Best Lean Enterprise Institute Podcasts (2025)

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The Management Brief | Leaning on TPS Learnings to Create a U.S. Manufacturer 46:20

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3d ago46:20

46:20

Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, are joined by Jon Armstrong, Co-Founder and CEO of Do It American MFG Company, which produces goods for public utilities. Jon started the company in 2008 and is an advocate for U.S.-based manufacturing. Earlier in his career as a manager at Walker Corporation he learned about …

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The Management Brief | Transforming from GM Executive to Toyota Leader 44:00

11d ago44:00

44:00

By Lean Enterprise Institute

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The Management Brief Bonus Edition | Two Lean Luminaries and Two Processes for Lean Transformation 1:05:20

18d ago1:05:20

1:05:20

In this special dual-release edition of The Design Brief and The Management Brief, Josh Howell, LEI President, is joined by LEI veterans Jim Morgan, Senior Advisor, and Mark Reich, Senior Coach and Chief Engineer Strategy. These two lean heavyweights discuss two fundamental lean processes that are absolutely critical to transform and grow an enterp…

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The Design Brief | Eric Ethington and Matt Zayko on Why it Takes a Chief Engineer to Design Profitable Value Streams 27:28

23d ago27:28

27:28

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Eric Ethington and Matt Zayko about how to build strong teams and robust product and process development systems, and why doing so takes a skilled chief engineer. Eric Ethington is a senior coach and Chief Engineer, Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD) at The Lean Enterprise Institute. Matt …

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Improving Patient and Caregiver Outcomes with Lean in Healthcare 48:00

25d ago48:00

48:00

Two leaders of the Cleveland Clinic’s lean improvement function — Dr. Lisa Yerian, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical & Operational Improvement Officer, and Chad Cummings, Vice President of Lean Transformation & Continuous Improvement — speak with Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy. The podcast continue…

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The Management Brief | Lean Improvement Group Helps Appliance Maker Reshore Products 50:00

1M ago50:00

50:00

Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, talk with Rich Calvaruso, Senior Director of the Lean Management Office for GE Appliances. Rich — with GE for 36 years and the leader of GE Appliances’ continuous improvement (CI) group for 15 of those years — has been instrumental in driving lean thinking and practice for the…

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TPS Taken to Companies across the UK 49:26

1M ago49:26

49:26

Simon Rowley and Julian Ball join Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, and continue this month’s discussion about the role of continuous improvement (CI) groups in lean management. Simon is Senior Manager at the Toyota Lean Management Centre (TLMC) in the UK, and Julian is Section Manager. TLMC was started by Toy…

1
A Toyota Take on Taking TPS to Others 47:17

2M ago47:17

47:17

Josh Howell and Mark Reich, LEI President and Chief Engineer Strategy, respectively, speak with Jamie Bonini, President of the Toyota Production System Support Center (TSSC), a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with Toyota Motor North America. Since 1992, TSSC has shared Toyota know-how with more than 500 small- to mid-sized companies, governme…

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Innovation as a Core Capability: Sebastian Fixson on Why Leaders Need Lean Product and Process Development 24:50

2M ago24:50

24:50

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Sebastian Fixson, PhD, of Babson College, on mentoring the next generation of leaders in lean product and process development (LPPD). Sebastian is the founding faculty director of the doctor of business administration) program and professor of innovation and design, at Babson, where he focuses on h…

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Learnings of a Lean Pioneer 44:30

3M ago44:30

44:30

Jim Lancaster, Owner and CEO of Lantech, talks with Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, about his lean journey and the decades-long transformation at his packaging-solutions company. Lantech, a lean pioneer, was highlighted in Jim Womack’s and Daniel Jones’ 1996 book Lean Thinking, and has steadily improved, gro…

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Tech Founder Mari Zumbro on Building High Trust Online Communities and AI in Product Development 29:41

