A Continuous Improvement gabfest where Tracy O’Rourke and Elisabeth Swan share what’s new in the world of Lean Six Sigma.
Today’s highlight is our interview with Justin Kenny, Chief Performance Officer, and Katie Bockwoldt, Statewide Director of Performance Improvement for the State of Vermont—two leaders quietly reshaping how government delivers results. What starts as a conversation about training programs quickly turns into something more systemic: a shift toward communities of practice, performance logic models, and a more human-centered approach to continuous improvement.
For Hot Apps, we take a closer look at Justin’s homegrown “Praise Board” built inside Microsoft Teams—a deceptively simple tool that raises a bigger question: can recognition be operationalized? What happens when it becomes visible and shared?
And for Q&A, we asked: What does it really take to sustain a Lean Six Sigma deployment—and how much of that comes down to leadership behaviors around recognition and engagement?
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/xEFNfNz70C0
It's Episode 121 and Tracy and Elisabeth sit down with emergency physician–turned–start-up-founder Greg Jacobson and Lean author, podcaster, and KaiNexus Senior Advisor Mark Graban, to unpack whether software can actually strengthen a culture of continuous improvement—or merely reveal the one you already have.
The KaiNexus journey started in healthcare but has grown to embrace its cross-industry impact by drawing on habit-loop science and the power of the nudge. As you might suspect, humans are at the center. This made for a fascinating "Hot-App Interview".
Last up—inspired by the idea of getting assistance when we need it—our Q&A segment addresses the question: "What really gets in the way of asking for help?"
And, in case you’re watching the video, you’ll notice Elisabeth has been reduced to a voice during the interview. That's because she was in the middle of the historic Cape Cod Blizzard of '26. The 2.5 feet of snow and 70 mph winds make this the blizzard edition!
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/cPAnE3pvrSI
Today’s highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Tony Dottino—author, consultant, and one of the rare people who was actually in the room when modern quality thinking was taking shape. Tony worked alongside legends like W. Edwards Deming, Joseph Juran, and Philip Crosby, helped shape what became the Malcolm Baldrige Award, and influenced early Six Sigma thinking—and he’s still at it. We’ll discuss what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what’s got him on television now!
For Hot Apps, we’ll explore a mind-mapping tool that helps teams see problems in new ways. And for Q&A, we’ll unpack a deceptively simple question: What is a “shield,” and how can it help change agents actually change things?
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/x5nzI1EBnlY
It’s a brand new year and Tracy & Elisabeth's highlight is their conversation with Bernadette Hill and Priya Venkatesan from UC Davis—two leaders who’ve helped shape a culture of improvement using approaches that may surprise you. Their work reminds us that progress isn’t always driven by new tools or frameworks, but by how people show up for one another.
And instead of the cafe's usual Book Buzz, Hot App, or Q&A, Tracy and Elisabeth are closing out the year with something different—a moment of reflection. After all, reflection is the step we’re most tempted to skip—and the one that gives us the biggest chance to learn.
Time to get down to business!
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/QOcJPiEParI
Today's highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Melisa Buie, co-author of the just-published Faceplant. We get the skinny on how someone with a PhD in Plasma Physics got drawn into the emotional landscape of failure, and all the great things that came out of it. For Book Buzz we’ll do a nosedive into Faceplant—hmm, might need to rethink that phrasing—but Tracy & Elisabeth give a more behind-the-scenes take on Melisa’s new book. And then for Q&A, we asked, What’s the latest example of process improvement in the wild? What have we seen?
Every problem solver faceplants eventually—it’s what you do next that counts. And regardless of next steps—be sure to include coffee.
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/73dtX_um8oo
Today’s highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Kristle Bulleman, Process Manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She lets us in on what it takes to make the impossible happen — like granting a wish to meet a mermaid (and honestly, who wouldn’t sign up for that?).
For Hot Apps, Tracy brings firsthand experience on how to zhuzh up an event — especially when you want to add a little fanfare to picking winners.
And for Q&A, we tackle a classic leadership challenge: how do you reward improvement teams in ways that truly motivate? What works — and what falls flat?
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/epm0Yo9pf9Q
It's October at the Cafe, and Elisabeth and Tracy got to sit down with Meg Bowles—co-author of the New York Times bestseller How to Tell a Story—to explore why stories power so much of our work and lives. In Book Buzz, they spill what got underlined and dog-eared (stakes, structure, callbacks, and more) in today's book. And for Q&A, they tackle the evergreen trap: jumping to solutions before we’ve even named the problem.
