Lean Blog Interviews: Real-World Lean Leadership Conversations in Healthcare and Beyond
Mark GrabanLean 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 | Twice monthly | Episodes | 612 | Founded | 20 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | ManagementBusiness | |||
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Latest Episodes
Accounting teams see problems every day. As my returning guest Nick Katko puts it, they fix them, but they don’t necessarily solve them.
Nick is president and owner of BMA, a CPA, and the author of The Lean CFO and co-author of Practicing Lean Accou... more
How does a Lean team of 11 people support a management system for 35,000 associates? Emily Swaney, Vice President of Operational Excellence at OhioHealth, explains that the team spends its time developing about 1,500 leaders as problem-solving coache... more
Karen Martin has joined this podcast five times since 2012. For our 20th anniversary series, we pulled together highlights from all five conversations: clarity versus ambiguity, why value stream mapping needs directors and above in the room, the patt... more
Twenty years ago, on July 16, 2006, the Lean Blog Podcast began with a conversation with Norman Bodek.
Episode page
Norman was Mark Graban’s friend and mentor—and the person who suggested starting the podcast. To mark the show’s 20th anniversary, M... more
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- Failure as Fuel
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
Apple Podcasts5Amy Rasdal
United Statesa year ago - Brilliant conversations
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.
Apple Podcasts5I value the unique angle
Austria4 years ago - Direct and Informative
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.
Apple Podcasts5TK21LLUnited States5 years ago 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!
Podchaser55 years agoChris Burnham- Empowering, insightful and actionable! 🙌
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!
Apple Podcasts5JoshCristUnited States6 years ago
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Apple Podcasts | #159 |  Italy/Business/Management |
Apple Podcasts | #218 |  France/Business/Management |
Apple Podcasts | #59 |  Poland/Business/Management |
Apple Podcasts | #73 |  New Zealand/Business/Management |
Apple Podcasts | #74 |  Ukraine/Business/Management |
Apple Podcasts | #104 |  South Africa/Business/Management |
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast
What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Real-world Lean leadership conversations across healthcare, manufacturing, startups, and professional services. Episodes center on leadership behavior, psychological safety, and building systems for continuous improvement rather than chasing tools or theater. Guests include senior operators, authors, and consultants who share practical lessons from deploying Lean as a management system and people-centered approach, with emphasis on learning from mistakes, debriefs, value stream thinking, and sustaining improvements through culture and leadership. A standout throughline is how clarity, respect for people, and durable practices enable organizations to improve over time, not just perform in the moment. The show is particularly noteworthy for i... more
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Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?
These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:
1. The Lean Solutions Podcast
2. Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership
3. Lean Blog Audio: Practical Lean Thinking, Psychological Safety, and Continuous Improvement
4. Coaching for Leaders
5. Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
How many episodes of this podcast are there?
this podcast launched 20 years ago and published 612 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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What guests have appeared on this podcast?
Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. Nick Katko
2. Emily Swaney
3. Karen Martin
4. Norman Bodek
5. Thomas Cox
6. Andre DeMerchant
7. Gary Peterson
8. Jeffrey K. Liker
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.