Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership Podcast

My guest for Episode #529 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Scott Gauvin, CEO of Macresco and co-creator of the Respect for People Roadmap.

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With 30 years of experience leading operational transformations across sectors including biotech, pharma, agriculture, and manufacturing, Scott brings both a systems mindset and a people-first philosophy to his work. His journey into Lean began with frustration over leadership that blamed people rather than fixing systems—sparking a personal quest to better integrate continuous improvement with what he calls the “practice” of respect for people.

In this episode, Scott shares the evolution of his thinking and how it culminated in the Respect for People Roadmap, a structured learning experience designed to operationalize cultural change through nine actionable behaviors. We explore the difference between “respecting people” as an individual action and “respect for people” as a system-level design principle. Scott also challenges the common notion that respect must be earned, arguing instead that every human being is inherently worthy of it—an idea rooted in his research on Confucian influences within Toyota’s founding culture.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone struggling to move beyond Lean tools and truly build a culture of continuous improvement grounded in human dignity. We also touch on how these ideas align with the Shingo Model, why so many transformations fail to stick, and how organizations can design systems that scale respect—without waiting for permission from the top. Check the links below to learn more and access Scott’s free “test drive” version of the Roadmap.

• What’s your origin story with Lean and operational excellence?
• What drew you to explore the “respect for people” pillar more deeply?
• How do you distinguish between “respect for people” and “respecting people”?
• Why do so many interpretations of “respect” default to hierarchy or politeness?
• How should leaders approach differences in how individuals define respect?
• Is it a mistake to assume respect must be earned rather than given?
• What are your thoughts on the phrase “better to be respected than liked”?
• How do challenge, kaizen, and respect interrelate in Toyota thinking?
• What did your research uncover about Confucianism’s influence on Lean?
• How does the concept of “respect for people” show up in system design?
• What inspired the creation of the Respect for People Roadmap?
• What are the three key behavioral principles embedded in the Roadmap?
• What makes this program scalable and sustainable across organizations?
• Why was it important that the nine behaviors require no leader permission?
• How do you respond to the idea that “respect for people” should be translated as “respect for humanity”?
• Are you looking to pilot the Roadmap in healthcare settings?
• What would transformation look like if it were truly resilient—not dependent on a single leader

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

My guest for Episode #528 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Mark Reich, a Senior Lean Coach with the Lean Enterprise Institute and former Toyota leader with over two decades of experience.

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Mark spent six years working in Japan, including helping launch the Lexus brand and later leading Hoshin Kanri strategy processes during Toyota's rapid growth in North America. He also played a pivotal role at the Toyota Supplier Support Center (TSSC), helping bring the Toyota Production System to manufacturing, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. In our conversation, we dive into his career journey, his approach to Lean leadership, and the practical lessons behind his new book, Managing on Purpose: Using Hoshin Kanri to Develop Strategy, Align Teams, Grow Leaders, and Innovate Your Enterprise.

You can get a 25% discount on the book via LEI using the code LBIPODCAST25.

Mark shares compelling stories from his early days at Toyota, including working on the front lines of assembly, learning by doing, and his first experience pulling the andon cord. These moments shaped his appreciation for Toyota's deep respect for frontline work and its commitment to developing people. He reflects on how Toyota embeds learning and support into problem solving, where pulling the cord is seen as a learning opportunity, not a failure. That mindset became foundational for his later work, especially when managing enterprise-wide strategy through Hoshin Kanri.

We also explore what Hoshin Kanri really is--and what it isn't. Mark challenges the overemphasis on tools like the X-matrix and instead advocates for focusing on purpose, alignment, and leadership behavior. He explains how strategy deployment at Toyota was never a one-way cascade, but a dialogue grounded in humility, curiosity, and shared responsibility. Whether you're new to Hoshin or struggling to sustain it, Mark offers insights that can help any leader make strategy a living, breathing part of organizational culture.

