A Lack of Respect for People on the Balance Sheet
We often see the phrase "People are our most important asset" on conference room walls, in company policies, annual reports, and frequently…
The Wisdom of Humility
Lately I've been reflecting 0n the impact of mistakes on leadership, and how important humility becomes to learning from those mistakes. An artic…
Herb Kelleher: Creating Economic Value Based on Human Values
A legendary CEO, Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, passed away last week. Many articles have already been written memorializing him, including thi…
Going to the Gemba with Anthony Bourdain
It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relativel…
Back to the Beginning with Ohno, Suzuki, and Yoda
As I was researching the remarkable similarities between Lean and Zen for my book, The Simple Leader, one of the most interesting - and meaningful - w…
Performance, Not Policy
Few people realize how employee policy manuals, usually given to you on your first day and then mostly forgotten, shape an organization’s culture and…
A Reflective Perspective on Schein
I will take time to be alone today. I will take time to be quiet. In this silence I will listen… and I will hear my answers. – Ruth Fishel One of my…
Discovering the Value of People
Big news in the business world: Wal-Mart is famous for keeping costs down, including employee-related costs. In Joplin, the company is testing a new…