The 2025 Northeast Lean Conference at a Glance

The 21st Annual Northeast Lean Conference, held October 27-28, 2025 in Manchester, New Hampshire, brought together hundreds of Lean and continuous‐improvement practitioners across manufacturing, services, and administrative arenas. The theme—“Transforming Together: Paving a Unified Path to Excellence”—set the tone for two days of inspiration, networking and actionable learning.

Attendees were treated to three compelling keynote addresses, a variety of breakout sessions (including my own), and plenty of peer‐sharing time to connect and learn from fellow Lean journeys.

Keynote Highlights

Derek Volk – Opening Keynote

Derek Volk kicked off the event with a high-energy talk rooted in his leadership of Volk Packaging Corporation and his experience coaching girls’ softball. He used the sports metaphor to underscore what sustainable improvement really looks like: purpose, team alignment, culture, and execution. His key messages included:

• Don’t treat Lean just as tools—think of it as “team sport”.
• Aim for “third base” not just first or second—meaning go beyond incremental wins and aim for system-wide alignment and culture.
• Engage people not just processes: trust, communication and continuous learning matter.
  Attendees left with a renewed lens: how are we doing on team dynamics, not just on process metrics?

Jordan Peck – Day One Closing Keynote

Jordan Peck (of MITRE Corporation) delivered the closing keynote on Day 1, titled “Transforming Together: Set a Vision, Learn & Evolve.” In his session:

• He emphasized the importance of setting a shared vision to guide improvement efforts across functions.
• He discussed how learning loops and reflection mechanisms embed improvement beyond “kaizen events”.
• He challenged participants to evolve their systems and culture continuously—and not just chase the next tool.
  What resonated: improvement isn’t finished when a metric improves; it’s ongoing adaptation.

Miles Arnone – Day Two Keynote

On Day 2, Miles Arnone of Re:Build Manufacturing delivered a talk focused on building resilience and innovation in Lean transformation. Major take‐aways:

• Build systems expecting variability: supply chain, staffing, market change—resilience matters.
• Embed innovation into day-to-day operations, not as a separate program.
• Culture is the engine of Lean: tools alone won’t sustain change if culture doesn’t adapt.
  So the message: your improvement system must be dynamic, not static.

My Presentation – “Our Path to Transformation & Operational Excellence”

On Day 1, I shared Mirion’s Lean transformation journey. The session offered a practical look at how a global organization is aligning strategy, systems, and culture to build sustainable operational excellence.

The talk centered around the Mirion Business System (MBS) — our structured approach to deploying Lean thinking across the enterprise. MBS is built on five key enablers: Organization and Talent, Strategy Deployment, Market Driven Strategy, Innovation Driven Strategy, and Lean, all working together to drive execution excellence and deliver customer value.

Key highlights included:

• Strategy Deployment (Hoshin Kanri): A seven-step process connecting company vision and long-term breakthrough goals with annual objectives and tactical improvement priorities. I emphasized how Mirion uses tools like the X-Matrix, TTI Bowler charts, and structured monthly reviews to ensure alignment and accountability.
• Daily Management & Problem Solving: We discussed the relationship between Strategy Deployment (SDP) and Daily Performance Management (DPM)—how breakthrough goals translate into daily behaviors. Visual boards, standard work, and tiered huddles enable teams to identify and act on problems in real time.
• Kaizen and Flow Improvement: Using examples from Mirion’s value streams, I shared how systematic kaizen cycles have shortened lead times, improved flow, and boosted productivity.
• Cultural Transformation: The session highlighted Mirion’s improvement philosophy—S.O.L.V.E.: See Opportunities, Own Resolution, Learn to Adapt, Value Add, Engage Everyday. This mindset anchors every level of the business in continuous learning and engagement.
• Results: The transformation is producing tangible outcomes—double-digit improvements in on-time delivery, inventory reduction, gross margin, and employee engagement—all tied to Lean fundamentals and leadership commitment.

I concluded by encouraging attendees to focus on building capability and culture, not just chasing cost or metric gains. Sustaining Lean success requires aligning purpose with process, empowering people, and embedding reflection into daily work.

Looking Ahead: Next Year & Your Invitation

Mark your calendar now for the 22nd Annual Northeast Lean Conference, taking place September 29-30, 2026, at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The theme for 2026 is “People & AI: The Future of Continuous Improvement.”

