What the World Cup Teaches Us About Overcoming Adversity
- In the News, Lean in Practice
- July 6, 2026

Many organizations want to harness the ideas for improvement that naturally exist in their employees. Suggestion boxes are a common, but ineffective, way to engage employees in continuous improvement. They’re usually implemented with the best of intentions by managers who genuinely want to hear their employees’ improvement ideas, but the boxes fail to produce the
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When adopting new habits, it’s always a good idea to start with small changes, and work your way up over time. For example, instead of starting an intense paleo-diet, start drinking a glass of water before every meal to increase metabolism. Or, instead of beginning a rigorous workout plan, start walking around the block a
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In the northeastern part of the US we have faced historic snowfall from blizzard conditions from storm Juno. This has me recalling a post I did several years ago about the Lean lessons you can learn from winter storms. Forecasts are inaccurate. You can only count on actual demand. We have all experienced school cancellations based on high forecasts
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Each year, National Manufacturing Week provides an important opportunity to celebrate the contributions of manufacturers, highlight the value of modern manufacturing careers, and inspire the next generation of makers. As we recognize the essential role manufacturing plays in our economy and communities, it’s also a time to reflect on how lean principles help drive continuous
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Fear of failure is one of the greatest fears people have. It is a genuinely scary thing for many people, and often the reason that individuals do not attempt the things they would like to accomplish. But the only true failure is failure to make the attempt. If you don’t try, you gain nothing, and life
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A common question by those just starting down a Lean journey is how do you find time for improvement. “You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it.” – Charles Buxton (Philanthropist and Politician) It is an age-old battle — production time versus improvement time. Two worthy rivals attempting
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