The Current State of Continuous Improvement with Ken Robinette

The Current State of Continuous Improvement with Ken Robinette

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Ken Robinette joins host Dan Swartwout. Ken is MoreSteam's Vice President of Business Development and a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. He spends his days talking with OpEx leaders about what works and where things might be headed next. Ken has also been on the road at events like the ASQ World Conference and the IISE Healthcare Conference, where he heard what OpEx and CI leaders are talking about right now. With that perspective and his decades of experience, Ken gives a real‑world look at the current state of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and Lean Six Sigma. Ken talks about what it feels like to be "afflicted with busy" in the middle of an organization. Your calendar is packed. The work keeps piling up. But guess what? Continuous improvement still needs your attention. Ken also discusses what happens when experience walks out the door and the next wave of talent might not be ready yet. When that happens, people sometimes hope that AI or a new org chart will fix it. At one point, Dan asks Ken about coaching Ad Godinez through Ohio State's Master of Business in Operational Excellence program. One morning, Ad surprised Ken by showing up at MoreSteam HQ to thank him in front of the whole company. Ad told the story from his perspective on Episode 51. Now you get to hear Ken's take. Ken also talks about his recent presentations on problem statements and game-based simulation. By the end of this episode, you may look at the current state of your own CI efforts and ask a harder question. Are we building the conditions for real improvement? Or are we just asking people to squeeze it in around everything else? In this episode, you will hear about: 0:18 - Curren trends in operational excellence and continuous improvement 3:30 - Game-based learning and simulations 6:26 - Additional challenges facing OpEx leaders 11:04 - Conversations with OpEx leaders about AI 14:34 - Writing good Lean Six Sigma problem statements 17:51 - Lean Six Sigma experts who are also great leaders 20:48 - Coaching Ad Godinez in The Ohio State University's MBOE program 24:48 - Common challenges across multiple industries Additional Resources: Ken Robinette on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenrobinette/] Ken's Webinar on Lean Six Sigma Problem Statements [https://www.moresteam.com/resources/webcasts/lean-six-sigma-project-selection] Ken's First Appearance on Quality Time With MoreSteam [https://www.moresteam.com/resources/podcasts/8-leadership-coaching-ken-robinette] Ken's Presentation on Generative AI [https://www.moresteam.com/resources/podcasts/13-generative-ai-process-improvement] Ad Godinez on Quality Time With MoreSteam [https://www.moresteam.com/resources/podcasts/51-leadership-under-pressure-ad-godinez] MoreSteam's YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MoreSteamcom-sm6fe] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563414037584] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/qualitytimewithmoresteam/] Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/quality-time-with-moresteam-podcast/] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter [https://www.moresteam.com/morenews] MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/moresteam.com-llc/mycompany/] Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-swartwout-97277b62/] Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quality-time-with-moresteam/id1737228208] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/72kG0UtDKRHF6LRRBa0dDx] Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/434aedb9-1337-4ed8-8301-d85fd9dd9ac8/quality-time-with-moresteam] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxLokmKq89IwHoK7MfoeckFb7A9NwVL5]

Scary Statistics Made Simple with Thomas DeMarco

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Thomas DeMarco joins host Dan Swartwout. Thomas holds a master's degree in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences with a concentration in Applied Statistics. He is also MoreSteam's principal statistician. Thomas started his career helping engineers and operators at Eastman Chemical figure out what their data was actually saying, and he has been doing some version of that ever since. Many statisticians stay in the math, but Thomas would rather be where the work is happening. Thomas and Dan talk about why teams get into trouble when they skip the basics and reach for tools they cannot explain. You will also find out how Thomas can make a word like "orthogonality" feel like something you already understand, which is a pretty good trick. It turns out a lot of "scary" statistics work the same way. Once somebody explains a concept the right way, you wonder why it ever felt hard. By the end of the conversation, you may stop worrying about whether you are using the right model and start asking something more useful. Do the people closest to the work actually understand what the numbers are telling them? In this episode, you will hear about: 0:49 - Meet Thomas 3:15 - Being an industrial statistician at a chemical company 4:30 - What Thomas does at MoreSteam 5:41 - Thomas and EngineRoom 7:54 - Getting stuck on advanced statistics 11:47 - Making advanced statistics easier 15:34 - Using statistics to make software better for the end user 18:08 - What's next for Thomas and statistics at MoreSteam Additional Resources: Thomas DeMarco on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-c-demarco/] MoreSteam's YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MoreSteamcom-sm6fe] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563414037584] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/qualitytimewithmoresteam/] Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/quality-time-with-moresteam-podcast/] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter [https://www.moresteam.com/morenews] MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/moresteam.com-llc/mycompany/] Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-swartwout-97277b62/] Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quality-time-with-moresteam/id1737228208] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/72kG0UtDKRHF6LRRBa0dDx] Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/434aedb9-1337-4ed8-8301-d85fd9dd9ac8/quality-time-with-moresteam] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxLokmKq89IwHoK7MfoeckFb7A9NwVL5]