• How did you end up working for Toyota, and what led you to Japan?
• What was your educational background, and did you already speak Japanese before moving there?
• What was your initial role at Toyota, and how did it relate to their global expansion?
• Did you meet or work with John Shook during your time in Japan?
• How did Toyota develop you into an industrial engineer despite your background in English writing?
• What was it like working in a Toyota plant, and what did you learn from that experience?
• Did you experience any early mistakes or learning moments while working the line?
• How did your role evolve after leaving Japan, and how did you get involved with Hoshin Kanri in North America?
• What challenges was Toyota North America facing that made Hoshin Kanri so essential?
• How did you facilitate alignment and catchball between Toyota's plants and leadership teams?
• How do you define Hoshin, strategy, and Hoshin Kanri?
• Why do you prefer not to use the term "strategy deployment," and what's the issue with top-down-only thinking?
• How do you coach executives to embrace catchball and bottom-up engagement?
• How do you balance executive direction with frontline input in strategy development?
• What role does psychological safety play in making Hoshin Kanri work?
• How does A3 problem solving fit into the Hoshin process, and how does it help build capability?
• Why is it important for executives to practice PDCA and engage in direct problem solving?
• What's the difference between long-cycle and short-cycle PDCA, and how should leaders manage both?
• Why does it take most organizations a couple of years to fully embed Hoshin Kanri?
• What lessons do companies learn when they start with too many strategic initiatives?
• Why did you choose not to include the X-matrix in your book, and what are your thoughts on its use?
• What business problems does Hoshin Kanri best help organizations solve?
• How can Hoshin Kanri help clarify the distinction between daily management and long-term strategic work

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

My guest for Episode #527 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Dave Fitzpatrick, co-founder of Zenkai Improvement Partners and a 30-year resident of Japan. Dave brings a unique perspective as a Canadian Lean practitioner who has worked extensively in both manufacturing and healthcare, guiding international leaders on immersive study experiences throughout Japan.

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In this episode, Dave and I share details about a new collaboration we're leading together--the Lean Healthcare Accelerator Experience. This is a jointly developed series of immersive visits to high-performing organizations in Japan, designed specifically for healthcare executives who want to see Lean principles in action across both hospitals and manufacturing settings. We talk about why we're creating this experience, what makes it unique, and how cultural context, leadership behaviors, and intentional long-term commitments drive sustainable improvement--not because it's "just Japan," but because of the systems and mindsets these organizations have cultivated.

Dave shares his personal Lean journey, including how he transitioned from working in aeronautics to leading study tours for visiting professionals. He reflects on the differences between Japanese and Western companies when it comes to employee engagement, psychological safety, and respect for people. We also preview the first Accelerator trip taking place in June 2025 and discuss what makes these experiences so valuable and transformational for participants.

Whether you're in healthcare or another industry, this conversation is packed with insights about creating a culture of continuous improvement--and how a visit to Japan can accelerate your learning.

• Can you share your origin story--how did you first get involved with Lean, Kaizen, or the Toyota Production System?
• What initially stood out to you when you began visiting Japanese manufacturing and healthcare organizations?
• From your experience, what cultural factors give Japanese organizations an advantage--or do they?
• How do successful Japanese companies build deep employee engagement and commitment to improvement?
• What lessons can visitors take home from Japan--and why is it not just about being "Japanese"?
• What are some common misconceptions people have before visiting Japan on these study experiences?
• How does hierarchy or seniority in Japanese companies affect psychological safety and speaking up?
• What kinds of organizations will we be visiting during the Lean Healthcare Accelerator?
• What role will Reiko Kano play in these visits, and how does her expertise go beyond translation?
• What's the value of including manufacturing visits in a healthcare-focused learning experience?
• How do Japanese companies view improvement work in relation to headcount and job security?
• Why is respect for people and time such a noticeable theme in Japanese customer service and operations?
• What do you hope participants in the Lean Healthcare Accelerator take away from this experience?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

My guest for Episode #526 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Bill Canady, a seasoned global business executive, U.S. Navy veteran, and current CEO of Arrowhead Engineered Products.

Bill has led over 30 operating companies and thousands of employees across the industrial and consumer products landscape. Formerly CEO of OTC Industrial Technologies, he helped drive impressive growth-boosting revenues by 43% and earnings by 78%.

Bill is also the author of The 80/20 CEO and the upcoming From Panic to Profit, and he's a vocal advocate for using Lean and the 80/20 principle as complementary tools for transformation.

We discuss Bill’s personal Lean journey, which began with Six Sigma and evolved into a deep appreciation for the power of Lean and continuous improvement. He shares how daily management, Kaizen events, and a focus on flow became core to his leadership toolkit—not just on the shop floor but also across the “carpeted” functions like order-to-cash and sales. As CEO, Bill doesn’t just support Lean; he expects it. He talks candidly about making continuous improvement a condition of employment, not through fear, but by creating a culture where people feel safe, engaged, and energized by problem-solving.

