Feb 19 2025 54 mins 4
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“Lean has failed.”
That’s the bold statement James Womack—founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute and MIT researcher whose team introduced the term “lean” to the world—made at a conference where we both recently spoke.
That really stuck with me.
Has lean really failed?
If so, what can we do to course correct?
To explore this, I invited him to share his reflections and experiences over the past 40 years—where his vision for lean management has fallen short, where it’s succeeded, and what we can learn for the future.
In this episode, we take a hard look at lean’s evolution, from James’ original vision following the publication of “The Machine that Changed the World” nearly 4 decades ago to its real-world impact today.
Tune in for powerful stories and insights from one of the founders of the lean movement, a chance to rethink what’s next for lean leadership, and how you can adjust your approach towards organizational transformation.
YOU’LL LEARN:
- The 5 critical interlocking elements of successful lean enterprise transformations — and what’s missing
- How to build systems and practices to sustain a lean culture that truly supports frontline teams
- Why most companies get their approach to operational excellence backwards and the challenge of getting leaders to see lean principles as the key to getting results
- Why off-shoring and out-sourcing aren’t long-term solutions
- The biggest challenges leaders face with lean transformation
Don't miss Part 2 of this conversation where we explore lean’s future, its relevance for today’s global lean community, and James’ advice for the next generation of leaders.
ABOUT MY GUEST:
James P. Womack, PhD, is the former research director of MIT’s International Motor Vehicle Program who led the team that coined the term “lean production” to describe the Toyota Production System. Along with Daniel Jones, he co-authored “The Machine That Changed the World”, “Lean Thinking”, and “Lean Solutions”. James is the founder of Lean Enterprise Institute where he continues to serve as a senior advisor.
IMPORTANT LINKS:
- Full episode show notes: ChainOfLearning.com/37
- Connect with James Womack: linkedin.com/in/womack-james-52763b212
- Check out my website for resources and working together: KBJAnderson.com
- Follow me on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kbjanderson
TIMESTAMPS FOR THIS EPISODE:
02:41 James’ vision of what lean’s impact would be today
07:25 Five interlocking pieces of lean transformation and what’s been missed
07:49 Misconception of Kaizen
14:27 Challenges in sustaining lean practices
19:00 Lean leadership if implemented the right way
21:58 Impact of offshoring and outsourcing
24:29 Barriers to senior management buy-in
26:42 Challenges in the frontline healthcare system
30:27 The importance of daily management and Kaizen
37:46 Contributions to GE Appliance’s success
39:28 The meaning of constancy of purpose
41:04 Importance of knowing your north star
41:55 The creation of Hoshin planning and why it fails the first year
43:54 How we get out of the short-term approach
Apply for the Nov 2025 Japan Study Trip - super early registration rate now through March 31st!
https://kbjanderson.com/japantrip/