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/Wgxuzsyf6B4
It's episode 115 and the highlight is our interview with Michael Bremer—the author who turned the humble Gemba Walk into an art form (and picked up a Shingo Award along the way). For our Book Buzz, we crack open Michael Bungay Stanier’s The Coaching Habit—because it’s always the right time to celebrate saying less and asking more. And in our Q&A, we dig into the potholes people stumble into when conducting Process Walks—aka Gemba Walks.
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/zGvUULtZh-8
On today’s episode, Tracy & Elisabeth sit down with UK author and empathy firestarter Shola Kaye to unpack, among other things, something called “Empathy Hijacking”—yes, it’s a thing, and yes, it’s probably happened to you. For Book Buzz, we crack open Miracle Mornings and snoop through Tracy’s daily habits—was she ever a night owl? Then for Q&A, we go head-to-head on how we each structure our personal growth (and whether structure is even the right word).
Curious? Good. Let’s get into it!"
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/g0KYLs6VXXA
In today’s episode, Tracy & Elisabeth sit down with process improvement pro Michelle Formanczyk to talk about her exciting new role for this year’s Michigan Lean Conference—and why you won’t want to miss it.
In our Hot Apps segment, we test drive Scribe, an app that magically turns your clicks into slick, step-by-step guides.
And for Q&A, we ask: Is AI a continuous improvement hero—or just another shiny tool in the toolbox?
Lean, learning, and a little splash of sass—let’s dive in!
08:24 - Q&A
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/8R-DxNeGcno
Today’s spotlight shines on none other than Gwendolyn Galsworth—author, trailblazer, and the reigning doyenne of the visual workplace. In our feature interview, Gwendolyn shares powerful insights into how visual thinking transforms not just operations, but entire cultures. Get ready for sharp wisdom, strong convictions, and a dash of storytelling flair.
📚 Then, in a special Book Buzz/Q&A mashup, we turn the spotlight back on her writing—diving into a handful of her standout articles and books to explore one key question: What have we learned from Gwendolyn Galsworth?
Spoiler alert: A lot.
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/BFfALBcMrxM
It's Episode 111 highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with best-selling author John Guaspari–about his latest book, If Engagement the Why, then Respect Is the How. We quizzed John on how an aerospace engineer ended up writing what could be a how-to guide for the Lean tenet: “Respect for People.” For Hot Apps, we’ll explore an offering from your local library that’s free and worth thousands, and for today’s Q&A, we ask, “Do traditional hierarchies make it harder to foster true respect between leaders and employees?”
Let’s explore why respect isn’t just nice to have—it’s how the world actually works—when it works.
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It's Episode 110, and the highlight is our interview with April Thomas, who has drawn on her clinical healthcare background to incorporate the stages of grief into change management. We’ll delve into how they intersect with and help drive Operational Excellence. For our Book Buzz, we’re revisiting the classic book Switch by Chip and Dan Heath. The cover has the iconic light switch–and we’ve learned the hard way that change does not happen at the flip of a switch. For Q&A, we asked, what are the most common change management obstacles you see continuous improvement professionals running into? Change, grief, and progress!
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It's Episode 109, and the highlight is Elisabeth & Tracy's interview with Dan Zigmond, ordained Buddhist Priest, tech professional, and author of The Buddha’s Office. He’s seen his share of offices, so he’s in the best position to describe how mindfulness alleviates workplace suffering. For Book Buzz, we’ll cover a guide that lays out the steps to designing fully transformative workshops. It shakes up the notion that experiential workshops are the pinnacle. And then for Q&A, we asked, when does describing a feeling mask blame, judgment, or criticism?
We’re taking a deep dive into the emotional underpinnings of modern work life. Although we may not discuss emotions in the workplace, we ignore them at our peril. Let’s get mindful!
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It's Episode 108, and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Kate Parmelee. She's the Deputy City Manager for Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, and she's transforming the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida into a model for problem solving. Cities around the country are taking notes from her and her crackerjack team. For Hot Apps, we delve into a grade-school skillset paired with an automated teacher—get ready for A+ work. And for Q&A, we asked, do you have a habit of reflection, and if you do, how do you make use of it?
Ready or not, here we come!
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It's Episode 107 and it's the first menu of the year! Today’s highlight is an interview with Tracy and Elisabeth! Turns out they're the fascinating authors of the soon-to-be published second edition of the Problem-Solver’s Toolkit. Can’t wait to hear what they've got to say about that. For Book Buzz - You'll hear about the book, The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin and why it’s good for coaches and problem solvers. And for Q&A, the question is, what unconscious rules do we make that hold us back?
