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Moving from an Operational Manager to a Strategic Leader1
- Leadership
- February 2, 2026
In today’s fast-changing business environment, Lean leaders must evolve beyond managing day-to-day operations. Operational management focuses on executing processes efficiently — meeting targets, maintaining quality, and ensuring stability. While these are critical to success, true organizational transformation requires something more — strategic leadership. This shift demands a broader view, aligning daily improvement efforts with
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Lean Quote: The Misuse of Goals Creates Fear and the Facade of Excellence0
- Goals, Lean Quote
- January 30, 2026
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on
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Lean Roundup #200 – January 20260
- Lean Roundup
- January 28, 2026
A selection of highlighted blog posts from Lean bloggers from the month of January 2026. You can also view the previous monthly Lean Roundups here. Stratex Fundamentals – Goal Setting – Dennis Pascal says strategic goal setting means leaders should set stretch targets just beyond what the team believes achievable by deeply understanding their business,
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Book Review – Creating Value by John Rizzo1
- Book Review
- January 26, 2026
Creating Value is a practical, story-driven guide to building organizations where people are empowered, processes are continuously improved, and value is created for every stakeholder—employees, customers, and owners. Drawing from more than 30 years of hands-on transformation work across more than 40 companies and 1,000+ workshops, John Rizzo distills a holistic business system grounded in
READ MORELean Quote: Every Small Change Builds Confidence0
- Change Management, Lean Quote
- January 23, 2026
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on
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Lean Tips Edition #327 (#3931 – #3945)1
- Lean Tips
- January 21, 2026
For my Facebook fans you already know about this great feature. But for those of you that are not connected to A Lean Journey on Facebook or Twitter I post daily a feature I call Lean Tips. It is meant to be advice, things I learned from experience, and some knowledge tidbits about Lean to help you along your journey. Another
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Leading with Purpose: Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.0
- Leadership
- January 19, 2026
Each year, we pause to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—a man who led with conviction, courage, and compassion. While best known for his role in the civil rights movement, Dr. King’s approach to leadership provides timeless lessons for anyone guiding teams, organizations, or communities. His example reminds us that
READ MORELean Quote: “What Are You Doing for Others?” — Martin Luther King Jr.0
- Lean Quote, Respect For People
- January 16, 2026
On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on
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Building a Performance-Based Culture During Performance Review Season0
- Goals, Lean Management
- January 14, 2026
Performance review season can be difficult—for leaders and team members alike. For managers, it often brings pressure to evaluate results, have tough conversations, and balance accountability with encouragement. For employees, it can feel stressful, uncertain, and deeply personal. When performance hasn’t met expectations, it’s easy for everyone involved to feel discouraged. From a Lean perspective,
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