Structural Readiness and Real Change with Kirk Harper

Kirk Harper is a longtime continuous improvement practitioner and the author of The Book on Successful Transformation: Structural Readiness and the Governance of Integrity Under Pressure. More importantly, he has seen quite a few "big transformations" that looked great in a slide deck but fell apart in real life. On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Kirk joins host Dan Swartwout to talk about what really determines whether change will stick. Kirk believes that most transformations do not fail because of the tools. They fail because people do not feel safe being honest when things are going wrong. Want to know something real about the culture of your organization? Plant a little "bad news" that might not be entirely accurate and see how it travels up the chain of command like a game of telephone. Does the story sound a lot better by the time it reaches the top? Then your organization is not ready for change. To assess readiness, Kirk explains how his iTransform method can help you decide whether your organization should stop, stabilize, or proceed with change. Kirk also explains what real organizational transformation feels like. When the people closest to the work feel a sense of ownership, the room sounds different. The hallway sounds different. Even the morning walk to the shop floor feels different. By the time Dan and Kirk reach the end of their conversation, you may find yourself asking a new question. Not "What tools should we use" but "What would it take for my place to feel like that?" In this episode, you will hear about: 0:38 - Introducing Kirk Harper 2:44 - The organization underneath the tools and methods 4:15 - Testing an organization's readiness for change 6:41 - Psychological safety 7:38 - The concept of Structural Readiness 11:04 - The governance of integrity under pressure 11:57 - Reverting back to safety 13:07 - The iTransform gate 18:28 - Being told "Do Not Proceed" or "Stabilize" 19:54 - The 90-day alignment period before implementing change 22:06 - A structurally unsafe transformation attempt 26:21 - The ASCEND transformation methodology 30:08 - Warning signs that a system isn't safe for change 31:06 - Practical steps leaders can take right now 33:03 - Neurosync Technologies Additional Resources: Kirk Harper on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-harper-08b0184/] The Book on Successful Transformation: Structural Readiness and the Governance of Integrity Under Pressure on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Book-Successful-Transformation-Structural-Governance-ebook/dp/B0GRJPKMDR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24TQPZO1PCA5Y&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8_TxNRqXr6cbPyjsRTYcwQ.xL7CzBnjLWNLQ5aw2Q0F0wHFZty2bb01ns9SFnUwDLY&dib_tag=se&keywords=The+Book+on+Successful+Transformation%3A+Structural+Readiness+and+the+Governance+of+Integrity+Under+Pressure&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1779217099&sprefix=the+book+on+successful+transformation+structural+readiness+and+the+governance+of+integrity+under+pressure%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-1] Neurosync Technologies [https://neurosync-technologies.ltd/] MoreSteam's YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MoreSteamcom-sm6fe] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563414037584] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/qualitytimewithmoresteam/] Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/quality-time-with-moresteam-podcast/] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter [https://www.moresteam.com/morenews] MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/moresteam.com-llc/mycompany/] Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-swartwout-97277b62/] Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quality-time-with-moresteam/id1737228208] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/72kG0UtDKRHF6LRRBa0dDx] Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/434aedb9-1337-4ed8-8301-d85fd9dd9ac8/quality-time-with-moresteam] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxLokmKq89IwHoK7MfoeckFb7A9NwVL5]

