employee Engagement Requires Active Participation
- Reasons Leaders Don’t Get Engagement
- Three Leadership Practices to Build Participation
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/052
When team members leave their roles, what happens to all the institutional knowledge they have in their heads?
How much of a disruption is it when people move positions, retire, or go on extended absences?
Dr. Cynthia J. Young shares how everyone in the organization can use knowledge management to make these situations better.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- What knowledge management is, and why organizations need it
- How knowledge management applies to managers and individuals
- The connection between knowledge management and how you take vacations
- How you can get started with knowledge management
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/051
It’s one thing to “keep” team members. It’s another to keep them while they’re also fully engaged and contributing their best. Creating a workplace culture that helps people thrive is the answer to the current challenge: how do we compete in the employment market.
Back in Episode 049 we talked about a model that makes organizations “best places to work” - what team members want in their workplaces. In this episode, we talk about the same model but from a leadership point of view - what executives want for their respective organizations. Notice how we can achieve both in this episode.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How to build an organization where people will want to work - and even tell everyone how great the organization is!
- Key elements that inspire an engaged, aligned team
- The two necessary components for a culture of systematic improvement and sustained agility
- Why putting people at the center to achieve success is important
- Moving Past Tradeoffs: Serve People PLUS Deliver Results
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/050
“How do we build an organization where people want to work & tell others how great it is?”
Organizations are struggling to fill open positions, and with more virtual job options available, people are no longer just looking to work at companies in their local areas. So executives are asking this question as they try to tackle the “labor shortage.”
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Current Challenge: Attracting and Retaining People
- The 4 Elements of the Best Places to Work
- Combining The 4 Ps to Create Workplaces People Love
- How Team Members’ Desires Match Up with Organizational Goals
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/049
What needs to happen to transition from event-based lean to an improvement culture?
One required step is engaging the frontline, but that brings challenges as fear or resistance may show up.
Aaron Davidson, Corporate Director of Employee and Guest Experience at Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment, shares how he engages the frontline and the role lean plays in volatile industries.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Key phrases that can help you position and think about lean in a different way
- The role of lean in volatile industries like hospitality and gaming - and how the “when” of lean is different than what some organizations do
- Steps to better engage your frontline in improvement, especially when there is fear or resistance
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/048
“If you had a magic wand, what is the first thing that you would fix in an organization you’re coaching?”
Chris Burnham asked me this question when I recorded a guest spot on his Lean Leadership podcast.
My answer was simple. “If I could wave a magic wand, I would instantly develop the capabilities and the habits of all the leaders in the plant to Leverage the Positive by giving effective reinforcing feedback - or effective recognition feedback.
Join me as we dig deeper in this episode.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The two types of feedback: reinforcing feedback and correcting feedback
- Why “thank you’s” are not enough
- A big recognition feedback mistake found in operations management
- The strategy behind training leaders on feedback in a way that has a bigger impact
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/047
Have you ever left a conversation and thought “Whoa - that was blown out of proportion”? Or “Whoa - that escalated quickly”?
Knowing the levels of conflict is essential since misstepping will only make things worse. But what are the levels of conflict? How can you use The Conflict Ladder to more effectively lead through conflict?
In this episode, I’ll walk you through every step of The Conflict Ladder and how you can properly address unhelpful behaviors at the right level.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- What the different levels of conflict are and why it’s helpful to understand them
- Mistakes individual leaders and organizations make on the conflict ladder
- How to address unhelpful behaviors at the right level
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/046
You can’t have a lean culture without conflict, but so many organizations and leaders are NOT comfortable with conflict. Here’s the question: “What would be the impact to your organization if you could have less destructive conflict and more productive conflict?”
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Two types of workplace conflict, and how they differ
- How the research behind DiSC for Productive Conflict does - and doesn’t - align with the other conflict models we’ve explored on past episodes
- Why you can’t have a lean culture without conflict
- The role leadership action plays in stimulating productive conflict
- What Productive Conversations and Conflict is and how it can help your leadership team achieve more effective change adoption, gain better adherence to standard processes, and foster creativity and collaborative problem solving
Want to take the DiSC for Productive Conflict Assessment?