It’s a new year! Let’s get into the things that will make it a great year!
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Last one of the year! And Today’s highlight is our interview with Tracy Defoe the Kata Coach and Adult learning specialist about how changing a label could make the difference between resistance and acceptance of change. For our Book Buzz segment We’ll dig into a book that breaks down what your brain is up against when you try to create. And creativity is something every one of us is engaged in every day. And then for Q&A, we asked, how do you influence leadership to let go and invite others to build their skills?
It’s December–so whether your eggnog is spiked or not—and let’s get into this!
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It's Episode 105 and the highlight Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Meg Brown, Vice President of Human Resources at Cambridge Air Solution, where they’ve built an amazingly successful Lean culture by combining sheet metal with unconditional love–you know you need to know more about that. For Hot Apps we’ve got a mobile diary that helps you form a practice of reflection and adjustment. And then for Q&A, we asked, what is it that makes us constantly try to fit 10 pounds of…STUFF… in a 5 pound bag?
Come hang at the cafe while we discuss!
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It's Episode 104 and the highlight is our interview with Paul Critchley, the President of New England Lean Consulting where we find out what’s in store at the first ever New England Lean Summit this September–there’s rumors of a DJ... For Hot Apps, we sampled a platform that could inject a stealth bit of productivity into your family’s day-to-day activities. And for Q&A, we asked, “Is there an optimal intersection of fun and productivity?” Is there ever enough fun? Can you have too much? We’ll settle that question AND have fun doing it. 😊
Sit back and enjoy!
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It's Episode 103 and the highlight is our interview with Ahren Crickard, the Director of the Center for Operational Excellence at UC San Diego and she’ll be sharing all things Process Palooza–the yearly problem-solving festival with the highest octane MC available–a certain Tracy O’Rourke. For Hot Apps, we’ll give you our take on a conference app how good it is at networking. And then for Q&A, we pose the question, "How do you feel about getting lost. Is it a failure or an opportunity?"
Sit back and enjoy!
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It's Episode 102 and the highlight is our interview with Maribel Topf the Division Manager of Continuous Improvement at Snap-on Tools author of the new book Process Alchemy–she put all her insights into print and we’re going to get a few gems from her. For Hot Apps, we’ll cover an app that might help you find space for yourself in your day. And then we’ll dig into the question of timing–what happens when we wait for just the right moment?
0:00 - Intro
1:07 - What's on the menu?
1:49 - Hot Apps
8:39 - Q&A
12:58 -Featured Guest
40:54 - Upcoming Events
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It's Episode 101 and the highlight is Tracy an Elisabeth's interview with Tracy Minutolo—Head of Operational Excellence at the technology health company Hologic. We’ll find out how Tracey morphed from a microbiologist into a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. For Hot Apps, we’ll give you our take on a serious rival for ChatGPT—or a perfect companion for Google—or both. And then we’ll dig into a question that came up recently about our negativity bias—is it a force for good or evil?
In the meantime, fill that mug and get comfy!
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Today’s highlight is whisky cocktails! Or the reason behind our whiskey cocktails. In a crossover celebration of 100 Cafe episodes, Tracy and Elisabeth invited their good friends Mark Graban and Jamie Flinchbaugh of the Lean Whiskey podcast to mark this cafe milestone. They're primed to talk all things podcasting. And for a special Hot Apps segment, these four will let you in on their current favorites, so stay tuned for some solid work tips …but with a twist, or possibly a garnish!
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It's Episode 99 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Allison Kestenbaum, the Supervisor of Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education at UC San Diego Health. She just got her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification so we dig into the intersection of continuous improvement and Spiritual care–that’s a new one for everyone out there. For Hot Apps, we’ll cover an app that gives you credit—and we all need credit and recognition. Then we’ll cover a book that recently got some credit and the author just happens to be one of the hosts of this podcast—so stay tuned for gold-medal reveal!
In the meantime, make yourself some Just-in-time coffee and let’s roll!
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It's Episode 98 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Lifesharing’s Executive Team—Jeff Trageser and Mike Vazquez. Lifesharing is a nonprofit arm of UC San Diego Health dedicated to organ procurement and—lucky for everyone—they're steeped in continuous improvement. For Hot Apps, we’ll cover a networking app you’re probably aware of, you might even be using, but are you making the most of it? And for Q&A, we’ll discuss the topic of work relationships. Are you a “just-the-facts ma'am” Joe Friday type? If asking people about themselves feels like “fluff” —are you hamstringing your own progress? Tracy and Elisabeth get to the bottom of that and more!