Billy Ray Taylor Has The Winning Link

Known worldwide as an expert in strategy and operational excellence, Billy Ray Taylor is the CEO and president of LinkedXL, chairman of the board of AME, and the author of The Winning Link. Before founding LinkedXL, Billy served as a global operations leader at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, where he led major manufacturing turnarounds and helped drive significant performance improvements and profits. On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, you will learn why Billy Ray Taylor is also one of the most engaging and entertaining speakers in the world of continuous improvement. Billy and host Dan Swartwout talk about what it actually takes to lead a transformation. Most leaders earn the technical right to change. They have the title, the tools, and the training. But according to Billy, the cultural right is what actually moves people. And you don't get the cultural right to change from a PowerPoint presentation. You have to earn it. Billy also makes a distinction that resonated with Dan (and will resonate with you, too). Everyone talks about KPIs. Billy Ray's company also focuses on KPAs, which stands for Key Performance Actions. The difference between KPIs and KPAs is the difference between knowing that you failed and knowing why you failed. And then there is the Fayetteville story. People told Dan he had to ask Billy about it. Listen and you will understand why. Billy's mother is also referenced several times throughout this episode. That is not an accident. Some of the best leadership advice in this episode did not come from a boardroom. It came from Billy's mom. In this episode, you will hear about: 0:51 - Introducing Billy Ray Taylor 1:39 - The value of people 3:17 - The technical right to change and the cultural right to change 5:09 - You can't manage a secret 6:46 - Celebrating the red 10:29 - Be hard on the process 13:17 - Dealing with a top performer 17:25 - Nick Saban and leadership 19:59 - Ownership, leadership, and psychological safety 25:24 - Key Performance Indicators and Key Performance Actions 29:56 - LinkedXL 34:27 - The Fayetteville Story 38:53 - Success and humble leadership 46:04 - How Billy Ray Taylor builds a team 48:04 - Making people feel like participants in change 51:24 - Making people feel valued 53:12 - Make people visible and they'll make you valuable Additional Resources: Billy Ray Taylor on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyrtaylor/] LinkedXL [https://linkedxl.com/] The Winning Link on Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Link-Process-Execute-Strategy/dp/B0D9KWHNQB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RUGGVER7W9OG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.AaM5gVM_DbAy3lsVoMOIUz9Thn4AAHxG7S5pcoF4CUBGzsazkXfJIRc1L8Oc0J4i2o_1aGWkdoK-_mJA5Y9hnmsUycofrHgnjmGnga913XI.gNULbK2w2iduUIXGwTvBVYdPNTQAM9S7rzchrhpjawM&dib_tag=se&keywords=billy+ray+taylor+winning+link&qid=1778245407&sprefix=billy+ray+taylor+winning+link%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-1] MoreSteam's YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MoreSteamcom-sm6fe] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563414037584] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/qualitytimewithmoresteam/] Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/quality-time-with-moresteam-podcast/] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter [https://www.moresteam.com/morenews] MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/moresteam.com-llc/mycompany/] Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-swartwout-97277b62/] Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quality-time-with-moresteam/id1737228208] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/72kG0UtDKRHF6LRRBa0dDx] Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/434aedb9-1337-4ed8-8301-d85fd9dd9ac8/quality-time-with-moresteam] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxLokmKq89IwHoK7MfoeckFb7A9NwVL5]

Your Culture Is In Your Data With April Thomas

April Thomas first joined the show six months ago for Episode 40. A lot has happened since then. For example, April has been on the road sharing her expertise. April has presented at the ASQ Lean and Six Sigma Conference and the Virginia and DC SHRM Conference. Her message is the same everywhere she goes. The soft stuff can actually be the hardest stuff. And your organization's success with the soft stuff shows up in your data whether you're paying attention or not. As a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt who began her career as a hospice social worker, April brings a unique perspective to leadership and continuous improvement. On this episode, she explains why psychological safety isn't just a feel-good concept. It's the condition that makes accurate data collection possible. April also gets into what happens to a team after a layoff and how they are watching to see leadership's response. April explains what leaders get wrong in those moments and what they should consider doing instead. And if your organization has a retention problem, April has a message for you. Retention is not a strategy. It's an outcome. The real question is, what kind of organization are you building? Ask yourself, would you want to work there? This episode is for everybody. Even the data people. And maybe, especially the data people. In this episode, you will hear about: 2:14 - What's April been up to lately? 3:39 - April's presentation at ASQ's Lean and Six Sigma Conference 7:31 - How a lack of psychological safety affects data 9:47 - Discussing psychological safety with data-driven practitioners 12:09 - Recognizing a psychologically safe environment 16:20 - How practitioners in on-leadership roles can help build psychological safety 18:07 - How participants reacted during April's session at ASQ's Lean and Six Sigma Conference 22:43 - Organizational strategy and project prioritization 26:43 - One thing you can do this week to improve the culture of your organization 28:22 - Retention is an outcome, not a strategy 31:58 - The intersection of continuous improvement and Human Resources 34:39 - Layoffs and the ongoing work of continuous improvement 38:01 - The SCARF Model in the aftermath of layoffs 40:59 - Catching up with April since Episode 40 44:49 - The Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation 49:06 - The soft skills can bring in the hard dollars Additional Resources: April Thomas on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/org-strategist/] April's PSA from MADD Mid-Atlantic [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAMWR4zfDT8] The Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Foundation [https://www.kmtmf.org/] The first annual Kaytlyn Madison Thomas Memorial Walk [https://www.kmtmf.org/walkathon] Episode 40 with April Thomas [https://www.moresteam.com/resources/podcasts/40-leading-with-empathy] MoreSteam's YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@MoreSteamcom-sm6fe] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563414037584] Quality Time With MoreSteam on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/qualitytimewithmoresteam/] Quality Time With MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/quality-time-with-moresteam-podcast/] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] Subscribe to MoreSteam's Newsletter [https://www.moresteam.com/morenews] MoreSteam on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/moresteam.com-llc/mycompany/] Dan Swartwout on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-swartwout-97277b62/] Subscribe to Quality Time With MoreSteam Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/quality-time-with-moresteam/id1737228208] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/72kG0UtDKRHF6LRRBa0dDx] Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/434aedb9-1337-4ed8-8301-d85fd9dd9ac8/quality-time-with-moresteam] YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWxLokmKq89IwHoK7MfoeckFb7A9NwVL5]