
Lean Blog Interviews: Real-World Lean Leadership Conversations features thoughtful, in-depth discussions with leaders, authors, executives, and practitioners who are applying Lean thinking in the real world.
Hosted by Mark Graban—author of Lean Hospitals, Measures of Success, and The Mistakes That Make Us—the podcast explores Lean as a management system, a leadership philosophy, and a people-cent... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 594 | Founded | 19 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BusinessManagement | |||

What if operational excellence depends less on doing more with less—and more on how leaders create meaning, optimism, and relationships at work?
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In this episode, Mark Graban is joined by Kathy Miller, s... more
Don Kieffer has spent more than fifty years redesigning how real work gets done. In this episode, he explains why so many improvement efforts stall—and how Dynamic Work Design offers a clearer, more practical way forward.
Episode page with video, tr... more
My guest for Episode #539 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Darren Walsh, author of Making Lean and Continuous Improvement Work: A Leader’s Guide to Increasing Consistency and Getting Significantly More Done in Less Time.
Episode page with vide... more
My guest for Episode #538 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Nelson Repenning, Faculty Director of the MIT Leadership Center and co-creator of Dynamic Work Design.
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Nelson describes himself as an "or... more
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If you grew up in a family like mine, where mistakes were never acknowledged and apologies didn't happen, this podcast will feel like a breath of fresh air. Mark Graban's guests share real stories about the mistakes that shaped them—not as signs of weakness, but as turning points for growth.
It's refreshing, honest, and surprisingly liberating. Whether you're already fearless about failure or still learning to embrace it, there's wisdom here that challenges the old "never admit you're wrong" m... more
I really enjoyed the episode where you talk with Michele Smith about Management behaviors that lead to the continuous improvement culture. I would highly recommend this podcast to anyone interested in Lean in manufacturing, healthcare, and startups.
This podcast is always professional and business like. Mark is an excellent host who guides his guests with a very realistic approach to their subject matter. Lean Blog Interviews is straightforward, informative, and definitely worth a listen.
This was the first podcast that I ever listened to and it inspired me to start my own podcast. Mark always has interesting guests and asks really great questions that are engaging and entertaining. If you are interested in Lean, Continuous Improvement or leadership and management this is definitely worth the time to listen and be inspired!
Whether you’re well established as someone who can translate Lean energy into the impact you want to have on the world, or just getting started as a catalyst for change - this is a must-listen podcast for you! Mark does an incredible job leading conversations that cover a huge breadth of topics related to the ins and outs of building a Lean enterprise and life you can be proud of - with leaders who’ve actually walked the path. Highly recommend listening and subscribing!
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This podcast features in-depth conversations with influential figures in the Lean and continuous improvement community, offering insights applicable across various industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. Focused on real-world experiences, the episodes emphasize the importance of cultural transformation, leadership behaviors, and psychological safety while showcasing how Lean principles can lead to meaningful change and operational excellence. A unique aspect of the content is its blend of practical advice and personal stories, highlighting lessons learned from both successes and mistakes rather than just theoretical constructs or popular frameworks.
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this podcast launched 19 years ago and published 594 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. Don Kieffer
2. Darren Walsh
3. Nelson Repenning
4. Caroline Greenlee
5. Chris Butterworth
6. Carlos Scholz
7. Gregg Stocker
8. William Harvey
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