This signals a bold step into how organizations can harness both the human side of Lean—and emerging tools like artificial intelligence—to accelerate improvement, build resilience and deliver greater value.

Register by the Wicked Early Bird deadline (Nov 30, 2025) to save significantly $1,895.00 $895.00. Together, we’ll keep paving that unified path toward excellence.

Final Thoughts

The Northeast Lean Conference remains one of the premier Lean learning events in the country—an energizing mix of real stories, practical lessons, and genuine community. This year’s speakers—Derek Volk, Jordan Peck, and Miles Arnone—each offered powerful perspectives on leadership, culture, and resilience, while the breakout sessions and discussions connected those ideas to everyday practice.

As we reflect on 2025’s theme of Transforming Together, let’s remember that Lean is not a solo journey. Progress happens when we learn, share, and grow—together.

Let’s keep that spirit alive in our organizations and on our Lean journeys. See you in Springfield next year!

Make Your Bed: Small Habits That Can Change Your Life

In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven delivered a now-legendary commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin. The central message was deceptively simple: Make your bed every morning. This advice later became the foundation for his bestselling book, “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… and Maybe the World.”

At first glance, making your bed might seem trivial, but McRaven’s point is profound: Small, consistent actions create discipline, build momentum, and can lead to life-changing results.

Why “Make Your Bed” Matters

McRaven’s lesson comes from his Navy SEAL training, where attention to detail and personal discipline were non-negotiable. By starting the day with a small, completed task, you set the tone for productivity, pride, and perseverance. Even if the rest of the day goes poorly, you’ll return to a bed you made—a reminder that you accomplished something and that tomorrow is a fresh opportunity.

Key Lessons to Live By from Make Your Bed

1. Start Your Day with a Task Completed

Making your bed each morning reinforces the power of starting small. It’s a visible accomplishment that builds early momentum and sets a productive tone for the rest of the day.

2. Don’t Go It Alone

McRaven emphasizes teamwork and the importance of having people in your life who will support you. In SEAL training, no one succeeds without a “swim buddy.” In life, we all need partners, friends, and colleagues who will help us succeed.

3. Embrace the Suck

Life is hard, and some days will be miserable. McRaven’s advice? Face hardship head-on. Embracing the tough moments builds resilience and mental toughness.

4. Don’t Judge by Size or Appearance

In training, some of the best performers were the smallest in stature but had the biggest hearts. Success is about grit, not appearances. Respect people for their character, not their looks.

5. Take Risks and Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Progress often comes from doing what scares you. McRaven encourages calculated risks to grow beyond your limitations.

6. Stand Up to Bullies

Whether in the water facing a shark or in life facing a threat, courage matters. Stand firm when confronted by intimidation or injustice.

7. Accept That Life Isn’t Fair

Bad things happen to good people. Complaining won’t change it—your response will. Take responsibility and keep moving forward.

8. Failure Can Make You Stronger

In SEAL training, those who failed a physical test had to do “sugar cookies”—rolling in sand and staying wet all day. It was miserable, but those who endured became tougher. Don’t fear failure; use it as fuel.

9. Give People Hope

Sometimes the smallest act of encouragement can change someone’s outlook. Leaders inspire by showing others that a better future is possible.

10. Never Quit

The most important rule of SEAL training—and life—is persistence. When you want to ring the bell and give up, remember why you started and push forward.

 

How This Can Change Your Life

The “Make Your Bed” philosophy works because it shifts focus from the overwhelming to the achievable. You don’t have to transform your life overnight. Instead, start with one small action—done with consistency and pride. Those small wins compound into big changes.

In McRaven’s words:

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”

Your bed may be the first step, but it’s the mindset—discipline, perseverance, and hope—that can truly reshape your life.

10 Keys for Lean Daily Management

10 Keys for Lean Daily Management: Driving Continuous Improvement

Organizations often start their lean journey with Kaizen workshops, aiming for quick wins. However, many see improvements fade over time because lean depends on people consistently applying the tools. Tools like standard work succeed only when individuals understand, care, and use them daily.