Want to develop your operations leaders on Productive Conversations and Conflict?Email me at:jamie@ProcessPlusResults.com
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/045
How would you define innovation? What enables a culture of innovation? How do lean and innovation fit together (or not)? Erlin Kakkanad and Bella Englebach share their insights about innovation and frugality, the intersection of Lean and innovation, and examples of real case studies.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Perspectives on the intersection of Lean and Innovation
- Examples from Toyota of Lean problem solving versus innovative product development
- How frugality can generate creativity or help inspire creativity
- Framing challenges and divergent thinking in creativity and innovation, and case studies to demonstrate
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/044
It’s one thing to become aware of thoughts that aren’t serving you. But how do you actually change them? How do you choose thoughts that will yield better results? And what’s the relevance in Lean Leadership?
While this is relevant for everyone… it’s particularly on point for the CI practitioners, Lean Coaches, Problem Solving Mentors, and Kata Coaches, this one’s for you.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why positive affirmations are not enough to change your thought
- How to create that different feeling that prompts us to take a more productive action
- Learn the effective way of practicing those better thoughts
- How to create your Thought Model
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/043
So often leaders want to learn how to “fix other people.” To get them to do the work, to get on board, to be better. But true leadership starts with our own self awareness and self management.
You are probably keenly aware of your results. But what about your feelings? Or your underlying, automatic thoughts?
Join me as I dig into coaching techniques for self leadership. Because whether you like it or not, it’s hard to manage yourself when you don’t really know your inner workings.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How life coaching applies to leadership self awareness and self management
- Lessons I learned from the CTFAR Self Coaching Thought Model
- How to facilitate the transformation from both thoughts and behaviors
- How to figure out what your underlying thoughts are
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/042
As I sat at the restaurant alone, fuming, I worked up an elaborate story in my mind of why he was late. The truth is that we all create stories in our heads. These stories then fuel our words and actions, including in the workplace. And when we’re talking about changing the way people think and work, that could lead to workplace drama.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why I was sitting at the restaurant fuming and what really happened
- How the Crucial Confrontations stories to action model was a complete game changer in my self management
- How the “second cycle” Arnout Orelio talked about can help you understand and potentially avoid workplace drama
- Why sometimes people act in ways that seem completely illogical
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/041
Have you ever been in a meeting and thought that everyone was on the same page for action steps, but you go into the next week’s meeting and the tasks still aren’t done.
Susan Reinhardt joins us today to discuss how the concepts of Reliable Promising or Conversation for Action that she uses in Lean Construction may help you.
In fact, you might hear some "Weasel Words" in today’s conversation that are haunting your collaborative efforts.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How to shift your language to get commitments that are more likely to be followed through on
- What Weasel Words are and how they can derail execution
- The idea behind the reliable promising loop
- Why it’s important, as a leader, to create an environment where someone can say no if you want to get real commitments
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/040
Coaching is such a critical skill and behavior for leaders, so I'm thrilled to join the lineup for Lean Frontier’s Virtual 2021 Lean Coaching Summit.
But coaching isn't one dimensional. In fact, Jim Huntzinger, Founder and President of Lean Frontiers, shares different perspectives, angles and applications of Lean coaching and how conversations with John Shook about these different dimensions led to the birth of the Lean Coaching Summit.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How years of casual conversations led to the Lean Coaching Summit
- Why you should attend a Summit dedicated just to Coaching
- Who are some of the great speakers for the 2021 Summit and how you can hear them speak now
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/bonusmay2021
How does fact finding and problem solving work when folks on your team are stressed or frustrated or angry? When you and a team member see the same situation from different perspectives? When you're having performance problems that are turning into conflicts between people?
