Hosts Andy Olrich and Catherine McDonald discuss Lean principles in small businesses with guest Don Watza, focusing on the KATA approach and its potential for driving continuous improvement.
A new podcast episode of Lean Thinking Insights was published on Feb 27, 2024 with the original title:
Exploring Lean Principles in Small Businesses
Overview:
In this episode, hosts Andy Olrich and Catherine McDonald discuss the challenges small businesses face in adopting Lean principles. They highlight the KATA approach as a practical method that encourages hands-on learning, suggesting its potential benefits for broader adoption in Lean coaching.
Core content:
- Hosts explore the slow adoption of Lean principles in small businesses and the difficulties encountered in learning and implementing these methodologies.
- The KATA approach is emphasized as a practical, hands-on methodology that distinguishes itself among Lean practices.
- The discussion addresses the question of why effective Lean methodologies like KATA are not more actively promoted by leaders in the Lean community.
- Don Watza, the guest expert, shares his experiences in problem-solving, process improvement, and the application of Lean tools in various sectors including healthcare.
Learnings:
- Listeners will gain insights into the specific challenges that small businesses face when adopting Lean principles and how to overcome them.
- The episode highlights the importance of hands-on learning in effectively implementing Lean methodologies like KATA.
- Listeners will understand the critical role of leadership in promoting effective Lean practices within organizations.
- The discussion emphasizes the benefits of integrating Lean principles with practical skills in business operations and process improvement.
The original content was published in English.