3M ago29:41

29:41

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we continue our series on AI in product development with an interview with Mari Zumbro, Co-Founder and COO of the tech startup Filament. An active participant in the open-source community, Filament describes itself as a new communication platform with the goal of accelerating global innovation with leaders who a…

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Transforming as a Problem-Solver 54:35

3M ago54:35

54:35

Josh Howell and Mark Reich, LEI President and Chief Engineer Strategy, respectively, speak with Scott Heydon, former VP of Global Strategy at Starbucks, McKinsey & Co. consultant, and a Senior Lean Coach with LEI since 2014. They discuss Scott’s efforts to transform Starbucks with lean thinking, learning lean methods and new ways of problem-solving…

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AI to Empower People: Fabrice Bernhard on Using AI to Improve Product Development 18:30

3M ago18:30

18:30

In this episode of The Design Brief, we speak with Fabrice Bernhard. Fabrice is cofounder and chief technology officer of Theodo, a leading tech consultancy in Europe, and coauthor of The Lean Tech Manifesto. Fabrice discusses what it takes to create great digital products, how high-performing teams can use AI with care, and how LPPD (lean product …

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The Toyota Triangle and Problem-Solving 42:12

4M ago42:12

42:12

Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, join Olivier Larue, President of Ydatum, and discuss the Toyota Production System (TPS), the three elements embedded within TPS that make it more than just a production system, and the ability of TPS to foster problem-solving and creativity. Olivier worked with Mark at the Toy…

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A Personal Pursuit of Problem-Solving 40:08

4M ago40:08

40:08

Josh Howell and Mark Reich, LEI President and Chief Engineer Strategy, respectively, talk with Sal Sanchez, a Toyota veteran and TPS coach with LEI. Sal’s Toyota career began at New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI), the GM/Toyota joint venture and Toyota’s first automotive footprint in the United States, and continued with roles at Toyota No…

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Management System Surfaces Problems 43:00

4M ago43:00

43:00

Josh Howell, LEI President, talks about the relationship of problem-solving and daily management with Jill Miller, Manager for Global Learning and Development at MillerKnoll, a maker of office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings. Jill supports the development, use, and expansion of the MillerKnoll Performance System (MKPS), which she says is…

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Problem-Solving Primer 1:36:28

5M ago1:36:28

1:36:28

Josh Howell, LEI President, Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer Strategy, and Art Smalley discuss the four basic types of problem-solving. Art is a well-known expert in leadership, management, and the Toyota Way. He worked at Toyota Motor Corp. in Japan; helped to transform Donnelly Corp. in Michigan; was a consultant with McKinsey & Co.; and has author…

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Lean Product Development for Tech Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with Sandrine Olivencia on Building Smarter Startups 30:50

5M ago30:50

30:50

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Sandrine Olivencia, author of Build to Sell: The Lean Secret to Crafting Irresistible Products, co-founder of Taktique Academy, and partner at Lean Sensei Partners. This is the second time Sandrine has joined us on the WLEI podcast, and in this particular conversation, we discuss why lean product a…

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Lean Improvements Lead to Improved Lean Planning and Management 42:51

5M ago42:51

42:51

Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer of Strategy, and Karen Gaudet, LEI Senior Coach, talk with Michael Duncan, President of Viwinco, about his efforts to establish a robust daily management system in the family-owned window and door company and connect it to the company’s hoshin kanri process. Michael grew up in the company and, after rising into leader…

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Go Fast, Learn a Lot: A Conversation with Phil Green on Product-Centered Entrepreneurship 26:11

5M ago26:11

26:11

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with product leader and angel investor Phil Green about product-centered entrepreneurship and what it takes to truly create value for customers. Since 2020, Phil has been the senior advisor for B2B and technology at Harvard Innovation Labs. Before the i-lab, Phil spent over 30 years working at various s…

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The Successful, Continuous Beat of Daily Management 40:31