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Link to the video version of this podcast: https://www.jitcafe.com/post/lean-life-sharing-making-organ-donation-work-with-jeff-trageser-and-mike-vazquez
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It's Episode 97 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Cheryl Jekiel, the Founder of Lean Leadership Center, get the scoop on her latest book, Let Go To Lead. Cheryl has a deep background in helping managers go from overpowering to empowering. For Hot Apps, we’re going to delve into an app that’s been referred to as your "adjunct brain.” It’s a way to hold onto all that stuff you learn and access it when you need it it. For Q&A, we’ll discuss how to take advantage of an age-old truism–”Necessity is the mother of invention”—If that’s true, how do we conjure "necessity" when we want to jumpstart innovation?
Let's kick this year off!
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It's Episode 96 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Dannette Nelson, the Owner of Stone Soup Diversity. Dannette brings her startup experience and a little Lean Six Sigma sauce to the diversity conversation which has given her tactical insights on ensuring growth. For Hot Apps, we’ll end the year with a little Artificial Intelligence duel between two rivals that offer online meeting summaries. And for Q&A, we’ll tackle the untapped. People all around us know stuff—stuff we probably want to know. Stuff we need to know. But we often miss what’s in front of us. How do we counteract that?
2023 signing off—See you next year at the cafe!
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It's episode 95 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Rich Sheridan, the CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations. Rich’s ingeniously Lean-incognito workplace sparks joy in all who enter. Menlo recovered from Covid with their best year to date, and Rich explains why. For Hot Apps, the AI exploration continues. This time it's some free help with project presentations. And for Q&A it's the Praise Paradox. We all want to be acknowledged, but we don’t often see ourselves as the source of praise for others. Why is that, and what can we do about it? * 0:00 - Intro * 01:23 - What's on the Menu? * 02:32 - Hot Apps + SlidesAI.io (Chrome Extension) * 10:09 - Q&A + "How do you handle the Praise Paradox?" * 19:58 - Featured Guest + Rich Sheridan * 46:46 - Upcoming Events + New Workshop 10/24: "Value Stream Mapping Unleashed" + October Webinar 10/19: "Causal Reasoning: Lean Special Sauce for Root Cause Analysis" + New Bestselling Book, "Picture Yourself A Leader" + New Lean Parody Video, "Baby Got Tools!"
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It's Episode 94 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Krista Schulte, the Assistant Director of Operational Excellence for the University of Michigan. Krista gave us a glimpse into how Lean gains traction in higher education. For Hot Apps, we’ll delve into Artificial Intelligence again–and the results are real–and really useful. We’ll tell you how to use it for problem-solving change management. And for Q&A, we touch on the temptation to do things ourselves even when we sacrifice collaboration. * 0:00 - Intro * 01:33 - What's on the Menu? * 02:21 - Hot Apps + Writesonic * 12:33 - Q&A + "What is the cost of working in isolation?" * 17:59 - Featured Guest + Krista Schulte * 41:50 - Upcoming Events + September Webinar: "Value Stream Mapping: Charting the Course & Unveiling the Power" + New Bestselling Book, "Picture Yourself A Leader" + New Lean Parody Video, "Baby Got Tools!"
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It's episode 93 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with the internet doyenne, Deondra Wardelle. We explore the intersection she’s created between Vision, Strategy, and Continuous Improvement—and maybe tiaras For Hot Apps, Deondra is sitting in as our guest reviewer to showcase an app that helps you with the elusive goal of staying on top of everything and get stuff done with other people. And for Q&A, we touch on an issue that came up during our recent livestream session–how do leaders form bonds with workers when workloads seem to get in the way? It's an iced coffee day at the Cafe!
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It's Episode 92 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with powerhouse author Mark Graban. They dig into his latest book that just hit the bookshelves—The Mistakes that Make Us. They delve into how he turned an innovative podcast into a bestselling workplace culture guide. For Hot Apps we highlight a way to use your phone and friends to build your habits of excellence. And for Q&A we address the challenge of showcasing the return on investment, ROI, of continuous improvement. Each improvement effort is an asset, and yet when budgets get tight, dispensing with Lean Six Sigma can be seen as a cost-saving maneuver. We’ll discuss why that happens, and what you can do about it.
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It's Episode 91 and the highlight is Tracy’s interview with Rachel and Christian Ahlmann. They own a winery that answers the question, what if you combined Six Sigma with fermentation? The most efficient venue for growing, bottling, and tasting in Northern California! For Hot Apps we’re highlighting the e-gathering spot for the gig economy—named after the idea that $5 is an excellent place to start. And for Q&A we address the issue of myths and misinformation—do you know the source of the facts you’re citing?