Today, Arnout Orelio joins us from the Netherlands to share how he helps emerging leaders pursue fact-based leadership.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How Arnout connects the dots between process problem solving and what some people call “people problems”
- The second cycle running in our minds (in addition to the PDCA cycle)
- Ways you can reframe opinions or emotions to agreements in order to progress problem definition and problem solving forward
- How you think about and use facts for problem solving when people disagree on what the facts are
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/039
Back in the day, I was making good money, but I still didn’t have any.
Honestly, I couldn’t explain where the money went. And it didn’t make sense.
After a virtual hunt for a digital system that will help me in managing my finances, I finally found the right one that perfectly works for me. Join me as I discuss the best budget system, why I've been using it for over six years now, and why I'll never stop.
But . . . What does budgeting have to do with Lean?
You'll hear how the lessons learned can help you think about how your Lean systems, tools, and routines are (or aren’t) changing your organization.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The tested and proven budgeting tool that I have used for more than six years
- What a Digital Envelope System is and how you can benefit from using it
- How the YNAB budget system mirrors Lean thinking
- Lessons learned from budgeting and how it can prompt assessment, reflection, and action along your Lean and leadership journey.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/038
How do you choose a leader standard work template or tool based on your specific needs?
Robert Olinger and Steve Kane share the challenges they were facing and how they selected the leader standard work tool to meet and address those challenges.
We’ve already had a few episodes that tackle this topic. Back in Episode 29, we had the opportunity to talk with Mike Wroblewski where he provided a framing that you need to think about this interesting topic we are going to discuss today.
The first part of this series started in episode 36 where I explained about the card systems or Kamishibai while our guest Kara Cuzzetto shared the tool she made.
In today’s episode, we will continue the 2nd part of this topic with two more examples from the real world.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- How to use leader standard work tools and templates to build a habit of activities that you need to overcome challenges
- How Robert’s approach to gemba walks changed through his implementation of leader standard work
- Why Steve uses a leader standard work system that isn’t his preferred system, and what that means when you’re selecting a template or tool for your work
- How leader standard work drives discipline, creating more effectiveness
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/037
What leader standard work tool is the best? There’s not one! The leader standard work tool you should use is the method that works for your circumstances. Kara Cuzzetto shares what made her template the best for her to build transparency and accountability. Jamie Parker shares the pros and potential pitfalls of a Kamishibai card leader standard work tool.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The pros and potential pitfalls of using a Kamishibai card system for leader standard work
- Why Kara’s team was the critical input point to develop her leader standard work
- How accountability and transparency were important factors that drove Kara’s leader standard work tool and template decisions
- How leader standard work can help companies achieve their improvement targets while providing a stable, reasonable working environment for employees
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/036
Let’s be real. Leadership and management can be hard. And if you’re not careful, it can become lonely, too. That’s why building your squad is an activity worth investing time and energy.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The power of a peer group or squad to help you improve
- Why sometimes you need to be open to things you don’t think you need
- Who the Lean Communicators are and how they’ve made it easier for you to tune in
- Lean and Leadership related shows you might want to tune into
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/bonus-april2021
As operations executives and managers, we cannot sit on the sidelines when it comes to systemic racism. We need to lead boldly. Deondra Wardelle talks us through diversity, equity, and inclusion, the intersection between DEI and Lean continuous improvement, and specific steps ops leaders can take to foster a more inclusive environment.
