You Can't Spell DMAIC Without AI

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]

You Can't Spell DMAIC Without AI

AI is making things faster. Find out why that's not always the same as making things better. On this episode of Quality Time With MoreSteam, Xander Hathaway joins the podcast. Xander studied computer science at Notre Dame. He earned his master's in information and data science from UC Berkeley. And for nearly five years, he has been VP of Product Development at MoreSteam, which means he spends his days thinking about software, Lean, and AI all at once. That background matters for Xander's conversation with host Dan Swartwout. Xander and Dan explore the intersection of continuous improvement and artificial intelligence. Speed and improvement are not the same thing, and the gap between them is exactly where continuous improvement lives. Measuring output has always been easier than measuring value. Because of that, faster tools can make it easier to go all in on producing the wrong things. What about standard work and process knowledge? When AI is doing the building, standard work matters more than ever. And process knowledge does not become less important as technology improves. Rather, Xander says the opposite is true. And every system has a tolerance for error. Knowing your tolerance can change how your system is built. Finally, it's Quality Time with MoreSteam, so expect a few laughs along the way. In particular, stick around for the birthday story. Nine months later, Dan still can't explain it. As it turns out, neither can AI. In this episode, you will hear about: 2:39 - Software engineering and operational excellence 5:07 - The "Gemba" in Software Engineering 6:45 - Using AI to improve the process, not just move faster 8:51 - AI and output metrics 10:12 - AI, software development, and standard work 13:45 - Adopting AI in both operational excellence and technology 16:03 - Dealing with "hallucinations" 20:46 - AI adding complexity to software systems 22:23 - AI predictions in the past versus the future state of AI 26:07 - Rapid AI improvement and deep process knowledge 27:55 - Tips for OpEx leaders as their organizations adopt AI 30:28 - Dan's baseball story (cliffhanger alert!) Additional Resources: Xander Hathaway on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/xander-hathaway-88591688/] 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]

Voice of the Customer, Voice of the Team with Rich "Raz" Razgaitis

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, we welcome back Rich "Raz" Razgaitis to the show. Host Dan Swartwout has known Raz since the second grade. Raz was also the second guest ever on Quality Time with MoreSteam. That was two years ago, and as you will learn, a lot has happened since then. Raz is the co-founder and CEO of FloWater, a company on a mission to restore clean drinking water across the United States. Raz's mission is the same. But two years later, the company has grown a lot. (Oh, and since that last episode, Raz has been named EY's Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mountain West. Not bad.) Raz and Dan dig into what it actually takes to scale a business the right way. How do you rebuild a team after a crisis forces you to downsize? How do you design a hiring process that shows you something real about a candidate? Raz looks for two things in a potential employee: competency and chemistry. He explains exactly what he means by both, and why getting one without the other can cost you. Raz also shares the story of a tagline his team spent months developing that his customers completely ignored. It turns out the customers had already written a better one themselves. This episode is a great reminder that voice of the customer cannot be manufactured in a conference room. Because they've been friends for over 40 years, the conversation between Dan and Raz is just as fun as it is informative. They talk about Raz's children's book, which went to number one with a bullet. And Raz shares how cooking dinner sometimes means more than just cooking dinner. Raz and Dan's second grade teacher, Ms. Blume, would be proud of this episode. We think you'll like it, too. In this episode you'll hear about: 2:34 - Reintroducing Raz and FloWater 7:16 - Crossing one billion plastic bottles saved 10:25 - Redesigning processes while rebuilding the team 13:44 - Competency and chemistry 18:53 - Finding the right chemistry fit 23:31 - Continuous improvement in the interview process 32:29 - Learning the Voice Of The Customer while building a business 40:49 - Standardizing processes to ensure quality at every station 46:13 - Entrepreneur of the Year 47:13 - Clean Water is Awesome: No, Really! 50:23 - Steak dinners Additional Resources "Raz" (Rich) Razgaitis on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richrazgaitis/] FloWater [https://drinkflowater.com/] FloWater on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/flowater/] Clean Water is Awesome: No, Really! [https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Water-Awesome-No-Really/dp/B0F6GQCVMW] MoreSteam's Website [https://www.moresteam.com/] 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]