Lean daily management (LDM) focuses on creating habits and routines that embed lean principles into everyday operations. It’s not just about tools—it’s about engaging people, fostering accountability, and ensuring continuous improvement.

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What is Lean Daily Management?

Daily management is a structured approach where everyone—from leaders to frontline staff—takes ownership of productivity, quality, and communication. By implementing Gemba walks, leader standard work, and visual management, organizations ensure alignment and empower teams to improve processes consistently.

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10 Keys to Lean Daily Management

Key	Focus Area	Purpose / Benefit
KPIs That Matter	Metrics that drive results	Identifies bottlenecks and improvement opportunities to optimize production, quality, and cost.
Setting Standards	Clear expectations	Makes goals visible, allowing leaders to guide and correct behaviors efficiently.
Visual Displays	Transparency & alignment	Boards display KPIs, targets, and improvement ideas to keep teams informed and accountable.
Daily Huddles	Team communication	Short meetings at visual boards promote discussion, alignment, and quick updates.
Gemba Walks	On-the-floor observation	Leaders observe processes firsthand, identify problems, and support employees directly.
Problem Solving	Expose & resolve issues	Encourages the open identification and addressing of problems, fostering learning and improvement.
Coaching	Continuous guidance	Leaders mentor teams to sustain behaviors, reinforce learning, and encourage proactive improvement.
Accountability Tracking	Assignments & follow-up	Converts observations into actions and ensures completion, embedding discipline in processes.
Leader Standard Work	Structured leadership tasks	Leaders engage daily, model lean behaviors, coach teams, and remove barriers to improvement.
Everyday Communication	Frequent two-way dialogue	Maintains trust, empowers employees, and ensures information flows efficiently across the organization.

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Why Lean Daily Management is Essential

• Sustains Kaizen Workshop Gains – Ensures improvements do not fade over time.
  
  

• Engages Leaders – Daily routines and Gemba walks keep leadership active in improvement processes.
  
  

• Empowers Teams – Huddles and visual boards give teams ownership of their work and results.
  
  

• Drives Continuous Improvement – Problems are addressed promptly, boosting productivity and quality.
  
  

• Builds Organizational Culture – Encourages habits that embed lean thinking into everyday work.
  
  

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How to Implement Lean Daily Management

Step	Action
Identify Key Metrics	Select KPIs that measure critical aspects of production and quality.
Define Clear Standards	Set clear expectations for each task and communicate them to the team.
Create Visual Boards	Display metrics, targets, and improvement ideas visibly.
Conduct Daily Huddles	Hold short meetings to review performance and plan next actions.
Perform Gemba Walks	Leaders observe processes and support staff on the floor.
Track Accountability	Convert observations into actionable tasks and follow up.
Coach Continuously	Encourage proactive problem-solving and mentor employees.
Review & Adjust	Leaders evaluate processes and adjust actions as needed.

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Final Thoughts

The true strength of lean lies in its people, not just its tools. By applying the 10 keys of lean daily management, organizations build daily routines that drive consistent improvement. Practices like Kaizen workshops, Gemba walks, leader standard work, and clear communication foster accountability, empower teams, and cultivate a culture of continuous enhancement. Organizations embracing LDM can tackle challenges quickly, solve problems effectively, and sustain high-performance operations. Over time, daily management becomes a habit, turning short-term gains into lasting success.

How to Get Started with Improvement in Your Organization

Discovering ways to improve a company provides the opportunity to increase productivity and raise profitability. As a manager, decision-maker or team leader, identifying areas for improvement within your organization is an effective way to make it more successful. Improvements can cover a range of benefits, including increased efficiency, decreased spending and higher customer satisfaction levels.

To help you get started, I’ve outlined below the essential steps for how to make improvements in your organization.

1.     Set Clear Goals

Setting defined goals provides targets for employees to work toward and assess their performance against. It also ensures that employees complete work that contributes to the overall goals of the organization and can be an important step in facilitating projects that require multiple employees or teams to work independently for significant periods of time before unifying their work.

Having a clear set of values for your company is another effective way to improve morale and provide guidance to staff. This can provide guidance for staff on the preferred course of action when faced with a decision during work, and also may provide a positive outlook on what the work they contribute to the company builds toward.

2.     Develop KPIs to Track Progress

To track your progress, you will also need to establish certain metrics or indicators. For this, identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) for your organization relevant to your goal.