You’ll hear Bill’s insights on applying Lean as a strategic enabler for profitable growth—not just a cost-cutting tool. He explains how the 80/20 principle helps companies focus their improvement energy on what really matters and how Lean helps teams sustain those improvements. He also shares real-world lessons on leadership, cultural alignment, and navigating resistance to change—especially among those clinging to old firefighting habits.

Whether you’re a Lean practitioner, an executive, or someone aspiring to lead, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom. Bill offers a compelling blueprint for how to lead with humility, clarity, and purpose—using Lean and the 80/20 mindset to build resilient, high-performing organizations.

• Can you share your origin story with continuous improvement and Lean?
• What was the context in which you were first introduced to these methodologies?
• How did your role evolve from operations into broader P&L responsibility?
• How did your perspective on Lean shift when you became a CEO?
• What role does daily management play in sustaining operational excellence?
• How do you apply Lean principles outside the factory floor—especially in “carpet land”?
• As a CEO, how do you strike the balance between solving problems yourself and enabling others to be problem solvers?
• How do you respond when leaders or team members resist Lean thinking or default to old firefighting habits?
• What does it mean to make Lean a “condition of employment,” and how do you introduce that mindset?
• How do you ensure people understand Lean isn’t about layoffs, but about redeployment and growth?
• How do you connect Lean initiatives with business growth, not just cost reduction?
• Do you have an example of how improving quality or delivery led directly to business growth or profitability?
• What inspired you to write your first book, The 80/20 CEO?
• Why are the first 100 days so critical for a new leader?
• How does the 80/20 principle help leaders prioritize improvement efforts?
• What’s the relationship between 80/20 analysis and Lean execution in your approach?
• What can we do to help more CEOs understand and embrace Lean as a strategic business system?
• How can companies start building momentum with Lean—even if they’re just getting started?
• What’s the focus of your new book From Panic to Profit, and how does it expand on your first?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

My guest for Episode #525 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Christopher R. Chapman. He's an experienced agile coach and consultant with a background in software development and agile transformation.

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Since founding Derailleur Consulting in 2010, he has guided teams and leaders in adopting agile frameworks like Scrum and Kanban while integrating applied systems thinking inspired by Deming and other thought leaders.

Christopher is also known for cultivating communities through initiatives such as #SystemsThinkingTO and for sharing his insights in his popular Substack newsletter, The Digestible Deming.

In this episode, Chris and I discussed our upcoming collaborative workshops--"From Noise to Knowledge, Executive Leadership Through Data Driven Insight"--scheduled for

• May 13 in Toronto and
• June 17 in Cincinnati.

We highlighted how the sessions will blend experiential learning, such as the Red Bead Experiment, with practical tools like process behavior charts to help leaders decode variation and improve decision-making. The conversation emphasized the Deming philosophy as a core framework, exploring how leadership behaviors and systemic practices directly impact team performance and overall organizational quality. We also noted the engaging social aspect of the workshops, mentioning optional outings to local MLB baseball games as an opportunity for continued dialogue.

The discussion then shifted to our personal journeys with continuous improvement, agile methodologies, and the evolution of leadership roles. Chris shared insights from his transition from software development to coaching senior management, focusing on moving beyond traditional, isolated team interventions toward a holistic, systems-oriented approach. We both underlined the need for leadership to embrace a mindset shift--recognizing that issues within teams often reflect broader organizational constraints. We also debated common pitfalls, such as misinterpreting data due to superficial analyses, and argued for using robust, statistical tools to establish meaningful insights, setting the stage for transformative change in management practices.

• How do Deming's principles transform executive leadership and team performance?
• What key insights does the Red Bead Experiment offer for practical improvement?
• In what ways do process behavior charts enhance decision-making in complex systems?
• How can agile methodologies and Deming's philosophy be integrated effectively?
• What systemic issues underlie team challenges, and how should leadership address them?
• How can statistical process control complement traditional metrics in agile environments?
• What strategies enable leaders to shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive system improvement?
• How do extrinsic incentives impact collaboration and quality within teams?
• What methods best embed systems thinking into agile practices?
• How can workshop formats foster lasting changes in leadership mindsets?

This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network.