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It's Episode 90 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with a kindred Lean spirit and author, Katie Labedz! She’s written a couple of very accessible books and they uncover her secrets to helping ordinary people apply Lean to places you wouldn't expect. And for Q&A we tackle the paradoxical reality of leaders who don’t see themselves…as leaders. Why does that happen and how do you address it? * 0:00 - Intro * 01:26 - What's on the Menu? * 02:04 - Q&A + Do you see yourself as a leader? * 09:22 - Featured Guest + Katie Labedz * 34:50 - Upcoming Events + May 25 Webinar: How to Use Knowledge Management for Organizational Good with Cindy Young + Lean Leadership Workshop at UC San Diego in August + New Bestselling Book, "Picture Yourself A Leader" + New Lean Parody Video, "Baby Got Tools!"
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It's Episode 89 and the highlight is Elisabeth and Tracy! They were so excited that they completely hijacked the podcast, so this month’s episode is dedicated to the cafe founders. Elisabeth discovers what led to Tracy's internet-busting lean parody music video, and Tracy grills Elisabeth about her brand new Lean leadership book! Listen in for the behind-the-scenes stories and get the scoop on upcoming events for these two.
It’s all happening at the cafe!
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts at JITCafe.com. Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/df23qLXJ4ko Find us on:- Apple Podcasts- Stitcher- Podbean- Spotify- RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/JITCafe/feed.xml
It's Episode 88 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Miguel Rodriguez. Miguel is the Educational Technology Analyst in charge of Communication for this year’s Process Palooza—UC San Diego’s signature live, Lean Six Sigma Competition. He’s also been a contestant so we’ll hear his take on this crazy improvement festival. For Hot Apps we’re highlighting red-hot Artificial Intelligence—Depending on who you talk to it’s either a godsend of information, or the reason college students will never learn to write. And for Q&A we address the issue of expectations with improvement. Is it okay to improve things a little bit, or do you need to push for big dollar savings? What’s the right approach? It's another great day at the cafe!* 0:00 - Intro * 01:25 - What's on the Menu? * 02:23 - Hot Apps + ChatGPT * 07:04 - Q&A + Is it okay for improvements to be small? Should there be a minimum threshold for dollar savings? * 13:21 - Featured Guest + Miguel Rodriguez * 41:08 - Upcoming Events + March 16 Webinar: Five Ways to Build a Healthy Workplace with Kim Crowder + March 30 Webinar: Salsa and Standard Work: : Why You Need Recipes, and How to Write Them with Hugh Alley
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts at JITCafe.com. Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/P90h-74ZEPM Find us on:- Apple Podcasts- Stitcher- Podbean- Spotify- RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/JITCafe/feed.xml
It's episode 87, and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Dr. Eric Cunningham, the dynamic Superintendent for Halifax County, North Carolina. He’s got some inspiring insights on how to build problem solvers in education. He knows what it means to meet people where they are. For Hot Apps we’re highlighting one that’s right under your nose—and you might not be using it to your advantage. And for Q&A we address the issue of culture—It’s a contact sport, so why are people afraid to engage? It's another great day at the cafe!
It's another great day at the cafe!
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It's Episode 86 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with power consultant Karen Martin. A prolific author and longtime Lean Six Sigma juggernaut—Karen opens up about principles and educational science that form the backbone of her TKMG Academy. For Hot Apps we suss out a diagnostic toolset that uses data to helps you build stronger teams. And for Q&A we address the issue of one-and-done problem solvers. Once they’ve been through a workshop–and maybe received a coveted certificate–how do you leverage Lean-Six-Sigma trained employees into consistent contributors?
Happy New Year to the Just-in-Time Cafe Community!
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It's Episode 85 and the highlight is our interview with the effervescent Billy Ray Taylor where we discuss his new book The Winning Link. Billy is charismatic, plain-spoken, his retirement got short-circuited by his amazing ability to help build high-performing cultures. For Hot Apps we’re highlighting a Daily Standup Meeting bot that synchronizes remote teams. And for Q&A we tapped into a leadership discussion about overcoming the biggest barriers to Lean Transformation.
Don't miss this last episode of the year!
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It's Episode 84 and the highlight is Tracy & Elisabeth's interview with Lean practitioner Arnout Orelio who's latest book, Lean Thinking for Emerging Healthcare Leaders, is coming out this fall. Great insights on what makes improvements "stick" in healthcare. For Hot Apps we spotlight a super-basic digital whiteboard that adds simple sparks to collaboration. And for Q&A we asked our community about giving credit—it’s often what people care most about –so why doesn’t it happen enough?