What You’ll from this Episode
- How #RootCauseRacism was born from the foundations of Lean continuous improvement
- The meaning of DEI and why it’s critical for organizational success
- How equity and equality differ, and why one is more relevant for Respect for People
- Steps managers - at any place in the organization - can take to foster a more inclusive environment
Get full show notes and information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/035
How do you develop a people-centric culture, while also sustaining your improvement efforts and growing the business? Matthew Nix shares how he successfully developed a close-knit culture among his team members while also driving significant revenue growth. You’ll discover how he sees culture not just as a nice-to-have, but as a lifeline for the inevitable challenges that arise.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why culture is critical and not to be taken for granted
- How Matthew defined the core values for his organization, including the steps he took and the one critical question he asked
- Matthew’s weekly process that moves core values from another thing hanging on the wall collecting dust - to something that team members demonstrate every day
- Why Nix Companies actively works on growth, sustainability, and culture - all at the same time
- Specific example of how people-focused culture has been a lifeline during tough times
- The role leadership development plays in building culture
Get full show notes and information here:
https://processplusresults.com/podcast/034
Are you a fan of one-on-ones? Most managers aren’t. But that’s because most managers haven’t had great one-on-ones modeled for them. If you want to lead through relationships, then valuable one-on-ones are a key activity to master.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- Why doing one-on-ones is one of the most critical leadership routines for managers
- What managers get wrong with one-on-ones
- Answers to the most common questions about one-on-ones
- Important elements that make up an effective one-on-one
- The foundation of an effective one-on-one agenda
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/033
Employee engagement is an input to performance results. The relationship between a leader and employee is what drives engagement. So why do so many leaders fail to have engaging conversations? How can one-on-ones help close that gap? The engagement conversation continues with Dorsey Sherman.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The stats on employee engagement, and the impact managers have on engagement
- How one-on-ones differ from most conversations we have in the workplace
- What fears hold us back from one-on-ones, and how to reframe them
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/032
Employee Engagement. It’s the thing we all want. We know it leads to better results. We know it means that we have a better work environment. But what really drives engagement? Dorsey Sherman joins us to answer that question and share how you can impact engagement across your team.
What You’ll Learn from this Episode
- The biggest drivers of employee engagement
- How engagement and process relate within the context of results
- The problem in spending our time on the wrong side of equation
- Steps to build relationships that encourage engagement
- How to think about, and what to do about, folks on your team you find challenging
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/031
We were really proud of the leader standard work “program” we collectively built. And then . . . it completely flopped.
Hear this real-life practical example of how NOT to implement leader standard work. The best part is, the mistakes I’m sharing today were made by yours truly.
If you haven’t listened to episode 29 with Mike Wroblewski yet, be sure to check it out. It will give you the lens to better understand the missteps I took.
This is the advice I wish I’d had at the start of my Lean journey. Let’s go.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/030
Leader Standard Work tends to be that thing on our “Lean to-do lists” that stays just out of reach for so many. But leader standard work doesn’t have to be so elusive. Mike Wroblewski, President of Dantotsu Consulting and co-author of “Creating a Kaizen Culture”, shares:
- What leader standard work is (and is not)
- How the purpose of leader standard work escapes us at times
- The first place to start when practicing leader standard work
- How to make sure you're using a LSW tool that works
This is the Lean conversation I wish I had heard 10 years ago. Buckle up.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/029
I’ll be honest, lately there are tasks I just don’t want to do. We've all been there, right? My normal techniques to muscle through weren’t working. We're continuing our series on time, and when I have projects building up that I don't want to do I get stressed and lack motivation. It was time to take action. I turned to LinkedIn to get your best advice on how to stop procrastinating and get after the things I've been putting off. In this episode I share the amazing tips I received and how we all can benefit.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/028
Are you sabotaging your team's ability to manage time? It’s common for leaders to not have enough time for it all. Typically, this means leaders have to make difficult choices every day in how they will spend their time.
How do senior leaders impact how effectively and how aligned those choices are made?
If you’re a leader of leaders, this is the episode for you.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/027This episode is part of a series inspired by our interview with Patrick Adams in episode 24.
If you're interested in more, visit https://processplusresults.com/time/
Have you ever wished for more time? As we continue with our series inspired by the interview in Episode 24 with Patrick Adams, today we tackle this common problem. I'm going to use the model of Toyota Kata, the Improvement Kata in particular, and then we're going to talk a little bit about how we apply it to this problem like,” I just don't have enough time” or “I'm not spending my time on the right things.” If you're not familiar with Toyota Kata, don't worry you'll be able to follow along. It's time to change our thoughts and find solutions to move forward.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/026
Have you ever felt like you're drowning in your work and just trying to keep your head above water? How do you create the time to practice Lean thinking and working in your leadership role when it feels like there’s just not enough of it?