5M ago40:31

40:31

Josh Howell, LEI president, explores the topic of daily management with Joe Seestadt, Director Lab Outreach for Bronson Healthcare and a faculty member and coach with LEI. Joe trained as an industrial engineer and worked in manufacturing, and has now spent some 18 years in healthcare. He was instrumental in developing the Cleveland Clinic’s daily m…

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Personal and Organizational Transformation: A Conversation with Dr. Sarah Womack 40:17

6M ago40:17

40:17

Josh Howell, LEI president, talks with Dr. Sarah Womack, an eight-year veteran of Toyota and author of Toyota’s Improvement Thinking from the Inside. Sarah discusses how her transformation and that of other individuals within Toyota collectively contributed to organizational improvements and high performance. Her Toyota experiences exponentially ad…

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What it Takes to Win at New Product Development: A Conversation with Steve Spear 30:37

6M ago30:37

30:37

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we speak with Steve Spear, a senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, senior fellow at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, and associated faculty member at Adriane Labs of the Harvard School of Public Health. Spear is also author of The High-Velocity Edge and Wiring the Winning Organization and …

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Engineering for the Future: A Conversation with MIT D-Lab Founder Amy Smith 27:59

7M ago27:59

27:59

In this episode of WLEI Podcast, we welcome Amy Smith, Founding Director of MIT’s D-Lab, an innovative university-based program in international development and a senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at MIT.By Lean Enterprise Institute

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Socially Responsible Design Meets Lean Product and Process Development: A Conversation with Cynthia E. Smith 27:33

7M ago27:33

27:33

In this episode of WLEI Podcast, we welcome Cynthia E. Smith, Curator of Socially Responsible Design at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and author of Design for the Other 90%. Cynthia speaks about design as a catalyst for change and what it means, as she says, to be in “the collective work of building capacity and agency in communities acr…

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30-Plus Years with Hoshin Kanri 1:03:03

8M ago1:03:03

1:03:03

This week The Management Brief presents a podcast with Josh Howell, LEI President, and Mark Reich, LEI Chief Engineer, Strategy. They discuss Mark’s 30-plus years working with hoshin kanri — two decades at Toyota and then coaching executives while with LEI — and the impact that the strategic planning and execution process has had on Toyota and the …

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Isao Yoshino Reflects on 40 Years at Toyota 30:53

8M ago30:53

30:53

In this edition of The Management Brief, Mark Reich sits down with Isao Yoshino, a 40-year veteran of Toyota and a driving force behind the company’s success with hoshin kanri. Yoshino shares the impact that hoshin kanri and A3 problem-solving has had on him professionally and personally. Key takeaways include: · Multiple roles over four decades at…

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Driving Continuous Improvement through Frontline Supervisors: A Conversation with TRQSS President Mark Dolsen 47:21

9M ago47:21

47:21

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we sit down with Mark Dolsen, President of TRQSS, a seat belt manufacturer that supplies Toyota and other automakers in North America. Mark shares insights into TRQSS's lean journey and the critical role of frontline supervisors in driving continuous improvement. Key takeaways include: TRQSS has evolved its lean…

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Building a Resilient Business with Hoshin Kanri and Problem Solving : A Conversation with Grand Rapids Chair CEO Geoff Miller 47:12

9M ago47:12

47:12

In this edition of The Management Brief, Mark Reich sits down with Geoff Miller, CEO of Grand Rapids Chair, to discuss his company's lean transformation journey. Geoff shares how the adoption of hoshin kanri and A3 problem-solving has helped the company maintain strategic focus and build organizational capability. Geoff offers a candid reflection o…

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Achieving Unprecedented Safety at Turner Construction: a Conversation with Charlie Murphy 1:15:26

10M ago1:15:26

1:15:26

In this edition of The Management Brief, LEI President Josh Howell sat down with Charlie Murphy, Senior Vice President at Turner Construction, to discuss the company's remarkable lean transformation journey. Charlie shares how the organization leveraged core lean principles and practices to drive a dramatic improvement in safety performance and bui…

