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Artwork for WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

Lean Enterprise Institute
Lean Thinking
Lean Product and Process Development
Continuous Improvement
Toyota Production System
Toyota
Hoshin Kanri
Lean Management
Problem Solving
Healthcare
Lean Manufacturing
Leadership Development
GE Healthcare
Product Development
Software Development
Theodo
Covid-19 Pandemic
Agile Methodology
Continuous Learning
AI
Innovation

The official podcast of the Lean Enterprise Institute.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes100Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessManagement

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Artwork for WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

Latest Episodes

Time is relative, especially when it comes to lean problem solving. The LEI trio of Josh Howell, Mark Reich, and Art Smalley explored how the speed of quality problem solving really depends on the level of the organization in which the problem exists... more

Gene Kim, DevOps leader and co-author of Wiring the Winning Organization, joins Tyson Heaton, LEI Executive Director of LeanTech/AI, and Art Smalley, Toyota veteran and LEI advisor, for a lively, enlightening, and wide-ranging conversation about arti... more

This week The Management Brief presents the second installment in our series on coaching across the lean community and the benefits of mutual learning — senior leaders with external and/or internal lean coaches as well as peer-to-peer relationships. ... more

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This week The Management Brief kicks off an extended series on the coaching and co-learning that is occurring throughout the lean community. We’ll be exploring the benefits of mutual learning in all its forms — senior leaders with their lean coaches,... more

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Recent Guests

Gene Kim
Author and Lean/DevOps advocate
Independent/Industry Speaker
Episode: Past, Present, and Future of Lean and AI
Art Smalley
Lean manufacturing expert
Industry practitioner
Episode: Past, Present, and Future of Lean and AI
Jim Luckman
Coach and Lean Institute faculty member
Lean Enterprise Institute
Episode: Coaching and Co-Learning — Coach as Mirror
Marco Lopez
CEO of Dreamplace Hotels
Dreamplace Hotels
Episode: Coaching and Co-Learning — Understanding that Lean Is a Journey
Oriol Cuatrecasas
Head of the Spanish Institute in Spain
Spanish Institute / Lean Enterprise Institute
Episode: Coaching and Co-Learning — Understanding that Lean Is a Journey
Jim Morgan
Senior Advisor of Lean Product and Process Development at the Lean Enterprise Institute; former COO at Rivian; former Ford product leader
Lean Enterprise Institute
Episode: 20 Years Later: How Toyota's Product Development Principles Are Still Core to a Lean Enterprise
Sarah Milstein
Coaches executive and emerging leaders in tech and has held executive roles at various tech startups.
Episode: Cutting through the Noise in Tech: Sarah Milstein's Advice for Leaders Who Want to Keep People Focused on Value Creation
Julia Austin
Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School and Executive Coach with deep experience as a product leader in tech.
Harvard Business School
Episode: Keeping Our Humanity in Tech: Julia Austin on Why It Pays to Put People First in Product Development
Steven J. Spear
Co-author of 'Wiring the Winning Organization', senior lecturer at MIT and founder of a business process software firm.
Episode: Steven Spear Talks about Competing with TPS and Problem Solving

Hosts

Mark Reich
Host of The Management Brief and WLEI-related shows; held leadership roles at LEI.
Josh Howell
President/Leader of LEI and host across multiple LEI programs.
Lex Schroeder
Host of WLEI Podcast; engages with guests on lean leadership and product development.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 40 ratings
  • Awesome job

    Thank you Lei for doing these podcasts, they are fantastic!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mark Smeets
    Canada8 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Conversations emphasize culture, leadership, and frontline problem-solving.
Listeners praise practical, actionable lean coaching insights.
Guests bring deep industry experience from manufacturing to healthcare.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Coaching and Co-Learning — Coach as Mirror
Q: What is the role of a coach in helping you develop as a leader?
The coach acts like a mirror, providing feedback, helping identify gaps, and guiding the leader to bridge those gaps through reflective practice and targeted action.
20 Years Later: How Toyota's Product Development Principles Are Still Core to a Lean Enterprise
Q: Can you share a concrete example of a practice that was adapted when moving from Toyota to Ford?
Yes. At Ford, PDPD and standard architectures weren't fully in place, so practitioners like Dave Parasak created Ford-friendly documentation and worked within tight constraints, focusing on weight, stiffness, and interface trade-offs while acknowledging manufacturing realities and budget limits.
Coaching and Co-Learning — Understanding that Lean Is a Journey
Q: What advice would you give others starting their Lean journey in hospitality?
Start with professional help early, be patient, focus on people and teams, maintain stability in management, and treat Lean as a long-term cultural transformation rather than a project with quick results.
Coaching and Co-Learning — Understanding that Lean Is a Journey
Q: What have been the most important coaching insights for effectively guiding the organization?
Coaching hinges on having the right executive sponsor, ensuring stability in leadership, setting realistic goals, and fostering a culture where leaders model vulnerability and involve frontline staff in decisions.
Coaching and Co-Learning — Understanding that Lean Is a Journey
Q: What defining experiences shaped your thinking as head of the organization?
Marco reflects on the 2009 crisis and subsequent normalization of Lean as a forever journey, emphasizing the shift from quick fixes to sustained standard work and team-focused improvements.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program centers on lean thinking, leadership, and practical problem-solving across manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and tech. Episodes feature coaching dynamics, cross-functional teamwork, and the Toyota Production System as a lens for transforming organizations. Notable throughlines include the role of leadership in enabling frontline decision-making, the importance of coaching and continuous learning, and real-world applications of A3s, TPS, and value-stream design to improve patient outcomes, product development, and operational excellence. The format often pairs seasoned practitioners with coaches or executives to explore how culture, systems, and people enable sustainable improvement, making it a strong fit for listeners wh... more

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1. Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership
2. Freakonomics Radio
3. The Indicator from Planet Money
4. Marketplace
5. Planet Money

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this podcast launched 8 years ago and published 100 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. Gene Kim
2. Art Smalley
3. Jim Luckman
4. Marco Lopez
5. Oriol Cuatrecasas
6. Jim Morgan
7. Sarah Milstein
8. Julia Austin

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