Inspired by our conversation with Patrick Adams in episode 24, I'll be sharing 6 steps to get you moving in the right direction.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/025
Ops Leaders, here is my question for you this week: when it comes to a continuous improvement culture, how do you assess where your organization is today and what to prioritize? That's exactly what we're talking about today with our guest, Patrick Adams. I'm so excited for you to join me for a conversation about lean culture with the author of Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/024/
Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn Learn more about Patrick at his website Learn More and Purchase Patrick’s Book: Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap
You know how sometimes you start something with certain expectations . . . and then you find that your biggest lessons (and your biggest wins) actually come from something different than you expected? This podcast journey has been that way to me. Raise your hand if you can relate! In this episode I hope that hearing about my wins and gains from podcasting will help you as you’re reflecting, planning, and dreaming for the new year.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/023/
As we start a new year, I wanted to build off of last week’s episode with Katie Anderson and share with you the Top 6 episodes of the podcast from 2020. As we go through the episodes I’ll also share powerful questions including one from my friend Sandi that I think you’ll enjoy. She recently asked on social media, “What can you do today that you were not capable of 12 months ago?”
Think about it and let’s get into it!
Get full show notes and more information here: www.processplusresults.com/podcast
We throw around the phrase “set intention” quite a bit, but what does that really mean? How is intention different from goals? And how can we use both intention and goals together?
In this episode, I talk with Katie Anderson, author of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn. We explore the differences between intention and goals, setting intention at different levels, and tactical steps to practice intentional leadership.
Get full show notes and more information here:https://processplusresults.com/podcast/021
December and this time of year are a season of generosity. Without diving into the origins or religious associations of the various winter holidays, there is a general sense of giving in the air during this time of year. And today I have a gift for you.
Make a note of this link: www.ProcessPlusResults.com/free
Give the gift of learning to others, by sharing this link with them (and you can grab the free trainings for yourself too): www.ProcessPlusResults.com/free
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/020
If you’ve listened to the podcast before you’ve no doubt heard me say that “Leadership is a Relationship”, but do you know what that means? It means some of the things you do to be a good leader can also serve you well in your personal relationships. Especially when we’re home for the holidays. This is often a stressful time for folks, and there’s no doubt that difficulties we’ve all faced this year can put strain on our interactions with family and friends.
My tip for you is to use the reinforcing feedback tools you learned in episode 5 this holiday season. Today, I will give you a review of reinforcing feedback & examples of it in the workplace. Then we’ll talk about our personal relationships and how we can apply it at home. And finally, I’ll leave you with your next step.
Let’s get started!
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/019
Are you ready to hear about rabbits and raccoons today? Surely you’re curious. As we approach the close of the calendar year, I wanted to do a little recap of my year, including the biggest lesson I learned and how it might help you, too.
Let’s get started!
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/018
It’s important to remember during this holiday season that while work is made up of process, organizations are made up of people. And with people come emotions.
If you’re a team leader you should be aware of some of the struggles your team members might be facing during this time . . . especially since the pandemic has likely increased the occurrences of struggle.
So today, I’m going to walk you through 3 holiday blues your team members might be facing.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/017
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
Gratitude definitely has a role to play in leadership because it can change how you show up.
Today, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we’ll be talking about how incorporating a gratitude practice into your work routine can literally change your brain and improve your team.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/016
Daily meetings. Huddles. Startups. Tiered Meetings. Standups. Whatever you call them . . . today we’ll talk with experts about how to execute and improve daily meetings.
Many organizations use daily huddles as the core routine that brings them all together. But let’s be real - building engaging, effective, daily huddles that serve the greater purpose can be challenging to achieve.