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Driving Healthcare Innovation: a Conversation with Jay Hill 41:21

11M ago41:21

41:21

In the latest edition of the Design Brief, we sit down with Jay Hill, the Vice President of Advanced Technology at GE Healthcare, to discuss the company's approach to product development in the complex healthcare technology space. Jay offers insights into: GE Healthcare's deep engagement with clinicians at all stages of product development, from ne…

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Driving Strategic Alignment and Daily Improvement: a Conversation with GE Appliances Executive Marcia Brey 43:16

11M ago43:16

43:16

In the latest issue of The Management Brief, host Mark Reich sits down with Marcia Brey, the Vice President of Logistics at GE Appliances. Marcia shares her extensive career journey at GE Appliances, spanning roles in design, customer service, distribution, quality, and eventually leading the company's lean enterprise transformation. Key points dis…

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Redesigning Patient Pathways: a Conversation with Dr. Carlos Frederico Pinto 52:36

12M ago52:36

52:36

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Carlos Frederico Pinto (aka Dr. Fred), a medical oncologist with over 30 years of experience leading transformative changes in cancer care. Dr. Pinto shares insights on using lean thinking to dramatically improve patient outcomes and access to care. Some highlights from the conversation inclu…

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Daily Management to Execute Strategy: a Conversation with José Ferro 48:13

12M ago48:13

48:13

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, we sit down with Jose Ferro, the founder of the Lean Institute Brasil and co-author of LEI's new book Daily Management to Execute Strategy: Solving problems and developing people every day. José shares his insights on how companies can effectively connect their high-level strategy to frontline operations and the…

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Solving Loneliness in Hospitals with AI and Robotics: a Conversation with Karen Khachikyan and Mineh Badmagharian 39:34

12M ago39:34

39:34

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Karen Khachikyan, CEO of Expper Technologies, and Mineh Badmagharian, the clinical and product development leader. They shared the remarkable story behind Robin, a robot designed to provide emotional support and comfort to pediatric and geriatric patients in hospitals and care facilities. What stoo…

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Understand Before You Execute: a Conversation by AI 7:56

1y ago7:56

7:56

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we explore the LPPD principle: Understand Before You Execute. Too often, companies commit to a product design before assessing their customers’ needs, leading to development churn and failed products. The conversation examines how to avoid that trap by precisely identifying customer needs before development and …

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Moving from Agile to Lean: a Conversation with Sandrine Olivencia 54:30

1y ago54:30

54:30

In this episode of WLEI Podcast, we welcome Sandrine Olivencia, author of Build to Sell and expert in applying Lean principles to software development. Sandrine shares her journey from waterfall to Agile and eventually to Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD), which she sees as a more holistic and sustainable system for building great product…

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Spreading Lean Thinking to Software and Startups: a Conversation with Regis Medina 1:00:37

1y ago1:00:37

1:00:37

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Regis Megina, a software industry veteran who has undergone a journey from Agile to Lean. Regis shares insights on: How he transitioned from early frustrations with waterfall development to embracing Agile and Extreme Programming The challenges he faced in spreading these new ideas, and why he ulti…

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40 Years of Lean Observation: a Conversation with Art Byrne 1:14:21

1y ago1:14:21

1:14:21

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with prolific author and business leader Art Byrne. During the discussion, Art shares his decades-long journey leading lean transformation, from running kaizen events with the first wave of ex-Toyota consultants in the US to leading manufacturer Wiremold to record profitability. For a decade, Art wrot…

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Crafting Quality Software: a Conversation with Robert Martin 52:24

1+ y ago52:24

52:24

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with software industry veteran Robert Martin. Robert is one of the original signers of the Agile Manifesto and the author of several influential books, including Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship. During the conversation, Robert shared insightful perspectives on some of the bigges…

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The History of the Term "Lean": a Conversation with Jim Womack and John Krafcik 17:23