Tune in and Tracy and Elisabeth will give you the credit you deserve!
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It's Episode 83 and the highlight is Tracy's interview with AME President Kimberlee Humphrey. We’ll get an inside look at the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, what's in store for the Dallas conference, and how Kimberlee is changing the status quo. For Hot Apps we’ll review a remote technique for supporting teams in their quest for reflection and growth. And for Q&A we asked our community how they resist giving advice when it might rob others of the chance to learn and grow.
It’s post labor day at the cafe, are you still wearing white?!
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It's Episode 82 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with the host of the Lean Leadership for Ops Managers Podcast, Jamie Parker. She calls herself a "Recovering Command & Control" manager and we'll find out how she uses that experience to help other leaders. Next up we’ve invited a power user to tell us about an app that helps you gather onsite data in an instant. And for Q&A we asked our community if they ever realized the best thing to do was to get out of the way.
It's a good day to be at the cafe!
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It's episode 81 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Visionary Leader Deondra Wardelle. They uncover how this Toyota Kata practitioner has put her considerable problem-solving skills to work supporting the #RootCauseRacism movement. Next up we’ll review an app that lets you collect, share, evaluate, experiment, incubate, & develop the best ideas in your organization. And for Q&A we asked our community if they ever got their customers “wrong.” Apparently that happens a lot more than you might think.
There's a lot going on at the cafe!
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It's episode 80 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Business Consultant Thomas Bertals. As the host of the "Work Matters" Podcast, he's developed a way to address the "Big Quit" with a novel problem-solving approach. For "Hot Apps" we review a bare-bones, no frills "post-it" app that lets you brainstorm across oceans. And for Q&A we asked our community how they helped people navigate the “messy middle” of process improvement.
More crowd-sourced wisdom for the cafe community.
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It's Episode 79 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Executive Leadership Coach Rebecca Snelling. As a board member of the Lean Construction Institute, she's seen what makes the Lean path work in the building industry. Next up it’s an app that provides an antidote to corporate silos. And on the same crucial topic, we asked our problem-solving community, “What have you seen that helps break down organizational silos?”
Come tap into the inspiring reflections, and crowd-sourced countermeasures at the cafe!
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It's Episode 78 and today’s highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with author Brion Hurley—host of the Lean Six Sigma for Good podcast. Brion is a Master Black Belt by day, but in his spare time he has dedicated himself to a book series documenting stories of Lean Six Sigma success in the nonprofit world—and that's good news for everybody! Next up we review an app that helps you dot your “i”s and cross your “t”s. And for Q&A, we asked our problem-solving community, “How do you make sure you make improvements “with” people instead of “to” them?” And our community responded!
Enjoy another great day at the cafe.
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It's Episode 77 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Pilar Zimmerman, Operational Excellence Senior Manager at Illumina. Pilar helps drive strategy deployment and Continuous Improvement at Illumina’s San Diego site. Next up it’s an app that enhances any media with intuitive visuals that champion diversity. And for Q&A, we asked our problem-solving community if there were any downsides to using survey data to measure process improvement. The community weighed in on data, bias and going to the Gemba.
It's an enlightening day at the cafe!
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It's Episode 76 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Gemma Jones, one of the founders of the Kata Girl Geeks. Gemma has developed a way to mobilize continuous improvement practitioners to help underserved and at-risk members of society, and she shares it for the first time ever at the cafe. Next up it’s an app that helps you do more...by doing nothing. And for Q&A, we asked our problem-solving community how they escape the impulse to compare themselves to others. They all told us they were better than us—kidding! They gave us some great techniques to avoid the trap of “compare & despair” …and how to stay focused on their own crucial work.
Life-changing tips a the cafe!
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It's Episode 75, and Tracy and Elisabeth got to talk money with Nick Katko and Mike DeLuca, co-authors of the new book, “Practicing Lean Accounting”. Mike and Nick are a seasoned duo, and they offered insights into the biggest source of waste in accounting processes—no, it’s not money. Next up it’s an app that sets you up to be a rockstar team builder. And for Q&A, our problem-solving community weighed in on how to deal with the classic “solution masquerading as a problem” known as “lack of training.”
Don't miss this New Year's treat!
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It's Episode 74 and Tracy and Elisabeth got to interview Dr. Sabiha Mumtaz from the University of Wollongong in Dubai. She’s got an innovative strategy for lifting women into leadership positions in the United Arab Emirates. Next up it’s a cool tool that lets you load videos, animation and an unlimited supply of presentation goodies into your PowerPoints. And for Q&A, they asked our problem-solving community if anyone had attempted to bring Lean into their homes—and what happened if they did.
