Lean Roundup #67 – December, 2014

A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of December, 2014.  You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here.

Lean, Leadership & Ethics, Part 1 – Pascal Dennis reflects on Lean, leadership, and ethics and how they relate to each other.

Lean tools should eliminate the need for lean tools – Bill Waddell says that when Lean tools eliminate the need for Lean tools then the real magic of lean starts to happen.

3 Things I’ve Learned in 2014 – Ron Pereira shares 3 lessons learned in 2014 that everyone can benefit from.

Skateboarding and A Path To Discovery – Steve Kane elaborates on a post I did last month about Rodney Mullen TED talk on discovery.

Perfect Misunderstanding – Bob Emiliani says there is no such thing as a perfect process in REAL Lean thinking.

One-Piece-Flow Projects Create the Best Conditions for True Creativity – Michael Balle explains why one-piece-flow projects create the best conditions for true creativity.

Are You Training People to Think or to Follow a Checklist? – Erin Urban says continuous improvement requires continuous learning at all levels all the time.

Businessweek Article on Employee Ideas – Mark Graban says we must move past the suggestion box to continuous improvement.

Why we Need a Quality Department – Michel Baudin explains the role of quality within a Lean organization.

Control is overrated…and a myth – Jamie Flinchbaugh expands on why you cannot control everything and how to deal with that.

People aren’t tools – Bill Waddell says: “People and culture are the heart of lean manufacturing. Tools come and go, technology changes and someone more clever than us will conjure up a better kanban formula. But a business driven by empowered, committed people at every level, all pursuing little fixes and little improvements every day is the enduring engine that enables lean companies to thrive and grow year after year after year.”

My Continuous Improvement: Personal Kanban – 5th Revision a Success! – Matt Wrye shares his personal Kanban improvement which demonstrates continuous improvement.

Reflecting on the Intentional Routine – Kevin Meyer reflects on routines and shares his thoughts on the subject.

One of my least favorite questions – Jamie Flinchbaugh discusses why you just can’t copy someone else and expect the same results.

Public Service: Lean's Next Frontier? – John O’Donnell and Lex Schroeder share observations on why Lean has been growing in the field of social impact.

Immediate Detection & Correction: Easier Said Than Done – Connor Shea summarizes the key element of Lean but reminds us about the difficulty.

Mankind is our business – Bill Waddell says a Christmas Carol is a story of lean cultural transformation.

The Value of Not Knowing – Steve Kane says creating a void in expertise with “I don’t know” invites greater expertise.