Leadership Archives - aleanjourney

Why Most Gemba Walks Fail 0
- Leadership
- May 13, 2026
Gemba walks are one of the most powerful—and most poorly executed—practices in Lean leadership. Many organizations “do” Gemba walks. Leaders put them on calendars, create checklists, and walk the floor. Yet little changes. Problems persist. Trust erodes. People become guarded. The issue isn’t the concept of Gemba. It’s how leaders show up. Here are the most common reasons Gemba walks fail. They Start
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Gemba Walks: Why Leaders Must Go and How to Do It Right 0
- Leadership
- May 6, 2026
Few leadership practices are talked about more—and practiced less effectively—than the Gemba walk. “Gemba” is a Japanese term meaning the actual place. In Lean thinking, it refers to where value is created: the shop floor, the hospital unit, the engineering lab, the service desk. A Gemba walk is when leaders go to that place
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10 Phrases That Accelerate Leadership Progress 0
- Leadership
- May 4, 2026
Leadership progress isn’t driven only by strategy, tools, or organizational charts. More often, it’s shaped by the words leaders choose in everyday moments—during meetings, problem-solving sessions, one-on-ones, and times of uncertainty. If careless phrases can quietly stall progress, intentional language can accelerate it. The phrases below do more than sound positive. They signal trust,
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10 Phrases That Kill Leadership Progress 0
- Leadership
- April 22, 2026
If you’ve spent any time studying leadership—through books, workshops, podcasts, or training sessions—you’ve likely encountered no shortage of models promising to make you a better leader. Many of them are thoughtful, well-researched, and genuinely helpful. But there’s a side of leadership development we don’t talk about nearly enough: what not to say. Leadership progress
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Lean Quote: Every Problem Is a Gift 0
- Leadership, Lean Quote
- April 17, 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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Practicing Respect & Developing Mutual Trust 0
- Leadership, Respect For People
- April 13, 2026
The “Respect for People” pillar in Lean philosophy, originating from Toyota, is foundational, emphasizing that mutual trust and respect for every individual drives continuous improvement, better results, and a strong culture, moving beyond just politeness to actively developing, empowering, and aligning everyone to solve problems, grow professionally, and contribute their best ideas. Without trust,
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