KPIs are measurable values that indicate how effectively an organization is achieving its objectives and goals. More importantly, they create a sense of accountability among employees.

Clear KPIs also serve as motivators, as they provide employees with a tangible sense of progress and accomplishment when goals are met, fostering a performance-driven culture.

3.     Invest in Employee Development

Many organizations have a workforce approaching ― or past ― traditional retirement age. Additionally, employees quit for various reasons, including pursuing better opportunities.

4.     Focus on Employee Engagement

Focusing on employee engagement is crucial for boosting organizational performance because engaged employees are more committed, productive, and motivated to contribute their best efforts to the success of the organization. Business owners can take concrete steps to improve employee engagement and help team members feel passionate about their work, deliver their best performance and strengthen their commitment to their employer.

5.     Identify the Problems

Making improvements for the sake of improvements may be well-intentioned, but you can be much more effective when you are focused on fixing a specific problem. This will help maximize your efforts on only the most pressing issues, saving you from analyzing processes that may not need improvements.

Before you start introducing changes, it can be a good idea to make sure you fully understand how the current workflows or processes are functioning. Make sure you talk to anyone already involved in them so that you can get the full picture.

With all of your issues identified, you can start actually coming up with your process improvements. Invite everyone to participate, especially those who are already involved and/or directly affected by the processes you’ve singled out for improvement, and encourage them to explore and remain open to any ideas.

6.     Adopt a Continuous Improvement Approach

Continuous improvement can help businesses to stay ahead of the competition. When businesses are constantly looking for ways to improve, they are more likely to create products and services that exceed customer expectations. When employees are encouraged to identify and implement areas for improvement, they will be more invested in their work. In addition, happy customers are more likely to be loyal customers. By adopting a continuous improvement approach, businesses can bring numerous benefits to their bottom line and workforce.

Leaders should encourage employees to think about and suggest process improvements regularly, as well as encourage collaboration across departments, so opportunities are more easily identified and discussed. Assigning owners to certain processes is also helpful, not just in the context of these process improvement steps but for the long term, so they can be on the lookout for potential opportunities continuously.

When change becomes a mindset rather than a singular event, your organization will be well-prepared for growth—and anything the future throws at it.

The Stages of High Performance Teams

The Stages of High Performance Teams: Understanding Tuckman’s Model

Teams are an essential part of organizational success, but as you may know from experience, a newly formed team rarely performs at its best immediately. Team development is a process that takes time and typically follows recognizable stages, transforming a group of strangers into a cohesive, high-performing team united by common goals.

Psychologist Bruce Tuckman introduced a widely accepted framework in 1965, famously known as "Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing." Later, he added a fifth stage called "Adjourning." This model describes the path most teams take to achieve high performance.

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The Five Stages of Team Development

The following table summarizes Tuckman’s model:

Stage	Key Characteristics	Description
Forming	Orientation & dependency	Team members are introduced, roles are unclear, and members rely heavily on leadership for direction. They are testing acceptable behaviors.
Storming	Conflict & resistance	Members challenge roles, experience conflicts over ideas and control, and tensions arise as they push for influence.
Norming	Cohesion & collaboration	Trust develops, team norms are established, and members begin working collaboratively toward shared goals.
Performing	Productivity & effectiveness	The team functions efficiently with high trust and strong collaboration, focusing on task completion.
Adjourning	Closure & reflection	For temporary teams, tasks are completed, achievements are celebrated, and members prepare to disband.

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Why Tuckman’s Model Matters

• Clarifies team dynamics: Helps leaders understand the challenges and behaviors typical of each stage.
  
  

• Boosts team effectiveness: Guides teams through conflicts toward smooth collaboration and productivity.
  
  

• Improves leadership focus: Allows leaders to adapt their style to meet the team’s needs at each stage—from directing to delegating.
  
  

• Drives high performance: Teams that successfully navigate these stages deliver stronger results, innovation, and employee satisfaction.
  
  

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Final Thoughts

Every group has the potential to become a high-performance team, but success requires understanding and guiding natural team dynamics. By applying Tuckman’s model, leaders can help their teams move smoothly through forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning—unlocking the true power of collaboration and driving lasting success.