Chad Bareither

A mentor once told me: “If I had to teach Lean using only one concept, it would be flow. Make the work flow. Where it doesn’t, learn why—and make it flow better.” The longer I work with manufacturing and operations teams, the more I agree with him. Lean is often introduced in a classroom. We explain value, waste, flow, pull, standard work, visual management, problem-solving, workplace organization, and continuous improvement. We introduce Japanese terms, draw diagrams, and share examples from...

I once heard a realtor friend of mine say that as his clients choose to downside, they are usually 5 years too late. What he means is that the process itself takes a year, and in advance of that is the cleanout, repairs, and staging. In business “I think we’re ready to scale.” usually comes after you already NEED to scale. You feel the effects - The owner is busy. The team is working hard. Customers are asking for more. There are opportunities in front of the business. So the natural thought...

I contend, leaders do not need false urgency to begin continuous improvement. They do not need a consultant telling them the sky is falling. They do not need a burning platform. They do not need a crisis. Most leaders already know where the pain is. They know the process that breaks down every month. They know the report that takes three people too long to build. They know the handoff that always creates rework. They know the customer issue that keeps showing back up. They know the department...