Guests Meredith Fisher and Stephanie Hill share learnings and recommendations based on their real world experience.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/015/
Leadership is to serve and develop people through human interactions and relationships towards the achievement of goals that support purpose. So, if leadership happens through human interactions and relationships, what are those interactions?
Today we’ll dive deeper into The 5 Leadership Interactions that collectively build your relationships with team members. When we create awareness of The Five Leadership Interactions, then we can start to see what types of interactions we’re having, and to purposefully choose how we want to interact with team members.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/014/
What is Lean Leadership? You’ve heard me talk about this A LOT over the last 12 episodes but it’s time for a deeper look.
In today’s episode, I’ll break down what both Lean and Leadership mean to me, which then drives how I develop leaders. You’ll hear key components to consider when moving Lean Leadership beyond a buzzword to definable meaning.
This is my living and growing definition. Things can change, but the goal is to inspire you to create your own code to operate by. Let’s get to work!
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/013/
CEOs, COOs, and Operations Executives - this episode is for you.
In 2020, we learned some hard lessons and uncovered the need to build organizational agility. Lean provides a roadmap for us to get there, building the learning organization that can navigate in unchartered territory and innovate to sustain a competitive edge.
But too often, our Lean efforts stall out.
In this Bonus Episode, you’ll learn my VALUE model to build the strong foundation needed for organizational agility. And you’ll walk away with five questions to examine as an executive team to determine your top priority and next best step.
Get full show notes, images of the frameworks discussed, and more at https://processplusresults.com/podcast/BonusOctober
Join me for a special conversation with Ron Pereira, co-founder of Gemba Academy. We both get pumped up as Ron shares his advice for Ops Managers on building your Lean management foundation. Ron walks through four routines that work together systematically to help you change the way you’re managing your operations so that you and your team can make work easier, better, and faster.
After five guest podcasts on Ron’s Gemba Academy Podcast, the tables are turned. This time, you’ll get to hear Ron’s thoughts. I have learned so much from working with Ron over the years, and I couldn’t be more excited to share his insights and experience with you.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/012/
Before we get into the three pitfalls and mistakes I want to share with you today, it’s important for you to know that I have fallen into every single one of them.
Building off of the mistakes in Episode 10, I wanted to share more Lean implementation hazards that might take you off track on your Lean journey - and what steps operations executives, managers, and leads need to do instead.
I hope you’re ready to get straight into it, let’s go!
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/011/
It’s time for you ops leaders and I to have a heart to heart on what I think is one of the top mistakes that ops managers make when they decide to use Lean thinking and working in their operation and leadership. If you’re just starting your lean journey, you’ll be happy you listened to this episode.
Last week in Episode 9, I shared my thoughts on what I think Lean folks get wrong about ops managers.
This week we’re digging into what ops managers get wrong about Lean. You don’t want to miss this one.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/010/
If you’re an Ops Manager, you might not know what the Lean world has been saying about you… but I’m here with today’s episode to share a different viewpoint.
I will share what I believe is the biggest misconception Lean practitioners hold about Ops Managers, Leaders, and Executives. We’ll talk about why I think this common thought is inaccurate, what’s actually happening instead, and what it means for all of our next steps to create more value.
Are you ready to do some myth busting?
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/009/
Today, I'm answering YOUR questions about Recognition.Is recognition always needed? How do I make saying “thank you” to my team less awkward? These are just some of the questions addressed in today’s Ask Jamie episode. This recognition unit was going to be a three-part series. That all changed once I received questions from listeners like you.
Today, I’ll share with you questions and answers on topics like watering-down the recognition, getting stuck on the 4-part formula, integrating reinforcing feedback into other recognition efforts, and what should be recognized.
Did you miss the earlier episodes on the importance of recognition? Head back to Episode 5.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/008/
What about recognition in the real world? You know, when we’re busy and have numbers to hit and issues to deal with. Join us for our first guest interview with Eric Wood as we explore recognition in Lean manufacturing.
Eric serves as the Safety and Maintenance manager at a manufacturing company, where he leads a total team of 30, including both individual contributors and Team Leads.