1+ y ago17:23

17:23

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, Jim Womack and John Krafcik share the origin story of the term "lean." Jim led the MIT global benchmarking study of the automotive industry, which led to the seminal book The Machine That Changed the World, and John was one of the principal researchers. Jim went on to co-author a similarly influential book, Lean…

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AI's Impact on Healthcare: A Conversation with Dr. Jackie Gerhart and Dr. Christopher Longhurst 22:26

1+ y ago22:26

22:26

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Dr. Jackie Gerhart and Dr. Christopher Longhurst. Dr. Gerhart is a family physician and VP of clinical informatics at Epic Systems, while Dr. Longhurst is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Digital Officer at UC San Diego Health. In the discussion, we explore: How health systems are using AI to …

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Teaching Lean Thinking to Kids: A Conversation with Alan Goodman 33:36

1+ y ago33:36

33:36

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Alan Goodman, professor and department chair of quality engineering at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Alan spent his career in operations at GE before becoming a professor. The podcast explores his recent work to teach young students lean skills to prepare them for careers after school. In the…

1
The State of US Manufacturing and Its Role in Innovation: a Conversation with Ben Armstrong and Jim Morgan 51:38

1+ y ago51:38

51:38

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of MIT's Industrial Performance Center, and Jim Morgan, Senior Advisor at the Lean Enterprise Institute. They share perspectives from Ben's extensive research on the history and future of US manufacturing and Jim's first-hand knowledge of developing new products an…

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Quality Leadership at the Forefront of Innovation: A Conversation with Jeri Ford of Lucid Motors 39:05

1+ y ago39:05

39:05

Electrification has given rise to new American automotive ventures such as Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Motors. Aside from the powertrain, these companies are innovating the driving experience through breakthrough performance and by deeply integrating software into vehicle architecture. These disruptions demonstrate exciting possibilities but raise a c…

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Developing 35,000 Problem Solvers: OhioHealth's Journey in Lean Healthcare with Alli Kulp and Emily Swaney 46:14

1+ y ago46:14

46:14

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Emily Swaney and Alli Kulp from OhioHealth. Emily is the senior director of OhioHealth's lean promotion office, leading the organization's continuous improvement team. Alli is a senior advisor in the lean promotion office and previously worked as a registered nurse. In our discussion, we explore:…

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Connecting the Classroom to Industry: Experiential Lean Learning with Dennis Wade and Lisa Eshbach 46:30

1+ y ago46:30

46:30

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Dennis Wade from Oakland University and Lisa Eshbach, PhD from Ferris State University. They share their universities' programs that provide hands-on lean learning experiences for students through collaboration with industry partners. In our discussion, we explore: The backgrounds and roles of Denn…

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Extending Lean Thinking Beyond the Factory at MillerKnoll: a Conversation with Jennifer Trask and Brittney Heatherington 44:38

1+ y ago44:38

44:38

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, our guests are Jennifer Trask and Brittney Heatherington from MillerKnoll. Trask is the Director of the MillerKnoll Performance System (HMPS) for business processes and dealer network, while Heatherington is a continuous improvement coach for the dealer network. In our discussion, we explore: MillerKnoll’s metho…

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Defining Winning: Turning Around Operations Through Clarity and Ownership with Billy Taylor 51:23

1+ y ago51:23

51:23

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Billy Taylor, former operations executive at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He is now President of LinkedXL and author of The Winning Link: a Proven Process to Define, Align, and Execute Strategy at Every Level. In our discussion, we explore: Billy’s career journey from third shift supervisor to…

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Engaging Leadership in Lean at MassMutual 36:48

2y ago36:48

36:48

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI's guests are Mary Nell Egan and Lisa Karam from MassMutual, a leading insurance company. Egan and Karam delve into the intricacies of transformation in a traditionally cautious, large organization. In our discussion, we explore several key themes: MassMutual’s evolution from a tool-centric to a customer-valu…