Shingo Principles Podcast

In today’s session Brittany Ogden and Shaun Barker, who oversee the Shingo assessment process will talk about the Shingo Challenge—what it is, who’s eligible, and how to prepare. The Shingo Prize is a prestigious recognition of organizational excellence, grounded in cultural transformation and principle-based behavior. Unlike traditional assessments, Shingo examiners evaluate how deeply the Shingo Guiding Principles are embedded in daily operations. Brittany and Shaun walk us through the eligibility process, including the results documentation. We also highlight the importance of early conversations—some organizations begin planning two years in advance. Whether or not you’re aiming for an award, the Shingo Model offers a powerful framework for continuous improvement. For those ready to challenge, there are currently three levels of recognition: Bronze, Silver, and the Shingo Prize. Be sure to check the session link for the Shingo Guidelines, which are referred to heavily throughout the session. Shingo Guidelines: https://usu.box.com/s/soon7kiuivk7kdftg80zpcyz6cfh8a2b  [https://usu.box.com/s/soon7kiuivk7kdftg80zpcyz6cfh8a2b ] To learn more about the Shingo Model, please visit https://shingo.org/shingo-model/.  [https://shingo.org/shingo-model]

Today’s podcast explores how leaders can thrive in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environment by embracing adaptive, principle-based leadership rooted in the Shingo Model™. Drawing on insights from the book Leading Excellence, the episode introduces the concept of the “5 Hats of the Adaptive Leader”—Inspire, Coach, Teach, Support, and Direct—as practical tools to guide leaders in responding effectively to different situations. It emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s own core belief system, as well as those of others, to foster emotional intelligence and ideal behaviors. Leaders must shape culture intentionally, align systems to drive desired behaviors, and connect every individual to a shared purpose. By consistently reinforcing principles like Respect Every Individual and Lead with Humility, leaders can create workplaces where people flourish and organizations thrive. The discussion offers a roadmap for developing culture, empowering teams, and leading with purpose—delivering sustainable, profitable results in a human-centered way. To learn more about the Shingo Model, please visit https://shingo.org [https://shingo.org].  To view the webinar associated with this podcast, please visit https://youtu.be/3aHx4aAvBEA [https://youtu.be/3aHx4aAvBEA].

In today’s episode, we’re exploring a foundational yet often overlooked element of continuous improvement: psychological safety. It's the belief that team members can speak up—about mistakes, concerns, and ideas—without fear of punishment. And it’s not just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a must-have for any organization striving to learn and grow. Drawing insights from The Mistakes That Make Us and the powerful principles of the Shingo Model, we’ll unpack how leading organizations like Toyota create cultures where mistakes become opportunities—not for blame, but for learning and improvement. To learn more, please visit https://shinog.org/articles [https://shinog.org/articles] and https://www.markgraban.com/shingo2025/ [https://www.markgraban.com/shingo2025/].

Achieving the Shingo Prize or reaching the highest levels of the Shingo Behavioral Scale is a remarkable accomplishment—but it’s not the final destination. The real question is: what comes next? In this episode, we explore the shift from maturity to mastery in organizational excellence. Maturity brings stability and best practices, but mastery breaks boundaries, redefines industries, and sets new standards. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese concept of Takumi—a lifelong pursuit of perfection—we’ll uncover three key steps to move beyond sustaining excellence and into pioneering innovation. If you’re ready to push past benchmarks and redefine what excellence truly means, stay tuned. To learn more, please visit: shingo.org/articles [https://shingo.org/articles]

In this podcast, Robert Martichenko, Shingo Publication recipient and chair of TrailPath Workplace Solutions and founder of LeanCor Supply Chain Group will discuss how we need to truly believe that respect and improvement in our work can be guiding principles for organizational decisions, leadership behaviors, and team member participation. Listeners will learn how an employment environment is elevated through a clear commitment to every team member inside the organization.  To learn more, please visit https://shingo.org/articles.