The Andon Cord Myth: Does One Worker Really Stop the Entire Line?
Most people think pulling Toyota's andon cord immediately stops the entire factory. It usually doesn't. Here's what…
Two-Thirds of Business Transitions Fail. Here's What Separates the Rest | Elizabeth Ledoux
Only about a third of businesses make it into the next generation. Only about a third of businesses make it into the…
Lean Is NOT About Speed (Here's What Toyota Actually Says)
"Lean is for speed, Six Sigma is for quality." You've heard it in training classes, certification courses, and all…
Toyota Paid $20 Per Idea—It Didn't Go Well
Toyota once paid employees $20 for every improvement idea. Employees quickly learned how to maximize the…
When Everyone Loves Your Idea, Get Nervous | Larry Kasanoff
Most people want their idea to get an enthusiastic yes. Larry Kasanoff has learned to distrust it. When he pitches a…
What Oliver Stone Meant by "A Touch of the Madness" | Larry Kasanoff
The phrase that became Larry Kasanoff's whole philosophy came from Oliver Stone, at a bar in New York. "Kid, I like…
20 Years of the Lean Blog Podcast: Norman Bodek on Kaizen and Employee Ideas
The Lean Blog Podcast began on July 16, 2006, with a conversation featuring my friend and mentor, Norman Bodek. To…
The Most Expensive Movie Ever, and Nobody Knew If It Would Work | Larry Kasanoff
When Terminator 2 was made, it was the most expensive movie ever produced. The effects that defined it -- the…