Eric will share with us
- How he used to give recognition and What changed when he learned reinforcing feedback
- Steps he’s taking to develop his leaders to more effectively recognize their teams
- His biggest Ah-Ha and advice for other operations leaders
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/007/
Do you feel like you’ve tried every trick in the book to remind yourself to show gratitude to your team? Today I want to share a time when I struggled with building a recognition habit. What happened - What I learned - And how we all can apply that lesson to better lead our teams.
In episode 6 we’re building upon the Beliefs circle of the Transformation Trinity. For at least a decade, I was a manager that brought to life the sentiment: “I do 10 things wrong and never hear a word. I do one thing right and never hear the end of it.”
I’ll share the tricks I tried (and failed) to trigger giving recognition to my team. Although they might be helpful for you, I want you to understand why they didn’t stick. By getting to the root of what my beliefs were about feedback and recognition I was able to change my behaviors.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/006
Every team member wants to be recognized for their contributions. But have you ever stopped to think about how your “Good job, bud!” could actually be negatively affecting the team?
In episode 5 we’re building upon the Behaviors circle of the Transformation Trinity. First, we’ll talk about the three mistakes you might be making right now when it comes to recognition. As always, I’ll share some stories and examples along the way. And most importantly, I’ll share a simple 4-part formula for recognition that will empower and lift up your team members - while also helping you deliver better results. Because developing leaders is my mission.
Don’t rely on pizza parties and gift cards. Reinforcing feedback is a must-have for your Lean Leadership toolbox.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/005
Obsession fuels leadership. You can implement the same energy and excitement you might have for rock climbing or watching Real Housewives into your leadership role on the job.
This week I share with you my love of mystery solving and together we’ll explore how to apply that same curiosity to the Transformation Trinity and your Lean journey. Investing in yourself to become a better leader can be hard and discouraging at times. That’s why it’s so important to figure out what it is about Leadership that you’re obsessed with.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/004
Sometimes we get the great idea to try something new, and then find ourselves lost and discouraged when it doesn’t take hold. I get it, we’ve all been there.
In this episode, we’ll expand on the Transformation Trinity model and learn how beliefs, behaviors, and systems are the key to lasting change for your team.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/003
Have you ever implemented a Lean system or tool but didn’t achieve the adoption, execution, and impact you were expecting? Or maybe things were great at the beginning, but over time execution waned and the system wasn’t used effectively and consistently? Frustrating, right! So how do we make it easier to sustain and improve results?
In Episode 2, we’ll dive into the gaps that make improvement implementation and sustainment difficult.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/002
“I want to lead with Respect for People and engage the team in Continuous Improvement, but at the end of the day we’ve got a job to do.”
Have you ever found yourself thinking something like this? Join me in Episode 1 as I share a missed opportunity with one of my past team members as a powerful example of how that drive for results can manifest and lead you down an ineffective path.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://processplusresults.com/podcast/001
Lean Leadership for Ops Managers is a podcast for leaders in Ops Management who’ve had some targeted success with Lean, but haven’t yet built the everybody-everywhere-everyday improvement culture they crave.
If you wish the team could focus on proactive, systematic problem solving, but instead your team keeps coming to you for all the answers . . .
If you want to use Respect for People and People-Centric Leadership, but feel more pressure to get the work out and hit your numbers . . .
If you’ve read books and attended workshops about Lean, but can’t quite achieve the team member engagement and sustained improvement you want . . .
This is the podcast for you! In each episode, former Fortune 100 Ops Executive and Lean Enthusiast Jamie V. Parker will teach you how to engage your team, develop a Lean culture, and still get your day job done.
You can have Respect for People AND Continuous Improvement AND High Performance. You don’t have to choose. Download your free Transformation Trinity Workbook to walk you through the steps of identifying and removing roadblocks to easier and better Lean operations at www.ProcessPlusResults.com/transformation
Don’t miss an episode! Be sure to subscribe wherever you like to listen to podcasts.