It's a great day at the cafe!
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It's episode 73 and today’s highlight is our interview with Karyn Ross, author of her latest book, The Kind Leader. During the writing of her book, Karyn asked people to define “kindness”—she did not expect what she heard, so Tracy and Elisabeth get to the bottom of that. Next up it’s an app that provides you with professional presentation graphics to edit, refine and build on. And for Q&A, we asked our problem-solving community how they deal with the new work-from-home culture—and the rise of people being "on" 24-7.
The joint is jumpin' so get in on the conversation at the cafe!
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It's Episode 72, and today’s highlight is our interview with Jamie Flinchbaugh, author of the new book, People Solve Problems. He’s got a different take on the crux of problem solving, it’s not PDCA, it’s not tools, and it's not methods. Jamie’s an engaging raconteur so Tracy and Elisabeth enjoyed a spirited discussion about his book, Lean Whisky, and the nature of success. Next up it’s an app that can turn the average presenter into a super trainer with the ability to detect what's of value to participants. And for Q&A, we reached out to our community for advice on dealing with tough issues—how to address problems without stepping on people.
There is a colorful fall turning all things orange at the Cafe!
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It's Episode 71 and Tracy & Elisabeth get some time with Hugh Alley, author of “Becoming the Supervisor: Achieving Your Company’s Mission and Building Your Team.” They get insights on how organizations can better tap people's innate love of doing worthwhile work. For "Hot Apps" it’s an app that turns even hopeless scribblers into artists. And for Q&A, we asked our community how they avoid crushing the spirits of others when what they want to say is, "are you kidding me?!"
Don't miss the last episode of the summer!
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It's Episode 70 and today’s highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Debbie Barnard, a 20-year process improvement veteran in the healthcare industry on assignment in Dubai—she’s got a surprise project you'll find out about. We’ll let you in on an App that turns you into a presentation superstar. And for Q&A, we asked our community how they got their best ideas. We found new techniques and some wild answers. It's another great day at the cafe!
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It's episode 69 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Katie Anderson, author of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn chronicling her conversations with former Toyota leader, Isao Yoshino. We're celebrating the book’s one-year anniversary and a lot has happened since then. We’ll let you in on a fun App that united a remote work team better than when they worked in person. And for Q&A, we asked our community how they retained what they wanted to know. Journals, phones, drama, and digital pens are just a few of the techniques we heard about. It’s a great day at the cafe!
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Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts at JITCafe.com. Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/DCRettwu7Vk
It's episode 69 and the highlight is Tracy and Elisabeth's interview with Katie Anderson, author of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn chronicling her conversations with former Toyota leader, Isao Yoshino. We're celebrating the book’s one-year anniversary and a lot has happened since then. We’ll let you in on a fun App that united a remote work team better than when they worked in person. And for Q&A, we asked our community how they retained what they wanted to know. Journals, phones, drama, and digital pens are just a few of the techniques we heard about. It’s a great day at the cafe!
Timeline
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts at JITCafe.com. Link to the video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/yfd6dWJV5c4
It's Episode 67 and Tracy and Elisabeth get the scoop from Brian Hand and Lilly Angelocci of UC San Diego Health. We'll get details of what drove the success of the vaccine super stations and how they've been improving healthcare with Lean. We'll let you in on an App that allows you to do real-time polling and cutting edge audience engagement techniques, and for Q&A, We'll address the fact that reading a book doesn’t guarantee you’ll remember anything from it...and what you can do about that! We're double-vaxed and ready for anything at the cafe!
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Timeline • 2:18 Hot Apps: "Mentimeter" uses word clouds and innovative interactions to drive engagement • 6:17 Q&A: What's the best way to remember the books we read? • 12:36 Featured Guests: Interview with Lilly Angelocci and Brian Hand of UC San Diego Health • 49:42 Upcoming Events: ◦ Webinar: How To Solve Complex Problems in a Virtual Lean Environment ◦ Next Podcast Episode: Debbie Barnard of the Joint Commission International ◦ UC San Diego Course: Lean Six Sigma Leadership ◦ Workshop: In the Moment: Using Improv as a People Skill
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts at JITCafe.com. Link to the video version of this podcast: Inventing a Lean Vaccine Super Station, Featuring Lilly Angelocci and Brian Hand
It's Episode 66 and Tracy & Elisabeth find out how the San Diego Humane Society won the "Top Workplace" Award. Organizational leaders Audrey Lang and Tina Nguyen describe how their care-centered culture improves their ability to rehabilitate animals while simultaneously driving improvement efforts with employee "bliss." We’ll let you in on an app we’re using to jazz up learner engagement and for Q&A we’ll dig into a paradox: The opposite of talking isn’t listening, it’s waiting to talk. Come enjoy spring at the cafe!
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Timeline • 2:00 Hot Apps: "Kahoot!" amps learner engagement with competition • 6:45 Q&A: “Is the opposite of listening waiting to talk?” • 16:57 Featured Guest Interview: Audrey Lang & Tina Nguyen of The San Diego Humane Society • 49:42 Upcoming Events: ◦ Webinar: How the Shingo Model Can Revolutionize Your Culture ◦ UC San Diego Course: Lean Six Sigma Leadership ◦ Next Podcast Episode: Brian Hand and Lilly Angelocci of UC San Diego Health
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts and stay tuned for more events by subscribing to JITCafe.com The Video Podcast: Care for People & Animals Drives Award-Winning Improvement, featuring Audrey Lang and Tina Nguyen is posted on JITCafe.com.
It's Episode 65 and 16 years later, The Iconic Toyota Way gets a remodel. In this month’s interview, author Jeff Liker discusses his coffee talks with former student Mike Rother that led to a second edition. Tune in for Jeff’s take on artificial intelligence, Toyota Kata and grit. For our In The News segment, we’ll highlight how Lean Six Sigma supported UC San Diego Health’s collaboration with the San Diego Padres to hit the goal of getting the entire city vaccinated. For Q&A we’ll answer a question about the impact of COVID-19 on productivity: Has it gone up or down? And then we’ll tell you all about upcoming webinars and courses. It’s warm at the cafe—so stick around!
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Timeline • 2:20 In The News: UC San Diego Health and the San Diego Padres create a vaccine superstation • 4:40 Q&A ◦ “Has productivity decreased during the pandemic?” • 10:40 Featured Guest ◦ Interview with Jeff Liker, Author of The Toyota Way, second edition • 49:42 Upcoming Events ◦ Webinar: How Lean Six Sigma Problem Solvers can Hone their People Skills ◦ UC San Diego Course: Lean Six Sigma Leadership
Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts. The Video Podcast: Just-In-Time Cafe, Episode 65 –The Toyota Way Brings Kata Into the Mix, Featuring Jeff Liker is posted on JITCafe.com.
It's Episode 64 of the Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast! Is creativity seen as "fluffy?" Is Six Sigma seen as "old hat?" Are you struggling to reconcile creativity with Lean problem solving? Check out this month's interview with Bella Englebach, who’s new book, Creatively Lean, guides problem solvers to be better innovators. For our “Hot Apps” segment we’ll cover one of the virtual white boards that people are buzzing about since they can’t gather around a flip chart. And for Q&A, we’ll answer a question about alternatives to a controversial word, “countermeasure.” Okay, we started that controversy, but it's true--people want alternatives! There's a line out the door, but if you put something in a mug you can join us from your couch!
Timeline • 1:55 Hot Apps: Virtual White Board—MURAL • 5:58 Q&A ◦ “How do you feel about the word, 'countermeasure'?” • 10:40 Featured Guest ◦ Interview with Bella Englebach, Author of Creatively Lean • 41:41 Upcoming Events ◦ Webinar: How to Apply Visionary Planning to Personal Goal Setting ◦ Webinar: How Lean Six Sigma Problem Solvers Can Hone their People Skills ◦ Next Podcast Episode: Interview with Jeff Liker, Author of the new second edition of The Toyota Way Thanks for Listening! Listen to more podcasts. Find us on: - Apple Podcasts - Spotify - Stitcher - RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/JITCafe/feed.xml
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It's Episode 63 of the Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast! Come join Tracy O'Rourke and Elisabeth Swan for a relaunch of their beloved Continuous Improvement gabfest. The highlight is their interview with Brett Cooper and Evans Kerrigan, Co-Founders of Integris Performance Advisors where they discuss their new book, “The People Problem”. They've come up with some tactical steps we can take to improve our EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and solve one of the biggest problems in organizations today.
For the "In The News" segment, Tracy describes what’s happening at Kitchens for Good. A San Diego nonprofit that is both feeding and employing those in need. They are attracting a lot of local Lean talent who are applying process improvement so this nonprofit can make the most of its resources. And for Q&A, they'll answer a question about the success of the recent trend toward remote Lean events. Come join them for a jolt of Lean caffeine. It's a great day back at the cafe!